After A+

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I will be taking and hopefully passing my A+ before april this year. I was going to then study for the N+ but because of the 3 year expiration of there certs after 2010 i dont think ill bother as i dont think i will have time to study and pass by the deadline.
After browsing this forum it seams that the MCDST would be a good next step. Would i be right in thinking that the 70-271 is generaly an entery level microsoft cert that most people start with after a+?

 

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I would advise the N+ next. Personally I found it a lot easier then the A+, probably because it's not full of unrelated facts that need to be memorised.
I also found the N+ to be useful for the 271, MS assume you know a lot of stuff about DNS, VPNs etc and I think it would have left me confused if I hadn't done the N+ first. It would certainly have taken me longer.

 

Well taking the N+ next was part of my plan, as im sure is is for most people in my position, its just i have a real problem paying a compTIA £266 for 2 exams every 3 years =) but it doesnt look like i have a choice...?

 

if you have a look you will see compTIA have changed their minds. The 3 year expiration rule will now only apply to candidates after 31st december 2010.

Anyone who passes a compTIA cert before then is certified for life.

so go for the N+

see here from yesterday http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/thread37868.html

 

Yes i read the article but as i said i dont think i will be able to start and finish the N+ by the end of the year as i havent even finshed A+ yet. I have a 19 month old dauchter and dont find alot of time to study =)

However i suppose i could just study and take the N+ and never renew it. At least i will always have a record that i did pass. It just would be nice to have it for life.
You never know they may change there minds =)

 

I can not tell you how useful is the N+, because i work outside of the IT industry(yet).
But I passed the A+ last Nov, after i took 2-3 weeks break, and i started the N+, and i am already half way trough. I think if you pass the A+ it gives you a good basic idea for the N+(and easy to keep carry on studying).
My plan is to pass the N+ around March, So it takes i think around 3-4 months( Mostly i learn only in my off days).
Just an idea, i would think about it.

 

That much better now that you said that bro
I dont need to worry about renewing my N+ now

 

I still need to worry a bit.
I have to pass first to make myself do not worry about renewing.

 

If you get the chance defo do the net+ route m8 as it will make the core Microsoft exams (I'm looking at you 70-291) a lot easier

 

For what it's worth, I went on to the Network+ straight after A+ and found that they seemed to segue into each other pretty well.

 

Hi, well in my case i decided to take MCDST after i pass A+, it took me less than to 2 months to finish books for 271 and now just waiting for exam, i' also full empoyed outside IT world and trying to use free time mainly for study, i mean A+ gives you good knowledge base to get on well with MCDST as you learning through very much familiar things that you've done with A+ just bit more in details, i don't know much about N+, it depends where you'd like to see youreslf, for me, i will get certs towards MCSA (gives you server and networking skills too) then Database, where i want to be(mySQL, MCTS,MCITP), so because its i what i want to do, i don't feel i need to go deep into networking doing N+
Hope that helps..