A number of exams that count toward the MCDBA, MCAD and MCSD titles will sail into the sunset in 2009. This according to a Microsoft blog post from Trika Harms zum Spreckel, a member of the marketing team in the Microsoft Learning Group.

Twelve exams make up the unofficial list, according to her post, but she explained that the group has yet to finalize the list and make it definitive.

"Well include a notice in the MCP newsletter when it is published and official," she wrote.

Microsofts official word is that exams face retirement fairly soon after mainstream product support ends, and that the company will provide time to make certificate holders aware of the retirements through advanced notice. Mainstream support for SQL Server 2000 ends on April 8, 2008, while support for the Visual Studio .NET family version 2002 ended last summer, with the 2003 versions ending Oct. 14, 2008.

MCDBA, MCAD and MCSD .NET certificate holders will continue to retain their titles and do not need to recertify.

To view Microsofts software support lifecycle policy, click here.