First time poster looking for guidance on Cert Path

Lunchbox419

Good morning, everyone. I was looking for some guidance/suggestions on which certification path I should go for. I am currently looking at 2 certification training courses at George Mason University in Virginia. The first course covers A+, Network+,CCNA,MCP, Security+, while the other covers the MCITP Enterprise Administrator Windows Server 2008. My question is which do you suggest I take first? I currently have an A+ Certification, and have about 2 years worth of Help Desk experience. Is it recommended I have Network and Security knowledge before I go for my MCITP, or is it something I can go into with a helpdesk background? Thanks in advance for the helpful answers.

RobertKaucher

I think most people are going to agree with me here that the first course focusing on the CompTIA certs is probably going to be best from a career standpoint as it is the broadest. Not only is that course going to be of more interest from an employement perspective but I think it will make the MCITP: EA exam easier on you and I don't think that will really be the same in reverse.

Lunchbox419

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I think most people are going to agree with me here that the first course focusing on the CompTIA certs is probably going to be best from a career standpoint as it is the broadest. Not only is that course going to be of more interest from an employement perspective but I think it will make the MCITP: EA exam easier on you and I don't think that will really be the same in reverse.

Thanks for the reply. I totally agree with what you said when I sit back and think about it. It would help me to have a solid base first.

Jinuyr

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I think most people are going to agree with me here that the first course focusing on the CompTIA certs is probably going to be best from a career standpoint as it is the broadest. Not only is that course going to be of more interest from an employement perspective but I think it will make the MCITP: EA exam easier on you and I don't think that will really be the same in reverse.

I belive the Microsoft exams also rely heavily on knowledge of the products and systems.

CompTIA will also give you a good idea of what you're good at or possibly interested in. You may end up telling yourself you want to be in IT Security and focus more on CCNA Security before MCITP, who knows.

RobertKaucher

Jinuyr wrote: »

I belive the Microsoft exams also rely heavily on knowledge of the products and systems.

CompTIA will also give you a good idea of what you're good at or possibly interested in. You may end up telling yourself you want to be in IT Security and focus more on CCNA Security before MCITP, who knows.

That is my point exactly. Where as the more abstract conceptual knowledge provided by the CompTIA exams (and even to a certain degree in the CCNA) will help you to understand the MS technologies it is much harder to go from the specific to the abstract.

Lunchbox419

Thank you both for the replies. I made my decision, and I am going to go for the Comptia route.

Take care.