Wednesday 25 December 2019

Trending Microsoft Certifications in Data, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and Machine Learning

The cutting edge Data, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and Machine Learning are here to stay for many decades to come. There are many trending certifications from Microsoft for these technologies. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is predicted to increase economic growth by an average of 5 percent across many industries by 2050. IoT is changing the way companies all over the world are doing business. Gartner Says 5.8 Billion Enterprise and Automotive IoT Endpoints Will Be in Use in 2020. Gartner forecasts that the enterprise and automotive Internet of Things (IoT) market will grow to 5.8 billion endpoints in 2020, a 21% increase from 2019. By the end of 2019, 4.8 billion endpoints are expected to be in use, up 21.5% from 2018.

A recent global digital report published by 'We Are Social,' and 'Hootsuite' states that the number of people using the Internet to search has hit 4 billion people in 2018. Every second, there are approximately 40,000 searches processed, which equates to 3.5 billion a day, or an incredible 1.2 trillion searches per year. Each year, humanity spends the equivalent of 1 billion years online.

That's a staggering amount of data gathered every day, and it would be impossible to analyze without the help of machine learning.

These 13 Certifications are good to have if you specialize or would like to specialize in Data, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and Machine Learning.

AI-100: Designing and Implementing an Azure AI Solution
Candidates for this exam analyze the requirements for AI solutions, recommend appropriate tools and technologies, and implements solutions that meet scalability and performance requirements.
Candidates translate the vision from solution architects and work with data scientists, data engineers, IoT specialists, and AI developers to build complete end-to-end solutions. Candidates design and implement AI apps and agents that use Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services and Azure Bot Service. Candidates can recommend solutions that use open source technologies.
Candidates understand the components that make up the Azure AI portfolio and the available data storage options.
Candidates implement AI solutions that use Cognitive Services, Azure bots, Azure Search, and data storage in Azure. Candidates understand when a custom API should be developed to meet specific requirements.
Skills measured:
  1. Analyze solution requirements (25-30%)
  2. Design AI solutions (40-45%)
  3. Implement and monitor AI solutions (25-30%)

DP-100: Designing and Implementing a Data Science Solution on Azure
Candidates for this exam apply scientific rigor and data exploration techniques to gain actionable insights and communicate results to stakeholders. Candidates use machine learning techniques to train, evaluate, and deploy models to build AI solutions that satisfy business objectives. Candidates use applications that involve natural language processing, speech, computer vision, and predictive analytics.
Candidates serve as part of a multi-disciplinary team that incorporates ethical, privacy, and governance considerations into the solution. Candidates typically have background in mathematics, statistics, and computer science.
Skills measured:
  1. Define and prepare the development environment (15-20%)
  2. Prepare data for modeling (25-30%)
  3. Perform feature engineering (15-20%)
  4. Develop models (40-45%)

DP-200: Implementing an Azure Data Solution
Candidates for this exam are Microsoft Azure data engineers who collaborate with business stakeholders to identify and meet the data requirements to implement data solutions that use Azure data services.
Azure data engineers are responsible for data-related implementation tasks that include provisioning data storage services, ingesting streaming and batch data, transforming data, implementing security requirements, implementing data retention policies, identifying performance bottlenecks, and accessing external data sources.
Candidates for this exam must be able to implement data solutions that use the following Azure services: Azure Cosmos DB, Azure SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics (formerly Azure SQL DW), Azure Data Lake Storage, Azure Data Factory, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Databricks, and Azure Blob storage.
Skills measured:
  1. Implement data storage solutions (40-45%)
  2. Manage and develop data processing (25-30%)
  3. Monitor and optimize data solutions (30-35%)

DP-201: Designing an Azure Data Solution
Candidates for this exam are Microsoft Azure data engineers who collaborate with business stakeholders to identify and meet the data requirements to design data solutions that use Azure data services.
Azure data engineers are responsible for data-related tasks that include designing Azure data storage solutions that use relational and non-relational data stores, batch and real-time data processing solutions, and data security and compliance solutions.
Candidates for this exam must design data solutions that use the following Azure services: Azure Cosmos DB, Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Data Warehouse, Azure Data Lake Storage, Azure Data Factory, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Databricks, and Azure Blob storage.
Skills measured:
  1. Design Azure data storage solutions (40-45%)
  2. Design data processing solutions (25-30%)
  3. Design for data security and compliance (25-30%)

70-761: Querying Data with Transact-SQL
This exam is intended for SQL Server database administrators, system engineers, and developers with two or more years of experience who are seeking to validate their skills and knowledge in writing queries.
Skills measured:
  1. Manage data with Transact-SQL (40–45%)
  2. Query data with advanced Transact-SQL components (30–35%)
  3. Program databases by using Transact-SQL (25–30%)

