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  ipconfig.all Banned Posts: 428

  August 2009

  Well, you always can do both. You know I.T industrial certifications plus your community college credits programme. While you are studying try and find an entry level I.T job, I am sure you will have some luck thanks to your AAS and the current I.T certifications which you hold. Work experience will give you some experience, which will benefit you in the long run.
  
  Microsoft certifications are worth getting since a lot of companies use Microsoft products. You might want to give the new Windows server 2008 certifications a try (MCITP :SA and MCITP : EA) since they will soon replace MCSE/MCSA. If you have a passion for I.T, I say do whatever your heart tells you.

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  Solaris_UNIX Member Posts: 93 ■■□□□□□□□□

  August 2009

  I would say that the smart thing to do if you're looking for a job is to spend all of your effort focusing on the MCSE. Try to volunteer somewhere or do whatever it takes to find a way to get some real world experience on the side so you don't become just a "paper MCSE".
  
  In my experience there are a lot of businesses running things like Active Directory and Microsoft Exchange that desperately need qualified people to do sysadmin work. The HR people in these businesses don't know what an MCITP is, so, the job write-ups usually list "MCSE" and not "MCITP" as a prerequisite for getting the job.
  
  As a useful exercise, why don't you go through the job search engines for your local area (monster.com, etc.) and look at different job entries for the following keywords:
  
  Windows Server 2003
  
  Windows Server 2008
  
  Microsoft Exchange
  
  Active Directory
  
  Sharepoint
  
  MCSE
  
  etc.
  
  
  and see what comes up. Then look and see if you can find any jobs that don't want the Microsoft certifications but want the community college MIS degree instead (hint: you probably won't find any). If you have enough experience / know how and look hard enough, you might be able to find an internship or help desk position that doesn't require any certs and you can use that to get your foot in the door and start to build up some experience. A more experienced sysadmin might even take you under his or her wing and teach you some more advanced things.
  
  The best way to improve your skills is to always volunteer for new tasks and new assignments- if you just throw yourself out there and volunteer for every decent computer gig you can find, you'll start building up your reputation and skills in IT more rapidly than you would have thought possible. I don't think trade school or community college will really bolster your IT resume in the way that a few years of solid, real world, on the job experience with a good track record and proven results will.
  
  It all depends on what you're trying to do though. For being a great computer programmer / software engineer, I think the math and theory about algorithms and big oh notation- O(n) algorithms and O(n^2) algorithms, etc. that they teach you in a university level computer science or computer engineering course is important.... but I get the impression that you don't want to be a programmer, you want to be a sysadmin / technician, right? So instead of focusing on "academics", learn all the shell scripting techniques for whatever OS you want to work with, and get out there in a real job and get some experience.
  
  I think Microsoft sysadmins use VBscript, batch files, and powershell for most of their scripting now, am I right? So I guess you would definitely want to learn those scripting techniques so that you can automate repetitive tasks and save time and money for your future employer.

  ---

  
  ps -e -o pid | xargs -t -n1 pfiles | grep "port: $PORT"
  
  dtrace -n 'syscall::write:entry { @num[zonename] = count(); }'
  
  http://get.a.clue.de/Fun/advsh.html
  
  http://www.perturb.org/display/entry/462/

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  jjbrog Member Posts: 149

  August 2009

  What school? I go to HTC in Eden Prairie

  Started a forum for networking students, its new and needs people!
  http://netadminstudents.zxq.net/phpBB3/
  HTC students encouraged to join

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  NetworkingStudent Member Posts: 1,407 ■■■■■■■■□□

