To A+ or not to A+

I am in a situation. I am currently A+ certified as well as CCENT certified and my A+ is going to expire in the middle of May 2015. I just started a new job as a Desktop Support Analyst in the middle of November 2014, therefore, I just NOW fully paid my dues for my CEUs but do not have too many options for getting 20 credits. I was thinking Professor Messer, but I think I can only get 4 or 5 credits from him for the year. Should I just retake the 220-801 & 220-802 exams to maintain my cert, or just let it expire and just focus on Cisco, which, my ultimate goal is to become a CCNP?

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Comments

overtime

Hi,

Why not do both?

If you take the full CCNA you can get 20 CEUs, If this here is true : CE Program: Renewing Through Other Certifications
This way you could maintain A+ and prepare for CCNP.

cya

Hondabuff

I would let them expire and focus on Cisco. I have the lifetime A+/N+/S+ and a month later a buddy of mine got his but they all have expired. We have had this conversation before. I would still list them on a resume because the employer doesn't know that someone's A+ was after the lifetime cert. Why should you have to keep renewing yours when I don't have to for mine. Its just a way for Comptia to make more money. At least with the Cisco exams you can take the next higher cert and renew everything below it.

MrPuzzlez

I'd figured they did that because technology constantly evolves. Plus the newer objectives cover smartphones now, not that I need that extra knowledge just rusting in the corner of my mind... Cisco it is!!

markulous

Won't it renew if you take the N+ or S+? I'd just take one of those and it should renew the A+. If you feel really good about network fundamentals, go S+, otherwise go N+.

theodoxa

MrPuzzlez wrote: »

I'd figured they did that because technology constantly evolves. Plus the newer objectives cover smartphones now, not that I need that extra knowledge just rusting in the corner of my mind... Cisco it is!!

I have a lifetime A+. When I took it, I believe they covered MS-DOS, Windows 9x, and Windows NT4, which indicates how long ago that was. I considered getting the Network+ when they announced they would be dropping Lifetime certs (I could have passed it easily), but CompTIA tests are just so expensive and I didn't consider it worth the cost since I had other certs that covered the same and more.

http://web.archive.org/web/20001018072730/http://www.comptia.org/certification/aplus/apluscore_hardware.pdf
http://web.archive.org/web/20001027202654/http://www.comptia.org/certification/aplus/os_exam.pdf

E Double U

Cisco > CompTIA

Please move on.

Jon_Cisco

Keeping in mind that A+ is an entry level Cert I don't think I would renew it as long as you are currently employed in IT. Your experience will be worth more then the Cert very quickly.

With that said if you are still pretty new to the field and want to keep it on your Resume I would look to earning another cert that would qualify to renew it. If you gonna spend the money you might as well get something new out of it.

Good Luck!

crazboy84

If you take N+ or sec+ it will renew, N+ is cakewalk compared to cisco since u already got ur CCENT just blow thru proffessor messors N+ Videos take a practice test and get er done should only take a week or two with your current level of knowledge. I will say tho i think most employers dont really care about weather or not your A+ is expired if you have in the field experience that matters sooo much more than a cert. Hell my boss didnt even ask to see my A+.

DoubleNNs

Focus on Cisco.

Additionally, if you finish your CCNA before the A+ expires, the CCNA will renew your A+.

Regardless, I see no reason to retake your A+ or try to scrap by 20 CEUs by any other means.

I also wouldn't recommend paying money to take the N+ when you are already halfway done w/ the CCNA. Skip the Network+. The Security+ might be beneficial tho, but up to you.

markulous

REMOVED UNNECESSARY QUOTED REPLY FROM PREVIOUS POST
Ah, I didn't realize that the CCNA would give him the credits to renew his A+. I googled it and you're correct. That would honestly be the best route then and I'd recommend skipping the N+. If he's looking at it from a financial outlook, ICND2 is cheaper than the CompTIA exams as well. He can always take the S+ at a later date if he wants to go that route to renew his A+ later down the road.