CCENT vs Network +

robfar23

Morning Folks,

Am hoping you can help me with the debate am currently having with myself (am hoping you can help people stop staring at me in supermarkets). After 15 years of IT component sales, and after some fool borrowed Lehman Bros money, I found myself unemployed, not wanting to go back into sales, am trying to use the errmmm 'opportunity' to forge a new career for myself, I have recently passed A+ (2009) and previous to this obtained MCITP status with Vista Enterpise and Consumer Support (not much to boast about I know) reasoning behind these was to get some sort of certs behind me to start looking attractive to employers, and also that without 'true' experience, I felt it was pointless hitting the BIG Certs (server) straight off.
Previous to this I was lucky enough to get a nine month MCTS course Server 2008 (classroom led, with great content), covered 70-640/70-642 along with Vista Enterprise. During the course I happily followed the content (sometimes with a lot of background reading), didn't sit the 70-64X's because as mentioned felt no point running before I could walk.
So my debate is, do I sit CCENT first or hit Network + (I do plan to obtain both over the next 4-6 months), am genuinely looking to sit the one which given what have done so far will, shall we say give me the most/best satisfaction/grounding.

Apologies for the long post, but rather than just say which is better~ thought a little background might help with the advice. Am currently favouring CCENT/Net +/CCNA.

Many thanks in advance.

RobertKaucher

I would check the job boards in your area. See if there is any need for the Net+. To be honest with you I doubt there will be.

The Net+ is foundational knowledge that will be helpful for the completion of the CCENT/CCNA. So I would say studying for it might be helpful, but I do not think you need to waste the money on taking the exam. What I would suggest is that you get the new Sybex book for the Net+ 2009 objectives and give yourself a month to study it. Then start working on the CCENT/CCNA.

Now the next thing you need to decide is if you wish to be a "network" guy or more of an MS admin. Being an MS admin the CCNA will be very good as it will increase your knowledge of networking protocols and most MS admins have to perform various technical roles. So a knowledge of routers and switches will be important in a small or medium sized company where you might be the only IT guy or one of just two or three.

brad-

If you're planning to do both N+ and CCENT in the next few months, I would say N+ first. If you thought maybe you would only do one of them, then the CCENT.

robfar23

Cheers for the advice and for taking time to type up the replies

CCENT it is (leaves more beer vouchers available for Xmas), am in the NW of England (Liverpool) so I doubt there will be a any job specifics for Net +, one of the main reasons I entertained the idea was to pump up potential points for emigration to NZ.

BTW, MS Admin for sure, after this it's recap on 70-642 and a push on from there.

Once more many thanks.

human151

I would just do the CCENT---> CCNA if I were you. Network + will not get you anywhere, imo. Sure you will learn some stuff studying for Network + but so but you'll also learn a lot studying for CCNA and gain a more valuable cert to boot.

Paul Boz

I would also recommend the CCENT > CCNA and just skip the Network +. The CCENT will get you a cert and is a great segue into the CCNA itself. I'm not going to out and out say that the Net+ holds no value but given the fact that you're looking for the most bang for your buck for resume fodder I'd go straight to the CCNA.

Lirin

Skip net+ - go for CCENT and Security+ while you push for CCNA IMO

chrisone

Agreed, network+ is practically useless when your going towards cisco certification. Cisco certification has its own methods of teaching basic networking and I strongly believe CCENT is much more in depth when it comes to basic networking.

JDMurray

If you need a networking cert fast then go for the Network+, otherwise spend your time working on the CCENT.