Passed 887

in CCNA & CCENT
Third time is a charm! All three tests were very different so you really need to know just about everything in the books. I had one ospf sim that was pretty tough, I had to dig deep to find the problems, all Im gonna say is know how to read wildcard masks and fix them! lots of vtp and stp, and switching in general. This site was a big help even though I have never posted before I learned alot from lurking. So thanks!
ccnp or ccsp next I cant decide which track to go with.
ccnp or ccsp next I cant decide which track to go with.
Comments
Hey Keenon, seems like you have decided to go the pure Cisco route.
CCNP or CCSP? Well.... if you jump on the CCNP right now, you're building on what you learned for the CCNA, and reinforcing that knowledge so you don't forget as much (if you're not using it right now). If you go for the CCSP, which is a "hot certification" right now, you're missing some of the stuff from the CCNP that would help, so the CCSP could actually be more difficult. Plus, if you can't build the network, how do you expect to secure it?
But... if you do the CCSP, you get all those funky CQS things and an INFOSEC letter. So if you need resume candy or some immediate certificate gratification along the certification path, that CCSP could be an option.
It comes down to doing your research about the certifications and what your job market is like (or the chance for advancement where you are at). There is no right or wrong choice -- only your choice.
I came up with my certification plan before I started the CCNA, and then changed it while I was doing it -- oops, gotta go sechedule a test I didn't plan to take until the end of next year...
Good luck!