CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association, is one of the most widely recognized vendor-neutral certification bodies in the information technology industry. Unlike vendor-specific certifications that track the evolution of a single company’s product line, CompTIA certifications are designed to reflect the broad state of technology skills and knowledge across the industry at any given point in time. Because technology evolves continuously and the skills required of IT professionals shift accordingly, CompTIA periodically reviews its certification portfolio and retires exams that no longer accurately reflect current industry requirements, replacing them with updated versions that address contemporary skills and competencies.
The retirement and replacement cycle serves several important purposes beyond simply keeping content current. It ensures that the certifications employers rely on when evaluating candidates actually measure relevant skills rather than outdated practices. It signals to the broader IT community that a certification body is actively engaged with industry developments rather than resting on the authority of credentials that were designed years or decades ago. For professionals who hold older versions of CompTIA certifications, retirement announcements represent both a prompt to update their credentials and an opportunity to engage with new material that reflects where the industry has moved since they last sat for an exam.
How CompTIA Manages the Transition Between Exam Versions
CompTIA follows a structured process when retiring an exam and introducing its replacement. Typically, the organization announces a retirement date well in advance, giving candidates who are already preparing for the outgoing exam sufficient time to complete their certification before the old version disappears. During the transition period, both the retiring exam and its replacement are available simultaneously, allowing candidates to choose which version to attempt based on their preparation status and timeline.
When a new exam version is released, it carries an updated exam code that reflects the revision. CompTIA uses a consistent naming convention where the base exam name remains the same but the alphanumeric code appended to it changes to signal the new version. For example, an exam previously identified as one code series would be replaced by a version with a higher or differently structured code. Professionals who hold certifications based on retired exams typically retain their credentials, as CompTIA does not invalidate previously earned certifications when an exam is retired. However, those seeking to demonstrate current knowledge are encouraged to pursue the updated version.
The CompTIA A+ Exams Retired in 2022 and Their Replacements
The CompTIA A+ certification is the most widely recognized entry-level IT credential in the industry and is frequently listed as a baseline requirement for help desk, technical support, and IT operations roles across virtually every sector. The A+ certification is achieved by passing two separate exams, Core 1 and Core 2, and both exams are updated on a regular cycle to reflect changes in the hardware, operating systems, and troubleshooting practices that entry-level technicians encounter in real-world environments.
In 2022, CompTIA retired the A+ Core 1 exam with the code 220-1001 and the A+ Core 2 exam with the code 220-1002. These were replaced by the updated A+ Core 1 exam carrying the code 220-1101 and the A+ Core 2 exam carrying the code 220-1101 and 220-1102 respectively. The updated exams reflect expanded coverage of cloud computing fundamentals, updated hardware specifications reflecting contemporary equipment, revised coverage of operating system versions including more recent releases of Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile platforms, and updated security content addressing the threat landscape that entry-level technicians are expected to recognize and respond to in modern support environments.
What Changed in the Updated A+ Exam Content
The transition from the 220-1001 and 220-1002 series to the 220-1101 and 220-1102 series brought meaningful content updates that reflect genuine shifts in the work that IT support technicians perform. Cloud computing concepts received expanded coverage in the updated exams, reflecting the reality that even entry-level technicians increasingly work with cloud-hosted applications, virtual desktops, and cloud storage solutions as part of their daily responsibilities. Virtualization concepts were similarly expanded, recognizing that virtualized environments are now standard rather than specialized in most IT departments.
Hardware content was updated to reflect contemporary specifications and form factors, including current generations of storage technology such as NVMe drives, updated display technologies, and current networking standards. The troubleshooting content was revised to align with the way modern technicians approach problem resolution in environments where devices are increasingly managed remotely and where the line between hardware support and software configuration has blurred significantly. Security content received particular attention in the updated exams, with greater emphasis on malware types, social engineering tactics, and basic security hardening practices that entry-level technicians are expected to apply and recognize in everyday work.
The CompTIA Network+ Exam Retired in 2022
The CompTIA Network+ certification validates foundational networking knowledge and skills, covering topics including network architecture, infrastructure, operations, security, and troubleshooting. It is widely regarded as the standard entry-level networking credential for IT professionals who work with network infrastructure as part of their role and is frequently pursued by candidates who have already earned the A+ certification and are looking to specialize in networking. Like all CompTIA certifications, Network+ is updated periodically to reflect changes in networking technology and practice.
In 2022, CompTIA retired the Network+ exam carrying the code N10-007. This version had been in use for several years and covered networking concepts that, while still fundamentally sound, needed updating to reflect the significant changes in network infrastructure that had occurred since its release. The retiring N10-007 was replaced by the updated Network+ exam carrying the code N10-008, which introduced revised and expanded content across multiple domains. The updated exam placed greater emphasis on cloud networking concepts, network virtualization, and the security practices that are now inseparable from network administration in most organizational environments.
