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Microsoft certifications. Which path should I take?
I have a couple of questions about Comp-TIA/Microsoft certifications that are all kind of related. I am taking my Comp-TIA A+ exams next month but am having trouble deciding where to go from there. My first question is about the Network+ certification. Is it worth getting? I know it and the A+ certification can combine as a prerequisite for the MCSE elective exam, but I'm not sure how it compares to a CCNA for example in terms of usefulness. Additionally, I'm not sure where I want to go in terms of Microsoft certifications. At first I was considering taking the safe route and going for the MCSE, but then I did some reading about the MCPD certification. I know it's relatively new, but I was wondering if anyone had taken any of the exams and knew if they were of any use. I would be much more interested in development than systems engineering, but if the certification isn't any good I don't want to waste my time and money. Anyways, if anyone has any good information or suggestions, I would love to hear them.
2 Answers
- ?Lv 41 decade agoFavorite Answer
I would suggest going for a Network+ next. Network+ can also be rolled with the A+ into some MS tests, and foundational understanding of networking makes a lot of things much easier down the road. I don't know that I have ever seen someone hired *because* they have a Network+, but I have seen people hired who had their network+ and were working on their CCNA. Still, either way, at least go through the material. You'll find it very useful.
As to what certifications to get past that - it depends on your job experience. If you have no job experience to back up an MCSE, I have a very, very hard time recommending pursuing it. The market is FLOODED with people who have "paper" MS certs (that is, certification but little/no experience) and it has devalued the thing in general. You can safely get an MCP, and maybe an MCSA, but MCSE would be a bit much.
To put it another way, everyone in IT starts at the bottom. You don't just jump into a job as a systems engineer. So your goal is to get certifications that will get you that entry-level jobs. You can get an A+/Network+/MCP (which you get by passing any MS test)/maybe MCSA... but why not also get a CCNA? It's fishy when a person has a lot of higher level tests without experience, but you can give yourself a well-rounded base of entry-level certs just fine.
- 5 years ago
Go straight for your MCITP: Enterprise Admin. Then take Managing AD 2003. EST, while really useful, won't get you out of your current position. Server Admin is really only useful in huge environments where there are admins who only manage servers. As an enterprise admin, you'll have the skinny on things that really matter to MS shops, AD admin, especially when it comes to policies and profiles. Also forget anything that says Vista. It's not like anyone is really using it. You WILL want to know how to do unattended installations and migrations from XP to Win7, since it looks like it's a winner. Here are some other things you'll probably want at some point: 70-450 SQL Admin MCITP: Enterprise Messaging Admin. Cisco CCNA something from RedHat (RHCT or RHCE) some VMWare training