For many people—especially those starting out or starting over with an IT career—one certification simply isn't enough. Whether you're a brand-spanking newbie or a grizzled veteran, it probably makes sense to consider your certifiability across a number of topical areas or vendor-specific programs as you create your own sequence of certifications (which we call a “custom certification ladder”).
Here's what we cover in this chapter:
We explain how you might rate any arbitrary certification, according to a number of criteria, including average time to completion, number of exams, average level of difficulty, self-study options available, and total expense. This isn't exactly the same as understanding a certification from the inside out, but it provides a workable, if “rough and ready,” way to compare certifications to one another. This creates a kind of recipe to let you rate any certification program that might catch your eye.
Next, we provide a set of ratings for the certifications covered in Chapters 2, “Microsoft Certification Programs,” through 10, “Prosoft's CIW Program,” in this book. These rankings should help you compare how the various certifications fit together and the order in which you might approach them.
Finally, we offer descriptions for the five mostly likely positions that involve certifications (PC technician, network administrator, security professional, internetworking professional, and programmer). In addition, we provide a set of descriptions of ideal job candidates who might fill those positions. We want to emphasize ideal in this section, because most candidates do not possess all the listed characteristics. By reading the descriptions and comparing them with your own knowledge base, you can decide where you might want to start your certification adventures and where they might wind up.
This chapter concludes with a section titled “Favorite Certification Ladders,” in which we report on the most common certification sequences that IT professionals appear to be following. This should give you an opportunity to stack up the results of your own investigations and assessments against the combinations that seem to occur most frequently in the IT community.
Assuming that you've read the material in the rest of this book, we start this section by mentioning what most experts and IT professionals consider to be the most important criteria when rating IT certifications. As each criterion is introduced, it is defined and explained. Each criterion falls into some range of values, which we also explore and explain. Finally, we explain how to map a criterion's position in its value range into some kind of ranking value. For example, given that certifications can take from one month to two years to complete, we could use the number of months as a ranking value, or we could divide the number of months by 2.4 (to map 24 months into a 10-point scale).
At the end of the ranking exercise, you can simply add the ranking values for all criteria to calculate a ranking score for the certification. Then you can compare ranking values to decide how certifications compare to one another. We provide a table that gives this type of ranking for the certifications covered in Chapters 2 through 10; it should give you a good idea of how to apply this recipe to other certifications.
There is some room for fudge factors here. Mapping all ranges into the same scale for each criterion gives all criteria equal weight. Mapping some ranges into bigger scales gives their associated criteria greater weight because we add values to calculate a certification's overall ranking. Thus, we explain the weighting that our formula gives to various criteria so that you'll understand how to change the ranking characteristics. If you decide you don't like our approach, you can create your own!
Throughout this book, we explain some of the most important criteria related to the various certifications that are covered. However, other factors should be considered as well. That's why this chapter contains some information that isn't mentioned in Chapters 2 through 10.
We use the following criteria to rank the certifications:
Career level—. This criterion assigns one of four values to a certification, based on how it's positioned for candidates: Entry level or beginner gets a value of 2, intermediate or novice gets a value of 4, advanced or senior level gets a value of 6, and expert or specialist level gets a value of 8. Thus, A+ certification would be worth 2 on this scale, and CCIE certification would be worth 8.
Average time to completion—. This criterion lists the average of the fastest known time to completion and the longest reasonable time to completion for the certification, unless the certification itself includes a time requirement. For example, the fastest MCSE 4.0 completion that we've ever heard about was one month; a long but not unreasonable completion time is 24 months. Thus, we set the average at 12 months. This squares up nicely against an analysis of average completion times in the “real world.”
Number of exams—. This criterion involves the number of exams that candidates must pass to obtain certification. It does not take into account the average number of tries to pass an exam.
Cost of exams—. This criterion adds up the costs for all exams that candidates must pass to obtain certification. As with the preceding criterion, it does not take into account the average number of tries to pass any exam.
Experience requirement—. Some certifications are entirely amenable to book or classroom learning, whereas others are unapproachable without real-world, hands-on experience with the tools and technologies that such certifications cover. In this criterion we rank their requirement as low (2 points), medium (4 points), high (6 points), or extremely high (8 points). For this criterion, for example, we'd rate the Windows 2000 MCSE as high and the CCIE as extremely high.
