Hello everyone!

I've been a lurker on this site for a bit now. I figured it would be a good idea to go ahead and join.

Been in the IT field for the past 10 years (military, contractor). I've mostly done system/network stuff, I am looking to get into the information security field. I do have security plus and that has opened doors for me since I live next to a base that is flooded with IT jobs.

I am looking to make it to the next level and get more certs. I always told myself security becomes a lot easier when you understand how a network runs and the stuff that makes it work. I am currently studying for ccent/ccna. I have been studying/doing labs for about 2 months now. I dont plan on getting a network job so I've been wondering if its even worth getting. I just figured it would be something good under my belt. I also am turned off by the fact hat I have to recertify every 3 years. I dont plan on working in the field so afterI take it I wont be using it much. My end goal this year is CSA+.

Any advice guys? What would you do in my situation?

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MontagueVandervort

Welcome to the forum!

Do you consider yourself already more than 80% sufficient with Net+ knowledge?
Because that's what I would be studying if I were you before I even went near the ICND1.

Has most of your ten years been working in the Networking portion of your "system/network stuff"?
If not then I would work in Networking for a while... quite a while.

Net+
ICND1
Change (Networking) position
ICND2
Change (Networking) position
Security Cert #2 (You said you already had the Sec+)
Keep shifting (Networking) positions
Security Cert #3
Keep shifting (Networking) positions

Then after you have a good, considerable amount of time of Networking experience under your belt start aiming for Sec positions.

(The above is based on the fact that I believe you don't have much Networking experience at the moment.)

Goldenarms

I was pretty familiar with networking before I took my security plus test. It definitely made the test a bit easier. I didn't have any experience configuring routers/switches before. Studying for INCD1 has helped out big time. I have read some network plus books and taken a few practice test. I knew a lot of it, some stuff I needed a refresher on.

mikey88

Since you're in the military, DoD 8570 directive applies heavily to you. Security+ is obviously the most sought after. Next on the demand list would be CCNA/MCSA/RHCA , CySA+/CEH and CASP/CISSP afterwards

Goldenarms

I do contracting but yes everything revolves around that 8570 requirement. I would love to get cysa this year but I wanted to take some baby steps to it. I dont have any experience with logs/nmap/wireshark. I am working as a system admin now but looking for a entry level security job to get going.

beads

Welcome to the board. TechExams is a bit like the old Lay's potatoe chips commercial where you can't read just one thread in this case. Hopefully, you will find this board to be useful for you for many years.

I do see some real old timers on this board with a wealth of information, always feel free to ask questions.

- b/eads

MontagueVandervort

I saw on your other post that you want to go into pentesting/vulnerability assessment, but I also see in the same post that you plan to never do much networking??

Exactly how do you plan on making that all come together?

Goldenarms

Thats a good question. I have been thinking and decided I should try some networking just to get some experience under my belt.

MontagueVandervort

Sounds like you're at least half-way there, so that's great.

To properly secure networks or assess them for vulnerabilities one has to have a thorough understanding of how all of Networking comes together.

Books are great, don't get me wrong. I'm a book guy 100% but to really understand Networking you need to work with it. Books and actual experience are like two different flavors - both necessary.

I wish you the best of luck!