Server + VS MCSA

ITSpectreITSpectre Posts: 1,040Member
in Server+
My friend is thinking of taking the server + but his co workers are telling him to take the MCSA. He does not have an account on here but he does enjoy the posts. What would you suggest? He has 4 years of IT experience but only has the Net+. He wants to get into Win system Admin...
In the darkest hour, there is always a way out - Eve ME3 :cool:
“The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone.” – Thane Krios

Comments

  • jasojaso Posts: 33Member ■■□□□□□□□□
    NetworkNewb wrote: »
    For him to make an account icon_thumright.gif
    :D +1
    ITSpectre wrote: »
    My friend is thinking of taking the server + but his co workers are telling him to take the MCSA. He does not have an account on here but he does enjoy the posts. What would you suggest? He has 4 years of IT experience but only has the Net+. He wants to get into Win system Admin...

    Server+ is not vendor specific - your friend will get questions from both Linux and Windows environments. So if he would like to go on with Windows Administration the MCSA will suit him better...
  • ITSpectreITSpectre Posts: 1,040Member
    I will have him make an account ASAP
    In the darkest hour, there is always a way out - Eve ME3 :cool:
    “The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone.” – Thane Krios
  • Cisco InfernoCisco Inferno Posts: 1,035Member ■■■■■□□□□□
    Don't do the server+. It is the A+ for rackable servers.

    Do the MCSA, the difference is night and day for these two certs.
    2019 Goals
    CompTIA Linux+    [ ] Bachelor's Degree
  • stryder144stryder144 Posts: 1,519Member ■■■■■■■□□□
    I agree with Cisco Inferno. Very few companies are going to look for someone with Server+ yet many, many companies are looking for MCSA/MCSE Windows Server 20xx certifications.
    The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don't let them put you in that position. ~ Leo Buscaglia

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  • byron66byron66 Posts: 162Member ■■□□□□□□□□
    The difficulty of the two are on a completely different levels from each other. MCSA is the way to go.
  • gncsmithgncsmith Posts: 458Member ■■□□□□□□□□
    stryder144 wrote: »
    Very few companies are going to look for someone with Server+ yet many, many companies are looking for MCSA/MCSE Windows Server 20xx certifications.

    Bingo! Yes, this.
  • tmtextmtex Posts: 326Member
    How hard is Server + compared to the others ? Just curious
  • PJ_SneakersPJ_Sneakers The ceiling is glass. USAPosts: 877Member ■■■■■■□□□□
    It shouldnt be too hard for you if you've got MCSE, CNA, and A+.
  • netsysllcnetsysllc Posts: 477Member ■■■■□□□□□□
    Have never taken the Server+ exam but considering most comptia exams are extremely easy for someone with just a few years of experience I would assume it is easy as well. The MCSA exams on the other hand are much more challenging but your friend will learn much more about Windows server on this route, as well as having a relevant certification.
  • PJ_SneakersPJ_Sneakers The ceiling is glass. USAPosts: 877Member ■■■■■■□□□□
    I agree with netsysllc. MCSA will have a much better ROI than Server+ hands down. I mean, unless your dude really just likes RAID levels and server room terminology.
  • tmtextmtex Posts: 326Member
    PJ_Sneakers wrote: »
    It shouldnt be too hard for you if you've got MCSE, CNA, and A+.
    Actually did a example test, not to hard
  • Goteki54Goteki54 Member BaltimorePosts: 79Member ■■■□□□□□□□
    Server+ can't really compare to MCSA. The two are really totally different criteria certifications. MCSA has to do along the lines of being a Network Administrator. Server+ is more inline with being a Server hardware Tech. It's the next step up from an A+. So if you want to repair servers then Server+ is the way to go.
    CompTIA A+, Network+, Security +., SSCP
  • VeritiesVerities Posts: 1,162Member
    Server + is an extremely easy certification that only took me a few hours to study for and will allow your friend no noticeable return on investment. I took it a while ago as a filler cert because proctoru had a deal for $50 to take the exam.