Income potential—. Some certifications are pretty common or don't add much additional income potential to their holders. We rank a certification's income potential as low (2 points), medium (4 points), high (6 points), or extremely high (8 points). For this criterion, for example, we'd rate the Windows 2000 MCSE as medium and the Oracle Application Developer as extremely high. Some values are higher than 8 for “special cases,” such as the CCIE (14 points).
Although there are undoubtedly more criteria that we could use to rank certifications, these six produce values that are useful enough to make our comparisons interesting. For example, we could easily define another cost metric that uses the average cost for Web-based training because many certification programs offer that kind of education today. As it turns out, though, that particular ranking adds little value to the existing data because it stays in line with the values for self-study cost and classroom cost.
Table 12.1 ranks a total of 59 certifications that appear in Chapters 2 through 10 according to the six criteria. To save space, we've shortened the longer certification monikers (we associate all nonobvious abbreviations with chapter numbers in the Notes column; this should help you figure out what they mean).
This is what the column headings mean:
Name—. Provides a moniker for a certification. The moniker is associated with a chapter number in parentheses in the Notes column for those that aren't obvious.
Level—. Defines a job ranking for a certification as entry level (2), intermediate (4), advanced (6), or expert (8).
Time—. Defines the average time to completion of the certification, in months.
# Exams—. Totals the number of exams required to complete the certification.
Cost—. Totals the cost for the exams that must be taken to complete the certification. We divide this number by 100 to scale it to the other ranking values.
Experience—. Defines how much hands-on experience is required to attain this certification. Valid values are low (2), medium (4), high (6), and extremely high (8).
$$$—. Defines the income potential for holders of this certification. Valid values are low (2), medium (4), high (6), and extremely high (8). Some values are higher than that for special cases, such as the CCIE (which gets a 14).
Rank—. Sums the total of all ranking values for the certification.
Note—. Points to a numbered footnote or chapter that might document assumptions, expand a moniker, or provide additional information.
One final note: To facilitate easy lookup, the certification monikers are listed in alphabetical order.
Table 12.1. Relative Rankings for IT Certifications
Name | Level | Time | # Exams | Cost | Experience | $$$ | Rank | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A+ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2.78 | 4 | 2 | 15.78 | 1 |
CCDA | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1.25 | 4 | 4 | 17.25 | |
CCDP | 6 | 12 | 4 | 5.00 | 6 | 6 | 39 | 2 |
CCIE | 8 | 24 | 2 | 15.50 | 8 | 14 | 71.5 | 3 |
CCIP | 6 | 12 | 3 | 3.75 | 6 | 6 | 36.75 | |
CCNA | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1.25 | 4 | 4 | 17.25 | |
CCNP | 6 | 12 | 4 | 5.00 | 6 | 6 | 39 | 4 |
CCSP | 6 | 12 | 5 | 6.25 | 6 | 6 | 41.25 | |
CDE | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6.45 | 6 | 6 | 33.45 | |
CISSP | 5 | 12 | 1 | 4.50 | 6 | 6 | 34.5 | |
CIW Prof | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2.50 | 4 | 4 | 22.5 | 5 |
CNA | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1.25 | 4 | 2 | 13.25 | |
CNE | 6 | 14 | 6 | 8.50 | 6 | 4 | 44.5 | 5 |
CNI | 8 | 6 | 2 | 15.50 | 8 | 6 | 45.5 | 6 |
CTT+ | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5.98 | 6 | 6 | 28.98 | 7 |
e-Biz+ | 6 | 12 | 1 | 1.99 | 6 | 4 | 30.99 | 8 |
HTI+ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3.98 | 4 | 2 | 16.98 | 8 |
i-Net+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1.99 | 4 | 4 | 17.99 | 8 |
6 | 12 | 1 | 1.99 | 6 | 4 | 30.99 | 8 | |
Java Arch | 6 | 6 | 3 | 5.50 | 6 | 6 | 32.5 | (See Ch. 5) |
Java Dev | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4.00 | 4 | 6 | 24 | (See Ch. 5) |
Java Prog | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1.50 | 4 | 6 | 20.5 | (See Ch. 5) |
LCA | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3.96 | 4 | 4 | 27.96 | |
LCE | 6 | 8 | 4 | 3.96 | 6 | 4 | 31.96 | |
LCP | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1.00 | 4 | 2 | 13 | |
