Yet Another Certification Thread

[trmiv]

I tried this in OT, but I think I'll have better luck here. OK, this is yet another cert thread. Basically I'm looking to move up in the job world. Here's a quick summary of where I'm at, and what I'm looking for.

I currently have: BS in Business, concentration in MIS

I currently do: Desktop Support

Want to move into: Systems administration, eventually something systems/network security related.


Basically I want to move up in the world. Desktop support is OK and all, but I don't want to do it for the rest of my life. I'm looking for a cert to get my foot in the door a little further up the chain. Keep in mind I'm not looking for the end-all of certs, just something to start me on my way. I fully intend to keep pursuing more certs, experience, etc. Also, I realize there is no substitute for experience, but try to tell an HR person that. Here are my options as I see them, feel free to correct me if I'm completely off-base.

CCNA
MCSE Windows Server 2003
Some type of Unix or Linux cert. Not sure what to go for here, or what is even respected at all in the industry. (I realize this is a very different direction from the Microsoft certs, just curious if a cert in this is viable).
Something I don't know about.


Also, in a somewhat different direction is trying to get a Citrix cert.

So, advice? Am I totally off-base here?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Cisco or SANS. If you can spend 6 months, go for a CISSP.

 

[Klixxer]

I second n0c's opinion on this matter, go for a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional).

 

[Sunner]

Redhat's certs seem to be pretty well respected as well, mostly because they're supposedly very hard and actually relate to real world work and problems, unlike most certs that are more about studying for the specific cert.

 

[trmiv]

I'd love a CISSP, but the problem is the requirements you must meet just to get one:

"Have a minimum 4 years of direct full-time security professional work experience in one or more of the ten domains of the information systems security CBK or 3 years experience plus a college degree or 2 years experience plus a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Information Security from a Center of Excellence.

Valid experience includes information systems (IS) security-related work performed as a practitioner, auditor, consultant, investigator or instructor, that requires IS security knowledge and involves the direct application of that knowledge."

That's why I was thinking of starting with something I don't have to meet such requirements, that will alllow me to get my foot in the door in administration with some security related stuff, so I can work towards getting a cert like that.

The problem with a lot of certs is like Sunner mentioned it's mostly about study, and not real-world experience. The problem in today's market is, it's very hard to even get any real-world experience, unless you have something to get your foot in the door to start.

 

[djdrastic]

Also build up a lab

Yes I know that means you might have to go out with your freinds less , but trust me you'll learn the material so much faster if you have some empty boxen and one or 2 junky 2500 cisco routers @ home . Although I do agree that certs are important , when crunch time comes its so much easier to fix a problem that you've seen @ your lab

 

[trmiv]

Go out with my friends less, lol. I'm married dude, there is none of that going out with friends stuff anymore. Sigh...

We have three computers currently in use at home (2 towers, 1 laptop), as well as one box I have in a closet that needs some work. I might be able to throw those together when we move. What's the going rate for a 2500 series router? Also, I do have a CCNA book, with routersim software, which allows me to do some things without the hardware, so that helps in the meantime.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: trmiv
Go out with my friends less, lol. I'm married dude, there is none of that going out with friends stuff anymore. Sigh...

We have three computers currently in use at home (2 towers, 1 laptop), as well as one box I have in a closet that needs some work. I might be able to throw those together when we move. What's the going rate for a 2500 series router? Also, I do have a CCNA book, with routersim software, which allows me to do some things without the hardware, so that helps in the meantime.

Check ebay for cisco equipment. Besides friends, that's the best way to get it cheap.

Only 3 computers? My former play lan was atleast 10.

 

[trmiv]

I see plenty on eBay, but the price varies quite a bit depending on model. Will just any 2500 series suffice?

10 computers? Jeez, I couldn't fit that many in my apartment. Not to mention my wife would freak if I had that many computers hooked up.

 

[jamesbond007]

I was told by someone that Novell is still somewhat highly regarded in the networking sector/job field. When he was interviewed my Microsoft @ Redmond, Novell certs were a quality they were looking for.

I'd second the vote for a Red Hat cert, if you have the time.

Also, is A+ even necessary to get anymore?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: trmiv
I see plenty on eBay, but the price varies quite a bit depending on model. Will just any 2500 series suffice?

10 computers? Jeez, I couldn't fit that many in my apartment. Not to mention my wife would freak if I had that many computers hooked up.

I moved into an apartment, so my network was cut down quite a bit.

I think just about any cisco should be fine. Any 2500 should have enough features to be useful for learning purposes for quite a while.

 

[trmiv]

I might go for a CCNA. I tried doing the self-study thing, but I am not disciplined enough to read, read, read, read, read on my own. I was digging the hands-on stuff I did with the simrouter, but forcing myself to read and memorize chapter after chapter was tough.

