getting started in security
Hi there! I just have a quick question(or so I thought! I want to get into the IT field and more to the point, into the security field. I was looking at getting a ccna to start then a ccsp next,but is that the most efficient way to go about it? if not then what is a good route to take?
Also I may be getting a comptia+ and a comptia network+ through a college course starting soon. Will that be of great assistance in achieving my goal?
Thank You ahead of time :-)
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ASKED:
February 2, 2009 3:59 PM
UPDATED:
February 19, 2009 9:51 PM
Answer Wiki:
A good understanding of network fundamentals will help you. The Cisco certifications are vendor specific but will teach you a lot of foundational knowledge. The CompTia Network+ is not vendor specific and will help you also. A good mix of both vendor-specific and general education will be the best plan. CompTia's Security+ is a good non-vendor specific information security certification. The ISC2 CISSP is possibly the top infosec non-vendor specific certification. Remember, experience along with the education/certs is the best way to get a job in the field. So, bottom line - I would definitely recommend the CompTia certs and the Cisco CCNA with focus on the security products as a start.
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Thank You very much! good info , I will use it well. are there any schools of choice you want to suggest?
thanx again
I had 1 more question i forgot to ask there and that is, is cisco better to know at this stage or Microsoft MCITP , MCSE ?
I have been struggling with that , again any help is appreciated thanx again
Cisco vs. Microsoft? It all depends on what you want to do. You may very well be better off going for a vendor neutral cert such as Security+ or any of the SANS GIAC certs. The best thing you can do right now is focus on getting some hands-on experience. Definitely determine what interests you the most before you go any further. I’ve written about this topic extensively at http://www.principlelogic.com/careers.html
I wouldn’t compare Microsoft with Cisco. They are equally important as they place different important role in an organisation. They often exist in the same organisation.
You would eventually need to acquire knowledge of both. Certifiation in both vendors are relatively based on your career path as Cisco tends to be infrastructure focus vs Microsoft to system.
If you want some headstart, start with CCNA. This will help you to get a role in network support or network engineering. You will start pairing experience with knowledge you have acquired.
Knowledge and experience are equally important in security as well as other area.