Comments on: What’s the best certification for a networking career after the CCNA?

By: edtittel

edtittel — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:27:58 +0000

I’d agree that continuing in the Cisco vein has merit, but which way you choose to go depends on your work interests and future employment goals. Cisco offers distinct tracks in Security, VoIP, network design, storage, and a whole bunch more. You can now earn a specialized CCNA in Security, Voice and Wireless, above and beyond the basic CCNA credential. After that comes a Cisco professional credential (CCNP for networking operations, CCDP for networking design, CCSP for security, CCIP for infrastructure/provider stuff, CCVP for voice, and CCNP Wireless for wireless networking). The same thing is true for CCIE: outside routing and switching, you can earn that credential in design, security, service provider, storage networking, voice, and also wireless.

Here’s my recommendation: get your CCNA and get into the workforce. After you have some time on the job, you will start to get a better idea of where your interests will take you (and if you want to continue down the Cisco road, or perhaps move into a Microsoft or other OS-specific area of learning instead, as other posters have suggested). If you let your interests and opportunities guide your choices, you’ll probably be happier with the results than if you simply try to guess which way to go and hope for the best. It may take a bit longer to arrive at a career path, but part of the process is to enjoy and learn along the way, so perhaps taking more time is a good thing.

Best of luck in your career planning decisions.

–Ed–

By: kevinbeaver

kevinbeaver — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:43:57 +0000

Focus less on certification on more on developing your real-world skills (technical, communication, etc.). I've written several pieces on the subject of IT careers including networking (with people, not Ethernet), building credibility, politics, certifications, etc. you may want to check out. Most importantly you need to understand what you like to do and what you're good at and then set out to do it. Best of luck!!

By: blankreg

blankreg — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:57:35 +0000

MCSE is useful to round out the knowledge, but most places I have worked (over many years) I have not really needed that sort of in depth knowledge. If your interest is more in the systems side, then go down that route.

It is a massive jump from CCNA to CCIE, too big for many to make in one go. so I disagree with Hemanthdns on the steps. If you interest is in networks, wide-area or LAN, then look to the CCNP, or the specialisations from Cisco, after you complete the CCNA. Once you have the CCNP, then you can further the knowledge, with moving on to the CCIE, as you will then have a knowledge of the routing and switching technologies, or you could look to Security, with the specialisations, towards the CCSP, VoIP again with specialisations towards the CCVP, or design with the CCDA and CCDP.

The bottom line is that there is no best certification, it depends on your interests, and the demand for certifications in your area. Certifications are only part of the equation, experience gained is almost as valuable. So try to find a job first and then look to do more certifications, your new company may even pay for them

By: What’s the best certification for a networking career after the CCNA? by Cisco Information Technology

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:16:11 +0000

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