exam retirements

Hi,
Microsoft quit retiring the certifications. There was enough business outcry and MCSEs disgust with the MS announcement of retiring NT 4 certification that MS woke up to the reality of when a certification is retired. "In the real world", a certification does not end until there is no further need of it by the business community. Microsoft does retire the certification tests and allows the certification itself to die a natural death.
Should I be starting into certification now, I would take the newest certification that is available. In this case, 2003. You will get more mileage from your certification by taking the latest one available and it will better prepare you for the next certifications. You are about to learn that certification tests will be your life and with breif pauses between tests. I wish you the best and may you prosper from your future knowledge.

I hope this helps you.

to add .... I opted for the W2000 MSCA first. There are more companies in my area upgrading to W2K from NT than going from NT to W2003 [big price drop on W2K after W2003 came out. From ave $800USD for W2K server to $350USD]. Not many were going to W2003 BUT like the first answer said, Certification is the way of life with brief pauses in between em. Next up is the W2003 MCSA

IT/Computers/Networking is like being a M.D. So many specialties with certs with the general practitioner all but non existent these days. Same with Network admins.