Passed Sec+

Samurai004

Passed with an 820.

I can understand why there is a recommended amount of experience with this test. I think some of the concepts would have been easier to relate to with that experience. But, I am a street cop that has never been in a server room or administered anything more than my home wireless network and the occasional LAN party.

Well I studied for about two weeks using Sybex, Exam Cram and the TechNotes on this site (thanks it was nice to have a condensed and focused study guide).

I don't know if I should go Linux+ or Server+ next, any suggestions for an aspiring Network Engineer? I am thinking about just flipping a coin, unless one proves to be a good intro to the other.

Thanks for the support this forum provides, the guidance here is defintely valued during my two year planned career morph. lol

James

veritas_libertas

Samurai004 wrote: »

Passed with an 820.

I can understand why there is a recommended amount of experience with this test. I think some of the concepts would have been easier to relate to with that experience. But, I am a street cop that has never been in a server room or administered anything more than my home wireless network and the occasional LAN party.

Well I studied for about two weeks using Sybex, Exam Cram and the TechNotes on this site (thanks it was nice to have a condensed and focused study guide).

I don't know if I should go Linux+ or Server+ next, any suggestions for an aspiring Network Engineer? I am thinking about just flipping a coin, unless one proves to be a good intro to the other.

Thanks for the support this forum provides, the guidance here is defintely valued during my two year planned career morph. lol

James

Street Cop? Seriously? Are you planning to go into security? Computer Forensics may be a perfect place for you with that background.

Samurai004

Street Cop? Seriously? Are you planning to go into security?

Yup, serious.

I have been in uniform patrol for 7 years. Midnight shift the last 2 years. Very busy city (gunshot female suicide, I was punched in the face several times during a fight, and caught a burglar with a gun --- and that was just in the last week). I am pretty much seen everything and done everything, plus the courts have me very bitter towards our farse of a legal system.

I was planning on getting some available to law enforcement only digital forensic training through our state police academy. I hope to just provide enough training and obvious personal drive to get my foot in the door with an IT job, the big thing I lack is private sector experience.

And given my job it is hard to get experience. Any outside employment has to be approved by the chief and I don't want to tip my hand in that regard. Plus, the unpredicablity of court would make volunteer work scheduling nearly impossible. A lot of times we don't get subpeonas until the night before the court date...like they didn't know a trial was coming.

veritas_libertas

Samurai004 wrote: »

Yup, serious.

I have been in uniform patrol for 7 years. Midnight shift the last 2 years. Very busy city (gunshot female suicide, I was punched in the face several times during a fight, and caught a burglar with a gun --- and that was just in the last week). I am pretty much seen everything and done everything, plus the courts have me very bitter towards our farse of a legal system.

I was planning on getting some available to law enforcement only digital forensic training through our state police academy. I hope to just provide enough training and obvious personal drive to get my foot in the door with an IT job, the big thing I lack is private sector experience.

And given my job it is hard to get experience. Any outside employment has to be approved by the chief and I don't want to tip my hand in that regard. Plus, the unpredicablity of court would make volunteer work scheduling nearly impossible. A lot of times we don't get subpeonas until the night before the court date...like they didn't know a trial was coming.

Yeah, my parents have the same experience as well. I was taking CJ classes for a while but my parents, and law enforcement family friends tried to push me away from it. I eventually just decided it wasn't for me. I know for a lot of cities it can be hard to shift locations or positions. I hope things start to work out for you soon.

Pash

Big congratz mate. Its strange for us (or maybe just me) to see a copper on these sites looking to certify in IT, but its refreshing to see it. Let us know your further study plans mate.

Darril

Congrats. That's a great score, especially with little experience and only two weeks of studying. (I'm thinking you have more experience than you realize with your home networking and LAN parties.)

I've taught a lot of classes where students were "career changers" from a lot of backgrounds - plumbers, construction workers, boat and car salesmen, and more, but I don't remember any active street cops. The closest I had was a gun-toting homeland security officer who occasionally showed up to night class in uniform when ship inspections kept him at work late. My hats off to you for the work you've done and wish you the best of luck in making a change.

As far as Linux+ and Server+, I'd recommend Linux+. I think it'll have much more marketability and usability.

Server+ isn't well understood and because of that I don't see it getting much respect from hiring managers. In other words, if a hiring manager sees Linux+ on a resume, he'll assume you can get around on a Linux box (or other UNIX derivatives) and there are a lot of jobs where this is valuable. However, if he sees Server+ on the resume, it doesn't equate to a specific skill and it is often overlooked.

Additionally, a lot of networks have boundary protection (firewalls, IDSs, and IPSs) running on UNIX or derivatives such as Linux. Between Server+ and Linux+ I see Linux applying to security much more.

Congrats again.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
www.sy0-201.com

Security+ Tip of day Tweets
twitter.com/DarrilGibson

janmike

Congrats for passing! And, good luck on the career change. It can be done! I was 55, got out of heavy construction, and became a geek.

Also, I am with Darril on the Linux+. You should consider Cisco CCNA: Security after the Linux training.

veritas_libertas

Darril wrote: »

Congrats. That's a great score, especially with little experience and only two weeks of studying. (I'm thinking you have more experience than you realize with your home networking and LAN parties.)

I've taught a lot of classes where students were "career changers" from a lot of backgrounds - plumbers, construction workers, boat and car salesmen, and more, but I don't remember any active street cops. The closest I had was a gun-toting homeland security officer who occasionally showed up to night class in uniform when ship inspections kept him at work late. My hats off to you for the work you've done and wish you the best of luck in making a change.

As far as Linux+ and Server+, I'd recommend Linux+. I think it'll have much more marketability and usability.

Server+ isn't well understood and because of that I don't see it getting much respect from hiring managers. In other words, if a hiring manager sees Linux+ on a resume, he'll assume you can get around on a Linux box (or other UNIX derivatives) and there are a lot of jobs where this is valuable. However, if he sees Server+ on the resume, it doesn't equate to a specific skill and it is often overlooked.

Additionally, a lot of networks have boundary protection (firewalls, IDSs, and IPSs) running on UNIX or derivatives such as Linux. Between Server+ and Linux+ I see Linux applying to security much more.

Congrats again.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
www.sy0-201.com

Security+ Tip of day Tweets
twitter.com/DarrilGibson

I am going to try to push you out of the CompTIA arena. If you want to go Network Engineering than you need to do Cisco or maybe Juniper. Knock off your CCNA and you should have a much better chance of finding a Networking job.

Samurai004

Thanks for the great replies. I will definitely go for Linux+ next, then I think it is time to setup up these two cisco routers I have lying around.

I definitely need to gain exp. in linux, I am not even a newb with that subject. It looks like a great system though. After gaining a good understanding with that I will go for CCNA.

Do I have to have CCNA before getting CCNA:Security? Or is it just a different style of test?

veritas_libertas

Samurai004 wrote: »

Thanks for the great replies. I will definitely go for Linux+ next, then I think it is time to setup up these two cisco routers I have lying around.

I definitely need to gain exp. in linux, I am not even a newb with that subject. It looks like a great system though. After gaining a good understanding with that I will go for CCNA.

Do I have to have CCNA before getting CCNA:Security? Or is it just a different style of test?

Yes you do.