Key Content Additions in the N10-008 Network+ Replacement
The N10-008 Network+ exam introduced several content areas that were absent or minimally covered in the N10-007, reflecting the transformation of networking practice over the years since the previous version was released. Cloud networking received substantially expanded coverage, addressing concepts such as virtual private clouds, cloud connectivity options, software-defined networking, and the network management implications of hybrid cloud architectures that combine on-premises infrastructure with cloud-hosted resources.
Network security content was significantly enhanced in the updated exam, reflecting the industry consensus that network administration and network security can no longer be treated as separate disciplines. The N10-008 covers security concepts including zero trust architecture principles, network access control, threat detection and response at the network level, and the security implications of common network protocols and configurations. Updated coverage of wireless networking standards, including more recent Wi-Fi generations, and revised content on network troubleshooting methodologies that reflect current tools and practices round out the most significant changes from the retired N10-007 to its replacement.
The CompTIA Security+ Exam Transition in 2022
The CompTIA Security+ certification is one of the most recognized and widely held cybersecurity credentials in the industry, valued by employers across commercial, government, and defense sectors as a baseline validation of security knowledge and skills. It is approved by the US Department of Defense to meet Directive 8570 requirements for certain information assurance roles, which makes it a mandatory credential for many IT professionals working in or with federal government environments. The Security+ exam is updated regularly to reflect the rapidly evolving threat landscape and the changing practices of security professionals.
In 2022, CompTIA retired the Security+ exam carrying the code SY0-501, which had been in service for several years. The SY0-501 was succeeded by the SY0-601 version, which had been released in late 2020 and represented the active replacement throughout the 2022 transition period. The updated SY0-601 exam introduced significant content revisions that reflected the security challenges organizations face in cloud-heavy, remote-work-enabled environments where the traditional network perimeter has dissolved and the attack surface has expanded dramatically. Candidates who had been preparing for the SY0-501 were advised to transition their preparation to the SY0-601 materials to ensure alignment with current exam objectives.
What the SY0-601 Security+ Brought to the Updated Exam
The SY0-601 Security+ exam introduced a more threat-focused approach to security content compared to its predecessor, reflecting the industry shift toward threat-informed defense and the recognition that security professionals must think like attackers to defend effectively. Attack techniques and indicators of compromise received greater coverage in the updated exam, with expanded content on threat actors, threat intelligence, vulnerability management, and the practical skills needed to identify and respond to security incidents in real-world environments.
Cloud security and hybrid environment security received substantially expanded coverage in the SY0-601, acknowledging that most organizations now operate in environments where workloads span both on-premises infrastructure and one or more cloud platforms. Identity and access management concepts were revised and expanded to address modern authentication models including zero trust principles and the security implications of federated identity across organizational boundaries. Governance, risk, and compliance content was updated to reflect current regulatory frameworks and the risk management practices that security professionals are expected to apply across diverse organizational contexts.
The CompTIA CySA+ Exam Updates and Retirement in 2022
The CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst certification, known as CySA+, is positioned above Security+ in the CompTIA cybersecurity pathway and validates the skills needed to perform behavioral analytics, apply threat intelligence, and conduct security operations work at an intermediate level. CySA+ is designed for professionals working in security operations center roles, threat analysis positions, and vulnerability management functions where the ability to detect, analyze, and respond to security threats is the primary professional responsibility.
CompTIA retired the CySA+ exam carrying the code CS0-001 in 2022, replacing it with the updated CS0-002 version. The CS0-002 introduced expanded coverage of threat and vulnerability management practices, security operations and monitoring, software and systems security, compliance and assessment, and incident response procedures. The updated exam placed greater emphasis on the practical analytical skills that cybersecurity analysts apply in operational environments, reflecting the industry expectation that CySA+-certified professionals can contribute meaningfully to security operations work from day one rather than requiring extensive additional on-the-job training before becoming productive.
The CompTIA PenTest+ Exam and Its 2022 Status
The CompTIA PenTest+ certification validates the skills required to plan and conduct penetration testing engagements, analyze results, and produce actionable reports that help organizations understand and remediate their security vulnerabilities. It is designed for security professionals who perform offensive security assessments as part of their role, whether as internal red team members, external consultants, or vulnerability researchers. PenTest+ occupies a unique position in the CompTIA portfolio as a certification that addresses both the technical execution of penetration tests and the planning, scoping, and reporting dimensions that professional engagements require.