70-762: Developing SQL Databases
This exam is intended for database professionals who build and implement databases across organizations and who ensure high levels of data availability. Their responsibilities include creating database files, data types, and tables; planning, creating, and optimizing indexes; ensuring data integrity; implementing views, stored procedures, and functions; and managing transactions and locks.
Skills measured:
  1. Design and implement database objects (25–30%)
  2. Implement programmability objects (20–25%)
  3. Manage database concurrency (25–30%)
  4. Optimize database objects and SQL infrastructure (20–25%)

70-764: Administering a SQL Database Infrastructure
This exam is intended for database professionals who perform installation, maintenance, and configuration tasks. Other responsibilities include setting up database systems, making sure those systems operate efficiently, and regularly storing, backing up, and securing data from unauthorized access.
Skills measured:
  1. Configure data access and auditing (20–25%)
  2. Manage backup and restore of databases (20–25%)
  3. Manage and monitor SQL Server instances (35–40%)
  4. Manage high availability and disaster recovery (20–25%)

70-765: Provisioning SQL Databases
This exam is intended for architects, senior developers, infrastructure specialists, and development leads. Candidates have a working knowledge of the various cloud service models and service model architectures, data storage options, and data synchronization techniques. Candidates also have a working knowledge of deployment models, upgrading and migrating databases, and applications and services, in addition to integrating Azure applications with external resources.
Skills measured:
  1. Implement SQL in Azure (40–45%)
  2. Manage databases and instances (30-35%)
  3. Manage Storage (30–35%)

70-767: Implementing a Data Warehouse using SQL
This exam is intended for extract, transform, and load (ETL) and data warehouse developers who create business intelligence (BI) solutions. Their responsibilities include data cleansing, in addition to ETL and data warehouse implementation.
Skills measured:
  1. Design, implement, and maintain a data warehouse (35–40%)
  2. Extract, transform, and load data (40–45%)
  3. Build data quality solutions (15–20%)

70-768: Developing SQL Data Models
This exam is intended for business intelligence (BI) developers who focus on creating BI solutions that require implementing multidimensional data models, implementing and maintaining OLAP cubes, and implementing tabular data models.
Skills measured:
  1. Design a multidimensional business intelligence (BI) semantic model (25–30%)
  2. Design a tabular BI semantic model (20–25%)
  3. Develop queries using Multidimensional Expressions (MDX) and Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) (15–20%)
  4. Configure and maintain SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) (30–35%)

70-777: Implementing Microsoft Azure Cosmos DB Solutions
Candidates for this exam are developers and architects who leverage Azure Cosmos DB. Candidates should understand fundamental concepts of partitioning, replication, and resource governance for building and configuring scalable applications that are agnostic of a Cosmos DB API. Candidates should also have basic working knowledge of the Cosmos DB SQL API.
Candidates for this exam design, build, and troubleshoot Cosmos DB solutions that meet business and technical requirements.
Skills measured:
  1. Partition and Model Data
  2. Replicate Data Across the World
  3. Tune and Debug Azure Cosmos DB Solutions
  4. Perform Integration and Develop Solutions

70-778: Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Microsoft Power BI
Candidates for this exam should have a good understanding of how to use Power BI to perform data analysis. Candidates should be proficient in connecting to data sources and performing data transformations, modeling and visualizing data by using Microsoft Power BI Desktop, and configuring dashboards by using the Power BI service. Candidates should also be proficient in implementing direct connectivity to Microsoft SQL Azure and SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS), and implementing data analysis in Microsoft Excel. Candidates may include BI professionals, data analysts, and other roles responsible for creating reports by using Power BI.
Skills measured:
  1. Consuming and Transforming Data By Using Power BI Desktop
  2. Modeling and Visualizing Data
  3. Configure Dashboards, Reports and Apps in the Power BI Service

70-779: Analyzing and Visualizing Data with Microsoft Excel
Candidates for this exam should have a strong understanding of how to use Microsoft Excel to perform data analysis. Candidates should be able to consume, transform, model, and visualize data in Excel. Candidates should also be able to configure and manipulate data in PowerPivot, PivotTables, and PivotCharts. Candidates may include BI professionals, data analysts, and other roles responsible for analyzing data with Excel.
Skills measured:
  1. Consume and Transform Data by Using Microsoft Excel (30-35%)
  2. Model Data (35-40%)
  3. Visualize Data (30-35%)

Great Microsoft Exams for Azure

Microsoft Azure is now associated with almost all IT projects involving Microsoft technologies. Cloud computing is the only way for enterprise companies to lower their operating costs and get the cutting edge tools and Software services. In-house IT infrastructures have limitations, but with Microsoft Cloud sky is the limit.

There are many Cloud computing certifications available by Microsoft for Azure. The below 10 are must-have for advancing one's career.

