Which path should be tracked after CCNA?

thedramathedrama Member Posts: 291 ■□□□□□□□□□
Being CCNP or specializing on CCNA by choosing Sec, voice or wireless. Which
one is sensible?
Monster PC specs(Packard Bell VR46) : Intel Celeron Dual-Core 1.2 GHz CPU , 4096 MB DDR3 RAM, Intel Media Graphics (R) 4 Family with IntelGMA 4500 M HD graphics. :lol:

5 year-old laptop PC specs(Toshiba Satellite A210) : AMD Athlon 64 x2 1.9 GHz CPU, ATI Radeon X1200 128 MB Video Memory graphics card, 3072 MB 667 Mhz DDR2 RAM. (1 stick 2 gigabytes and 1 stick 1 gigabytes)


Comments

  • rogue2shadowrogue2shadow Member Posts: 1,501 ■■■■■■■■□□
    thedrama wrote: »
    Being CCNP or specializing on CCNA by choosing Sec, voice or wireless. Which
    one is sensible?

    It honestly comes down to what you work with, where you see yourself in the coming years, and what interests you.
  • earweedearweed Member Posts: 5,192 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Like R2S said, it basically depends on what interests you. If you're not sure yet then go the all purpose wway and get different CCNAs to see what lights your fire. Then go that direction with the CCNP.
    No longer work in IT. Play around with stuff sometimes still and fix stuff for friends and relatives.
  • ehndeehnde Member Posts: 1,103
    I'm going to do CCNA:Security then work my way through Amazon.com: Network Warrior: Everything you need to know that wasn't on the CCNA exam (9780596101510): Gary A. Donahue: Books

    Then if I still have as much energy and motivation as I do now (and a job in some kind of Network Support role) I'm going to do CCNP Route, Switch, TSHOOT.

    Without the job to back it up, I'm concerned I wouldn't be taken seriously with a CCNP and the only experience I have being home labbing.
    Climb a mountain, tell no one.
  • okplayaokplaya Member Posts: 199
    ehnde wrote: »
    Without the job to back it up, I'm concerned I wouldn't be taken seriously with a CCNP and the only experience I have being home labbing.

    This is certainly valid, but keep in mind that EVERY new job you get will require OJT (On the Job Training). No exception, even if you have every certification known to man. So if an employer is "willing to train right person", they will surely be more attracted to one with a CCNP vs someone with nothing or a more entry certification. Just my .02.
  • ehndeehnde Member Posts: 1,103
    okplaya wrote: »
    This is certainly valid, but keep in mind that EVERY new job you get will require OJT (On the Job Training). No exception, even if you have every certification known to man. So if an employer is "willing to train right person", they will surely be more attracted to one with a CCNP vs someone with nothing or a more entry certification. Just my .02.

    You make sense, but if you have a fork in the road and your choices are going left (CCNA:SEC) or going right (CCNP) I'd feel like less of a pretender starting with CCNA:SEC. And in the meantime hopefully the job experience comes along! I'm not calling anyone that goes CCNA > CCNP a pretender, it's just how I feel about myself personally.

    I think if you love networking and are a CCNA you should be in a networking job.
    Climb a mountain, tell no one.
  • creamy_stewcreamy_stew Member Posts: 406 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Since they removed most of the VPN stuff from CCNP, I'd definately say CCNA:S

    A CCNP without the rudimentary understanding of VPNs the the CCNA:S (i think it's simailar to the ISCW exam from the old CCNP track)) provides would be a laughing stock.
    Itchy... Tasty!
    [X] DCICN
    [X] IINS

    [ ] CCDA
    [ ] DCICT
  • seekritseekrit Member Posts: 103
    The security track does offer some good base line networking fundamentals. I'd hit the Voice next. CCNA:RS, CCNA:S & CCNA:V should land you in a couple interview chairs.
  • thedramathedrama Member Posts: 291 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Conditions for getting a job got too hard in my country, especially in these days. I am CCNA certified since last November. However, experience for the job did last very short for me; only 3 months. Since that day im
    unemployed and spending my hours by repeating CCNA topics, building some labs. Even though i had a few interviews for the job, i couldn't be able to achieve as it had to be. Still, waiting for a reply one of them for about a month and a half. So indecisive about which path should i track from now on.
    Monster PC specs(Packard Bell VR46) : Intel Celeron Dual-Core 1.2 GHz CPU , 4096 MB DDR3 RAM, Intel Media Graphics (R) 4 Family with IntelGMA 4500 M HD graphics. :lol:

    5 year-old laptop PC specs(Toshiba Satellite A210) : AMD Athlon 64 x2 1.9 GHz CPU, ATI Radeon X1200 128 MB Video Memory graphics card, 3072 MB 667 Mhz DDR2 RAM. (1 stick 2 gigabytes and 1 stick 1 gigabytes)


  • ehndeehnde Member Posts: 1,103
    thedrama wrote: »
    Conditions for getting a job got too hard in my country, especially in these
    days. I am CCNA certified since last November. However, experience for
    the job did last very short for me; only 3 months. Since that day im
    unemployed and spneding my hours by repeating CCNA topics, building some
    labs. Even though i had a few interviews for the job, i couldn't be able to
    achieve as it had to be. Still, waiting for a reply one of them for about a month and a half. So indecisive about which path should i track from now on.

    Consider moving!
    Climb a mountain, tell no one.
  • mikej412mikej412 Member Posts: 10,086 ■■■■■■■■■■
    thedrama wrote: »
    Since that day im unemployed
    I say go for the CCNA:Security. It's something that you can add to your resume/CV much quicker than a CCNP -- and it's going to be cheaper. Plus the lab requirements are a lot less -- 2 routers (or GNS3) with Advanced Security (or better) IOS 12.4(9)T (or better) and a switch.