Linux+ | 4 | 9 | 1 | 1.99 | 2 | 4 | 21.99 | 8 |
LPIC L1 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2.00 | 4 | 4 | 22 | (See Ch. 8) |
LPIC L2 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2.00 | 6 | 4 | 26 | (See Ch. 8) |
LPIC L3 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2.00 | 8 | 6 | 32 | 9 (See Ch. 8) |
MCAD | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3.75 | 4 | 4 | 23.75 | |
MCDBA | 6 | 10 | 4 | 5.00 | 6 | 6 | 37 | |
MCIW Admin | 6 | 12 | 4 | 5.00 | 6 | 6 | 39 | (See Ch.10) |
MCIW Design | 6 | 9 | 3 | 3.75 | 6 | 6 | 33.75 | (See Ch. 10) |
MCIW Enter-prise | 8 | 18 | 8 | 10.00 | 6 | 6 | 56 | (See Ch. 10) |
MCIW SiteMan | 8 | 10 | 5 | 6.25 | 4 | 4 | 37.25 | (See Ch. 10) |
MCNE | 8 | 18 | 4 | 5.00 | 6 | 6 | 47 | |
MCP | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1.25 | 2 | 2 | 10.25 | |
MCSA | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5.00 | 4 | 4 | 27 | |
6 | 10 | 5 | 6.25 | 6 | 6 | 39.25 | ||
MCSE | 6 | 14 | 7 | 8.75 | 6 | 4 | 45.75 | |
MCT | 8 | 6 | 2 | 15.50 | 8 | 8 | 47.5 | 10 |
MLCE | 8 | 12 | 4 | 3.96 | 8 | 8 | 43.96 | |
MOS Core | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0.90 | 2 | 2 | 8.9 | 11 |
MOS Exp | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0.90 | 4 | 2 | 15.9 | 12 |
MOS Mstr | 4 | 8 | 5 | 4.50 | 4 | 4 | 29.5 | 13 |
NAI | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3.25 | 8 | 3 | 27.25 | 14 |
Network+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1.99 | 4 | 4 | 17.99 | 8 |
OCP-iDS | 8 | 15 | 4 | 5.00 | 8 | 8 | 48 | 5 |
OCP-DBA-Prof | 6 | 12 | 5 | 6.25 | 6 | 8 | 43.25 | 5 |
RHCE | 6 | 6 | 1 | 7.49 | 6 | 4 | 30.49 | 15 |
RHCT | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3.49 | 4 | 4 | 20.49 | 15 |
S-GSEC | 6 | 12 | 1+ | 24.30 | 6 | 6 | 36.3 | 16 |
S-Int | 8 | 12 | 2+ | 14.00 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 17 |
SSCP | 4 | 8 | 1 | 2.95 | 4 | 4 | 23.95 | |
Security+ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1.99 | 4 | 4 | 17.99 | 8 |
Server+ | 4 | 12 | 1 | 1.99 | 6 | 4 | 28.9 | 8 |
Solaris-Net | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1.50 | 6 | 4 | 24.5 | |
Solaris-Sys | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3.00 | 4 | 4 | 23 | |
2 | 6 | 1 | 2.95 | 2 | 4 | 17.95 | ||
1. To set the cost value, we used the higher test cost for both exams at once for non-CompTIA members. 2. We chose the four-exam track for CCDP, with associated exam costs, for calculating values. Prerequisite certifications are not included in the exam cost calculation. 3. We gave CCIE certification the highest employment value ($$$) rating of all certifications mentioned here. 4. We chose the four-exam track for CCNP, with associated exam costs, for calculating values. CCNA prerequisites are not included in the exam cost calculation. 5. We used the highest possible number of exams to tabulate exam count and costs. 6. We used the cost of the Novell “train-the-trainer” class to calculate cost, as it's required in lieu of a CTT+ or other trainer status. 7. The exam cost includes the estimated dollar amount for video preparation. 8. We used the exam pricing for non-CompTIA members to calculate exam costs. 9. These exams are not yet available, so neither is pricing; we assumed that costs would be the same as for Level 1 exams. 10. We used the cost of exams and other preparation costs, including the Microsoft Trainer Kit. 11. This row covers both the MOS Proficient certification for Office 2000 topics and the MOS Core certification for Office XP topics. 12. This row covers the MOS Expert certification for both Office 2000 and Office XP topics. 13. This row covers the MOS Master certification for both Office 2000 and Office XP topics. 14. The exam cost includes the costs of two Novell exams and the $75 annual fee. 15. The exam cost is based only on the cost of the exam and does not include the optional training course. 16. S-GSEC is the SANS-GIAC Security Essentials Certification. Our figures are based on the average cost for online/in-class training and certification; a practical project is also required, which is why the # Exams column reads 1+. 17. S-Int stands for any of the SANS Intermediate certifications. Our figures are based on the lowest cost for online/in-class training and certification; a practical project is also required, which is why the # Exams column reads 2+. | ||||||||
Note