  August 2009

  I saw two opportunities at Hennepin Technical College that interests me. The first being the Cisco Networking (EP) certificate which is 18 credits.
  The coursework required for this certificate will prepare students to take the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam. Students will learn to design, build, and maintain computer networks. Prerequisite: Basic computer literacy, familiarity with the Internet, college-level reading ability, and proficiency in basic mathematics. All students must pass the Computer Literacy assessment test before registering for these courses.
  CCIS1105
  Network Essentials 4
  or
  CCIS1410
  CCNA-1: Networking Basics 3
  CCIS1421
  CCNA-2: Routers & Routing Basics 4
  CCIS1431
  CCNA-3: Switching Basics & Intermediate Routing 4
  CCIS1441
  CCNA-4: WAN Technologies 4
  CCIS2421
  Security Solutions-1 (Cisco) 3
  Here is the Link: Program Award Search - Details
  Another option is to go to the Linux route, which allows students to install, use, and administer Linux.
  Advanced Technical Certificate
  Award Name, Number and Location: Linux Networking (BP/EP)
  Award Description: This certificate is designed to enable the Linux/Unix computer professional to learn the fundamentals of networking and data communication and to know how to incorporate the latest data communications equipment in the enterprise. Prerequisite: Basic computer literacy, familiarity with the Internet, college-level reading ability, and proficiency in basic mathematics. All students must pass the Computer Literacy assessment test before registering for these courses.
  Career Opportunities: Positions are available as Network Administrators and Network Developers
  CCIS2122
  Linux Admin 2 4
  CCIS2161
  Linux Admin 3 3
  CCIS2222
  Network Configuration 3
  CCIS2841
  Client/Server Computing 4
  CCIS2900
  IT Systems Management 3
  Choose one of the following:
  CCIS2591
  JavaScript 4
  CCIS2630
  PHP 4
  Here is the link: Program Award Search - Details
  I thought these two certificate tracks were the most relevant to your case. Then again you could go the certificate route of database, and you could start learning about SQL and database design. It all depends on what you want. I know when I finish school, I want to take the Cisco and the linux classes, so that I can further my knowledge base. I currently go to Minnesota School of Business, and I ‘m pursuing my Associates in Information Technology.
  Ps here is a link of all the programs Hennepin Technical college offers. Information Technology / Computer Careers
  I hope this helps

  When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened."
  
  --Alexander Graham Bell,
  American inventor

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  dynamik Banned Posts: 12,312 ■■■■■■■■■□

  August 2009

  Wow, look at all the Minnesota boys who are too scared to put their state in their profile
  

  wweboy wrote: »

  Having been a year off of work I want to get back in the field real bad and I swear I feel like I'm getting out of touch with IT even though I know not that much has changed.

  
  I feel that way since yesterday
  
  Seriously though, I wouldn't bother with more formal education unless you are going to a BA/BS.

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  jjbrog Member Posts: 149

  August 2009

  I'm going the whole network admin route, but I reallllllly don't wanna do those damn generals :P

  Started a forum for networking students, its new and needs people!
  http://netadminstudents.zxq.net/phpBB3/
  HTC students encouraged to join

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  dynamik Banned Posts: 12,312 ■■■■■■■■■□

  August 2009

  Just for the record, I was referring to someone with an associates who is considering diplomas. An associates is a great place to start if you don't have anything. Just make sure you can transfer it to a four-year program later on; you'd always want to have that option available.

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  jjbrog Member Posts: 149

  August 2009

  I might think about a 4 year after I'm done. I haven't decided yet totally. Right now I'm getting a good feel with Cisco, probably cause its what I've been studying for the most since I'm just assuming it being all 4 credit courses vs 3.
  
  But after I'm done with AA I'm going to at least upgrade on my own with the certs I get. ccna - ccnp for example. Would a B.A in network admin be basecly that? A upgrade on what I've learned in the A.A? Also is there more general edu classes in B.A as well? Or do you just do "core" classes?

  Started a forum for networking students, its new and needs people!
  http://netadminstudents.zxq.net/phpBB3/
  HTC students encouraged to join

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  dynamik Banned Posts: 12,312 ■■■■■■■■■□

  August 2009

  That would totally depend on the school and the program.

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