I think I should take some CCNA courses, which would force me in the right direction.

If I did go RedHat, the best thing to do would probably be to get Red Hat installed at home (not free anymore, I know. would just using Fedora be OK?), to get used to it. Then take the first course and get an RHCT. But damn, those courses are expensive! $2300 for the 4.5 day RHCT course, I'd have to get a loan.

 

[jamesbond007]

trmiv, generally when you get a cert, such as for Red Hat, you would use the kernel or selected version that they use in the manual. Any changes in the newer OS/releases will be crash-course learning.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: trmiv
I see plenty on eBay, but the price varies quite a bit depending on model. Will just any 2500 series suffice?

10 computers? Jeez, I couldn't fit that many in my apartment. Not to mention my wife would freak if I had that many computers hooked up.

I moved into an apartment, so my network was cut down quite a bit.

I think just about any cisco should be fine. Any 2500 should have enough features to be useful for learning purposes for quite a while.

Bah, I live in an apartment, and a relatively small one at that, and I'm up to 9

Oh and if you wanna learn Redhat Enterprise, just go with Whitebox Linux, it's just RHEL but recompiled minus their copyrighted stuff(logos and stuff), the only significant part missing AFAIK is their cluster tools.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: trmiv
I see plenty on eBay, but the price varies quite a bit depending on model. Will just any 2500 series suffice?

10 computers? Jeez, I couldn't fit that many in my apartment. Not to mention my wife would freak if I had that many computers hooked up.

I moved into an apartment, so my network was cut down quite a bit.

I think just about any cisco should be fine. Any 2500 should have enough features to be useful for learning purposes for quite a while.

Bah, I live in an apartment, and a relatively small one at that, and I'm up to 9

Oh and if you wanna learn Redhat Enterprise, just go with Whitebox Linux, it's just RHEL but recompiled minus their copyrighted stuff(logos and stuff), the only significant part missing AFAIK is their cluster tools.

4 of mine are SUN machines. I like the quiet.

 

[trmiv]

So would it be best to get a CCNA first, and then go for a Red Hat cert later?

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: trmiv
I see plenty on eBay, but the price varies quite a bit depending on model. Will just any 2500 series suffice?

10 computers? Jeez, I couldn't fit that many in my apartment. Not to mention my wife would freak if I had that many computers hooked up.

I moved into an apartment, so my network was cut down quite a bit.

I think just about any cisco should be fine. Any 2500 should have enough features to be useful for learning purposes for quite a while.

Bah, I live in an apartment, and a relatively small one at that, and I'm up to 9

Oh and if you wanna learn Redhat Enterprise, just go with Whitebox Linux, it's just RHEL but recompiled minus their copyrighted stuff(logos and stuff), the only significant part missing AFAIK is their cluster tools.

4 of mine are SUN machines. I like the quiet.

I'm gonna try to get one of our decommissioned Ultra5's, should make a good upgrade from my current Ultra1.
Well, after I put a SCSI card in it, the IDE implementation in the Ultra5's sucks bigtime.

 

[trmiv]

I downloaded Debian last night, and I'm downloading whitebox right now. Not sure which one I want to use.

Also, I just looked into a local program for CCNA training. I'm going to have to go with classroom training. I think I'll learn more, plus I'm just not able to push myself enough to learn from a book on my own. Going to try to get a 2500 series router when I get paid next.

 

[Granorense]

Originally posted by: trmiv
I downloaded Debian last night, and I'm downloading whitebox right now. Not sure which one I want to use.

Also, I just looked into a local program for CCNA training. I'm going to have to go with classroom training. I think I'll learn more, plus I'm just not able to push myself enough to learn from a book on my own. Going to try to get a 2500 series router when I get paid next.

I went to a Cisco academy for about 1 year. Took courses from 140 thought 170, then the CCNA test which was hard to pass. I whish I could get an IT job, but so far I haven't. Perhaps I haven't look hard enough or I don't know anybody in the industry. Just about ready to take MSCA exams, also went to school for months at nights for Microsoft stuff. Now I just need some courage to start reviewing my stuff so I can start taking exams.

If anybody in Arizona needs a highly motivated individual for their IT department, please let me know!

OP, I hope I didn't crap your thread!

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: trmiv
I see plenty on eBay, but the price varies quite a bit depending on model. Will just any 2500 series suffice?

10 computers? Jeez, I couldn't fit that many in my apartment. Not to mention my wife would freak if I had that many computers hooked up.

I moved into an apartment, so my network was cut down quite a bit.

I think just about any cisco should be fine. Any 2500 should have enough features to be useful for learning purposes for quite a while.

Bah, I live in an apartment, and a relatively small one at that, and I'm up to 9

Oh and if you wanna learn Redhat Enterprise, just go with Whitebox Linux, it's just RHEL but recompiled minus their copyrighted stuff(logos and stuff), the only significant part missing AFAIK is their cluster tools.

