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Studying for MCITP and CCNA and ???
Beltaine
BOO BOO DOO DE DOORegistered User regular
BOO BOO DOO DE DOORegistered User regular
So, dead end job is a dead end. Considered moving to other fields, but would be bottom-feeder entry level. Have decided to self-study for MCITP:EA and CCNA certifications. Held several certifications years ago when I was working for an employer willing to pay for training and tests; CNE, MCSE, A+
My method of self-study previously has been to pick up practice tests and reference materials. Pick one test and practice it blind for a couple hundred questions. Lookup anything missed in my reference material, then slowly start telling the practice test software to stop giving me questions I absolutely knew the answer to. Eventually, there were no practice test questions left for me to practice on, then I would go take the real test. I had a LOT of success with this method.
Two questions:
1. Are MCITP:EA and CCNA enough certifications for someone with 13 years professional experience, or should I be shooting for higher/different certs? (MS Master Certs, CCNE, Linux, Security, etc...)
2. I previously used Testout for practice tests, but the number of practice test vendors now is astoundingly more than the last time I was studying for certs. Was curious to know if there was a specific vendor out there considered to currently be the "best" or most thorough.
My method of self-study previously has been to pick up practice tests and reference materials. Pick one test and practice it blind for a couple hundred questions. Lookup anything missed in my reference material, then slowly start telling the practice test software to stop giving me questions I absolutely knew the answer to. Eventually, there were no practice test questions left for me to practice on, then I would go take the real test. I had a LOT of success with this method.
Two questions:
1. Are MCITP:EA and CCNA enough certifications for someone with 13 years professional experience, or should I be shooting for higher/different certs? (MS Master Certs, CCNE, Linux, Security, etc...)
2. I previously used Testout for practice tests, but the number of practice test vendors now is astoundingly more than the last time I was studying for certs. Was curious to know if there was a specific vendor out there considered to currently be the "best" or most thorough.
Beltaine on
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CCNA is something someone could be expected to get after a year or two experience at the most.
CCNP is the next step up, and I feel that would be appropriate given your experience. I would certainly recommend taking the CCNA cert first, though, if you're unfamiliar with it.
If yes: CCNA is hard, but with the requisite amount of experience you won't have a hard time studying for and passing the exam.
If no: You will fail the CCNA exam on your first/second/possibly third try. Without a doubt. Unless you're just naturally gifted at certification exams, you're going to bomb the CCNA exam. CCNA isn't just about basic networking protocols; Cisco expects you to be able to properly code a switch and a router, without reference materials, on the exam and get it right the first time. It's not easy to do without experience.
Also, assuming you don't have any Cisco experience, why do you want the cert? You'd just be yet another "paper cert" who can't back up the test.
Part of the certification exam. is configuring these devices on different scenarios under a time limit. You would also need to study a lot of protcols, not only the simple TCP?IP but so much more. You will need to bury yourself on books for months to study all the protocols and proprietary protocols of cisco. And that is on top of your years of experience using the devices of cisco.
I'm sorry to say, but I don't think that doing the practice test will do the trick. But there is hope if you really want to take the test. Usually there are bootcamps offered for intensive crash review for CCNA. It's a bit pricey but it is always worth the money once you passed the exam.
Best of luck to you.
In the same vein of discussion, we have a teacher here at our high school campus that is a complete moron and has CCNA certification, so I figured it wouldn't be TOO tough.
Mostly I'm looking for whatever I can lump together that isn't ridiculously costly or overtly time consuming that I can use to land a better paying job. Not having a college degree, certifications are about the only option I see that's outside of the Catch-22 of being too broke to get a degree to make more money to be able to afford to get a degree.
PSN: Beltaine-77 | Steam: beltane77 | Battle.net BadHaggis#1433
Just a note here -- you cannot take the CCNP exam without a valid CCNA cert the last time I checked.
From your most recent post, if you're going to proceed with this you should absolutely start at CCNA anyway. I've been working with Cisco equip and networking in general for about 5-6 years now including college work, and I passed the CCNA relatively easily. I am self-studying for the CCNP now (using the Cisco Press books - can be a rough read, but they'll teach you everything you need to know on the topics), and it is no place to try and start off cold.
edit: as an aside, if you do go after the CCNA and ever have any questions/need clarification on anything feel free to shoot me a PM. I was a tutor/faculty assistant for this stuff in college before getting into the workforce and am always more than happy to explain things.