2010 Certification Plans

RobertKaucher

Claymoore wrote: »

Not me



I ended 2009 by failing the BCMSN by one question and then never got around to the retake before the exam expired. I haven't touched any Cisco gear in almost 2 years so while I may renew my CCNA, I won't be pursuing any other Cisco certs. I passed 662 but I don't plan on taking 663 to complete the 2010 EMA until next year...

I'm still rooting for you to get the MCM! Maybe 2011 will be the year you convince your company to foot the bill? That would just be so damn amazing.

mikedisd2

I did the CCENT in January and couldn't continue the momentum for ICND2. Have changed jobs twice this year and priorities keep moving. May be too late to achieve anymore this year.

I've decided not to upgrade to MCITP:EA; have started working on VCP. Problem is I'll have to pay for the course myself.

jayc71

Before the end of the year I plan to take the VCAP-DCA exam and hopefully upgrade my MCSE to at least MCITP: SA.

I'm also waiting for the results from the CISSP exam, so if the stars line up I may be able to get that by the end of the year as well.

jmritenour

So far this year, I've wrapped up VCP (hardest IT exam I've ever sat for) and MCSA. I plan to do Security+ by the end of the year.

Prior to this year, I found all sorts of excuses to avoid certification exams. It's amazing what hearing your wife say "we're going to have a baby" can do to change your priorities.

jayc71

jmritenour wrote: »

So far this year, I've wrapped up VCP (hardest IT exam I've ever sat for) and MCSA. I plan to do Security+ by the end of the year.

Prior to this year, I found all sorts of excuses to avoid certification exams. It's amazing what hearing your wife say "we're going to have a baby" can do to change your priorities.

VCP is pretty tough, and congrats!

veritas_libertas

I finished CIW Web Foundations, A+, and MCTS:Windows 7 Configuring. By the end of the year I should also have Project+.

My goal for next year is to get the CCNA, CCNA:Security, and CIW Database done. After that I'm thinking SSCP and the MCITP:EA will be on my list.

MentholMoose

JDMurray wrote: »

So who has managed to actually stay on course for their 2010 cert plans?

Let's see...

MentholMoose wrote: »

Same here, except I need the 70-680 (hopefully taking it this week, I've postponed several times already due to work schedule ). Also I need to learn SCCM, so I might do the 70-401. If I don't pass the 70-686, I might retake it at some point.

2010

VMware - VCP. This is my top priority for the beginning of 2010. I don't have much experience with VMware, so I will learn it while preparing for the VCP. I'm going to dedicate 3 months to this.
Red Hat - RHCE. I passed Linux+ in 2005, and have been using and working with Linux for years, so I want to take my knowledge to the next level and get the most prestigious Linux cert. I think 3 months will be sufficient, and I'm hoping my employer will pay for the RH300 course which includes the exam (the exam is $800 now!!!).
Citrix - CCA (various). VDI is exploding in popularity, so I'd like a cert to support my experience with XenDesktop. I might take additional CCA exams (Provisioning Server, XenServer), but no definite plans yet. I have minimal XenApp experience, so going for the CCEE would be difficult. One month per exam should be enough since I have experience with the products.

This is what I am fairly certain of doing. Other than these, I'd like to continue learning Cisco at some point... I passed the CCNA in January, and I want to continue toward the CCNP in late 2010 and into 2011. It's mainly for my own interest, so I might have to skip it for other certs (trying to get the CCEE, for example) more relevant to my career.

So far in 2010 I've obtained the VCP 4 and three CCAs, so that's good. I made no progress toward the RHCE, though, other than gaining work experience, and I have no plans to take the exam this year, which is not so good. However, I have passed eight Microsoft exams, and plan to take three more this year, in order to obtain the MCSE Security 2003 (already have obtained MCSA 2003 and MCITP: VA this year). So I'm not disappointed and overall I'd say I stayed fairly on track. If I don't at least attempt the RHCE in 2011 I will be disappointed, though.

gbadman

My plans have fallen the the wayside somewhat. At the beginning of the year, I had hoped to have completed the MCSA, CCNP and CCDA (and even possibly the CCDP at a stretch).
But that's been blown out of the water by my toils on the MCSA. The plan was to have finished that by April, but I'm still yet to finish. I got majorly beached on the Exchange2k3 exam. I decided to abandon it and go for the Security+ at some point in the future to complete it (for closure if nothing else).
I'm just starting out on Route now. I definitely intend to sweep up the CCIP and then the CCNP (and possibly CCDP) by the end of 2011.
Since I've just landed a job with a major ISP, I'm sure that goal is a lot more achievable that if I'd stayed in the totally unrelated field I've been working in until now.:)
Motivation will certainly not be a problem since how quickly I master the relevant technologies will directly determine how well I do and how quickly I progress in the job.

I partly wish I hadn't taken that destructive and expensive detour into Microsoft, but the broader knowledge base is handy. And there's no way of knowing for sure if I would have got that job without the Microsoft exposure as a cherry on top (even though the job is pure network engineering). So overall I'm content. Roll on 2011!

kurosaki00

A+ (full technician) and Network+ this year
I am now studying for 70-680 (win 7)
and I want to take security+ before year ends, so, 2 more certs to go.
Its a race against time, but I have time right now for a good time of studying per day

great plans for 2011, finish my ccna, pass the GRE exam with good score, MCSA security and CCNA for late summer are my goals. Then move to the states and hopefully with all this I can land a decent job in the IT area.

docrice

I had ambitious plans to play catch-up to my peers but it evolved / changed course somewhat depending on mood, career outlook fine-tuning, among other things. I was completely non-certified until last December when I got my CCNA after a month's study, and that was only because a friend did a bootcamp and I decided to go along for the ride. That got me started on my cert-collecting journey.

My 2010 (in order of study attempts / exams):

• 70-680 (studied for a few weeks, got bored, deferred indefinitely)
• CCNA Security
• Network+
• Security+
• GSEC
• CISSP (studied for a couple of weeks, got bored, deferred until maybe next year)
• 70-640 (studied for a few weeks, got bored, deferred indefinitely)
• A+
• OSWP
• eCPPT (currently working through it, although might not make the exam deadline)
• 1DCPT (went through course, submitted somewhat-incomplete exam report due to vacation time running out)
• WCNA
• CCNA Wireless

It looks like a lot at first glance, but you can see they're all low-hanging fruits. So that's eight exams accomplished this year so far (well, technically nine since the A+ is two exams ... but it's A+). For the rest of year, I can either officially finish up the 1DCPT and eCPPT, or maybe go for one of the CCNP exams or a CCDA. Choices, choices...

2011, on the other hand, will be a serious challenge with the harder exams (GCIA / GCFW, CCNP, etc.).

Bl8ckr0uter

docrice wrote: »

• GSEC
• eCPPT
• WCNA

I like the way you call GSEC low hanging (seems like it covers a lot of stuff). I do want to PM you about the eCPPT though.