Network+ Before CCNA/CCENT?

stonedtrout

I wanted to see if anyone thought there would be a big benifit to getting Network+ before going after CCNA? Besides having another cert.

I getting back to studying for the CCNA and have a couple of routers but needed to freshen up on some of the ol' osi stuff and so i hit up some network+ doc's i had. I'm giving my self a year to be CCNA certified.

Also the place I work is offering classes on both Network+ and CCNA. Of course having Network+ is required for the CCNA. Ha, i just can't catch a break.

jscimeca715

stonedtrout wrote: »

I wanted to see if anyone thought there would be a big benifit to getting Network+ before going after CCNA? Besides having another cert.

I getting back to studying for the CCNA and have a couple of routers but needed to freshen up on some of the ol' osi stuff and so i hit up some network+ doc's i had. I'm giving my self a year to be CCNA certified.

Also the place I work is offering classes on both Network+ and CCNA. Of course having Network+ is required for the CCNA. Ha, i just can't catch a break.

I got the Network+ certification before I moved on to CCNA. In the end, if you don't want to get Network+, I'd go the two exam route in CCNA. ICND1 focuses quite a bit on OSI, broadcast/collision domains, general routing, IP addresses...stuff like that while sheltering you from the upper-level Cisco stuff. It's virtually the same stuff covered on the Network+.

To sum it up...Network+ will be good if you go the 1 exam CCNA route. I wouldn't recommend taking it though if you use the 2 Exam route (ICND1 & ICND2).

PC509

You going for a MCSA anytime after? You could go for a A+/Net+ combo and skip a MS elective.

If you are going for the CCNA, there really is no reason to go for the Net+. The CCNA would greatly overshadow the Net+. If you have networking experience, and you are taking the CCNA within a year, I'd skip it. Waste of money, redundant with the CCENT (which is still better than the Net+). Sure, the CCNA is Cisco aimed, but for sure if you know the Cisco stuff, then you know networking basics (well, you better know it!).

So, my advice is to skip the network+ exam and head straight for the CCNA.

ColbyG

PC509 wrote: »

You going for a MCSA anytime after? You could go for a A+/Net+ combo and skip a MS elective.

If you are going for the CCNA, there really is no reason to go for the Net+. The CCNA would greatly overshadow the Net+. If you have networking experience, and you are taking the CCNA within a year, I'd skip it. Waste of money, redundant with the CCENT (which is still better than the Net+). Sure, the CCNA is Cisco aimed, but for sure if you know the Cisco stuff, then you know networking basics (well, you better know it!).

So, my advice is to skip the network+ exam and head straight for the CCNA.

Very good advice, IMO.

dynamik

I'd say skip Network+ even if you are going the MS path. The Network+/A+ combo is a weak elective (IMHO), and you'd be better of taking Exchange or something else anyway. ICND1 will get you up to speed on the important items from the Network+ anyway, so it's not like you'll miss out on any useful networking knowledge.

rwwest7

The CCENT is Ciscos answer to the Network+. I've taken both, and I must say the Network+ exam was actually a little harder. But only because they ask questions on stupid details you will never actually need to memorize or questions were very vague and you had to pick the "best answer". The CCENT exam had a clear cut answer to each question. Not to mention the Net+ is like $200! I'd say just go straight to Cisco, they're more respected than Comptia anyway.

msteinhilber

dynamik wrote: »

I'd say skip Network+ even if you are going the MS path. The Network+/A+ combo is a weak elective (IMHO), and you'd be better of taking Exchange or something else anyway. ICND1 will get you up to speed on the important items from the Network+ anyway, so it's not like you'll miss out on any useful networking knowledge.

Agreed. Not to mention you could pickup a MS exam as your elective if you went the MS path and still obtain the CCNA and you would still have less invested in exams than you would if you went the A+/Network+ route.

stonedtrout

stonedtrout wrote: »

Also the place I work is offering classes on both Network+ and CCNA. Of course having Network+ is required for the CCNA. Ha, i just can't catch a break.

Quoting my self is a bit weird...

So the more you guy's try and talk me out of it the more I think i should.

Here is my justification...

My employer is offering classes 8 hour a day ( i think mybe 6) 5 days a week. I would get paid my regular rate as well.

Here is the catch, i was looking at the 2 ccna classes they offered ccna1 and ccna2 and they bother required Network+. They also offer the Network+ class as well. Free training is allwasy free huh.

So to get the trainingi really want i could take the net+ classes, take the test pass and then the CCNA classes would have effectively cost me $200.

If it was not for the classes offered i'd say screw it and just hit the CCNA books....

Decisions...decisions.

msteinhilber

If they are paying for the classes and you get hour regular pay as well then you might as well go for it. How long do the CCNA classes run? You might be up for a lot of out of class study and labbing to really retain the material well if they are running 6 or 8 hours a day 5 days a week - that sounds more like a boot camp type scenario to me. I'm not knocking a boot camp by any means, it's just that if you don't have any or very much prior experience and sit through a boot camp that you may get enough to pass the exam(s) but I would really question how much knowledge you would walk away with afterwards.

Since you have routers at home already you could always supplement the studies with some labs at home but you might get burnt out of studying after sitting in a 6 or 8 hour class. Would you be getting on the job experience assuming you passed the CCNA?

skrpune

dynamik wrote: »

I'd say skip Network+ even if you are going the MS path. The Network+/A+ combo is a weak elective (IMHO), and you'd be better of taking Exchange or something else anyway. ICND1 will get you up to speed on the important items from the Network+ anyway, so it's not like you'll miss out on any useful networking knowledge.

For someone who is experienced and already has the knowledge, I would agree. But for folks who are just starting out, they can be a good foundation to start from. I think it just depends on the person and their background and where they plan to go.

In this case, it sounds like whoever is providing the training is trying to ensure that they don't have a bunch of lost people in the CCNA class by having the Network+ exam be a prerequisite for their class. There are no prereq's for CCNA really, but it would be nice to go in with a basic knowledge of networking topics and it looks like that's what they're going for here. If the training is paid for and your time is paid for too, then I think there's no reason not to go for N+ & then CCNA.

However, msteinhilber brings up some good points about hands on practice though and possible additional self-study needed. I'd get some info on what's involved with the CCNA training & then just do what feels right.

pipemajor

If you are lazy and don't ever plan on recertifying, then go with the Network+. CompTIA's certifications do not expire. Cisco certs expire every 3 years.

I've not looked at Network+ but it seems there is a LOT of duplicity between that and the Cisco certs. Primary difference is CompTIA is vendor neutral while Cisco is, of course, Cisco-centric.

With Cisco dominating with an 80% marketshare, which one would represent the greatest value to you?

JockVSJock

One of my friends said it best, 'the CompTIA certs are like a foundation for IT.'

With that said, recently I've started to study for my CCNA, and its be somewhat of a review thanks to having the Network+.

chudig12

JockVSJock wrote: »

One of my friends said it best, 'the CompTIA certs are like a foundation for IT.'

With that said, recently I've started to study for my CCNA, and its be somewhat of a review thanks to having the Network+.

I agree. I think the foundation from Network+ will really solidify the knowledge gained from preparing for CCNA.