Another Post-Grad, More IT career questions

erm87

So I've been reading this forum for a while and have found some helpful information, but my situation just seems different than other folks.

I'm 24, I graduated with a BA in Media Arts 2 years ago, but I've decided that a career in digital media was not for me. I've always like working with computers and troubleshooting and luckily I was able to find a help desk/technician job.

I currently work at a small company that does network and computer support for dental practices. Probably around 10-50 PCs and a server or servers running 2k3 or 2008.

I've only been a technician for about a year and a half and for the most part I load server and PC OS, install hardware, run all over hell and creation to our various accounts to install eqipment and configure new PCs and dental practice management software. Do tons of remote support. My network experience is basic. Install basic switches/routers. Join PCs to domain, set up mapped drives etc. Recently I got a raise and my boss asked what I thought I could do to learn more about configuring Windows Servers.

So I decided to take a MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Networking Infrastructure Configuration class at local tech college thinking that would teach me something, and while I did learn some, a lot of it wasn't related to what we do at my current job and admittedly over my head. I learn pretty quickly though and enjoyed it.

After speaking with the instructor, I decided to also sign up for the Windows Server 2008 Administration class since I didn't take the AD Parts 1 and 2 courses. He said Admin would review on Active Directory and he spend some extra time to make sure I was comfortable.

I would like to be certified on Server 2008 one day. I would like to learn more about networking, but I'm completely lost at this point and feel like I've gone about all this in the wrong way. How do I make the most of these classes and where do I go next?

Any advice or thoughts or anything would be great. I just feel like I rushed into all this too soon and now it's overwhelming me.

the_Grinch

https://www.dreamspark.com/default.aspx

Go here and sign-up with your college email address. If they know your college, you can get a ton of free Microsoft software. From there setup some VM's and run wild at home. Sometimes labbing will be your only shot to play with stuff and is a great way to retain knowledge.