I remember way back, long ago, before the iPad, and before the iPhone, Apple had official certification training for OS X Server. I think I got my first certification around 10.3. Over time, additional courses appeared. There was an Xsan course, there was an OS X Server course, and there were plans for more. At the height of the Apple certification program, you could get the following for a full on systems administration plethora of acronyms, including ACDT, ACTC, ACSA, and ACMA:
- Mac OS X Support Essentials v10.6: Prometric #9L0-403, removed on May 31, 2012
- Mac OS X Server Essentials v10.6: Prometric #9L0-510, removed on May 31, 2012
- Mac OS X Directory Services v10.6 Prometric #9L0-624, removed on May 31, 2012
- Mac OS X Deployment v10.6: Prometric #9L0-623, removed on May 31, 2012
- Mac OS X Security & Mobility v10.6: Prometric #9L0-625, removed on May 31, 2012
- Xsan 2 Administration: Prometric #9L0-622, removed on May 31, 2012
- Final Cut Pro Level One: Prometric #9L0-827
- Macintosh Service Certification Exam
- OS X Yosemite Troubleshooting Exam
You could also go further and get an Apple Certified Trainer designation (ACT) and be able to teach these classes. Certifications aren’t everything, so it was certainly possible to get certified without having the skills, or to get l33t without getting the certs. However, they were a good guidepost for me when hiring and there were certain activities I engaged in with Apple that having the certifications was either required or extremely helpful.
But over time, Apple shifted its focus elsewhere. After the release of the iPad (and subsequent gangbuster sales of the product), the number of services and the viability of using some of those services in large environments (e.g. due to the death of the Xserve and Xserve RAID), have both decreased sharply. Meanwhile, the ease of use of the services has sharply increased. A simpler product required less training, so the ACSA went away. Additionally, Final Cut Server as a product was removed from Apple’s portfolio and so the ACMA certification disappeared. By 10.10, there were two courses for OS X and OS X Server (ACTC) and another for hardware that’s much more specific to hardware repair.
But as with the Highlander, for 10.11, there can be only one. OS X Server no longer has a course. So today, I’ll say adios, Server certs. I spent a lot of time on you. I will miss you. Or notsomuch. TBD. It’s a different world…
The book for the OS X Server 10.11/Server 5 course is still being made. I’ve heard it should be out in January. And I’ll keep writing articles and books about this stuff for as long as it’s viable. So there’s content. And I’m sure (like really sure) that there will be a third party that introduces a certification for OS X Server. So stay tuned for more on that! And be assured that the end of one era usually represents the beginning of a new era. Those on that boat to the new era usually do well!