For additional information regarding the value of IT-related certifications in general, check out MediaTec Publishing's Certification Magazine online news article titled “Certification: Something of Value,” at www.certmag.com/issues/dec01/feature_gabelhouse.cfm. It's a detailed and interesting read.
Based on recent industry statistics, as many as 8 million individuals worldwide are at some stage in an IT certification process and haven't yet completed all the requirements for the certification. (Add to that between 12 and 15 million individuals who already have at least one certification, and you've got quite a crowd.) We're pretty sure that somewhere between double and four times that number are probably considering whether they should obtain some kind of IT certification. That's a huge audience!
The reason we included the descriptions in the following section is to help you evaluate your readiness to tackle an IT position that involves a technical certification of some kind by comparing what you know against what employers fondly hope that ideal candidates know. Going through this exercise should also help you figure out what you need to learn to prepare yourself for the exams that any IT certification inevitably requires.
Although there is nearly an infinite number of potential job roles for IT professionals in the workplace, we stick to discussing the five job roles that our research tells us are the most likely to employ certified individuals. As you ponder your own options, if your goals don't match at least one of these roles, don't lose heart: You can still learn more about your area of interest after reading them over and comparing what you already know to what employers think you need to know.
In the list that follows, we describe these five job roles; in the section “What Ideal Job Candidates Look Like,” we describe an ideal job candidate for each one. Because so few of us are ideal, it should come as no surprise that few real candidates can stand up to a perfect paper ideal. Although the requirements for any of these roles may seem formidable, they are by no means impossible to meet. However, you should be keenly aware that it takes time, some expense, and hard work to get through any certification process.
The descriptions of the following five job roles are based on six years of emails from readers, IT industry and certification surveys, a thorough and ongoing review of most major IT certification programs (that's what drives this whole book, in fact), and some interesting discussions with other certification gurus at recent trade shows:
PC technician—. PC technicians handle basic technical support for IT infrastructures or provide help desk functions and services. They cover everything from standard hardware and commodity software to supporting custom in-house applications and services. The most common certification for PC technicians is A+ certification from CompTIA.
Network administrator—. Network administrators support IT infrastructures by installing, configuring, and managing desktop and server machines. They are also usually responsible for installing, configuring, and maintaining common network services, including file, print, fax, and Internet access. More senior network administrators may also manage custom or enterprise-level applications and services, including accounting systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and database environments. Common certifications for network administrators include credentials such as Microsoft's MCSE and Novell's CNE and MCNE.
Security professional—. Security professionals support IT and business infrastructures by analyzing and evaluating networks and systems from a security perspective. They are usually responsible for eliciting, defining, documenting, deploying, and administering an organization's or a company's security policy, in all the many and glorious forms that such a policy can take. This means they work with routers, firewalls, gateways, and intrusion detection systems, perform security audits, respond to virus infestations, and so on. Security professionals often work inside organizations, where they generally belong to some kind of centralized IT group, or outside organizations, where they function as security consultants to all kinds of customers. Common certifications for security professionals include the SANS-GIAC, CISSP, TICSA, CCSP, and Security+ certifications, among many others (see Chapter 7, “Security Certifications,” for a reminder of all the details).
