Computing Qualifications.

[BoomAM]

Hi.
Does anyone have any advice on good computing courses to go on/qualifications?
I dont mean stuff like at Uni/College/whatever, i mean proper ones, like Cisco & MS qualifications.

Ive been recommended the MS MCSE & some Cisco one i cant remember off the top of my head.

And some suggestions on finding out information on said courses? (and the ones ive mentioned ).
Luckily it looks like i can get my work to pay for me to go on these courses if i can persuade them its worth it.

Thanks everyone. .

 

[BoomAM]

It depends entirely on what you want to do.

Its not a case of what i want to do entirely. I already have the job of my intended area. The qualifications will hopefully help me move up the ladder.

 

[BoomAM]

where do you want to go?

Network Manager or above on network bigger than the one im doing now.
Should be able to achieve the former in time without more qualifcations, in time, hopefully.
But having a few proper computing qualifications behind me will give me a bit more weight with future employers.

Lets say qualifications concentrating on DCs, ISAs, and network infrastruture for now.
Although i question the point in learning server stuff at the moment with Server2k8 round the corner.

 

[BoomAM]

Well the AD structure isn't likely to change all that much, so working on that'd be fine.

CCNA would be a good place to start for a future network manager. From there you could either proceed further down the Cisco route or you could diversify there

The CCNA is the one i was told about.

What places are good to look for these qualifications?

 

[BoomAM]

Yes. CCNA alone isn't enough, at any rate. You'd need CCNP as well. MCSE on the other hand allows you to diversify.

What MCSE's should i be looking at for my job then?

Spring and Aslan are my personal preferences

Links please..
Googling brings up nothing..

 

[BoomAM]

Your Google skills are weak

Thats Spring IT training. They're my company's favoured external training provider.

Its late.

Wheres the list of courses/prices on there?

 

[BoomAM]

I've recently got my MCSA 2003, it took me about 6 months studying in my own time, after work.

MCSA is 4 exams of which 2 exams are core (70-290 & 70-291)
MCSE is 7 exams of which 4 exams are core (70-290, 70-291, 70-293 & 70-294)

When Server 2008 is well established I will upgrade my 2003 MCSA to a 2008 qualification by taking a further 2 upgrade exams, to upgrade a 2003 MCSE is 3 upgrade exams.

Regardless of which path you choose (Microsoft , Cisco) only advice I can give is take your time, setup a virtual enviroment to practice on and DON'T pay £1000+ for an accelerated course. These courses basically cram you with practice questions that are almost identical to the actual exam, you end up passing without gaining any knowledge.

Whats the difference between a MCSA and MCSE? Which ones more respected/better to go for? I dont mind doing it if i can do a 'refresher' to get the 2008 qualifcation at a later date.

 

[BoomAM]

MCSA = Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator
MCSE = Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

MCSA = 4 x MCP exams
MCSE = 7 x MCP exams

Basically an MCSE is the top Microsoft Qualification, from there you can go further and specialise by getting Security specialisation (ISA server etc) & Messaging specialisation (Exchange)

I started taking my MCP exams untill I had 4 that allowed me to be classed as MCSA. If you work hard you can get your MCSE in a year, I'm happy with an MCSA for now, looking at doing my CCNA next.

So, the MCP is the starter qualifcation, the MCSA is the next one up, and the MCSE is the top one?

Are these per subject area, or are they just one qualification (for example, a-levels can be done in loads of areas)?

 

[BoomAM]

Isnt CCNA/CCNP mostly network based in the purest sence though?
I was looking at doing a Server/ISA based qualification first, as it'll benefit me here and now.

 

[BoomAM]

Hmm.
Although the natural route there would be Cisco-MS, i'd prefer to do it the other way around tbh.

 

[BoomAM]

It depends on what you want to do, if you want to work on the network infrastructure such as routers and switches and firewalls etc then look more towards the CCNA as a starter then maybe the CCNP. If you're more into the whole Windows side of things then obviously look at the MCSA/MCSE.

Would be good to eventually have both as you will have a greater understanding of how everything works.

Well the plan would be to have both, to balance it out, but the MS one would come in handy now.

 

[BoomAM]

If you wanted to make yourself especially employable - I went for;

ITIL Practitioner/Foundation
HP StorageWorks Essentials
HP OpenView Performance Insight
HP OpenView Network Node Manager
HP OpenView Operations
HP OpenView ServiceCenter
CCNA

OpenView stuff seems to be paid well.

ITSM stuff - IT Service Management - seems to do well in general.

EDIT: got an A+ in Computer Systems Engineering - seems to be a good one to have - not as common as I thought it would be, and quite a good base for a lot of things.

Wheres the HP stuff learnt at?

Im tempted to go for the CCNA first now tbh.
Either way though, and i know ive asked this before, but where does the training?
As the previously mentioned companies are just sites that dont appear to, unless im missing them, list prices, dates, locations, ect;?

Thanks.

 

[BoomAM]

Best bet is to actually contact one of the companies prices and dates very pretty much continuously and you can pick up so cheap deals if you are available at short notice when they are trying to fill vacant places at the last minute!

Do you know of any companies that allows me to study/learn at home/work?