SharePoint = Search?

Recently, Microsoft announced the availability of Exam 74-676, Enterprise Search Platform Developing - the first Microsoft exam for the ESP product acquired along with FAST Search last year. That's good news for those of us who work with enterprise-class search technology and want to establish a Microsoft competency as part of the extensive Microsoft partner program skill set. Well.. sort of.

First, Microsoft considers this exam one on Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. Granted there is a special price on 'ESP for SharePoint'; but ESP has been a pretty powerful technology all on its own for a number of years. And I can assure you no SharePoint knowledge is required for this exam.

Secondly, it turns out that this exam may not count as a 'Search Competency" in the grand scheme of things. If you check the exams which qualify for the Search Competency (itself part of the Information Worker Solutions), you'll see that Exam 74-676 is not included on the list of qualifying exams. What tests do qualify? SharePoint and SharePoint Services application development and configuring.

Finally, I'm worried about customers who need an enterprise class search solution like FAST ESP and who hire a Microsoft partner whose qualifications include a Microsoft Search competency. They're going to find themselves knee-deep in a mess, which can't be good for Microsoft, FAST, or for anyone else in the business.

I know it sometimes takes a while for large companies to synchronize all of their web content, and I know the role of search is evolving at Microsoft. And I know SharePoint is an important part of the overall Microsoft Search Strategy going forward. But it would have been a nice touch if, after a $1.2B acquisition, the folks who really know FAST ESP could qualify for search competency without having to learn SharePoint.

I'd expect some changes on all of this in the coming months. But it seems a shame to have lost this opportunity to confirm that Microsoft understands the importance of enterprise search even when there's no SharePoint involved.