70-487: Developing Microsoft Azure and Web Services
Candidates for this certification are professional developers that use Visual Studio 2017 and the Microsoft .NET Core Framework to design and develop Web solutions. Candidates should have a minimum of three to five years of experience developing ASP.NET MVC-based solutions. Additionally, candidates should be able to demonstrate the following:
  • Experience designing and developing Web applications that access various (local and remote) data and services including Windows Azure
  • Experience with the full software development life cycle of data and service solutions
  • Experience developing and deploying to multi-tier environments, including Windows Azure
  • Experience designing and developing asynchronous solutions
  • Experience creating and consuming HTTP services
Skills measured:
  1. Accessing Data (20-25%)
  2. Querying and Manipulating Data by Using the Entity Framework (20-25%)
  3. Creating and Consuming Web API-based services (20-25%)
  4. Designing and Implementing Web Services (15-20%)
  5. Deploying Web Applications and Services (15-20%)

70-537: Configuring and Operating a Hybrid Cloud with Microsoft Azure Stack
Candidates for this exam are Azure administrators and Azure Stack operators who use Azure Stack to provide cloud services to their end users or customers from within their own data center. 
Candidates for this exam should have significant experience managing and operating Azure Stack environments. Candidates should have a strong understanding of Azure as well as some knowledge of virtualization, networking, and identity management. Candidates should also understand how Azure Stack enables DevOps processes and the hybrid development model.
Candidates for this exam are expected to demonstrate the ability to plan, deploy, package, update, and maintain the Azure Stack infrastructure. Candidates must also demonstrate the ability to offer hybrid cloud resources and requested services, and to manage infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS). 
Skills measured:
  1. Deploying and Integrating an Azure Stack Environment (20-25%)
  2. Configuring PaaS and IaaS for an Azure Stack Environment (25-30%)
  3. Providing Services to and Enabling DevOps for Azure Stack Tenants (25-30%)
  4. Maintaining and Monitoring an Azure Stack Environment (20-25%)

AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals
This exam is designed for candidates looking to demonstrate foundational-level knowledge of cloud services and how those services are provided with Microsoft Azure. The exam is intended for candidates with non-technical backgrounds, such as those involved in selling or purchasing cloud based solutions and services, or who have some involvement with cloud based solutions and services, as well as those with a technical background who have a need to validate their foundational-level knowledge around cloud services. Technical IT experience is not required, however, some general IT knowledge or experience would be beneficial. 
This exam can be taken as an optional first step in learning about cloud services and how those concepts are exemplified by Microsoft Azure. It can be taken as a precursor to Microsoft Azure or Microsoft cloud services exams. While it would be a beneficial first step, validating foundational-level knowledge, taking this exam is not a prerequisite before taking any other Azure-based certifications. 
Skills measured: 
  1. Understand cloud concepts (15-20%)
  2. Understand core Azure services (30-35%)
  3. Understand security, privacy, compliance, and trust (25-30%)
  4. Understand Azure pricing and support (20-25%)

AZ-103: Microsoft Azure Administrator
Candidates for this exam are Azure Administrators who manage cloud services that span storage, security, networking, and compute cloud capabilities. Candidates have a deep understanding of each service across the full IT lifecycle, and take requests for infrastructure services, applications, and environments. They make recommendations on services to use for optimal performance and scale, as well as provision, size, monitor, and adjust resources as appropriate.
Candidates for this exam should have proficiency in using PowerShell, the Command Line Interface, Azure Portal, ARM templates, operating systems, virtualization, cloud infrastructure, storage structures, and networking.
Skills measured:
  1. Manage Azure subscriptions and resources (15-20%)
  2. Implement and manage storage (15-20%)
  3. Deploy and manage virtual machines (VMs) (15-20%)
  4. Configure and manage virtual networks (30-35%)
  5. Manage identities (15-20%)

AZ-203: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure
Candidates for this exam are Azure Developers who design and build cloud solutions such as applications and services. They participate in all phases of development, from solution design, to development and deployment, to testing and maintenance. They partner with cloud solution architects, cloud DBAs, cloud administrators, and clients to implement the solution.
Candidates should be proficient in developing apps and services by using Azure tools and technologies, including storage, security, compute, and communications.
Candidates must have at least one year of experience developing scalable solutions through all phases of software development and be skilled in at least one cloud-supported programming language.
Skills measured:
  1. Develop Azure Infrastructure as a Service compute solution (10-15%)
  2. Develop Azure Platform as a Service compute solution (20-25%)
  3. Develop for Azure storage (15-20%)
  4. Implement Azure security (10-15%)
  5. Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize solutions (10-15%)
  6. Connect to and consume Azure and third-party services (20-25%)

AZ-300: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies
Candidates for this exam are Azure Solution Architects who advise stakeholders and translate business requirements into secure, scalable, and reliable solutions. Candidates should have advanced experience and knowledge across various aspects of IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data management, budgeting, and governance. This role requires managing how decisions in each area affects an overall solution. Candidates must be proficient in Azure administration, Azure development, and DevOps, and have expert-level skills in at least one of those domains.
Skills measured:
  1. Deploy and configure infrastructure (25-30%)
  2. Implement workloads and security (20-25%)
  3. Create and deploy apps (5-10%)
  4. Implement authentication and secure data (5-10%)
  5. Develop for the cloud and for Azure storage (20-25%)

AZ-301: Microsoft Azure Architect Design
Candidates for this exam are Azure Solution Architects who advise stakeholders and translate business requirements into secure, scalable, and reliable solutions. Candidates should have advanced experience and knowledge across various aspects of IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data management, budgeting, and governance. This role requires managing how decisions in each area affects an overall solution. Candidates must be proficient in Azure administration, Azure development, and DevOps, and have expert-level skills in at least one of those domains.
Skills measured:
  1. Determine workload requirements (10-15%)
  2. Design for identity and security (20-25%)
  3. Design a data platform solution (15-20%)
  4. Design a business continuity strategy (15-20%)
  5. Design for deployment, migration, and integration (10-15%)
  6. Design an infrastructure strategy (15-20%)

AZ-400: Microsoft Azure DevOps Solutions
Candidates for this exam are DevOps professionals who combine people, processes, and technologies to continuously deliver valuable products and services that meet end-user needs and business objectives. DevOps professionals streamline delivery by optimizing practices, improving communications and collaboration, and creating automation. They design and implement strategies for application code and infrastructure that allow for continuous integration, testing, delivery, monitoring, and feedback.
Candidates must be proficient with Agile practices. They must be familiar with both Azure administration and Azure development and experts in at least one of these areas. Azure DevOps professionals must be able to design and implement DevOps practices for version control, compliance, infrastructure as code, configuration management, build, release, and testing by using Azure technologies.
Skills measured:
  1. Design a DevOps strategy (20-25%)
  2. Implement DevOps development processes (20-25%)
  3. Implement continuous integration (10-15%)
  4. Implement continuous delivery (10-15%)
  5. Implement dependency management (5-10%)
  6. Implement application infrastructure (15-20%)
  7. Implement continuous feedback (10-15%)

AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies
Candidates for this exam are Microsoft Azure security engineers who implement security controls, maintain the security posture, manage identity and access, and protect data, applications, and networks. Candidates identify and remediate vulnerabilities by using a variety of security tools, implement threat protection, and respond to security incident escalations. As a Microsoft Azure security engineer, candidates often serve as part of a larger team dedicated to cloud-based management and security and may also secure hybrid environments as part of an end-to-end infrastructure.
Candidates for this exam should have strong skills in scripting and automation; a deep understanding of networking, virtualization, and cloud N-tier architecture; and a strong familiarity with cloud capabilities, Microsoft Azure products and services, and other Microsoft products and services.
Skills measured:
  1. Manage identity and access (20-25%)
  2. Implement platform protection (35-40%)
  3. Manage security operations (15-20%)
  4. Secure data and applications (30-35%)

AZ-120: Planning and Administering Microsoft Azure for SAP Workloads (still in beta)
Candidates for this exam are architects and engineers who are knowledgeable in the SAP Landscape Certification process and industry standards that are specific to the long-term operation of an SAP solution. Candidates make recommendations on services and adjust resources as appropriate for optimal resiliency, performance, scale, provision, size, and monitoring.
Architects of Azure for SAP Workloads should have extensive experience and knowledge of SAP Applications, SAP HANA, S/4HANA, SAP NetWeaver, SAP BW, OS Servers for SAP Applications and Databases, Azure Portal, ARM templates, operating systems, virtualization, cloud infrastructure, storage structures, high availability design, disaster recovery design, data protection concepts, and networking.
It is strongly recommended that candidates for this exam have an Azure Administrator or Azure Architect certification, in addition to SAP HANA and Linux certifications.
Skills measured:
  1. Migrate SAP Workloads to Azure (10-15%)
  2. Design an Azure Solution to Support SAP Workloads (20-25%)
  3. Build and Deploy Azure SAP Workloads (35-40%)
  4. Validate Azure Infrastructure for SAP Workloads (10-15%)
  5. Operationalize Azure SAP Architecture (10-15%)

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Certifications to look out for in 2019-2020

There are many Microsoft Dynamics 365 certifications which can be explored to validate your skills. To make it easy, I have them broken down at three levels: Beginner Level, Experienced Users, and Expert Level.

Certifications for Beginners
These certifications are for users who have at least a year of experience with Dynamics 365.
  • MB-900: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals
This exam is designed for candidates looking to demonstrate foundational knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics 365, Power Platform applications, and the cloud computing model. This exam will cover the considerations and benefits of adopting Dynamics 365, the Power Platform, and cloud services in general. This exam can be taken as a precursor to Dynamics 365 certifications and training.
Candidates for this exam should have general knowledge or relevant working experience in an Information Technology (IT) environment. Candidates should also have a basic understanding of business scenarios and experience in addressing business, legal, and security requirements for IT projects.
Skills measured:
  1. Understand Dynamics 365 (40-45%)
  2. Understand cloud concepts (25-30%)
  3. Understand deployments and releases (20-25%)
  • MB-200: Microsoft Power Platform + Dynamics 365 Core
Candidates for this exam are functional consultants who have access to the features and functionality of the enterprise licensed product. As a functional consultant, the candidate is aware of bundled versions of features but does not primarily work with these bundled products.
Candidates are primarily responsible for configuring the system to meet client needs, performing design tasks related to implementing new features and functionality, and implementing and testing system changes.
Candidates plan the functional design for solutions, implement an application lifecycle management (ALM) process, migrate data and objects from legacy and external systems, integrate Power Platform with other systems, and manage the Power Platform environment.
Skills measured:
  1. Perform discovery, planning, and analysis (5-10%)
  2. Manage user experience design (20-25%)
  3. Manage entities and data (15-20%)
  4. Implement security (5-10%)
  5. Implement integration (15-20%)
  6. Perform solutions deployment and testing (25-30%)

Certifications for Experienced Users
These certifications are for users who have experience working on many enterprise level Microsoft Dynamice 365 projects in the areas defined in the certification.
  • MB-210: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
Candidates for this exam are Dynamics 365 functional consultants with sales expertise. Candidates are responsible for implementing solutions that support a sales life cycle to run efficiently and effectively to meet revenue targets, business strategies, and company objectives.
Candidates are responsible for configuring and expanding the core functionality of Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Opportunities and supporting entities to map to the sales processes in place at the company. They identify opportunities to use Power Apps to develop unified experiences for all devices, Power Automate for application integration, business process flows, and other automation tools to construct an application that supports and accelerates the "lead to cash journey."
Candidates must have strong business knowledge and preferably first-person experience in the sales world in one or more sales roles.
Skills measured:
  1. Perform configuration (40-45%)
  2. Manage core sales entities (20-25%) 
  3. Manage sales entities (35-40%)
  • MB-220: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing
Candidates for this exam are Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement functional consultants with marketing expertise. Candidates are responsible for implementing solutions that attract and convert leads, build brand awareness, standardize omnichannel messaging, and deliver marketing insights.
Candidates are responsible for configuring and expanding the core marketing application to include email marketing, setup, interactive customer journeys, leads nurturing with personalized experiences, LinkedIn integration, Events, Voice of the Customer, Landing Pages, segmentation and scoring, and maintaining General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) compliance.
Candidates should have some knowledge of marketing principles and the Marketing application's role in relationship to the Microsoft Dynamics 365 suite of applications, including integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Office 365 applications. Candidates should understand industry terminology, priorities, common initiatives, standards, methodologies, and best practices.
Skills measured:
  1. Configure marketing applications (5-10%)
  2. Manage segments and lists (10-15%)
  3. Create and manage marketing forms and pages (10-15%)
  4. Manage leads (10-15%)
  5. Create and manage marketing emails (10-15%)
  6. Manage customer journeys (15-20%)
  7. Manage events and webinars (10-15%)
  8. Configure and analyze customer responses (10-15%)
  • MB-230: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service
Candidates for this exam are Dynamics 365 functional consultants with customer service expertise. Candidates are responsible for implementing omnichannel solutions that focus upon service, quality, reliability, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
Candidates design and implement service management visualizations and reports provided by and in collaboration with the Solution Architect. Candidates collaborate with the Dynamics 365 administrator to implement and upgrade Power platform components, including knowledge base and Forms Pro.
Candidates must have strong applied knowledge meeting user needs through the Dynamics 365 Customer Service, including in-depth understanding of cases, knowledge base, queues, entitlements, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), visualizations, and Unified Service Desk.
Candidates should understand industry terminology, priorities, standards, methodologies, customer service operations, and best practices. Candidates should include a comprehensive understanding of the Customer Service application's role in relationship to the Dynamics 365 suite of applications along with a basic understanding of the solution architecture and quality assurance.
Skills measured:
  1. Perform configuration (25-30%)
  2. Manage cases and the knowledge base (30-35%)
  3. Manage queues, entitlements, and SLAs (25-30%)
  4. Configure voice of the customer (15-20%)
  • MB-300: Microsoft Dynamics 365: Core Finance and Operations
Candidates for this exam are Functional Consultants who analyze business requirements and translate those requirements into fully-realized business processes and solutions that implement industry best practices. Candidates serve as a key resource in implementing and configuring applications to meet business requirements.
Candidates for this exam have a fundamental understanding of accounting principles and financial operations of businesses, customer service, field service, manufacturing, retail, and supply chain management concepts.
Candidates for this exam typically specialize in one or more feature sets of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, including finance, manufacturing, and supply chain management.
Skills measured:
  1. Use common functionality and implementation tools (20-25%)
  2. Configure security, processes, and options (45-50%)
  3. Perform data migration (15-20%)
  4. Validate and support the solution (15-20%)
  • MB-310: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance
Candidates for this exam are Functional Consultants who analyze business requirements and translate those requirements into fully-realized business processes and solutions that implement industry best practices. Candidates serve as a key resource in implementing and configuring applications to meet business requirements.
Candidates for this exam have a fundamental understanding of accounting principles and financial operations of businesses, customer service, field service, manufacturing, retail, and supply chain management concepts.
Candidates for this exam typically specialize in one or more feature sets of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, including finance, manufacturing, and supply chain management.
Candidates must have knowledge of basic accounting principles and practices.
Skills measured:
  1. Set up and configure financial management (35-40%)
  2. Manage and apply common processes (20-25%)
  3. Implement and manage accounts payable and receivable (20-25%)
  4. Manage budgeting and fixed assets (15-20%)
  • MB-330: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management
Candidates for this exam are Functional Consultants who analyze business requirements and translate those requirements into fully-realized business processes and solutions that implement industry best practices. Candidates serve as a key resource in implementing and configuring applications to meet business requirements.
Candidates for this exam have a fundamental understanding of accounting principles and financial operations of businesses, customer service, field service, manufacturing, retail, and supply chain management concepts.
Candidates for this exam typically specialize in one or more feature sets of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, including finance, manufacturing, and supply chain management.
Candidates must have some knowledge of supply chain management practices, including procurement, trade, logistics, warehouse management, and transportation management.
Skills measured:
  1. Implement Product information management (25-30%)
  2. Implement Inventory management (20-25%)
  3. Implement and manage Supply Chain processes (25-30%)
  4. Implement Warehouse management and Transportation management and perform business processes (25-30%)