    Without any (or much) experience the CCNP doesn't really help you that much (if at all). You can't compete against the experience CCNPs. And the CCNAs who kept looking for work and got a job are now racking up experience -- and if they then start to study for the CCNP, they'll crush you in future competitions for jobs. The time and energy you'd spend studying the CCNP would be better spent HUNTING down jobs.

    After you finish the CCNA:Security, you can start reading Doyle's Routing TCP/IP Volume 1 -- and you can lab it in GNS3. That helps keep your CCNA knowledge fresh (and growing) and your skills sharp for interviews -- and it gives you something to talk about during interviews and differentiates you from the other CCNAs looking for a job.
    :mike: Cisco Certifications -- Collect the Entire Set!
  • ehndeehnde Member Posts: 1,103
    mikej412 wrote: »
    After you finish the CCNA:Security, you can start reading Doyle's Routing TCP/IP Volume 1 -- and you can lab it in GNS3. That helps keep your CCNA knowledge fresh (and growing) and your skills sharp for interviews -- and it gives you something to talk about during interviews and differentiates you from the other CCNAs looking for a job.

    This book is #1 on amazon.com under CCIE and #2 under TCP/IP. It appears that it is commonly used as the start for preparing for the CCIE written exam. How does it fit into exam preparation? What would you use this book to study for?

    I might buy this book myself and not worry about exam prep after CCNA:Security. It would be nice to not worry about prepping for an exam for awhile and just do some leisurely labbing and reading.

    Not to deviate too far from the original topic, but is there a recommended reading list going beyond CCNA?

    I've heard of Network Warrior and seen Doyle's book mentioned numerous times. Where do you start and in what order should one proceed?
    Climb a mountain, tell no one.
  • mikej412mikej412 Member Posts: 10,086 ■■■■■■■■■■
    ehnde wrote: »
    This book is #1 on amazon.com under CCIE and #2 under TCP/IP. It appears that it is commonly used as the start for preparing for the CCIE written exam. How does it fit into exam preparation? What would you use this book to study for?
    Don't let the CCIE in the series name (CCIE Professional Development) scare you away from the book -- it's excellent, readable, and makes a great additional study resource for the routing portion of almost any Cisco track (CCNP and CCIEs)

    ehnde wrote: »
    is there a recommended reading list going beyond CCNA?

    I've heard of Network Warrior and seen Doyle's book mentioned numerous times. Where do you start and in what order should one proceed?
    Actually, Network Warrior is probably the book Cisco should give everyone for passing the CCNA. icon_lol.gif

    I'd probably go for Network Warrior, then follow up with Doyle as the first 2 books someone hunting for that elusive first Cisco position should read.

    Book #3 could vary depending on the local job market -- and any upcoming interviews -- and should help you at least "talk the talk" during interviews. It could be an intro Cisco Voice, Security or Wireless book if you're hearing buzz about those topics during a job search -- or it could be the Cisco Documentation for specific Cisco Switches if you have a hot lead on a job that requires switching knowledge.

    I think there is a new edition of Network Warrior coming out (if it isn't out already) -- but I have the O'Reilly eBook, so hopefully I get a free upgrade.

    I think Top Down Network Design is good for someone interested in Design -- and for someone to see if they do have the Network Design gene.

    There's also one more book I really like as "light reading" -- but I'm drawing a blank right now.

    Edit: Campus Network Design Fundamentals by Diane Teare and Catherine Paquet. For some reason I was thinking it was a Data Center book -- but it's another design book (hey, what do you expect, I have the Network Design gene :D).
    :mike: Cisco Certifications -- Collect the Entire Set!
  • seekritseekrit Member Posts: 103
    I agree, +1 for Routing TCP/IP. I've been thumbing though it for a couple months without having the time to really sit down and read it thoroughly. It's will help you draw the connection between functionality and reality not covered in the CCNA and even CCNP. Great book..
  • jovan88jovan88 Member Posts: 393
    Deffinately CCNA:S and a good read of Network Warrior
  • thedramathedrama Member Posts: 291 ■□□□□□□□□□
    mikej412 wrote: »
    I say go for the CCNA:Security. It's something that you can add to your resume/CV much quicker than a CCNP -- and it's going to be cheaper. Plus the lab requirements are a lot less -- 2 routers (or GNS3) with Advanced Security (or better) IOS 12.4(9)T (or better) and a switch.

    Without any (or much) experience the CCNP doesn't really help you that much (if at all). You can't compete against the experience CCNPs. And the CCNAs who kept looking for work and got a job are now racking up experience -- and if they then start to study for the CCNP, they'll crush you in future competitions for jobs. The time and energy you'd spend studying the CCNP would be better spent HUNTING down jobs.

    After you finish the CCNA:Security, you can start reading Doyle's Routing TCP/IP Volume 1 -- and you can lab it in GNS3. That helps keep your CCNA knowledge fresh (and growing) and your skills sharp for interviews -- and it gives you something to talk about during interviews and differentiates you from the other CCNAs looking for a job.

    You should be right. CCNP will probably appear too heavy in this stage to me. So, i should go on with easier one which make a contribution my resume to grow.icon_lol.gif
    Monster PC specs(Packard Bell VR46) : Intel Celeron Dual-Core 1.2 GHz CPU , 4096 MB DDR3 RAM, Intel Media Graphics (R) 4 Family with IntelGMA 4500 M HD graphics. :lol:

    5 year-old laptop PC specs(Toshiba Satellite A210) : AMD Athlon 64 x2 1.9 GHz CPU, ATI Radeon X1200 128 MB Video Memory graphics card, 3072 MB 667 Mhz DDR2 RAM. (1 stick 2 gigabytes and 1 stick 1 gigabytes)


Sign In or Register to comment.