Boost your IT support career with unmatched validation as a Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST). This certification proves your ability to successfully troubleshoot desktop environments that run on the Windows operating system. It also shows that you have the necessary soft skills to educate users and help them solve hardware and software operation and application problems on Windows.
Level:
Six to twelve months of experience in supporting end users of a desktop operating system
Audience:
IT professional
Type:
Microsoft Certification
By earning the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) certification, you can help validate the unique set of skills required to succeed in a variety of job roles, such as help desk technician, customer support representative, computer support specialist, technical support representative, and technical support specialist.
MCDSTs work in the typically complex computing environments of small, medium-sized, and large organizations. Candidates should have six to twelve months of experience in supporting end users of a desktop operating system.
Earning a Microsoft Certification helps validate your proven experience and helps you build your career, whether you are new to technology or a seasoned professional. The benefits you receive after achieving a Microsoft certification provide you opportunities to connect with a vast, global network of Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs). Research shows certification is a value to you and your organization:
RelevanceHelps validate real-world skills
63% of hiring managers think that certified individuals are more productive on the job
Training and certification are necessary to maintain a high level of performance
JourneyHelps build your career
43% of office workers report salary increases as a result of Microsoft Certification
57% of Microsoft-certified professionals expected to receive pay bonuses this year
CommunityRelationship with Microsoft and IT peers
Certified teams are 28% more productive*
Microsoft Certification provides access to unique Microsoft resources, including a community of certified professionals
*Source: IDC, Impact of Training on Network Administration: Certification Leads to Operational Productivity, Doc. #220563, November 2009
To earn the MCDST certification, you must pass both of the following exams, in any order.
Required exams
Exam number
Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Windows XP Operating System
Exam 70-271*
Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a Windows XP Operating System
Exam 70-272*
*This exam retired on June 30, 2011.
As a Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST), you can upgrade your certification to include a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and a Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certification by passing just one exam.
These added certifications help validate your comprehension of the functions and features of the Windows Vista operating system, your ability to deploy and support Windows Vista, and your skills related to troubleshooting network connectivity and applications issues within Windows Vista.
Current certification
Certification goals
Required exam
MCDST (Windows XP)orMCITP: Enterprise Support Technician on Windows Vista
MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7
Exam 70-682: PRO: Upgrade to Windows 7 MCITP Enterprise Desktop Support Technician
MCDST(Windows XP)
MCTS:Windows Vista, ConfigurationandMCITP: Enterprise Support Technician on Windows Vista
Exam 70-621*: PRO: Upgrading Your MCDST Certification to MCITP Enterprise Support
*This exam retired on March 31, 2011.
This certification helps highlight your expertise in job roles supporting a broad range of consumer desktop operating systems, desktop applications, mobile devices, networking, and hardware support issues related to Windows Vista. It is the right option for you if you would like to build expertise in home user support or consumer retail support.
Current certifications
Certification goal
MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuration
MCITP: Consumer Support Technician on Windows Vista
Exam 70-623: PRO: Supporting and Troubleshooting Applications on a Windows Vista Client for Consumer Support Technicians
View all answers
Q. How can I determine if I am an appropriate candidate to earn the MCDST certification?
A.
The MCDST certification covers the skills of help desk technicians, customer support representatives, computer support specialists, technical support representatives, and technical support specialists as defined by the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies Skill Standards for Information Technology and by other research worldwide. The MCDST certification is for IT professionals who are working in the typically complex computing environments of small, medium-sized, and large organizations that use Windows XP. An MCDST candidate should have six to twelve months of experience in supporting Windows XP end users.
Q. I am currently pursuing my MCDST certification and would like to pursue the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) certification in the future. Will Microsoft recognize the MCDST certification as an alternative to the MCSA elective?
Yes. The MCDST certification is accepted as an alternative to the required elective exam for the MCSA certification.
Q. How is the MCDST certification different from the MCSA certification?
The MCDST certification is for IT professionals who have excellent customer service skills and can educate users and solve hardware or software issues on the Windows client system. The MCSA certification is for IT professionals who implement, manage, and troubleshoot network and system environments based on the Windows Server 2003 operating system. These individuals typically do not directly support end users or troubleshoot desktop issues as part of their job. Unlike an MCSA, an MCDST is not expected to have network administration skills.
Q. I am already an MCSA or MCSE. Should I consider pursuing the MCDST certification?
The exams for the MCDST certification have retired. If your current technical-support responsibilities include troubleshooting, customer service, hardware and software installation, or configuration and upgrades for Windows Vista or Windows 7, we recommend that you pursue either the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician on Windows 7 or the MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician on Windows Vista. These certifications will broaden your support capabilities and enhance your employability.
Q. How is the MCDST certification different from the Microsoft Office Specialist certification?
The Microsoft Office Specialist certification is a globally recognized standard for demonstrating desktop skills; it measures competence and productivity when using Microsoft Office programs. The MCDST certification focuses on troubleshooting and maintaining applications.
Q. I have my CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ certifications. Do these certifications count toward the MCDST certification?
While providing a solid base of skills and knowledge, the CompTIA A+ and CompTIA Network+ certifications do not count toward the MCDST certification.
Q. How does the MCDST certification differ from the CompTIA exams?
The A+ Core Hardware and the A+ Operating Systems Technologies (CompTIA) exams cover essential competencies for service technicians working with desktop computers. The MCDST certification focuses specifically on the desktop support technician who works in a service environment. The MCDST exams go beyond the basics and focus on diagnosis and assessment of end-user incident requests on the Windows operating system and the applications that run on it.
Q. Are there additional soft-skill and hardware certifications available to complement the MCDST certification?
Yes. If you are interested in enhancing your soft-skill and hardware certifications, consider these third-party certifications:
Soft Skills: Help Desk Institute Customer Service and Support (CSS) and Help Desk Analyst (HDA) Certifications (Thinkhdi.com)
Hardware: CompTIA A+ Certification (Comptia.org)
Most of the help desk certifications in the marketplace complement the MCDST certification because it is focused on supporting key technologies on the Windows desktop, specifically Windows XP and Microsoft Office.
Q. As a hiring manager, why would I hire an MCDST over a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) or Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)? Will an MCDST have difficulty finding jobs when competing with MCSAs or MCSEs?
MCDST, MCSA, and MCSE job roles are distinct. These certifications—for desktop support technicians, systems administrators, and systems engineers, respectively—provide hiring managers with an accurate means of identifying qualified individuals for specific job roles in an organization's IT structure. Recent research indicates that a demand gap exists between the number of support technicians that are needed on Windows desktop systems and the number of skilled individuals available to do the job. The MCDST certification will help employers readily identify qualified individuals to close this gap.
Q. How long will my certification be valid?
The MCDST certification will not become inactive. It will continue to hold its value in the marketplace as long as there is a need for IT professionals with these skills. For details on the certification lifespan policies, review the Certification Lifespan FAQ.
Still have questions? Try one of the following frequently asked questions (FAQ) pages:
