If you plan to upgrade from an MCAD or MCSD on .NET certification to a Microsoft Certified Professional Developercertification, you do not need to first obtain an MCTS certification. You will earn the applicable MCTS certifications when you pass the upgrade exam(s) for MCPD: Windows Applications Developer, MCPD: Web Applications Developer, or MCPD: Enterprise Applications Developer.

There are currently five Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certifications:

1. Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 2.0 Web Applications: Candidates for this certification must pass two exams, one focusing on .NET Framework 2.0 foundational skills (Exam 70-536) and one focusing on Web-based client development.

Core Exams: 70-536 and 70-528:

• 2349:Programming with the Microsoft .NET Framework (Microsoft Visual C# .NET)
• 2543:Core Web Client Prog with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005                                      (Exam: 70-536)

And

• 2541:Core Data Access with Visual Studio 2005
• 2542: Advanced Data Access with Visual Studio 2005   
• 2543:Core Web Client Prog with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
• 2544: Advanced Web Client Prog with Visual Studio 2005                                       (Exam 70-528)  

2. Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 2.0 Windows Applications: Candidates for this certification must pass two exams: one focuses on .NET Framework 2.0 foundational skills (Exam 70-536) and the other focuses on Windows-based client development. 

• 2546:Core Windows Client Dev. with Visual Studio 2005
• 2547:Advanced Windows Forms Technologies with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
• 2541: Core Data Access with Visual Studio 2005
• 2542: Advanced Data Access with Visual Studio 2005                                              (Exam 70-526)

3. Technology Specialist: .NET Framework 2.0 Distributed Applications: Candidates for this certification must pass two exams: one that focuses on .NET Framework 2.0 foundational skills (Exam 70-536) and one that focuses on developing distributed applications. 

• 2548 Core Distributed Application Development with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005
• 2549 Advanced Distributed Application Development with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005                                                         (Exam 70-529)

4. Technology Specialist: SQL Server 2005:   Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists in Microsoft SQL Server 2005 (MCTS: SQL Server 2005) implement and maintain databases using specific instructions and specifications. They have thorough knowledge of the product, understand how to use the tools and Transact-SQL language, and know how to explore the user interface.

Candidates must pass one exam that focuses on the implementation and maintenance of SQL Server 2005.

• 2779 Implementing a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database
• 2780 Maintaining a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database                                          (Exam 70-431) 

5. Technology Specialist: BizTalk Server 2006: The credential holder of this csertification will demonstrate expertise in deploying and managing a BizTalk Server 2006 solution and could create a BizTalk orchestration, integrate business rules and human workflow services, manage business processes, troubleshoot BizTalk solutions, and consume and publish Web services .