Cisco Voice vs Nortel Voice - certifications

Discussion in 'Other IT certifications' started by rwlk, Oct 31, 2007.

  1. rwlk

    rwlk Bit Poster

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    I am currently preparing to take CCNA exam somewhere end November. It was my objective to pursue Cisco path and I may want to specialise in Voice or switching and routing.

    In the mean time, my faculty is offering us a VoIP module with course material and lab equipment from Nortel. At the end of this course, one can go ahead and take Nortel certification such as NCTS and other Nortel VoIP related exams.

    I am kind of not decided which career path to follow at the end of these two courses. But you guys out there know better what the market looks like in voice and networks area. I guess Cisco market penetration is deep enough, with competition relatively high enough. Also, Nortel speciality is valuable and competition is lower compared to Cisco but Nortel brand is in big companies, with Nortel equipment only. What would you advise me to choose? Or is there a better strategy rather that choosing one path and forget the rest?

    Thanks.
     
    Certifications: B.Sc.
    WIP: CCNA, CWNA, Security+
  2. hbroomhall

    hbroomhall Petabyte Poster Gold Member

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    Well - having Nortel certs would help you here - we use a lot of Nortel kit as well as Cisco.

    But it doesn't have quite the 'prestige' of Cisco.

    In your shoes I'd take the offered course as well as continuing with other studies.

    Harry.
     
    Certifications: ECDL A+ Network+ i-Net+
    WIP: Server+
  3. rwlk

    rwlk Bit Poster

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    thanks,
    I am taking the course as you suggest. But taking both cisco approach and nortel approach at the same time would be time consuming, unless, I am in a company such as yours. I guess there are not many companies that use both vendors' equipments.
    My question is still what are chances a nortel voice specialist has to find a job here in UK, compared to cisco vce specialist? Are many companies using nortel vce. equipmnt in their networks?
    Do you think a company with cisco equipment would mind hiring someone who earnt his credentials using nortel kits? or vice versa?

    too many questions i am asking, sorry about that !!!
     
    Certifications: B.Sc.
    WIP: CCNA, CWNA, Security+
  4. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Depends on how much real-world experience that specialist has in each of those technologies.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  5. rwlk

    rwlk Bit Poster

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    If one want to be that voice specialist with real-world experience in both technologies, one needs a job to earn that experince. (A job and work experience are like that chicken-and-egg dilemma).

    Frankly speaking, I am still a university student with no IT-related work experience!!!. That's why I am asking you people out there on the field what to aim at in voice certifications arena. Because I noticed that universities offer more bookish and theoretical that hands-on stuff. It's probably a good idea to couple a degree with a few hands-on related certifications. But then, i pays to know which vendor/technology to follow before going down a career path.
     
    Certifications: B.Sc.
    WIP: CCNA, CWNA, Security+
  6. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Not exactly. You have to get a job before you can build experience; you can't build experience before you get a job. Experience outside of a job isn't considered experience by employers. Thus, you start at the bottom, getting an entry-level job, and working your way up.

    You're literally years away from deciding whether you should work with Cisco or Nortel technologies. The CCNA, CCNP, and Nortel certifications aren't designed for people without experience, and to be honest, they won't help you get an entry-level job (and can actually make it MORE difficult to do so).
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  7. rwlk

    rwlk Bit Poster

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    BosonMicheal, you are absolutely right; big certifications can make it difficult to land an entry-level job.

    But then, is it worth getting graduated if one always has to start from the bottom? why should be people go for university studies if what they will be worth is just like those who never went there?

    A couple of months ago, I started ccna course. Although it sounds like an entry-level into networking, I did not believe that once certified you are going to land a job instantly!!!!!. But you need to learn and find a way to prove it to employers.

    How about internship designed for new graduates with no experience. Do such placements exist, wouldn't be a solution to this?
     
    Certifications: B.Sc.
    WIP: CCNA, CWNA, Security+
  8. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    That's an excellent question! *IS* it worth graduating, considering most graduates have to start at the bottom anyway? Getting a degree is worthwhile for a few reasons:

    1) It gives you an advantage over your competition, provided they have equivalent amounts of (non-)experience.
    2) It can teach you theoretical "book knowledge" that can help you to advance up the career ladder faster.
    3) It can open up doors down the road in your IT career that are unavailable to those without a degree.

    But not going to college also has it's advantages. Let's say you've got two people, WorkerBoy and CollegeBoy. CollegeBoy goes to college for a 4-year BS degree, and WorkerBoy immediately starts looking for an entry-level IT job. It's likely to be somewhat of a struggle, but let's say that WB gets a job within 6 months. In 3.5 more years, WB will have 3.5 years of real-world experience, and CB will have a degree, but no real-world experience. If WB and CB apply for the same job, WB will get it 99 times out of 100, simply because he's been exposed to real-world environments.

    At what point will CB catch up to WB, if ever? When CBs theoretical knowledge helps him to learn real-world skills quickly to the point he has advanced to CBs experience level? When CB applies for a management job that WB might not be able to get due to lack of a degree? I'm not sure there's a definitive answer for that, but this is exactly what you need to analyze when you compare college vs. job.

    I can't explain it to you now to where you'll understand, but you'll just have to believe me when I say that the real world is SO much different than the theory you're learning now. Is the theory useful? Certainly. But that theory knowledge will only help you to advance faster... it won't allow you to start out with a more advanced job.

    In short... everyone starts at the bottom... but nobody said you have to stay at the bottom forever.

    What I typically recommend for people in college is to work at LEAST part-time as a tech while you're in school, so that when you get out of school, you will have...

    1) SOME real-world experience, and
    2) contacts who are already working in the IT industry and who know what you can do.

    It helps you get the "entry-level" stuff out of the way that everyone has to go through, AND you'll get your degree out of the way as well. So if you don't yet have an IT job, I'd urge you to get one NOW. If you don't think you have time, MAKE time. You will thank me (and yourself) later.

    That's not my point... the CCNA won't help you get an entry-level job because entry-level jobs don't have anything to do with networking or with working with Cisco devices. You "prove it to employers" by getting an entry-level IT job and DOING the job, working your way up.

    Yep, they sure do... they even exist for not-yet-graduated students! And I'd highly recommend it, per my advice above.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  9. rwlk

    rwlk Bit Poster

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    Sincerely, thank you, BosonMichael. I am starting my job search whether internship, volunteering, placement, etc.. Will make time for it.

    You are a great career advisor, you know?!!!

    thanks
     
    Certifications: B.Sc.
    WIP: CCNA, CWNA, Security+
  10. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    You're very welcome. :) Thank you for the compliment.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!

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