Cisco Routing and Switching, Or Cisco Security?

Which is the best career path?

I see statistics that show security pays more.

But I would have to believe that there as far less security jobs than Routing and Switching jobs?

My goal is to become a contractor, I know 2 CCIE's in R&S, they charge $175-$250 an hour.

I do not know any Securities people though, and I have no idea what one would charge.

Can anyone fill me in or point me to a resource about these career paths?

Thanks!

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Comments

TeKniques

I thought I read somewhere that only about 5,000 people had their CCIE and it is the hardest certification to obtain.

I'm not sure which is better, but I would think the demand for security is going to be very high in the future because securing information especially financial information is becoming more and more of a top priority.

Fu Loser

I always had that thought in the back of my mind.

One of the teachers at my school has a Duel CCIE in RS and Sec. I'll will have to try to get a hold of him.

I was thinking security would be a good one for the future. From a contractor point of view, I'm just not sure who gets more bussiness.

mikedeek

i would say both would be in high demand

mikedeek

actually a little over 10,000 CCIE's

garv221

mikedeek wrote:

i would say both would be in high demand

I wouldn't cut yourself short, do both, the only question is what to do first..

Fu Loser

hehe, Well I have already paid for schooling in the R&S, was just thinking to myself if it was the smartest choice and if I should change my schedule.

keenon

better to learn the R&S then do security. also i would say get out on the street and gain some actual experience

example: my friend decided to go to techskills to recertify ccna he had it back in 1999( obviously he has years of experience) and they tried to place him with a mentor that knew less than him

so don't set in classroom for years to get high level certs and know nothing about actual work

Fu Loser

Yeah, once I get my CCNA im then gonna get a job change to get some actually experience.

wildfire

Have a look here

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning/le3/ccie/certified_ccies/worldwide.html

That publishes all CCIE by Country

Notice Voice is a good track to consider

Only 36 people worldwide with R&S and Voice!

keenon

wow, i guess i need to be on that list myself in the next few years

Drakonblayde

I will make that list within 5 years

Honestly, I intend to do as many CCIE tracks as I can. Since you have to recertify every year, I figure I might as well be learning something new. (Yes, I'm aware you only have to pass the qualification exam to recert, but if you're a CCIE, you can afford to take the lab exam for another track

)

Fu Loser

You only have to recertify every 3 years. This aaplies to most of their certs i believe some are 2 years. With the CCIE I believe you only have to take written exam to recert. If you pass a cert level higher than the one you previously owned, it recerts all the lower certs for you. ( get CCIE and your CCNA, CCNP are automatically recertified. Recert your CCIE same thing happens again.)

Drakonblayde

Ah, I'm wrong then, the CCIE is every two years. Whew. I think I read in an older text it was a yearly recert. Well, that'll be a bit of a relief, more time to learn before requiring a recert hehe. And yeah, the CCIE recertifying all the lower level certs just kicked in on the first of this month, which is a very nice change

Fu Loser

Yeah, It definately made sense to have it automatically recert all your lower level certs.

Best thing about Recerting is that you really need to only the the changes they made between the last test and the test you are recerting on. Its much easier to just study the changes then too study the entire freaking thing over.

wildfire

Its only recently that CCIE has recerted pro and asso level quals, before then you did CCIE and had to recert you pro level ones to and specialist, now the CCIE written exam will do them all, sound simple doesnt it, lol

have a go at a practive exam! and you will see just how hard it is.

Fu Loser

believe me, I know its hard

Isn't that half the fun?