Can't decide on best route to progress in career

saffyresaffyre Member Posts: 56 ■■□□□□□□□□
in IT Jobs / Degrees
Well. I've finally gotten to a point I am happy with my progress, but I can't decide which direction is going to give me the best improvements in the career I am headed towards. I am currently Enrolled in WGU and just finished my MCITP:EA as of last week. I have 4 classes left to complete my Bachelors, and at this point they are all no-brainers. Project+, CIW: Java, and my Tech Writing + Capstone.

My dilemma: I can't decide what is going to give me the next best improvements.

I currently am a IT Consultant for a company who manages, maintains, builds, and monitors small/medium businesses. I am one of two Server/Network technicians. Other techs are just helpdesk, or they do the easy tasks. Quite good in the networking department, and servers. I want to end up having VMWare certs, Cisco Certs, and Windows Server certs by the time I stop, if I ever do. I just can't decide which way to go first.

Anyone have any recommendations on what may be the best route first?

Currently: MCITP: EA, A+, Network+, Security+, CIW: Web Design
In the next month or so: Project+, CIW: Java

Would like to have: CCENT/CCNA, MCSE2012, VMWare, CCNP, CCIE

Maybe there is 1 I am forgetting? I am currently not paid the greatest, but decent enough. The biggest benefit is how big my boss is on improving ones worth.
WGU Progress: Network Design and Management: started 04/12
Courses transfered: CSV1, WFV1, AGC1, BBC1, CLC1, LAE1, LUT1, QBT1, AXV1, CPV1, INC1, INT1, DFV1, GAC1, HHT1, DHV1, CWV1, QLT1, DEV1, BVC1, IWC1, IWT1 (64 CU) Courses Completed: CRV1, CTV1, CUV1, AHV1, AIV1, BHV1(30 CU)
Courses needed: BOV1, BNC1, TPV1, SBT1, RCT1 (20 CU)
Courses in progress: BIV1 (6 CU)
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Comments

  • NotHackingYouNotHackingYou Member Posts: 1,460 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I would start with the CCNA. It's great foundational knowledge for any direction in IT.
    When you go the extra mile, there's no traffic.
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  • saffyresaffyre Member Posts: 56 ■■□□□□□□□□
    CarlSaiyed wrote: »
    I would start with the CCNA. It's great foundational knowledge for any direction in IT.

    Thanks for the thoughts Carl, as they are close to what I was thinking. My biggest thing is I hear how much of a hype Virtualization is, I feel I should jump into it more as well. Other than Microsoft Hyper-V stuff.
    WGU Progress: Network Design and Management: started 04/12
    Courses transfered: CSV1, WFV1, AGC1, BBC1, CLC1, LAE1, LUT1, QBT1, AXV1, CPV1, INC1, INT1, DFV1, GAC1, HHT1, DHV1, CWV1, QLT1, DEV1, BVC1, IWC1, IWT1 (64 CU) Courses Completed: CRV1, CTV1, CUV1, AHV1, AIV1, BHV1(30 CU)
    Courses needed: BOV1, BNC1, TPV1, SBT1, RCT1 (20 CU)
    Courses in progress: BIV1 (6 CU)
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  • NotHackingYouNotHackingYou Member Posts: 1,460 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I agree that it is but IMO the foundational knowledge of the CCNA before the VCP will be more beneficial.
    When you go the extra mile, there's no traffic.
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  • saffyresaffyre Member Posts: 56 ■■□□□□□□□□
    CarlSaiyed wrote: »
    I agree that it is but IMO the foundational knowledge of the CCNA before the VCP will be more beneficial.

    Great point. Have a good networking background, etc, but learning IOS will just firm it up even more. Guess i'm going to get my CCNA home lab up, and start pounding away at that. I think it really does sound like a great choice, thank you.
    WGU Progress: Network Design and Management: started 04/12
    Courses transfered: CSV1, WFV1, AGC1, BBC1, CLC1, LAE1, LUT1, QBT1, AXV1, CPV1, INC1, INT1, DFV1, GAC1, HHT1, DHV1, CWV1, QLT1, DEV1, BVC1, IWC1, IWT1 (64 CU) Courses Completed: CRV1, CTV1, CUV1, AHV1, AIV1, BHV1(30 CU)
    Courses needed: BOV1, BNC1, TPV1, SBT1, RCT1 (20 CU)
    Courses in progress: BIV1 (6 CU)
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  • NotHackingYouNotHackingYou Member Posts: 1,460 ■■■■■■■■□□
    You are welcome, good luck!
    When you go the extra mile, there's no traffic.
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  • docricedocrice Member Posts: 1,706 ■■■■■■■■■■
    saffyre wrote: »
    ...but learning iOS will just firm it up even more.

