CCNA and Cisco question

davidbarron

Hello everyone I am new to this site and have been looking around and checking things out and it looks like this is a very good cert info and forum site and I look forward to learning and discussing things with all you good people.

Okay a couple of months ago I started the CCNA Exploration course at a local Academy here in Houston, and I am learning a lot and working hard to get my Cert. The other day a friend of mine who just recently got his MCSA gave me all his pdf material that he used to study for the exam, and I thought maybe it would be a good idea to get this cert as well. My goal really is to get into pure networking, and not really delve too much into the microsoft end user administrative stuff that MCSA/MCSE's deal with, but I figured it couldn't hurt to get this cert and help that much more to break into the IT field. I was wondering if anyone successfully studied for both the CCNA and the MCSA at the same time, you know like set aside study time for both. Or am I over extending myself and trying to do too much. I am dedicated and very hard working, but I also know that some things are just not very probable. I dont want to try and go for just to learn the hardway that I should have just concentrated on one and then went to the other. Thanks to anyone that shares their input. Oh and sorry so long I can ramble sometimes....Thanks guys!!!!!

davidbarron

SORRY I ment for the header to say "CCNA and MCSA question"......feel real dumb!!!

JayrodEF

Just my two cents. I think it'd be best to single out each test as it comes and concentrate on that area. I just finished up my MCSA and started studying for the CCNA. I think it wouldn've been dificult to set up a structure to devote study time and labbing to both certs at the same time. So, my suggestion would be to focus on one path, knock it out, then continute on to the other. good luck!

dynamik

I believe if you edit your first post, you can change the title of it.

I've been studying Cisco off and on while I do my MS studies. Sometimes I just need a break and want to do something else for a bit. I feel that this method is not as productive as focusing exclusively on one, but I need to switch things up once in awhile (at least I'm making some progress with something). I also have close to a full-time class schedule in addition to working full-time. It would probably be a lot easier to do both if I wasn't in class three nights a week.

"PDF material from my friend" sounds shady; make sure those are legitimate resources.

davidbarron

Thanks for your input guys yeah I think what I am going to do is concentrate mainly on CCNA and then whenever I feel like I want to do something else I will study MS for a little bit and then get back on track. sometimes a little change is good.

dynamik......the pdf files are nothing shady.....you know how most of the time when you buy a cisco or MS resource book it comes with a cd that has additional study material including a pdf version of the book, that is what he gave me. All the pdf versions of the books he used to study for his Cert. But you did make a valid point.

pooker

i kinda did but it was because i had a server class and we used mcsa/mcse. I am devoting most of my time to cisco now, mcsa is multiple exams and my teacher is one exam short from mcsa, I actually plan on passing the icnd2 next week and the 270 the week after. if you can feel you can study for it then go ahead. But with the cost of exams i really like to devote my time into one exam.