Is the Network+ helpful?

Crunchyhippo

After getting CCNA certification, would having Network+ on your resume as well be helpful or redundant? I don't want to spend time on something that won't really make a difference anyway, though there is some information on it that isn't covered by Cisco. I want to pick the cert. that will benefit me the most.

Netstudent

The only way it will help you is just the fact that you have 2 certs and not 1 which may help in job hunting. As far as knowledge, it probably won't help that much if you already have the CCNA. Maybe you could try going with vendor specific certs like more cisco or MS. I don't want to talk down about Net+ because there are instances where it is beneficial. But if you have passed CCNA, you are going to study things you should already know. like IP 101, troubleshooting 101, What is a private IP address? What is Kerberos? What is base in 10baseT? What is NTP? What port does DNS use? Whats the cable length for 1000BaseCx? If this is the kinda thing you want to spend more time on, then go for it. If you want to move into a little more challenging certs, then don't go for Net+.

In my honest opinion, if you want the next cert to benefit you the most and you don't have any experience, and you are trying to break in to the industry, get A+ with MCSA in mind OR MCP with 270 or maybe 290 for MSserver knowledge.

That way you would have a solid networking cert with an entry level software cert. Make yourself a little more marketable. I mean lets face it, cisco and MS are GIANTS with a majority of the industry. It is highly likely that you will run into any of those vendors in the realworld.

Crunchyhippo

I took the two A+ classes in school that were to prepare me for the exams, but I didn't pass the certification tests, as they were the old ones that focused on all the old operating systems, which we never covered. I decided to not retake them, but I imagine it wouldn't take too long to get back in shape to pass the A+ - assuming it would be of more value to me than a Network+ and assuming I could do it before January.

Netstudent

You could always get A+ now so you can learn new material and increase your knowledge set. Then after you get a job, you could always get the Net+ just for a MCSA elective. Then you would have CCNA, A+, Net+, MCP, and then very close to having MCSA. That is a pretty solid cert count there. Those certs show a good level of knowledge in a wide range of topics that are both vendor specific and non-vendor specific.

BUt if you have a degree or experience, then get certs that reflect that. Just do whatever is best in your situation. Good luck!

boyles23

You can use the A+ and net+ for an elective but you have to at least attempt an MCP exam first (pass or fail) so you can get an MCP id. From that point they will give you those in place of the elective, that is what I am planning to do when I finish CCNA soon.

Crunchyhippo

Netstudent wrote:

You could always get A+ now so you can learn new material and increase your knowledge set. Then after you get a job, you could always get the Net+ just for a MCSA elective. Then you would have CCNA, A+, Net+, MCP, and then very close to having MCSA. That is a pretty solid cert count there. Those certs show a good level of knowledge in a wide range of topics that are both vendor specific and non-vendor specific.

BUt if you have a degree or experience, then get certs that reflect that. Just do whatever is best in your situation. Good luck!

I took the A+ classes, but never passed the exams. I could go back and re-study on my own in order to pass them, or I could study for the Network+. I just flipped a coin, so to speak, and decided to go for the Network+ - it's only one test vs. the two for A+, and it would be cheaper for me. I'd really rather go after the Security+, but I don't know if I could learn what I needed to know in the three months I have to spend.

Netstudent

Thats cool. Time is money so good luck!

trustme

Ya man time is money