Study time required

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Hi all

Newbie to CertForums here, but very impressed.

I was wondering how long people spent studying for their respective N+ exams?

I am undertaking a CCNA boot camp very soon, but have recently realised that without the real-world experience, a CCNA cert will not be of much use straight away.

I am still weighing up my options but in order to get my foot in a door faster and start getting some entry-level exp under my belt, I am thinking about changing tack and taking my N+ cert.

With a lot of CCNA study under my belt and a good work ethic, how long would you suggest I allow for study, given that I have handed in my notice from my current admin job so I will have time to burn (and no income! )

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

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Hi Welcome

You would be wise to go for the N+.

The CCNA is a cert for professionals who already work in IT and use and maintain CISCO switches in their profession. Having highend certs such as the CCNA, MCSE etc and no actual experience can damage your employment prospects as an employer would expect you to be able to hit the ground running without much training if any.

For your first certs into IT you should be looking at compTIA A+, N+ and the MCDST and no further untill you have the recommended on the job experience.

Good luck with your studies

BTW it'l take as long as it takes you so only you know how long it will take.

 

Thanks for the quick reply.

One last request for advice...

If I go ahead and take my CCNA boot camp, would it be benificial for my N+ study?

I ask because if not, I would prefer to postpone it for 6 months and take it then...

If it will be of use as part of my N+ study, I will take it anyway and look at it as my N+ boot camp....

 

Well the N+ is basic alround networking the CCNA is geared towards networking with CISCO equipment so getting the N+ first and some on the job experience would be more beneficial in the long run as you would be expected to know all areas of networking before doing the CCNA.

N+ is entry level

CCNA advanced know what your doing level.

 

So in your opinion, do you think I am best to just go ahead and take my CCNA boot camp anyway to help my N+ prep?

Or will it be a waste of money given i now dont intend to sit the CCNA exam for 6-12 months?

Thanks again.

 

if you have paid for it do it as you don't want to loose money, if you haven't then put it off, do the N+ get a job then when you have a good amount of experience of working with CISCO equipment then do the CCNA.

 

Thanks mate. Unfortunately I have paid for it.

I am going to try and post-pone it if possible but if not, I'll have to look at it as a sort of N+ preparation....

Surely it can only be a help not a hindrance towards gaining my N+....

 

Welcome to CF!

First of all mate, if you don't use Cisco equipment on your everyday job, or if you're not certain that you will on your next job (since you already sent in your notice), then its a waste of time and money to study for the CCNA. Because CCNA only deals with Cisco HARDWARE.

CompTIA Network+ on the otherhand, deals with BOTH hardware and software. You get to learn a bunch of kool stuff that you probably didn't know already! And guess what? Everything you learn in Net+ is applicable to your everyday job as a network tech! But the best part is that its VENDOR NEUTRAL! You don't only learn about Microsoft, but you get to learn about Netware, Unix/Linux and even the 'ol Mac!

So forget about spending money and time on a vendor-harware-cert that you're not guaranteed to be using on your next job, and get the "vendor neutral-hardware/software-everyday stuff" cert that teaches you the the stuff you need to know in an everyday networking environment.......and alot more!

So get on the right track for your networking career! Get on the Network+ track! **


** CompTIA should pay me commission for this!

Anyways, since you already paid for the CCNA course, then you could probably ask the company if they also have a Network+ course and ask if they could switch you to that instead. That's the only solution here. You can also download the Network+ objectives from CompTIA's website and see for yourself what the cert covers. Hope everything works out well for you mate!