A+, Network+ and even Network+ are all ENTRY LEVEL BEGGINNER certs, the equiv of getting an 8$/hr tech/support job.
I did my A+ in 22 mins, both sections at the same time. its 185 bucks per test. Its being changed for 2001, plus 2 new certs coming, one at the end of htis year (Server+) and next year Linux+
There are no lab questions, its all questions like IRQ's and COM Ports and Windows start up files etc etc
the MCSE is what i would call a mid level cert. Along with a CCNA, i believe your Win2k MCSE cert would be considered higher htan "mid level", same with the CCNP cisco cert.
A tip to any MCSE's out there... SPECIALIZE!!!!
3 decent fields to look into
1)Cisco -CCNA is EASY if you have the EXPERIECEN that htey say you should have before taking hte test. CCNP is where you wanna be at. Will be several years till you can takle the CCIE
2)Security/Firewall/Systems Auditing (Checkpoint Firewall for exmple)
3)web admin/ecommerce admin (MCSE+I and CIW are good points)
4)wireless interconnections, no real certs on this yet though
if you like database's learn your SQL get your MCDBA and then get an oracle entry level cert to go with it.
being an MCSE and only a MCSE isnt enough anymore. More and more certs are requiring that you have 3 years experience to take the test. Some even require PROOF of experience, and will do background investigations and telephone interviews with your previous employeers to verify.
Personally i think thats the way it should be. That and hands on lab requirements. Instead of asking, "Where does the video card plug into", make them plug it in and configure it on a windows system. Instead of asking, how do you create a trust between 2 NT4 Servers, make them setup a trust on a simple 2 server network.
Its too bad that the only one that really falls into that category is the cisco CCIE test, no wonder its so highly regarded.
btw i hold:
A+, N+, I-net+, MCSE (1 away from +I), stuidied for the CCNA but i dont want to go cisco/router, i wanna go security/sytems auditing
