Introduction

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

Hi All,

Thought I would let you know who I am and what I am doing here.

Job wise I am senior technical support for an ISP. I have PC, Internet and HFC network troubleshooting experience but no formal IT qualifications.

In a bid to get out a the ISP tech support into a proper IT career I have decided on doing the A+ and then MCP (70-270)
to backup my experience with something paper based. Then going on to MCSA/E

This looks to be the perfect place for advised on the path I am taking and the exams I have opted for.

Please let me know if you think of a better path - I did look into doing the Network + to combine it with A+ as an elective but decided against it on the grounds of 1 exam versus 2.

 

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

I don't know that taking one test instead of two outweighs the advantage of having a non-vendor specific networking certification. Unless you have a pretty good networking background your bound to learn some good stuff with a Network+. Microsoft's networking MCP's aren't a very good place to learn generic networking concepts, i.e. basic networking, at least IMHO.

 

Howdy Griffon!

 

Hi Griff,

Welcome to CF. Hope you stick around.
Good luck with your studies. I am not to far from you, is the ISP base near us and was it hard for you to start off (if you started there!)

 

ffreeloader: To be honest I was thinking entirely financially ;) Will wait until I pass the A+ before making a decision, Haven't had a look at Network + info since the 2005 exam came out.

Started in S'sea - have bumped into a few people who are previous inmates

Suppose bit of a give away not many national ISP's who have broadband techical centers in Swansea .....

Thanks for the welcome

 

I kinda figured that, that's why I gave you a little longer range perspective on it. ;)

 

Hiya Griffon. Welcome aboard and good luck with your studies.

OK, as you'd already have the A+ you'll still only be doing 1 exam either way (an MCP elective or the Network+). Financially, I agree it's about £50 dearer - BUT doing the MCSA that way (which many have/are) means you've got three qualifications (MCSA, A+ and Network+ - and a fourth, MCP, if you're picky) to quote on your CV instead of the one.

 

Greetings, Griffon. Welcome to CF.

 

Hi from me too, Griffon. I too was formerly in tech support for a national ISP - I share your pain

Hope we can help you around here.