    As much as I dislike Microsoft and the way they style their exams, I agree with everyone on doing the MCSA instead.
  • PJ_SneakersPJ_Sneakers The ceiling is glass. USAPosts: 877Member ■■■■■■□□□□
    Verities wrote: »
    Server + is an extremely easy certification that only took me a few hours to study for and will allow your friend no noticeable return on investment. I took it a while ago as a filler cert because proctoru had a deal for $50 to take the exam.
    LOL me too. That and Project+. I missed out on the Cloud+ though. I should have powered through, but I ran out of time.
  • VeritiesVerities Posts: 1,162Member
    PJ_Sneakers wrote: »
    LOL me too. That and Project+. I missed out on the Cloud+ though. I should have powered through, but I ran out of time.

    The offer was too good to beat to get some resume filler. I skipped on Project + since that's a whole load of boring material and skipped cloud + because I have a VCP.
  • Goteki54Goteki54 Member BaltimorePosts: 79Member ■■■□□□□□□□
    I'm going to get it simply because it's low hanging fruit that will diversify my resume a bit and also it's a lifetime cert
    CompTIA A+, Network+, Security +., SSCP
  • AndersonSmithAndersonSmith Posts: 471Member ■■■□□□□□□□
    I haven't taken Server+ (yet), but after browsing over the objectives and some training materials it seems relatively simpler than MCSA. Like others have said, MCSA would be more valuable, however I'm going to say that depending on your friend's level of experience with servers and networking he may be better off starting with the Server+ or at least the A+. I just got done with the MCSA last month and I found that having the A+, Net+, and Security+ all helped immensely with my MCSA studies. Of course, it's not just having the certs, but what I learned while studying for them. Most of the MCSA study materials assume that you already have a lot of the fundamental knowledge covered by most of the entry-level CompTIA certs so it's not a bad idea to start there first, or even if you don't want to spend the money to get the actual certifications, at least study some of the objectives for them. It looks like the Server+ is very similar to the A+ and is only one test compared to the 2 that the A+ is so if he doesn't have A+ getting Server+ first might not be a bad idea. Still though, I agree with everyone else that the MCSA will be a ton more valuable in the long run... That's my 2 cents anyway. I'm actually thinking of getting the Server+ in the next few months now that I have the MCSA just simply because I think it'll be something I can grab relatively quickly and it's still a good for life cert and certainly doesn't hurt to have more certs on your resume! Good luck!
    All the best,
    Anderson

    "Everything that has a beginning has an end"
  • Goteki54Goteki54 Member BaltimorePosts: 79Member ■■■□□□□□□□
    Dice came out with their Mid Year Skills and Certification report card basically giving a report on which certs are going up in demand in the market place and which ones are declining in value etc. Server+ has seen an increase in value by 25 to 33% in the market place. That's a pretty good jump.
    Mid-Year Skills and Certifications Report Card - Dice Insights
    CompTIA A+, Network+, Security +., SSCP
  • ThePawofRizzoThePawofRizzo Senior Member Posts: 387Member ■■■■□□□□□□
    I agree with those on here that see MCSA as having more value, however, if your friend only has Network+ and some years of experience, I'd say to consider Server+. There is some material on Server+ that would be topics that would be found on the MCSA, and if your friend has N+ and some experience, there is probably 25% of the material on S+ that was covered in N+ -- So, less study time. In a short time, with Server+ he will gain the cert, some knowledge that will be on the MCSA, and some knowledge that will just help his career in general. And Server+ is more hardware oriented, whereas MS will be software and vendor specific.

    As Goteki suggests earlier, Server+ will also help "diversify" his resume. I've taken most of CompTIA's exams - Proj+, RFID+, PDI+, N+, etc. - all just to get some basic exposure to many technologies and topics, even ones I don't work in regularly.
  • LordQarlynLordQarlyn Posts: 535Member ■■■■□□□□□□
    Honestly, about the only place CompTIA certs have value are for US DoD contracts and other US government agencies. I would go for the MCSA, indeed I am working towards getting the MCSA 2012 since mine is 2003 and not even non-profits use Server 2003 these days.
    The only reason I am considering Server+ is to get an IT security position on a DoD contract and I need a "Computer Education" cert and of all the ones listed, the Server+ would be the only one I could get quickly.

    Love this! It is perfectly apt!
    Cisco Inferno wrote: »
    Don't do the server+. It is the A+ for rackable servers.

    Do the MCSA, the difference is night and day for these two certs.
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