Career & Certification Direction - SQL vs. CCNA?

Modulus

Hello,

I received my bachelors degree (business 3.79GPA, state school) in December 2011 and in July of this year I'll have seven years experience as a systems administrator/help desk tech/copier tech/budget creator/Mr. FixIt all wrapped up in one. I am currently completing additional courses to prepare for a Masters in Computer Science.

I have no certifications at this time, but I am set to take the Network+ exam next month. In addition, I plan to complete Security+ in the fall and winter of 2012.

Over the course of my seven years of experience, I've had the ability to work with SQL Server 2008 and SAP's BusinessObjects. I am looking to change jobs into more of a database administrator role for the next few years while I finish my Masters. To do that, I plan to complete MCITP: Database Administrator over the next six months. I'd like to also squeeze in MCITP: Database Developer, but that may not be possible.

Regardless of whether I am able to obtain a DBA role or not, I would like to change positions in the near term to grow my skill set.

Given the above, am I making a mistake by branding myself with database certifications? Should I spend my time on a more broad certification such as the CCNA?

Thanks

QHalo

CCNA is not a broad certification though. It's Cisco focused just like MCITP: DBA is Microsoft SQL focused. If your focus is DBA, then I would stick with that. A CCNA isn't going to provide that much for you if you're going to be a DBA. Network+ would be plenty if you wanted some network understanding. Perhaps MCITP:SA would be good since SQL runs on top of Windows. It would be good to have a solid understanding of the OS technologies in which your DB's are placed on. I think that would be a better place to go.

DigitalZeroOne

Having multiple certifications isn't bad, but in your situation, you talk about pursuing DBA related work, you say that you want to get your MCITP: Database Administrator, and then you switch to CCNA right after that. Which direction are you trying to go in?

Modulus

My concern is whether or not the CCNA is considered a core IT certification - i.e a certification that is expected of all IT staff, regardless of primary job duties.

JDMurray

It depends on what you consider the job description of "IT Staff" staff to be. If it's working with mid-point networking devices, such as switches and routers, the CCNA is an excellent cert to go for. If it's working with end-point devices, like servers and workstations, the MCITP would be a good cert to have. Go for the database stuff if you plan on being a database administrator for an application development team, which is typically not an IT staff job.

DigitalZeroOne

Modulus wrote: »

My concern is whether or not the CCNA is considered a core IT certification - i.e a certification that is expected of all IT staff, regardless of primary job duties.

While there are exceptions, DBA's and network staff are not going to be rolled into one. If you want to pursue DBA work, then I would not worry about the CCNA.

NetworkVeteran

QHalo wrote: »

CCNA is not a broad certification though. It's Cisco focused just like MCITP: DBA is Microsoft SQL focused.

I disagree. Cisco certifications are readily accepted and compensated for at non-Cisco shops because, while they do cover Cisco IOS commands, they mostly cover the operation of universal network protocols. I can say that with confidence, having spent more than half my career doing networking at non-Cisco shops. Other factors that make Cisco certifications a practical universal networking certification--many non-Cisco devices mimic Cisco IOS fairly closely, and few vendors offer comparable certification paths with exams that have real teeth and practicality.

The situation is quite different with, say, an MCSE. An MCSE will not be the first for a Unix administrator.

A CCNA isn't going to provide that much for you if you're going to be a DBA. Network+ would be plenty if you wanted some network understanding.

I agree. If you're not going to be configuring or troubleshooting networking gear, a CCNA is not a good choice.