Network+ or CCNA?

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briang

Weaksauce
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Aug 5, 2004
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This fall I am going to try and find a job in IT, entry level help desk or tech support. I've run my own business on the side for almost 2 years, but I want to relocate, and don't plan on going the self employed route for a umber of reasons. I have my A+ (whoopdie doo), and will be taking 70-270 in a few weeks for MCP. I know people's opinions on certifications, but I feel I need as much in my favor as possible as I have no degree, and my 2 years expereince isn't exactly as great as it sounds. So now the question, N+ or CCNA? I know the CCNA holds alot more weight, but I was looking at some training material, and it's fairly heavy stuff. I just don't want to over certify past my abilities.
 
Network+

Its cake. I have A+ and Net+ both were easy. I am studying my CCNA off and on.
 
xeon711 said:
Network+

Its cake.
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To me this is the reason to go for the CCNA. It covers the Net+ and more, plus the vast majority of companies use Cisco, so having an idea of how to work their equipment is a bonus.

I just don't want to over certify past my abilities.
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That's the wrong attitude, you should get certified and train and test to expand your abilities, not just get something that says you know something about stuff you've already been doing for awhile.
 
I know the N+ is easier...hell of alot easier. But I do not want to do one or the other based on which is easier.
StarTrek4U said:
That's the wrong attitude, you should get certified and train and test to expand your abilities, not just get something that says you know something about stuff you've already been doing for awhile.
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I guess I mis-phrased that. I don't want to certify beyond my experience.
I guess the CCNA wouldn't really do that I guess, as the material training is extensive.
 
go get your network+ and then go get your CCNA. :D Work your way up to the big one and Net+ isn't that expensive to get materials and test for.
 
briang said:
This fall I am going to try and find a job in IT, entry level help desk or tech support.
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Pretty much right there you can stop. Grab the A+ and Network+, will show a basic grounding in theory if nothing else. It will help get your foot in the door at places that are screened by HR or vetted by outside companies first.
 
IMO, the "lesser certs" are usually good building blocks for the higher level ones. Maybe lookat doing N+ to build up some knowledge of the material, and since it's cheaper, that will be a good building block to go towards CCNA. The problem I see a low of people having is that they plan to go for CCNA or MCSE, and end up falling short because of cost, time requirements, etc. It's better to have 1 cert than none at all, IMO.

Currently held: Qlogic Fibre Channel Specialist, Brocade Certified Fabric Professional, VMWare Sales Professional (Server Consolidation), Commvault Administrator

Currently Studying: IBM System X Technical

Up Next: SNIA Open Systems Storage

I know where you're at. Don't worry, the road only gets longer!
 
Network+ is totally useless for anything other than being a stepping stone to better certs. If you want it to have any immediately positive impact on your career, don't waste your time with N+. Get the CCNA.
 
A+ and Net+ combined can also be used as an elective if you decide to go on and get your MCSA after your MCP...

While the CCNA would be better to have you have to renew it every 3 years and it is harder to obtain.
 
renewing certs: the bane of my existence in the near future, I'm sure. Luckily, none currently held require renewal.
 
BakedA|aska said:
Network+ is totally useless for anything other than being a stepping stone to better certs. If you want it to have any immediately positive impact on your career, don't waste your time with N+. Get the CCNA.
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Dice.com, search network+, first hit.

"Title:
Help Desk Analyst
Skills:
A+,Network+,Windows NT mobile devices, Blackberrys,Windows XP, Office 2003/7suites,troubleshooting hardware, PCstroubleshooting hardware, PCs,Laptops "

A+, Network+ required. It's not worthless, it's a basic cert.
 
The text you linked doesn't say "required" anywhere.

However, let me restate my position. If you want to get trapped in help desk hell for the rest of your career (it's very hard to break out of support jobs), then get your A+ and N+ certs. If you want to have a career, and actually learn something of substance, go down the Cisco route.
 
BakedA|aska said:
The text you linked doesn't say "required" anywhere.

