Certifications

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Well, Course Technology (the publishers of the "A Guide to MCSE" and other such series) is about to release their book for MCSE exam # 70-720 (Installing, Configuring and Administering Windows XP Professional.) so I'm planning on going for my MSCE certification this year.  (Even though it is from sh*tty MS, it's what companies are looking for right now . . . I just hope the Windows XP exam deals with the NT elements of XP and not its Stupid F'ing idiot oriented shell.)

I've also thought about looking into some of the Cisco certifications, but I've heard Cisco's going under :-(.

I'm sure those Cisco exams cover information that's good/interesting to know if you're a PC Technician/Network Analyst.

So, anyway, is any one else here interested in taking any kind of Tech exams?  Are you doing it just so you can say you're certified, or are do you actually want know and understand the stuff you'll be testing on? (like me . . . I'm always up for learning more things that'll help me out with my career.)

. . . Just thought I'd make a half-assed attempt to start a good Technical discussion . . .
 
Sorry. The closest I'm (currently planning to) being certified is my dad "allows me the honor" of building all our house computers from the ground up.

Although we have a (180 day demo) copy of XP Home & Pro, we're mainly sticking with 98 (first ed) & 2k (pro w/ sp2). We use Win 98 on some machines for hardware compatibility reasons. The owners of the other 2 win98 systems simply don't want to upgrade to 2k.

I'm more interested in learning the network administration part of the OS right now. Soon (hopefully) we're gonna build a new "server" computer, dump all our computers onto dynamic IPs and and network our DSL connection. (All of this depends on getting the DSL connection, which is not yet supported where I live. :cry: )

Sephiroth 3D

"I don't understand..." "You don't have to understand." - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sephiroth 3D.com
[email protected]
 
Damn, that reminds me I have to make an appointment to take the A+ Certification.

I want to get certified because a lot of companies require you to have one in order to work (if you are a computer technician).  Plus, I want to start working on something more related to my field.

The A+ Certification exam, I believe, costs around $50.  The other exams are more expensive.  

Hey, TiadaghtonDude, is your company going to pay for your exam?

-vvalentine
 
All I can say is be prepared!  Though some of it becomes repetative, the amount of information you're expected to know is enormous.  Say what you will about M$, but these tests are no joke.  I'm taking 715 and 710 in the spring, and I take comptia's Net + in about a week ($185 usd! sonofa....).  I'm only shooting for the MCSA, so Net+ and A+ both count for cert-not bad credentials to have, anyway.

For me, living in a rural area demands that you be "flexible" in your abilities.  I've found most employers look for a range of stuff, as most small businesses need a jack of all trades.  There's no telling what you might be doing on any given day, so it's a good idea to know a little bit about everything.
 
Boy, do I EVER know how that is... I live in a rural area that wants to become a big city, while keeping the small-town feel. I get work from people in the area that ranges from business card making, to webpage building. It's not much, but it's work. And I'm looking for a real job while I work for my dad.

Sephiroth 3D

"I don't understand..." "You don't have to understand." - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sephiroth 3D.com
[email protected]
[edited] 135 2002-01-18 17:35
 
Seph:  I know the pain!  I can't get DSL where I live, either.  If it were available, though, I'd have my two comps and the DSL modem connected to a router, that way neither would have to be on for the other to get on the net.

vvalentine: Yeah, A+ never looks bad on your Resume, plus some companies do require you to have it.  Sorry to dissappoint you on the price, but the A+ exams (there are two exams:  The core and the Windows/DOS exam.) together are somwhere between $235 - $275 (can't remember where they fell . . . just know it was somewhere in there.)

. . . my company pay for exam?  yeah right!!  Maybe if I had a REAL job, they'd pay for my schooling . . .

chowder:  Oh yeah, I know all too well about those MS tests.  The best questions are those situation questions where it gives you the predicament, required results, optional results, and a solution.  Then it asks you if the solution:

a. Meets the required results AND the optional results
b. Meets the required results BUT NOT the optional results
c. Does not meet the required results.

Those can be tough . . .

I was thinking about taking that N+ test, too.  I probably should.

As far as all the MS exams I wanted to take:

70-720, 70-215, 70-216, 70-217, 70-220, 70-088, and 70-222.