Certifications for Experts
These certifications are for users who have many years of experience with Dynamics 365 in the areas defined in the certification.
  • MB-240: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service
Candidates for this exam are Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement functional consultants with Field Service expertise. Candidates are responsible for implementing solutions that manage resources that complete the field service lifecycle.
Candidates implement the field service processes designed in collaboration with internal and external teams. This collaboration includes configuring the default administration areas of the Field Service application, deploying the Connected Field Service (IoT) solution and the mobile application, and implementing any additional needed customizations. Candidates are responsible for the configuration and deployment of the Field Service application in conjunction with the core customer service application.
Candidates must have knowledge of how to configure and customize components of the Field Service application, including configuring services, resources, characteristics, incidents, inventory integration, service agreements, resource scheduling, work orders, service tasks, field service user roles, field service settings, the Connected Field Service (IoT) solution, and configuration of the Field Service Mobile app.
Skills measured:
  1. Configure field service applications (20-25%)
  2. Manage work orders (15-20%)
  3. Schedule and dispatch work orders (20-25%)
  4. Manage field service mobility (10-15%)
  5. Manage inventory and purchasing (10-15%)
  6. Manage assets and agreements (10-15%)
  • MB-320: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing
Candidates for this exam are Functional Consultants who analyze business requirements and translate those requirements into fully-realized business processes and solutions that implement industry best practices. Candidates serve as a key resource in implementing and configuring applications to meet business requirements.
Candidates for this exam have a fundamental understanding of accounting principles and financial operations of businesses, customer service, field service, manufacturing, retail, and supply chain management concepts.
Candidates for this exam typically specialize in one or more feature sets of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, including finance, manufacturing, and supply chain management.
Candidates must have knowledge of basic accounting principles and practices.
Skills measured:
  1. Set up and configure manufacturing (30-35%)
  2. Create and manage production and lean orders (25-30%)
  3. Create, process, and manage production batch orders (40-45%)
  • MB-400: Microsoft Power Apps + Dynamics 365 Developer (still in beta)
Candidates for this exam are Developers who work with Microsoft Power Apps model-driven apps in Dynamics 365 to design, develop, secure, and extend a Dynamics 365 implementation. Candidates implement components of a solution that include application enhancements, custom user experience, system integrations, data conversions, custom process automation, and custom visualizations.
Candidates must have strong applied knowledge of Power Apps model-driven apps in Dynamics 365, including in-depth understanding of customization, configuration, integration, and extensibility, as well as boundaries and constraints. Candidates should have a basic understanding of DevOps practices for Power Apps model-driven apps in Dynamics 365. Candidates must expose, store, and report on data.
Candidates should have development experience that includes JavaScript, TypeScript, C#, HTML, .NET, Microsoft Azure, Office 365, RESTful Web Services, ASP.NET, and PowerBI.
Skills measured:
  1. Create a Technical Design (10-15%)
  2. Configure Common Data Service (CDS) (15-20%)
  3. Create and Configure Power Apps (10-15%)
  4. Configure business process automation (10-15%)
  5. Extend the user experience (15-20%)
  6. Extend the platform (15-20%)
  7. Develop Integrations (10-15%)
  • MB-500: Microsoft Dynamics 365: Finance and Operations Apps Developer (still in beta)
Candidates for this exam are Developers who work with Finance and Operations apps in Microsoft Dynamics 365 to implement and extend applications to meet the requirements of the business. Candidates provide fully realized solutions by using standardized application coding patterns, extensible features, and external integrations.
Candidates are responsible for developing business logic by using X++, creating and modifying Finance and Operations reports and workspaces, customizing user interfaces, providing endpoints and APIs to support Power Platform apps and external systems, performing testing, monitoring performance, analyzing and manipulating data, creating technical designs and implementation details, and implementing permission policies and security requirements.
Candidates participate in the migration of data and objects from legacy and external systems, integration of Finance and Operations apps with other systems, implementation of application lifecycle management process, planning the functional design for solutions, and managing Finance and Operations environments by using Lifecycle Services (LCS).
Candidates should have a deep knowledge and experience using the underlying framework, data structures, and objects associated with the Finance and Operations solutions.
Candidates should have experience with products that include Visual Studio, Azure DevOps, LCS tools, or SQL Server Management Studio.
Candidates should have experience in developing code by using object-oriented programming languages, analyzing and manipulating data by using Transact-SQL code, and creating and running Windows PowerShell commands and scripts.
Skills measured:
  1. Plan Architecture and Solution Design (10-15%)
  2. Apply Developer Tools (10-15%)
  3. Design and Develop AOT Elements (20-25%)
  4. Develop and Test Code (10-15%)
  5. Implement Reporting (10-15%)
  6. Integrate and Manage Data Solutions (10-15%)
  7. Implement Security and Optimize Performance (10-15%)

