Starting with MCAD studies

hi all,
i have completed B.E. in computer science from mumbai university with 79%
in 2007
currently working with leading IT company on COBOL platform
but i strogly feel like switching the platform and join the mainstream
but I am comfused between MCAD and SCJP ( basically between SUN technologies
and MS technologies). Can any one please guide me through this.
Which is most renown is market ??
Is it possible to complere MCAD within 6 months ??
can anyone share basic knowledge of MCAD with me ??

 

No, you can't complete the MCAD in six months -- you only have less than 4
1/2 before the exams retire in March 2009. With three exams, that's about one
exam per month and a half. Unless you have nothing else to do but exam study,
or you cheat, you can't do it without several years of experience. (If you do
decide to do it, take the required exams that will be expiring first. You can
then take an elective exam that doesn't expire, such as SQL Server 2005
(70-431) afterwards. But even then that is one exam about every two months,
which is still a very short time for someone with only a little experience.
See http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcad/requirements.mspx)

The MCAD is for .NET Framework 1.x. Unless you are very familiar with that
technology (and it doesn't sound like you are), I would recommend going
straight for the MCTS certification. Start off with studying for the 70-536
exam, since it is a requirement for all certifications dealing with software
development. See http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/70-536.aspx

In regards to the difference between Sun and Microsoft, I suppose it depends
on whether you are better at Java tools or Visual Studio. The Microsoft exams
do NOT test computer language syntax, but more how the .NET Framework works.
In fact, you can take the exams in either C# or Visual Basic .NET (and some
exams you can also take in C++) and the questions will be mostly the same.

Best wishes in your certification studies.