Alot of reading and alot of money.  I guess time'll tell if I actually get through them all.
 
it's the same here just it's worse this is who my area is setup for DSL, and why i can't have it:

#=area with dsl access
@=area with out dsl access
"=" = Street
$$=my house

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isn't the irony just sickining? the thing i want most just beyond my reach. bastards.

and i might get A+ certified. my mom wants me too. but i'm really busy with school and such. maybe when i can drive. driving school EVERY saturady for 5 hours for 5 weeks and then the lisence test. the day might change depending on what "compay"/course i take but the hour will only increase.
 
Tiadaghtondude:  $235!!!  I thought I read somewhere that both core test and the windows test were $50 altogether.

PS:  Certified?  Have you studied to take the tests.  Those tests aren't "ham and eggs" you know.

-vvalentine
 
I'm doing nothing as flashy as the MCSE, I've just started college (16, UK). National Diploma in Software Development (ND). For the first year, Pascal (weak, weak, weak. But it gets you used to programming). Second year, Delphi. The H(igher)ND you do Java and I think C++. I think I've got the hang of Pascal, I started in September 2001.

-Dan

EDIT: off to of.
[edited] 265 2002-01-19 17:27
 
vvalentine: no thats what i'm talking about. i have the abality to get the course through my mom, she works for compaq, but i don't have the time right now to actualy go through it.
 
Compaq sucks though.  I had some problem with a compaq laptop that I was trying to install Win98.  I couldn't change the setting in BIOS to boot the CD.  
Anyways, you can get A+ certified at school if they offer the course.  I heard from a guy in my class that there are some places where the test is not hard at all, in example, CompUSA (just like a driving test in different DMVs).  I don't know if the tests are the same anywhere you go, or if the testing site manages the tests and the results.  Anyone knows this?

-vvalentine
 
Val:  Each A+ core exam is $132, though there are vouchers (that can knock off upwards of $25 dollars a test) available from a number of sources.  Most MS exams are in the $125 dollar range.  The Comptia tests are going adaptive, and the I know the passing score percentage increased for the Net+ test-I assume the A+ will be the same.
 
A+ isn't that hard, I did that about 2 years ago, it is basic knowledge. The MSCE is alot different though, I just have one more to go before I have my NT upgraded to 2000. A Tip Windows XP and 2000 exams are interchangable, and Windows 2000 and XP are not even that similar to NT.

2000/XP is a lot closer to the Novell Netware concept then the NT.

Here are some sites you can check out, they are nice, some are free:

http://www.cert21.com
http://www.cramsession.com
http://www.mcsebraindumps.com
http://www.transcenders.com

there are lots more, however those are the best IMHO.

Also Microsoft just raised there prices per exam to $125 US (at least here in Canada) It's nice to have an employer pay for that.

Good Luck
 
Doesnt that kinda piss you off? You take the test to become certified on NT and now no one uses it anymore. .. i would be so mad..   :x    I mean like i already took a class on DOS which is basically dead.. and my school still teaches COBOL.. which is dying fast i would believe.. technology is changing so damn fast by the time were out of college there will be something to go back to school for...
 
Cad: Do remember that Win2000 and WinXP are built upon NT technology. Most (or at least some) of your NT certification should still work just fine. You just have to get used to all the new little things included with those OSs that didn't come with NT.

Sephiroth 3D

"I don't understand..." "You don't have to understand." - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sephiroth 3D.com
[email protected]
 
yeah i was just sayin though.. And while XP is maybe based on NT you dont have to use NTFS.. which i think rocks some madd @$$.. but i mean .. oh hell .. i probably dont know what i meant.. just wait like 5 years.. then i think it will all be clear. .
 
Just wondering, Cad, which school do you go to?  When you said COBOL, that question just popped to my head.

-vvalentine
 
DEAD TOPIC!!!!

but i don't really mind

you know cad if you knew COBAL. back in 1998-1999 you could've racked in a ton of money. a lot of old finance programs were written back in the early-mid 90's. and programmes were getting paid like $200,000 - $300,000 thousand a year to make them Y2K compliant...... just a thought
 
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