Should I do N+ if i have CCNA

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3 years ago i did my A+ but i never did the cert exams as it was a hobby not a career. I carried on at night school and got my CCNA inc cert, so now i want to get into the industry. But i only have a CCNA which looks odd on my CV. I am going to do a quick revision and do the A+ cert before the 31st of Aug deadline for the exams i studied for which will improve my cv.

Now the question

Should i then do N+ ?

I want to do my MCDST as well and then maybe MCSA/MCSE. I did read on another post that A+ & N+ count towards the MCSA I did not know about this can somebody explain.

 

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yea i think you should do it as you will be certified for ever whether as with the ccna you will need to renew it soon as it only lasts 3 years

As for the MCSA when you take it you need to take various exams to show you know about networks and such and if you have N+ or othr then you have already shown you know it

 

Ok thanks for that, does it actually reduce the total number of exams needed for the MCSA? I know the CCNA lasts for 3 years I hope to be pushing for my CCNP by then only had it a month so far.

 

ohh rite i thought yo meant you took your ccna 3 years ago
and yes the comptia exams take microsoft exams off of the whole process (if thta made any sense)

 

A+,N+ and MCDST isth egeneral starting point. You are right about the CCNA because no network manager in their right mind would employ anyone with the CCNA, CCSP or whatever unless they had experience working with cisco swithes etc.

 

I disagree with that because I think a lot of managers wouldn't allow you to touch Cisco kit without having a CCNA. I think it's one of those skills that you need to study before touching the kit but thats just my opinion.

 

Yes you can use these exams instead of sitting an elective exam as part of the MCSA. I think if memory serves me right you need both the A+ and Network+.

As for doing the Network+ (and A+) just keep in mind they are for life as long as you do them before the end of this year otherwise you have to resit them every 3 years as CompTIA are changing the certification period. I think they are good certs for filling in knowledge but not great for getting a job.

 

Spot on thinks i will will rattle my way through both certs as i have covered the material before. Its a plus that they last for life and that they count towards the MCSA. I am new to this forum but i am finding that it offers great support and information. Thanks very much to everybody!!!

 

Well at my place you get experience then certs after. I havent done much cisco work yet all I have done so far is swap a few cabels about. My manager wouldn't hire anyone who had high level certs and no experience, kind of like Jason Plato would let you drive his race track ferrari just because you have a driving licence.

 

On the other hand would you allow someone to mess on with Cisco kit without say knowing what the switch commands are? I see your point as well but I just don't think there are any set rules on learning whether it's through hands on experience or gaining the knowledge through studying and home labs. I agree that hands on is the best option to have but if not people shouldn't be discouraged from taking the initiative and gaining that cert and subsequent knowledge through studying.

 

I think you won't learn anything from the N+ sylabus if you know your CCNA stuff, so learning wise waste of time. So its basically a piece of paper at that point, in the UK the paper carries little weight. The exam costs around £180, pretty darn expensive, used to be able to argue that this can be spread over life of cert since its a lifetime cert (amortized), but its only lifetime cert until end of year, after that it will require maintenace and renewal, also no telling what CompTIA might do in future. You also have yet to get you A+ before year end.

Generally I would NOT reccomend the N+ for people with CCNA.

MCSA has many electives, you don't need to make it A+/N+, this is an expensive way to do it for experienced people, the A+/N+ elective will cost £400 as opposed to £90 for an MS exam.

I would consider maybe Exchange or Security+ as your elective, the Security+ suffers from similar problems to the N+ but at least you might learn something and I think its a better cert in general than the N+. Its still expensive and you would still need to get it by year end, it counts as an MCSA elective on its own.

Bruce some racing car drivers go to racing schools, or they take part in small non sponsored amateur races, sorta like going to college to get the CCNA or building your own home lab, is it the perfect route, maybe not, but works for some people. Ideally people would work their way up through the various official racing levels gaining experience.

Just having a CCNA does not mean that you will get to administer £30k production switches.

So in summary, people without knowledge or experience, do the A+/N+ for what you will learn. Paperwise the A+ has a little recognition in the UK at least. People with knowledge and experience, I probably wouldn't bother.

