Some tips needed on where to start.

Hello everyone. Very new here but looking to take my life in a different direction and would like to ask some questions.

I have always loved computers and been good with them. I have worked in customer facing tech support for a national ISP for many years. I am now in business to business sales. I would like to move back into the IT world. I have started looking into certificates and would like some help on where I should start and the best path to take. I think my end goal would be Security+ or something in networking.

I was speaking with some friends that are in the IT field about certs and one of them mentioned that I could attend a "boot camp" and they would do all the training. He said they have boot camps that range from 1-2 weeks and can give some great information and certs. Where could I find some info on this?

Thanks for all your help guy!

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Eston21

You can look into places like New Horizons, or Global Knowledge. Personally I think if you are paying out of pocket for them, boot camps are watse of money as they are usually $1500-$3000 a pop. Unless an employer is paying for them. Especially for the CompTIA certs which can be passed with study guides. Also you have some experience in the field, so a boot camp would be redundant.

Inerax

Thank you for the tips. Where would you recommend starting? From what I have seen (and could be very very wrong here) network+ seems like a good starting place. What would you guys think?

Eston21

Since you wanna do networking I would recommend Network+ and then the CCNA.

beaucaldwell

If you're new to networking, you're not going to absorb everything they present to you in the boot camp in 1-2 weeks, that's just too much info to take in that quickly... now if you have been doing networking already and are just picking up some stuff from it to re-certify that's different. For the cost of a boot camp you could build a CCNA lab kit at home that's yours forever and you will be able to work through the labs and the CCNA self study fully absorbing what you need rather than rushing through it. Even if you do the boot camp and pass, your not going to soak in as much as you would if you had your own gear and took your time. IMHO I would say build a home lab, you'll be way better at networking after spending 6 months learning your gear inside and out than you would in 1-2 weeks on gear you can't come home to daily...

beaucaldwell

Inerax wrote: »

Thank you for the tips. Where would you recommend starting starting? From what I have seen (and could be very very wrong here) network+ seems like a good starting place. What would you guys think?

I'm in the same boat as you, and from what I've be reading here you can do the CCENT and then take the ICND2 to upgrade to the CCNA. The CCENT will cover just about everything the N+ does and more. Some say to do the N+ before CCENT to get the basics on networking vendor neutral, some will say just skip it and do your CCENT. Either way CCENT/N+ have a lot of overlap, so if money is tight, you're better off doing the CCENT for $150, and then the CCNA for $150 than the N+ for $269 and then paying for the CCENT/CCNA on top of it... (also keep in mind that's less $ you're spending if you happen to fail one of the exams). Of course if you got the time, don't mind the overlap, and don't mind spending more money on the test and study material, get both cause it will never hurt to have more...

Inerax

beaucaldwell wrote: »

I'm in the same boat as you, and from what I've be reading here you can do the CCENT and then take the ICND2 to upgrade to the CCNA. The CCENT will cover just about everything the N+ does and more. Some say to do the N+ before CCENT to get the basics on networking vendor neutral, some will say just skip it and do your CCENT. Either way CCENT/N+ have a lot of overlap, so if money is tight, you're better off doing the CCENT for $150, and then the CCNA for $150 than the N+ for $269 and then paying for the CCENT/CCNA on top of it... (also keep in mind that's less $ you're spending if you happen to fail one of the exams). Of course if you got the time, don't mind the overlap, and don't mind spending more money on the test and study material, get both cause it will never hurt to have more...

So many options lol. So you are saying study up for the CCENT first? Can you point me to some good study guides for the CCENT?

I know that you cannot know how much I already know but, how long does the study take on average?

beaucaldwell

Inerax wrote: »

So many options lol. So you are saying study up for the CCENT first? Can you point me to some good study guides for the CCENT?

I know that you cannot know how much I already know but, how long does the study take on average?