However, let me restate my position. If you want to get trapped in help desk hell for the rest of your career (it's very hard to break out of support jobs), then get your A+ and N+ certs. If you want to have a career, and actually learn something of substance, go down the Cisco route.
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There's nothing wrong with working Helpdesk, and studying for higher level stuff, either. The key is to not be stagnant in your plan for continuing education. Without certs, the best he can realistically hope for (in most cases) is to get a Helpdesk position.

While I will agree that breaking out of a call center/Helpdesk role can be difficult, there's nothing wrong with it, per se. Use the lower level certs and the Helpdesk situation to continue to show a commitment to working in the IT industry. Taking a job at a restaraunt or something non-IT would be more detrimental in the short term (to his career) than taking a lower level IT position while studying for certs. I think the key to moving up is staying in, paying your dues, and not being stagnant.

Prospective employers usually view career changes as a lack of dedication, or lack of skills to obtain a position in the field that you are choosing to pursue (through certification). I would advise against pursuing jobs outside of the field, if you are serious. There's nothing wrong with starting small.
 
I would like to get by CCNA at some point and learning about routers / switches and the voodoo magic needed to configure yoru PIX and latesest IOS on the big ass routers in datacetners would be nice. I am also considering changing gears and learn about SAP and become a BASIS administrator. There is a ton of money in that and not enought skilled people that know it. I will start my training for SAP in August.
 
My net+ has helped me get jobs before - I say go for it.
 
BakedA|aska said:
The text you linked doesn't say "required" anywhere.

However, let me restate my position. If you want to get trapped in help desk hell for the rest of your career (it's very hard to break out of support jobs), then get your A+ and N+ certs. If you want to have a career, and actually learn something of substance, go down the Cisco route.
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Very hard to break out of support jobs?

My experience is the exact opposite of that idea, at my current place of business alone former help desk members are currently working for the NOC, Windows Server Support, and Storage/SAN Support. Previous to this job I've seen help desk move to LAN/WAN positions, and in one case Project Management (not sure if that was a positive move or not).

Cisco is one aspect of a very large field. If you want to do networks, sure, it's a good route to go, but the computer industry is bigger than just Cisco.

Having any cert isn't a right to have a job, but not having one doesn't help you in your search.
 
sabregen said:
IMO, the "lesser certs" are usually good building blocks for the higher level ones. Maybe lookat doing N+ to build up some knowledge of the material, and since it's cheaper, that will be a good building block to go towards CCNA. The problem I see a low of people having is that they plan to go for CCNA or MCSE, and end up falling short because of cost, time requirements, etc. It's better to have 1 cert than none at all, IMO.

Currently held: Qlogic Fibre Channel Specialist, Brocade Certified Fabric Professional, VMWare Sales Professional (Server Consolidation), Commvault Administrator

Currently Studying: IBM System X Technical

Up Next: SNIA Open Systems Storage

I know where you're at. Don't worry, the road only gets longer!
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the stuff about storage certifications. I've often wondered where one would start or what to look at going down that path. It just doesn't seem as cut and dry as other routes, i.e. networking = Cisco, windows admin = msca/e, etc.
 
QHalo said:
Thanks for posting the stuff about storage certifications. I've often wondered where one would start or what to look at going down that path. It just doesn't seem as cut and dry as other routes, i.e. networking = Cisco, windows admin = msca/e, etc.
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Storage starts to get into a whole new world of certs. You have to have the certs from the major storage vendors (the ones that house the disk, or tape) + the certs from the vendors that make the HBAs/HCAs that connect to the libraries directly + the certs for the vendors that make the FC/SAS/IB/Ethernet switches that support a SAN environment, in case the customer wants to create a SAN instead of DA storage solutions, and then you need a few backup software certs, on top of all that. Oh, and probably a few OS certs as well, to make it all come together.

I wish it were simpler. IP networking certs are relatively straight forward. Everyone knows Cisco, and most use it. In storage, and especially in HPC, everyone has a preference, and their SAN environment reflects that. You have to be able to roll with a lot of different configurations.
 
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