Sunday 15 December 2019

Introduction to Azure Stream Analytics

Azure stream analytics are truely real-time analytics, from the cloud to the edge. Azure Stream Analytics is designed to analyze and process high volumes of fast streaming data from multiple sources simultaneously.

The simplicity of Azure Stream Analytics is that it uses familiar SQL syntax and is extensible with JavaScript and C# custom code.

Basics of Azure Stream Analytics

Azure stream analytics solutions will always have input, query, and output.

Basics of Azure Stream Analytics

Advantages of Azure Stream Analytics
  • Ease of creating analytics pipelines
  • Can be used for complex and large workloads
  • As a cloud service, Stream Analytics is optimized for cost
  • Can be used on the Edge
  • Built-in machine learning (ML) models to shorten time to insights
  • Azure Stream Analytics has built-in recovery capabilities in case the delivery of an event fails
  • Azure Stream Analytics is a fully managed serverless (PaaS) offering on Azure
  • Azure Stream Analytics encrypts all incoming and outgoing communications and supports TLS 1.2
  • Stream Analytics can process millions of events every second 
  • Stream Analytics can deliver results with ultra-low latencies

Wednesday 8 May 2019

IntelliSense in SQL Server 2008 R2 Management Studio stops working (most of the time)

After installing Visual Studio 2010 Service Pack 1, the IntelliSense in SQL Server 2008 R2 Management Studio stops working (most of the time).

The fix is to install SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1.

The fix for this issue was first released in Cumulative Update 7. For more information on Cumulative Update 7  click here.

Because the builds are cumulative, each new fix release contains all the hotfixes and all the security fixes that were included with the previous SQL Server 2008 R2 fix release. I recommend installing SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 3.

I hope this was informative. Please feel free to leave comments, if any.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM - Global Option Sets (Picklists)

CRM 2011 was released with many new features. New features were added in the core application, configuration and extending CRM. One of the most appreciated new feature is Global option sets. The other name given to it is Global picklists.

In Dynamics CRM 4.0 there were local option sets. Let's say the requirement is to have a country option set in 10 different entity forms. In order to have the country list, we need the country option set in all the entities and so we need 10 country option sets. All these 10 country option sets had same items in it. If we change the name of a country or add a new country, then we need to make a change at all 10 places. Dynamics CRM 2011 has improved upon this limitation. We can have one global option set for a country. Then each country list in every entity can derive from this "country Global option set". In case any changes are there, it will be done at one place and all derived lists are updated.

I will show how to create and use a global option set. I will create a global option set for the country. I will add few countries and then create a local option set in the entity "Movie". The local option set on the "Movie" form will be derived from this global option set. For the clarity of this demo, I have marked important sections on the screen shots by a green rectangle.

1) I will go to my unmanaged solution "Movies". I am soon planning to write a blog on Unmanaged Solutions.

Click on the component "Option Sets" from the left navigation. This will open the list of all my option sets in this solution. All the option sets added here will be Global option sets. These global option sets are part of the solution "Movies" which later can be deployed from one environment to another as part of a managed solution. Click on New button.

Click New button to Add a new Global Option Set
Click New button to Add a new Global Option Set

2) The new Global option set window opens. "Display name" is the label of this Global option set. "Name" is the unique Schema name and Logical name for this Global option set. Add the countries as options (also called as items in CRM lingo). Each country I add will have a Label and a Value. I suggest to accept the default "Value" assigned by CRM.

New Global Option Set Window
New Global Option Set Window

3) I entered few countries to this Global option set. The Global option set window will look like below. Save and close.

Create a new Global Option Set for Countries
Create a new Global Option Set for Countries

4) I will create a local option set for the entity "Movie". Click on New to create a new field for entity "Movie".