I decided to start my CCENT and skip the N+ (im just starting this now), but I may go back later and get it just to have another one on the resume. You can go N+ first and there is nothing wrong with that, but just keep in mind you'll be reading the same material again a lot when you go to the CCENT. That would make the CCENT easier but would make it take longer and cost more $$. From what I've gathered, if you don't have experience in networking, you should expect to spend 6 months minimum to really learn and retain everything. Don't rush it, go for the knowledge retention and not the quick certify.

As for books, I chose the CISCO Press CCENT/CCNA Certification Library package by Odom; which from my research is a highly recommended book, the other popular choice being Sybex. I'm piecing together a home lab rather than using stuff like packet tracer/GNS3 as those have limitations on what you can do. This is what someone wrote to me when I was asking about labs and I found it helpful in explaining a real life example of why real equipment is better than a virtual lab:

"You will hear ALOT of people on here say Packet Tracer and GNS3 are all you need to pass the exams but one of my frustrations is both programs come with there own set of limitations. As you use them you will see those limitations. I got REAL equipment so I did't have to deal with those limitations. IN addition, in 2013 I went on a few job interviews and when I told them I was sitting for my CCENT I was asked if I had a Home Lab or I was using Packet Tracer ?
I responded Packet Tracer and both people I interviewed gave a "sigh" kind of look. It was after this experience I decided to invest in "ME" and get real equipment so I can learn this stuff inside and out. Pre-made kits do "cost" but if you go looking on E-bay you will find buying everything in pieces may be just as expensive as buying a kit."

Inerax

beaucaldwell wrote: »

I decided to start my CCENT and skip the N+ (im just starting this now), but I may go back later and get it just to have another one on the resume. You can go N+ first and there is nothing wrong with that, but just keep in mind you'll be reading the same material again a lot when you go to the CCENT. That would make the CCENT easier but would make it take longer and cost more $$. From what I've gathered, if you don't have experience in networking, you should expect to spend 6 months minimum to really learn and retain everything. Don't rush it, go for the knowledge retention and not the quick certify.

As for books, I chose the CISCO Press CCENT/CCNA Certification Library package by Odom; which from my research is a highly recommended book, the other popular choice being Sybex. I'm piecing together a home lab rather than using stuff like packet tracer/GNS3 as those have limitations on what you can do. This is what someone wrote to me when I was asking about labs and I found it helpful in explaining a real life example of why real equipment is better than a virtual lab:

"You will hear ALOT of people on here say Packet Tracer and GNS3 are all you need to pass the exams but one of my frustrations is both programs come with there own set of limitations. As you use them you will see those limitations. I got REAL equipment so I did't have to deal with those limitations. IN addition, in 2013 I went on a few job interviews and when I told them I was sitting for my CCENT I was asked if I had a Home Lab or I was using Packet Tracer ?
I responded Packet Tracer and both people I interviewed gave a "sigh" kind of look. It was after this experience I decided to invest in "ME" and get real equipment so I can learn this stuff inside and out. Pre-made kits do "cost" but if you go looking on E-bay you will find buying everything in pieces may be just as expensive as buying a kit."

Thank you for the help everyone. It has been tons of help and more than I could have asked for. I found a kit online with a quick search and wanted to check what everyone thinks. It is on netcertlabs .com. It is the "CCNA R&S Enhanced Lab - Cisco 200-120 Certification Complete Study Lab Kit with CCENT - Includes Training & Support" and says it converts to security.

Would this be something that I am looking for?

Once again thank everyone for the help. Has been way more than I could have asked for.

EDIT, i have also found ebay has some kits. Is this something that I would be looking for?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CISCO-PREMIUM-V3-CCENT-CCNA-CCNP-Home-Lab-Kit-1-Year-warranty-/130601088983

Yababa

It seems like HR should communicate with the certification bodies and the study guide creators this way the consumer wouldn't run into this problem. However, with corporate America all they know is a few terms like JavaEE, Cisco, and other popular terms that may appear in the candidate's resume.