I took the live 70-441 SQL Server 2005 exam on Monday. Didn’t pass; I got exactly the same score as in the beta, despite some serious study. I’ve spoken to several people here in Australia and it seems this exam is harder than the other SQL Server 2005 certification exams. Looks like I have some more learning to do!
Whilst deep down, I value on the job experience more than a specific certification, I think going through the certification process is good because it forces you to evaluate aspects of a technology that you might have otherwise been unaware of. Even if 6 months later, you’re not an ‘expert’ and have perhaps forgotten some of the details, you are still in a better position to decide whether those features are useful in a particular scenario.