This new option set field for Movie is derived from the Country Global option set. This Movie option set will display all the countries defined in the step above.

New Country field for
New Country field for "Movie" Entity

5) Add the required fields. Pay special attention to the "Type". The Type of this field is "Option Set".
I will select "Yes" to the option of use existing option set.

Select the Country value against the option set. This is where our local field will reference to any Global option set we select.

Leave default value as unassigned. Save and close.

Add this new field on the entity form. I then click on "Publish all Customizations" for my solution. This will publish all the above changes and make the new field available on the form.

Configure the new field as Country Global Option Set
Configure the new field as Country Global Option Set

6) Go to any existing record for the entity. I have opened the Movie record "GoldenEye" and find the Country option list. I can select any country from the list. Any changes to the Global option set will be automatically reflected here and at all the places which refers to it.

Use the new field on the
Use the new field on the "Movie" Entity Form

I hope this blog about CRM 2011 feature of Global Option Sets (Picklists) was informative. Please feel free to leave comments, if any.

Unit Testing for CRM 2011; Plugins, Custom Workflow Activities and Custom .Net Code

Every time we write a plugin and a custom workflow activity, we should make sure it works as desired. The business logic we write within these plugins and custom workflow activities, should accept the business confirmed parameters and should perform the agreed operations.

The above holds true each time we change these plugins and custom workflow activities. Every time we make a change, the plugins and custom workflow activities again need to be tested and verified. Unit testing in Visual Studio 2010 (out of the box) helps us achieve this process. In unit testing we will always need to Mock the CRM contexts and the data.

“Moq” mocking library can help in writing unit tests for CRM 2011 plugins and custom workflow activities, by mocking the CRM context and makes it easier to pass parameters and define the results.

Moq (pronounced “Mock-you” or just “Mock”) is the only mocking library for .NET developed from scratch to take full advantage of .NET 3.5 (i.e. Linq expression trees) and C# 3.0 features (i.e. lambda expressions) that make it the most productive, type-safe and refactoring-friendly mocking library available. And it supports mocking interfaces as well as classes. Its API is extremely simple and straightforward, and doesn’t require any prior knowledge or experience with mocking concepts.

The below screen shot shows the skeleton of how the MOQ can help us in Mocking (the CRM 2011 context). After Mocking, we can unit test by changing input parameters as we do with any other .Net unit testing.

MOQ: Mocking the CRM 2011 Context for Unit Testing in Visual Studio 2010
MOQ: Mocking the CRM 2011 Context for Unit Testing in Visual Studio 2010

I hope this was informative. Please feel free to leave comments, if any.

Friday 1 March 2019

Introduction to Edge Analytics

Edge analytics is the way data is collected and analyzed. It is a way in which automated analytical computation is performed on data at a sensor, network switch or other devices instead of waiting for the data to be sent back to the centralized data store.

The reason why edge analytics is gaining more and more importance and attestation is due to the Internet of Things (IoT) model of connected devices becoming more prevalent. In many organizations, streaming data from manufacturing machines, industrial equipment, pipelines and other remote devices connected to the IoT creates a massive glut of operational data, which can be difficult and very expensive to manage. The decision making process is faster as the data time between data generation and data analysis is decreased due to edge analytics. Due to Edge no time is wasted in sending data to a central location and waiting for the analysis, edge is here and now.
 
 
IoT Edge Analytics
 
 

Edge analytics offers few key benefits: 

  • Reduces Latency and Improves Agility

As data is analyzed closer to the source it makes the analysis far more agile. This is true where data is flowing form IoT sensors like CCTV camera, oil rigs, aircraft and remote manufacturing environments. The decisions can be made faster.
  • Decrease in Operation and Storage Costs

Not all data is important and with edge analytics now there is no need to store data in the hope that one day it might be useful. Edge creates a better and more agile process around data collecting and analytics. For example, as long as the self driving car of the future is running fine the data doesn’t need to be collected. This can be achieved by selective processing of the data which is facilitated by Edge Analytics.
  • Works in a Low Bandwidth Environment

Some IoT environments like the oil wells and connected vehicles generate significant amount of data that can overwhelm the bandwidth, but by having analytics on the edge the requirements of the bandwidth can be reduced. 
  • Cost Effective and Reliable

Edge analysis provide a very cost effective solution. It is also necessary to ensure the economics of IoT makes sense. Should any failure occur in the analytics system the recovery is generally faster even in remote locations.  Equipment failure can be avoided through preventative maintenance undertaken when actually needed, rather than at fixed periods in a predetermined schedule.
  • Linear Scalability

Edge Analytics architectures can scale linearly as IOT deployments grow. As IOT applications are inherently distributed, it is logical to process IOT data in a similar fashion. As the number of sensors and network devices grow, the amount of data that they collect also grows exponentially and it increases the strain on the central data analytics resources to process these huge amounts of data.
  • Lowers Inventory

Maintenance crews have an earlier and more precise visibility into future failures and breakdowns, making a spares inventory vastly more efficient.