What next (iNet+, Security+, or Server+)

I will be writting my Network+ this Friday, and I am wondering what exam I should do next (it's between iNetwork+, Security+, and Server+)? I like the idea of learning the Security+, but I thought

it would probably be best if I learned the other aspects fully first before learning how to manage security issues with them.

Also, so far I have found that the length of time to prepare for the exams seems rather short (2 weeks for the A+ Core Hardware - 1057 score, 1 more week for A+ OS - 929 score, and when I write Network+ this Friday it will have only been 3 weeks since I started preparing for it). Do the CompTIA exams get more difficult, or are they all like this? At this rate I will be able to complete the entire set of CompTIA exams in less than 3 months.

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Comments

bellboy

i believe inet+ may be on par with network+, but i have heard horror stories about security+ and server+.

after taking a+ and network+ i decided to take the microsoft path. many would also consider starting cisco exams, but few continue to take comptia exams.

rcoop

timharpur,
Excellent pace you are keeping (you obviously have some very decent study habits/skills). If you do well on the Net+ exam, and you don't mind spending the money (for an exam that doesn't carry as much weight as Net+), I would recommend taking the i-Net+ as your next exam (I took them in reverse order, A+, i-Net+, then Net+). Then Security+ or Server+ after that.

I believe you can leverage much of the Net+ and your general knowledge of the Internet/Web to streamline studying and passing the i-Net+, and for a few $$ you can get your CIW Associate cert as well (and gets it out of the way if you are planning on any of the CIW Professional / CIW Master certifications).

If you decide to go Security+ next, you would probably be covering a ton of the content on i-Net+, because Sec+ and Net+ have a lot of crossover on i-Net+, making it pretty easy to pass (might even study and take Sec+ and i-Net+ together.

Moving on to a more generalized Network Admin (MCSA / MCSE / CNE / CCNA / CCNP) would be a natural progression. I don't know if you are currently employed or just out of school, but IMHO, finding out which IS/IT discipline(sp?) you really want to work in and the related certifications would probably be the best use of your time.

Take Care,

timharpur

Thanks for the input... I'm going for the iNet+ in two weeks. I wrote the Network+ successfully with an 820. I found some of the questions a little ambiguos and depending on interpretation could result in more than one answer - in a real life situation I would have been able to ask for clarification - that's the down side of computerized testing I guess.

JDMurray

I'll be taking the Network+ this Saturday (9/6), and I don't think that I'll have a problem passing it (I just want an 800+ score for bragging rights

).

I had thought of taking the I-Net+ next, as I would only need about two weeks to brush up on HTML, scripting, and such before taking it. However, I am having a reeeeeeal difficult time bringing myself to spending $165US (voucher price) for an exam cert that shows no sign of being widely recognised, or worth much in any tech industry. I'd rather spend the time and money getting my MCP (or on a hardware upgrade to support the soon-to-be-released Half-life 2 and ]I[

).

Anybody else come across this dilemma about the I-Net+ exam after passing the Net+?