    I'm nit-picky so I'll say it: there's a difference between IOS and iOS. Choose wisely for your CCNA.
    Hopefully-useful stuff I've written: http://kimiushida.com/bitsandpieces/articles/
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  • saffyresaffyre Member Posts: 56 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Ugh. I mixed Apple up with Cisco. I could have sworn I was writing it correctly. Sorry!
    WGU Progress: Network Design and Management: started 04/12
    Courses transfered: CSV1, WFV1, AGC1, BBC1, CLC1, LAE1, LUT1, QBT1, AXV1, CPV1, INC1, INT1, DFV1, GAC1, HHT1, DHV1, CWV1, QLT1, DEV1, BVC1, IWC1, IWT1 (64 CU) Courses Completed: CRV1, CTV1, CUV1, AHV1, AIV1, BHV1(30 CU)
    Courses needed: BOV1, BNC1, TPV1, SBT1, RCT1 (20 CU)
    Courses in progress: BIV1 (6 CU)
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  • ptilsenptilsen Member Posts: 2,835 ■■■■■■■■■■
    I agree with going for CCNA. I wish I had done it years ago.

    I think you should look at MCSE after that, and specifically before you look at VCP. I won't knock VMware, but you may well decide you don't need to get into it after you've looked at Hyper-V 2012. That is not to say I don't see value in knowing both, but there's value in knowing one really well rather than both.
    Working B.S., Computer Science
    Complete: 55/120 credits SPAN 201, LIT 100, ETHS 200, AP Lang, MATH 120, WRIT 231, ICS 140, MATH 215, ECON 202, ECON 201, ICS 141, MATH 210, LING 111, ICS 240
    In progress: CLEP US GOV,
    Next up: MATH 211, ECON 352, ICS 340
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  • saffyresaffyre Member Posts: 56 ■■□□□□□□□□
    So......
    CCNA > MCSE2012 > CCNP, and go from there maybe.

    For Virtualization, Microsoft gets a lot of bad press when compared to VMWare, which is what I was concerned about. Most of this is me seeing reports that are a few years old, but I can't find anything extremely recent for reviews. I've used Hyper-V some and so am a bit familiar with it in 2008, but just wasnt sure of the 2012 changes either. I'll need to look it up! I'm fine with sticking with just Hyper-V and not doing VMWare, but just thought I had to do the VMWare ones to get anywhere.
    WGU Progress: Network Design and Management: started 04/12
    Courses transfered: CSV1, WFV1, AGC1, BBC1, CLC1, LAE1, LUT1, QBT1, AXV1, CPV1, INC1, INT1, DFV1, GAC1, HHT1, DHV1, CWV1, QLT1, DEV1, BVC1, IWC1, IWT1 (64 CU) Courses Completed: CRV1, CTV1, CUV1, AHV1, AIV1, BHV1(30 CU)
    Courses needed: BOV1, BNC1, TPV1, SBT1, RCT1 (20 CU)
    Courses in progress: BIV1 (6 CU)
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  • ptilsenptilsen Member Posts: 2,835 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Basically, Hyper-V in 2008 R2 and previous virtualization solutions from MS ranged from okay to bad. Hyper-V 2012 and other current-gen MS virtualization (e.g. App-V) are highly competitive with VMware's offerings.
    Working B.S., Computer Science
    Complete: 55/120 credits SPAN 201, LIT 100, ETHS 200, AP Lang, MATH 120, WRIT 231, ICS 140, MATH 215, ECON 202, ECON 201, ICS 141, MATH 210, LING 111, ICS 240
    In progress: CLEP US GOV,
    Next up: MATH 211, ECON 352, ICS 340
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  • saffyresaffyre Member Posts: 56 ■■□□□□□□□□
    ptilsen wrote: »
    Basically, Hyper-V in 2008 R2 and previous virtualization solutions from MS ranged from okay to bad. Hyper-V 2012 and other current-gen MS virtualization (e.g. App-V) are highly competitive with VMware's offerings.

    Interesting...
    I'll need to do some research and learning on Hyper-V now, too. Sweet. Saves me some certs.
    WGU Progress: Network Design and Management: started 04/12
    Courses transfered: CSV1, WFV1, AGC1, BBC1, CLC1, LAE1, LUT1, QBT1, AXV1, CPV1, INC1, INT1, DFV1, GAC1, HHT1, DHV1, CWV1, QLT1, DEV1, BVC1, IWC1, IWT1 (64 CU) Courses Completed: CRV1, CTV1, CUV1, AHV1, AIV1, BHV1(30 CU)
    Courses needed: BOV1, BNC1, TPV1, SBT1, RCT1 (20 CU)
    Courses in progress: BIV1 (6 CU)
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