 

I agree that you need to study before touching the kit. But most managers won't allow you to touch Cisco kit without first getting some experience under your belt, regardless of whether you have the CCNA.

I'd recommend getting Network+. It's a good, solid entry-level certification that covers the basics of networking. The CCNA doesn't show proficiency in basic networking; it shows proficiency in how to administer Cisco devices. For example, on the CCNA, you won't be tested on cable lengths... but it's in the Network+ objectives. And that's just one example.

 

College I visited which taught CCNA, started off with network basics like cable types and connectors.

Also in some Cisco press CCNA titles. Might not be in current objectives, doesn't mean you can't learn it while doing CCENT.

Pretty sure Cisco Discovery talks about maximum lengths of Cat5e UTP and STP at least.

My Network+ included some rather bizare topologies which most beginners are unlikely so see, as well as appletalk and netbios etc so would in no way say its generally more relevant to anyone, its a networking trivia exam. Nice stuff to know but most of it non essential. Hopefully the new Network+ is better, but I'd still put my money on CCENT.

People not ready for the CCENT could look at MTA - Networking, doesn't appear to cover hardware as well as N+, but then half the N+ stuff mentioned is irrelevant to an entry level tech anyway.

At least someone doing CCENT will likely go to college and get some hands on.

 

Yes, I realize that it may be covered in certain classes... but it's not on the CCNA objectives list, and therefore not on the certification exam itself.

I don't believe that stuff's covered anymore with the new 2009 objectives.

 

Having just done My CCNA via the two exam route I can confirm on the ICND1 exam there are questions about cable lengths for cat5 and Fibre. I did not realise I would spark so much of a discussion; I am still planning to sit my A+ and N+ to bolster my CV. It will make my cv less Cisco specific and act as good revision before I start Microsoft certs.

 

In a nutshell mate the A+ and Network+ aren't going to get you a job but are good certs for filling in knowledge in my opinion. If your going to do them then try to get them done before 2011 otherwise like the CCNA you have to resit them every 3 years or you loose them. Other than that maybe look at the MCDST (think you can also use it as an elective) and it will hold more weight with employers and get you MCP certified as well in the process which a lot of employers look for. Anyways good luck with whatever you choose to do.

 

It isn't IPX/SPX is still mentioned but thats about as far as it goes its all TCP/IP.

Infact compared to the last version I would say the N10-04 is a lot more in depth especially when it comes to subnetting and ofcourse IPv6. It is clearly stated in the book you must be able to subnet to pass, I wonder if this is the reason why Network + and A+ can now be used when doing the MCSE.

 

If you have a CCNA and you are looking at going up the Cisco network path. I would say doing N+ is a waste of time. Yes the CCNA lasts for 3 yrs but every time you do a 642 exam it resets for another 3 years.

Why shell out for exams you dont need to. Having a hundred tickets an no experience is pointless if you have a CCNA thats good enough for your networking side. the only way you are going to keep your networking skills fresh and up to date is to continously read and practice them.

Otherwise tickets are studied passed and then forgotten

 

...because the Network+ and CCNA exams are aimed at techs with altogether different experience levels.

In my opinion, he didn't need to "shell out" for the CCNA exam because he doesn't need it at this stage of his career. Eventually, the CCNA certification will be useful to him. Don't misunderstand me - I'm not saying that the knowledge he gained is worthless... in fact, it'll likely help him to advance faster. But the CCNA certification itself isn't going to turn employers heads favorably towards him... not at this stage of his career.

Not to employers. Having the CCNA isn't going to magically get you a job administering Cisco gear without also having a bit of IT experience.

Not if you're using it in the real-world - if you're using it, you won't forget it. That's my point for not pursuing advanced certifications like the CCNA unless you're starting to use (or being asked to start using) Cisco gear in a live environment.

 

He has shelled out for the CCNA exams so lets address what is real

No you are right, neither will a Network +, but yet again buddy lets stick to the facts, he has a CCNA

Yes but also I need to remind you, If you are in networking and you are adminstering one network or a particular area of a network. You will not be excorcising all that was learnt in the CCNA. Thats why its good in your free time to catch up and brush up. This would apply for Network + too.