And if you have the Security+ then you only need to do the renewal for this one to keep all three up to date.

What happens then when you use the Security+ for the MCSA:Security cert? Does this only remain valid as long as you keep your Security+ up to date?

There's no way they'll bring the prices down. As dmarsh pointed out, the accountants are laughing all the way to the bank on this one. Personally I'd like to see them put more money into spelling, punctuation and grammer courses for their exam question writers.

Yes standards of their exams other than A+ have been pretty poor until recently.

This particularly made me chuckle.

Looks like everything in the world is "pay monthly or annually" now!

Prince2 and MSP need renewing every '3-5' years.
Not sure if I'll bother.

I'll leave them on my CV, but you're just not allowed to call yourself a 'certified practitioner'.
Meh.

We should all just get masters and tell the cert vendors that insist on recert where to stick it...

This is the second spectacular own-goal I've seen in 24 hours (see Coventry v Portsmouth last night for the other).
I'm not happy about paying a good wedge of wonga for a lifetime cert, only to be told a few months later that it isn't a lifetime cert.
I'm not happy about having to pay a fee to certify my "continuing education". Anyone who reads my CV can see whether or not my education has continued and it doesn't cost me a bean.
I wouldn't have been too concerned if it wasn't retrospective. If they'd announced that in 6 months time all new certificate holders would have to renew every 3 years at least people would know exactly what they were paying for before they paid it.

I'm assuming this change is to make certified (we should be) personnel more attractive to employers. Maybe it will, but it will also make the certs spectacularly unattractive to anyone thinking of taking them. I will no longer recommend CompTIA to anyone because the value-for-money has dropped hugely now.

I cant see this being a roaring success. As said most people get these exams(a+ and Network+) to get into IT and then after a year or so their expirence will far outway these certs. As mentioned by alot of people, not alot of recruiters know what they are or much about them.

I can see MS rubbing their palms just now as i see more people will do the MCDST as part of their MSCA electives rather than A+ and Network+.

I also like how a Security+ cert recertifies you on the material covered in A+

I think CompTIA will find this is a bad idea as CompTIA don't hold much sway with employers (Just my opinion). I took my CompTIA exams because they were for life and will be keeping them on my CV. There are going to be very very few who go back to recertify as they don't add value to your career. CompTIA are going to see a huge drop off to the point where they will have 3 people in the world certified. I paid for my certs as they were lifetime so CompTIA can kiss my arse.

This is the only good part, but in reality its just cert vendor lock in, they want you to stay on their track and keep paying them money.

Security+ covers none of the A+ sylabus, how could it possibly re-certifiy you ?

So what exactly are they saying ? You can have a piece of paper if you pay us every year for it ?

The question is... will you keep them on your forum certification list if they're retired?

Qs

that was basically my point. How are you recertifying your knowledge by covering a cmopletely separate set of topics.

CompTIA is going to be the most exclusive cert in the world as only 3 people will hold the A+ if they go down this route. It's bonkers to think experienced IT professionals are going to ponder over whether to go for A+ or MCSE renewals.

Also are they allowed to say I'm not A+ certified anymore as I did it 6 years ago. At the time of me doing the cert it said it was a lifetime cert.

I suspect that everyone will just leave it on their CV and it won't make a huge difference for many.
Most employers will only care that the individual has enough knowledge to have passed the A+.

That's what they're looking for, not for some muppet who keeps shelling out for something he's already got.

Why don't they make you resit your driving test every 3 years?

I guess the only place it will make a difference may be in public sector, government, schools etc where red tape will force them to ask for applicants who hold a 'valid' A+ certification. Good luck to them. Soon there won't be any.

This is most peoples major problem with this whole thing I think (including mine). I got my Network+ in December, if I'd known CompTIA were going to do this would I have bothered? Almost certainly not.

I got my A+ earlier on last year, would I have bothered with that? Again almost certainly not, in that time I could have grabbed my MCDST and be well on my way to MCSA.

As slypie already said CompTIA can kiss my arse.

I don't see what the big problem is people say they would not of done the certs if they would of known they would only last three years, I do my certs to learn new skills and get a qualifcation in what I already know and also if you read the CompTIA small print etc that you agree to when you do the exams I expect it will say somewhere that they can alter things like this is they want.

I will still keep them on my CV if the employee asks (which I doubt they will as very very few in the UK seem to know about them) I will tell them they hae expired.

But I think it is alot like GCSE employees dont ask me about my GCSE they ask me about my degree or my latest cert I dont think this will be a major problem.

People seem to forget CompTIA is a business that wants to make money thats all they care about.

I believe they are actually a not-for-profit organisation.

your right! I wonder where all our money goes.

Fair enough, but why not make money by growing the market, why screw all the people that helped you get where you are ?

I realise they reserve the right to change terms and conditions, however most people would not expect them to change such a large detail on a cert they had already invested a lot in.

Universities don't take away degrees, colleges don't take away A-levels, schools don't take away GCSE's, if I prove I'm knowledgeable once that should be good enough.

I don't want to live in some sort of 'cert groundhog day' where I constantly resit the same exam and get constantly milked for money. That CompTia even think this is acceptable has totally removed my trust and respect for the organisation, why should I support such an organisation ?

How does taking the same entry level exam year in and out show growth, intelligence, eagerness to learn, or any one of the qualities that I want from an individual ?

If anything it just shows someone whos growth is stationary and who is financially gullible, I would not want to employ such a person.