Have you ever let a certification expire?

mrkdisk

Checkpoint CCSA & CCSE

Joshuab009

My ccna is set to expire in August. It's killing me to let it go but I just cannot fit the renewal into the daily grind.

SteveO86

My BlackBerry certificates have expired, along with my SonicWall certificate.

I'm pretty much solely network at this point, so I have no reason to renew my BlackBerry certificates. In regards to SonicWall I got time so the my company would have a partnership with that SonicWall. (I am no longer with that company so I have no need to be SonicWall certified, and I did not like the devices)

kaneohe7

My Certified Banyan VINES Specialist - CBS has long since turned to dust, I think. Not that I would list it anymore.

JoJoCal19

Just let my Network+ and Security+ expire yesterday. Kind of mixed feelings on it since I remember the hard work put into them and the proud feeling, as they were my first two certifications. Obviously I'm on to bigger and better things, AND not once did either of them ever help in getting a position, so I didn't feel like spending the money to renew them (plus I'm still bent that the CE Security+ negated my lifetime Network+ and turned it into a CE Network+).

[Deleted User]

I let my CCNA and CCNA:Security expire. The CCNA was the first certification that I ever accomplished. It allowed me to get a foot in the door in the IT world, however, I never properly put it to use. All of the positions that I had following the CCNA had primarily Windows responsibilities. I think in my case it was appropriate to let them expire and I don't intend to pursue another Cisco certification in the future. Cisco was my first love but I had such a hard time breaking into that world that I never continued down the path.

joelsfood

I let my first CCNA expire. Kind of at least, I wasn't using it, as I'd gone back into systems/storage, so when it was about to expire, I scheduled one test to try to keep it active(CCNP Route) and missed a pass by one question.

Now that I have it in Data Center track, I'll probably keep it active. Unless of course I move back into networking.

NinjaBoy

IT related:

Certified Network Systems Technician, CNST
Microsoft Certified Trainer, MCT
Citrix Certified Sales Professional, CCSP

Non-IT related:
First Aid

N2IT

Follow up - Since I took S+ CE it made my A+ and N+ CE as well, they all have expired. So I am down 3 CompTIA's with only Server and Project + left

confewshz

My CCNA:R&S expired in 2004. It served its purpose. However, now Im seriously thinking about getting the CCNA:Security

bobloblaw

I'm going to let everything expire except the CISSP.

PurpleIT

I may be going to a networking position where I won't work with ANY Cisco gear at all and my current certs expire in just under a year. I am considering taking one CCNP test (probably Route) just to make sure they don't expire.

Of course, I will be so busy getting trained up with all the new stuff I will be working with I am not sure I will have the time...

nachodba

I will probably let all my certs except for my MCITP: DBA (upgrading to 2012 MCSE Data Platform) and my MCSE Servers expire.

joelsfood

PurpleIT, if you know you're going to be busy (and I'm sure your'e right, with a new networking position using all Juniper or whatever), it might be worth taking a test now while it's all still fresh and it won't take you so much time to study.

Just a thought. I did similar not long ago taking my JNCIA while it was still all fresh from a big UCS/Juniper deployment I'd done.

PurpleIT

joelsfood wrote: »

... it might be worth taking a test now while it's all still fresh and it won't take you so much time to study.

If this happens, it's going to happen hard and fast. There will be a 1000 mile move, a new job, new tech, etc, etc...

The "good" news is I will be away from my family for a few weeks until I can move them, so many of my usual distractions won't be around and I can just study. Of course I will be busy with everything else and will be missing my family, so who knows if I will have any time to do anything other than eat, sleep and work.

The one saving grace is I have been dabbling with the CCNP Route information for a while so it won't be totally new, but I will have to focus a lot more than I have been. If I really buckle down for the next three weeks I wonder how much of it I can take on (and retain at least long enough to get through the test)?

joelsfood

It's hard to say, as depends on your time to study, retention rate, how much you currently use it, etc. I can say two of my CCNP:DC tests were done with 3 weeks of study. I was actively using the technology,e tc though. These last two for Cisco Gold partner status (electives that I didn't take first time around) will probably only be two weeks of prep time, but I've also been working on my CCIE:DC for a while now, and of coruse there is a LOT of carryover. if I don't know the recommended models and advantages of each xOR switch design by now (EOR/TOR/MOR), I might as well give up on the CCIE studying too.

JDMurray

I let my CWNA, CWSP, and EnCE (v6) expire. I really don't feel like paying CompTIA $49/yr per cert to renew my plus certs either. I do teach to the Security+ and SSCP, so I should keep those renewed. Maybe I'll get another GIAC cert before my GSEC expires. Who knows...

bryguy

My CCNP is due to expire at the end of December. I thought about recertifying by taking the SENSS, but in reality, I haven't touched any Cisco gear in over 3 years. I'm a firm believer that your certifications should validate your current skillset, and not act a bullet point on a resume. That being said- I think it's time to let this one go. I've let other certs expire, including my JNCIS, and F5 LTM but, again, I haven't touched an actual Netscreen firewall or BIG IP load balancer in years.

N2IT

Bry I agree

NOC-Ninja

I let me CWNA expire. I think its good to read the CWNA book and watch its video. I dont think I need it. Currently, I am jumping from wireless to LAN, and Data Center stuff everyday!

Rkdrummer20

As you keep moving up the career path and gain next step certifications - the earlier ones may hold less value.
A graduate engineer should not worry about grade 4 results....

IIIMaster

My net+ is about to expire early next year. I dont think its worth the money to retest. I would rather spend the money getting my ccda.

daviddws

I just have the A+,N+,S+ that will expire in 2018, but I plan to stay in the CE program under the Security+ track which will update the other two as I log my ce's. I never liked certs that expired and plan to stay away from those that do, unless of course the money is just to good to pass up.

TechGuru80

I would imagine that certs requiring CEUs would be painful to let expire because it is sooooo easy. However certifications that require a retest don't make sense to maintain if you literally never use them or have gone another path. Say a cisco certification but now you are a manager of something unrelated.

JoJoCal19

TechGuru80 wrote: »

I would imagine that certs requiring CEUs would be painful to let expire because it is sooooo easy. However certifications that require a retest don't make sense to maintain if you literally never use them or have gone another path. Say a cisco certification but now you are a manager of something unrelated.

That's kind of my thought on it as well, that the certs that utilize CEUs are easy to keep, like my CISSP, and I believe also CEH, CHFI. I don't mind certs that you just have to redo a written test to keep but I would probably keep it to no more than two. Now one advantage is where a higher level cert renews lower ones, like Cisco certs.

Khaos1911

Not sure what I'm gonna do when it times to renew my GIAC's. I'm not publishing papers, nor do I plan to shell out the dough to obtain the materials and re-test. Hope I have another job that pays for them by then.