4 of mine are SUN machines. I like the quiet.

I'm gonna try to get one of our decommissioned Ultra5's, should make a good upgrade from my current Ultra1.
Well, after I put a SCSI card in it, the IDE implementation in the Ultra5's sucks bigtime.

Agreed. I haven't been able to find a SUN scsi card for a reasonable price though...

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: Granorense

Originally posted by: trmiv
I downloaded Debian last night, and I'm downloading whitebox right now. Not sure which one I want to use.

Also, I just looked into a local program for CCNA training. I'm going to have to go with classroom training. I think I'll learn more, plus I'm just not able to push myself enough to learn from a book on my own. Going to try to get a 2500 series router when I get paid next.

I went to a Cisco academy for about 1 year. Took courses from 140 thought 170, then the CCNA test which was hard to pass. I whish I could get an IT job, but so far I haven't. Perhaps I haven't look hard enough or I don't know anybody in the industry. Just about ready to take MSCA exams, also went to school for months at nights for Microsoft stuff. Now I just need some courage to start reviewing my stuff so I can start taking exams.

If anybody in Arizona needs a highly motivated individual for their IT department, please let me know!

OP, I hope I didn't crap your thread!

Don't worry about it, you didn't. One advantage I have is that I have an IT job already, so I see these certs as a way to progress. I've found a few things in this industry, that are probably pretty obvious. One, it is MUCH easier to get a job if you already have one. Either with your current company by moving to a new position, or a new company. And two, in today's market you really have to know someone. I got in at my current job because I am good friends with the nephew of the department manager here. They saw tons and tons of resumes of people with the exact same qualifications as me every day. Most didn't make it past the junk file. My knowing someone at least got me the interview, I got myself the rest of the way though (turns out I was up against 3 other people who also knew someone).

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner
I'm gonna try to get one of our decommissioned Ultra5's, should make a good upgrade from my current Ultra1.
Well, after I put a SCSI card in it, the IDE implementation in the Ultra5's sucks bigtime.

Agreed. I haven't been able to find a SUN scsi card for a reasonable price though...

We used an old Tekram card in an Ultra5 at work, worked just fine.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner
I'm gonna try to get one of our decommissioned Ultra5's, should make a good upgrade from my current Ultra1.
Well, after I put a SCSI card in it, the IDE implementation in the Ultra5's sucks bigtime.

Agreed. I haven't been able to find a SUN scsi card for a reasonable price though...

We used an old Tekram card in an Ultra5 at work, worked just fine.

We've discussed that before, and I don't think you were ever sure if it was a boot drive or not.

I settled for netbooting my ultra 10.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner
I'm gonna try to get one of our decommissioned Ultra5's, should make a good upgrade from my current Ultra1.
Well, after I put a SCSI card in it, the IDE implementation in the Ultra5's sucks bigtime.

Agreed. I haven't been able to find a SUN scsi card for a reasonable price though...

We used an old Tekram card in an Ultra5 at work, worked just fine.

We've discussed that before, and I don't think you were ever sure if it was a boot drive or not.

I settled for netbooting my ultra 10.

Maybe we did...anyway, this was quite a while ago, but I'm reasonably sure it was the boot drive.
Of course, IIRC it was connected through a Unipack, but that shouldn't make any difference

An Ultra5 with a fast 7200 drive isn't too bad though I guess, nothing like a modern box, but still, compared to the original slow-as-shit drives that shipped with the Ultra5's, it's a damn supercomputer

Oh and is it just me, or do we always hijack threads when we start talking about Sun hardware?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner
I'm gonna try to get one of our decommissioned Ultra5's, should make a good upgrade from my current Ultra1.
Well, after I put a SCSI card in it, the IDE implementation in the Ultra5's sucks bigtime.

Agreed. I haven't been able to find a SUN scsi card for a reasonable price though...

We used an old Tekram card in an Ultra5 at work, worked just fine.

We've discussed that before, and I don't think you were ever sure if it was a boot drive or not.

I settled for netbooting my ultra 10.

Maybe we did...anyway, this was quite a while ago, but I'm reasonably sure it was the boot drive.
Of course, IIRC it was connected through a Unipack, but that shouldn't make any difference

An Ultra5 with a fast 7200 drive isn't too bad though I guess, nothing like a modern box, but still, compared to the original slow-as-shit drives that shipped with the Ultra5's, it's a damn supercomputer

Oh and is it just me, or do we always hijack threads when we start talking about Sun hardware?

It's a risk everyone should be willing to take.

If you do end up with an ultra 5 w/non-sun scsi, let me know how you did it. I've got an ultra 10 and a tekram card just sitting around.