The PenTest+ exam carrying the code PT0-001 was among the credentials undergoing transition during the 2022 period, with CompTIA preparing the updated PT0-002 version to reflect advances in penetration testing tools, techniques, and methodologies. The updated exam expanded coverage of cloud penetration testing, scripting and automation in penetration testing workflows, and the reporting and communication skills that professional penetration testers must demonstrate when delivering findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders. The transition reflected the broader industry shift toward cloud-native environments and the recognition that penetration testers must be equipped to assess security across a wider range of target environments than earlier versions of the exam addressed.
The CompTIA CASP+ Exam and Advanced Certification Updates
The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner certification, known as CASP+, is the highest-level certification in the CompTIA cybersecurity pathway and is designed for experienced security professionals in advanced practitioner roles rather than management or advisory positions. Unlike many advanced cybersecurity certifications that move toward strategic and governance-focused content, CASP+ maintains a strong emphasis on technical depth and hands-on competency, making it particularly relevant for senior security engineers, security architects, and technical leads who remain deeply engaged with the technical dimensions of security work.
The CASP+ exam carrying the code CAS-003 was in its transition period during 2022, being succeeded by the updated CAS-004 version. The updated exam introduced content reflecting the security engineering challenges of contemporary enterprise environments, including expanded coverage of cloud-native security architectures, zero trust implementation, advanced cryptographic applications, and the security governance practices that senior practitioners must apply in complex organizational environments. The CAS-004 maintained CASP+’s distinctive focus on practitioner-level technical competency while updating the specific skills and knowledge areas to reflect where advanced security engineering practice had evolved since the previous version was developed.
How Professionals Should Respond to Exam Retirement Announcements
When CompTIA announces the retirement of an exam, professionals who are in the middle of preparing for that exam face a decision about whether to accelerate their preparation to complete the old version before it retires or to transition their preparation to the new version. The right answer depends on several factors including how far along your preparation is, how much time remains before the retirement date, and how significantly the content has changed between versions. If you are within weeks of being ready to sit the retiring exam and the retirement date allows sufficient time, completing the old version is often the more practical choice.
If your preparation is still in its early stages when a retirement announcement arrives, transitioning to the new version is almost always the better decision. Beginning preparation with materials aligned to an exam that will retire in a few months means that your study effort is building toward a credential that represents yesterday’s content rather than today’s. The updated exam will be the version that employers recognize as current for years to come, making it the more valuable investment of preparation time and effort. Staying connected to CompTIA’s official communications channels and periodically checking retirement dates for any exam you are preparing for is a simple habit that prevents the frustration of discovering a retirement announcement after significant preparation has already been invested.
Building a Certification Roadmap Around CompTIA’s Current Portfolio
For IT professionals building a long-term certification strategy, understanding which CompTIA exams are current and which are approaching retirement is an important part of planning a coherent and forward-looking credential portfolio. The CompTIA certification framework covers a progression from entry-level credentials through intermediate and advanced certifications across infrastructure, cybersecurity, data, and emerging technology domains, and navigating this framework effectively requires awareness of where the portfolio is heading as well as where it currently stands.
A well-constructed CompTIA certification roadmap typically begins with A+ for those entering the field, progresses through Network+ and Security+ to establish foundational infrastructure and security knowledge, and then branches into specialization pathways based on career direction. The cybersecurity pathway moves from Security+ through CySA+, PenTest+, and CASP+ for those pursuing technical security careers. The infrastructure pathway extends from Network+ through Server+ and cloud-focused credentials for those specializing in systems and infrastructure management. Staying informed about which exams are current, which are approaching retirement, and what content changes accompany new versions ensures that every certification you pursue adds genuine currency to your professional profile rather than validating skills that the industry has moved beyond.
Conclusion
The pattern of retirements and replacements that CompTIA executed in and around 2022 reveals important signals about where the IT industry was moving and what skills organizations were prioritizing as they invested in their technology workforce. The consistent thread running through virtually every updated exam is an expansion of cloud-related content, reflecting the reality that cloud adoption had become the dominant infrastructure story across organizations of every size and sector. Professionals who earned certifications based on the retired exams may have found that their credentials were technically valid but no longer fully reflective of the cloud-heavy environments they were being asked to work in.
The expansion of security content across non-security-specific certifications such as A+ and Network+ tells an equally important story about how the industry has reconceptualized the relationship between general IT skills and security awareness. The expectation that every IT professional, regardless of their primary specialty, should possess meaningful security knowledge represents a maturation of the industry’s approach to security that was encoded into the updated exam content across the CompTIA portfolio. For candidates preparing for any current CompTIA certification, this integrated approach to security means that building genuine security awareness is not optional preparation for a few security-specific questions but a foundational expectation that runs through the entire examination. The retirements of 2022 were ultimately not just administrative updates but a clear statement about the skills that define professional competence in contemporary information technology roles.
