Good Place to Ask Questions! (Advancing my Career)

twistedkarma

As the topic suggests, I assume this is a great place to ask the questions I seem stuck on. I'm a technician by trade, but tech enthusiast at heart. My passion is technology, always has been, started at an early age. I've never went to school for it, for anything really. Self taught myself much of my foundation - learning excelled and grew from various jobs I managed to obtain, starting at Apple. I consider myself very knowledgeable as a break/fix technician. This applies to Desktop/Laptops, Mac OS X/Windows. I've always wanted to learn more, further my career and knowledge, I've just never really knew what the next step was.

The one thing that really interests me is networking. The first time I walked into my first enterprise server room, I was mesmerized and lost. Switches, routers, hubs, server racks, CAT5/6 wires galore. These concepts were never available for me to learn simply because the way I learned wouldn't allow it. I learn from doing, I learn off of people I trust - not very traditional, it's part of the reason I never went to school. Being in the break/fix world, I stayed close to the consumers, the average users who would never need me to go deploy an infrastructure that was secure and operationally sound. But I want to. I know I am capable. I know I can push myself to be great. My customer service skills outshine most, and I'm not saying that to brag. They've brought me to a job where I make $80,000 a year. I don't care about money, if I did, I'd go down this road I'm traveling now and be financially sound. I care about learning more, I have this desire to not stop here. I will not be happy unless I continue.

So the inevitable questions to follow - Where do I go from here? CompTIA A+ and Network+ seems like a good idea, just to start off on a sound foot, but do I really need to start there? Is it a wise choice? How do I determine if this is the right step forward? I know in the near future I want to be actively pursuing my CISCO certifications. I've even thought about RedHat certs because I'm vaguely comfortable with Linux just from my knowledge of Mac OS X. It all interests me. I'm just lost. I'm afraid to make the wrong costly mistake. I don't want to jump into something that is over my head, but I don't want to be bored by material I already understand. Please don't assume anything in your answers, ask me questions. I appreciate any help I can get on the subject.

NetworkNewb

Sounds like you got good enough knowledge to skip the A+ and Network+. I'd recommend going to CCENT then CCNA:R&S and then deciding where you want to go from there. Lots of different paths!

Training & Certifications - Cisco Systems

twistedkarma

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Sounds like you got good enough knowledge to skip the A+ and Network+. I'd recommend going to CCENT then CCNA:R&S and then deciding where you want to go from there. Lots of different paths!

Training & Certifications - Cisco Systems

I appreciate your answer. My only question is, without basic knowledge of networking concepts (DNS, TCP/IP, Subnet, MAC Address, Port Forwarding, DMZ, VPN, Servers, Hubs, Switches) should I really be jumping into a CISCO certification? I think the Network+ would give me the core fundamentals and basic understanding of these concepts I'm aware of, but have no knowledge of. If CISCO will cover these in it's basic certs, I think you're right, but I think you're assuming I understand networking to a degree of which I do not. I've only fixed computers. Replaced hardware, troubleshoot software. Networking knowledge stops at setting up a consumer router for me.

NetworkNewb

twistedkarma wrote: »

I appreciate your answer. My only question is, without basic knowledge of networking concepts (DNS, TCP/IP, Subnet, MAC Address, Port Forwarding, DMZ, VPN, Servers, Hubs, Switches) should I really be jumping into a CISCO certification? I think the Network+ would give me the core fundamentals and basic understanding of these concepts I'm aware of, but have no knowledge of. If CISCO will cover these in it's basic certs, I think you're right, but I think you're assuming I understand networking to a degree of which I do not. I've only fixed computers. Replaced hardware, troubleshoot software. Networking knowledge stops at setting up a consumer router for me.

Definitely, you'll be fine. The Network+ and CCENT actually overlap a lot. The beginning sections of any CCENT book or videos is pretty much all the same material as what is in the Network+ exam. They start by going over networking basics.

DoubleNNs

twistedkarma wrote: »

My only question is, without basic knowledge of networking concepts (DNS, TCP/IP, Subnet, MAC Address, Port Forwarding, DMZ, VPN, Servers, Hubs, Switches) should I really be jumping into a CISCO certification?

Just the fact that you know about those things means you can skip the Network+. The Network+, when it comes down it is, is mostly a vocabulary test. You're presented w/ a bunch of acronyms and you have to learn what they stand for, what they mean, and how they fit into the overall field of IT.

If it'll make you feel more comfortable, quickly read thru a Network+ text ,or blitz thru some Network+ videos directly prior to jumping into the CCENT/CCNA.

twistedkarma

NetworkNewb wrote: »

Definitely, you'll be fine. The Network+ and CCENT actually overlap a lot. The beginning sections of any CCENT book or videos is pretty much all the same material as what is in the Network+ exam. They start by going over networking basics.

DoubleNNs wrote: »

Just the fact that you know about those things means you can skip the Network+. The Network+, when it comes down it is, is mostly a vocabulary test. You're presented w/ a bunch of acronyms and you have to learn what they stand for, what they mean, and how they fit into the overall field of IT.

If it'll make you feel more comfortable, quickly read thru a Network+ text ,or blitz thru some Network+ videos directly prior to jumping into the CCENT/CCNA.

Appreciate you two taking the time. I'm going to begin with CCENT and move forward from there. Now I just need to find a reputable training facility which offers courses for this in the NYC area. I can not learn by reading a textbook >.>

Edit: After searching around a bit, I guess my best bet is to pick up a book and start learning. Best book to buy to prepare me?

http://www.amazon.com/Routing-Switching-200-120-Official-Library/dp/1587143879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389154577&sr=8-1&keywords=Routing-Switching-200-120-Official-Library&tag=viglink20307-20

or

http://www.amazon.com/CCNA-Routing-and-Switching-Study-Guide-Exams-100-101-200-101-and-200-120/dp/1118749618/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk?ie=UTF8

twistedkarma

With knowing I should now be focusing on CCENT/CCNA - Where do I begin? What do I need to study?

DoubleNNs

A lot of people might disagree w/ this, but I think CCENT for Dummies is a great starting point.
I went thru that book w/ GNS3 and Packet Tracer when I took my CCNA, then quickly went thru the GNS3 videos, and then finally jumped into Odom's CCNA Library.

twistedkarma

DoubleNNs wrote: »

A lot of people might disagree w/ this, but I think CCENT for Dummies is a great starting point.
I went thru that book w/ GNS3 and Packet Tracer when I took my CCNA, then quickly went thru the GNS3 videos, and then finally jumped into Odom's CCNA Library.

From what I read here and elsewhere - Odom's and Lammle's books are the go to resources for studying. I'd prefer to get one book and know it's going to be enough, if I have to use multiple books and resources I will quickly be overwhelmed. I hate reading from textbooks and prefer hands on, classroom type training as it is - but I am not okay with spending $2,400+ on a course. If you could suggest one book that would cover it all, what would it be?

stlsmoore

You'll want a lab environment either way for your studies. Also for the most part, one book isn't going to cover everything you need to know for any the Cisco exams. I typically study 2-4 different books on the same exam topics because every author presents material in a slightly different way. I know it sucks but you'll want the repetition, you have to push through the pain doing and reading the same thing over and over again.

DoubleNNs

1 book? Go w/ Odom. And a lot of labbing.