Internetworking professional—. Internetworking professionals manage complex network infrastructures that are most usually TCP/IP based, plus related routing, name services, security structures, and more. Whether an organization connects to the Internet, operates its own intranet, or is part of an extranet, internetworking professionals make these complex collections of wide and local area networks work. Common certifications for internetworking professionals are Cisco's CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE certifications.
Programmer—. Programmers create in-house systems, help make Web sites interactive, and customize and deploy complex software such as database or ERP systems. In short, programmers take the software building blocks that make up most modern IT environments, put those pieces together, and tailor them to suit the unique information processing needs in modern organizations. Common certifications for programmers include MCSD certification, Sun's Java credentials, and Oracle and CIW Master Enterprise Developer certifications.
As you consider any particular job role, remember that these are the most heavily populated job roles that employ certified individuals: Lots of people already occupy these roles. By extension, because others have walked these paths ahead of you, you should be able to reach your certification goals as well. It's not like you're a brave pioneer, going where no IT professional has gone before. If others can do it (and, in fact, have done it), so can you!
For each of the five job roles outlined in the preceding section, we next provide a list of ideal characteristics. Remember that these are ideal candidates, and only a chosen few real candidates can match all the characteristics covered.
Careful review of each of these “wish lists” for ideal candidates shows that there's at least a bachelor's degree lurking in these requirements (if not a master's degree for the internetworking professional and the programmer). To understand this “certification landscape,” it's helpful to recognize what the various acronyms stand for and how they relate to particular job functions. Even so, only a very select few individuals can meet all requirements for any particular role, so you shouldn't expect to put checkmarks next to every item. It gives you something meaty to aim for, though.
An ideal PC technician has the following knowledge and skills:
Understands PC hardware, including motherboards, CPUs, RAM, interface cards, hard disks and various removable media, keyboards, mouse devices, and display devices, including installation, troubleshooting, and repair.
Understands device drivers, including how to locate, download, install, troubleshoot, and replace them. Also understands how drivers work with software, including DMA and IRQs, and how to detect and resolve hardware conflicts.
Understands PC operating systems, including DOS, multiple versions of Windows (such as 9x, NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP), Linux, and Mac OS. Knows how to install, configure, patch, upgrade, and troubleshoot operating system software and services.
Understands PC applications, including common productivity applications, email, graphics, Web browsers, and other everyday software components. Is able to install, configure, upgrade, and install such software.
Possesses usable customer support skills, including listening skills, the ability to replicate problems, the ability to provide solutions, and strong people skills.
An ideal network administrator has the following knowledge and skills:
Understands basic principles of networking, including cable, NICs, and networking hardware of all kinds.
Understands common networking protocols, including TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, NetBEUI, NetBIOS, and AppleTalk, as needed.
Understands one or more network operating systems (such as NetWare, Linux/Unix, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows .NET Server). Knows how to design, configure, install, maintain, and troubleshoot server and desktop installations.
Understands key network services, including name and directory services, file and print services, distributed applications, email, news, HTTP, DNS (and possibly WINS), DHCP, plus other services, as required.
Knows how to install, configure, maintain, update, and troubleshoot such services.
Interacts intelligently with ISPs or long-haul communications providers and works with VPNs, encryption, authentication, and security services to establish safe, usable connections with the Internet and external service providers.
Works with users to provide appropriate network services, technical training, technical support, capacity planning, and needs analysis to make sure that applications and services delivered meet user and organization requirements.
An ideal security professional has the following knowledge and skills:
Understands basic principles of computer and network security, including physical, software, and human security requirements and considerations.
Is well versed in formulating, analyzing, implementing, updating, and maintaining security policies, practices, and procedures.
Understands secure protocols, services, transports, and so on, including VPNs, encryption, privacy mechanisms, public key infrastructure (PKI), IP Security (IPSec), and so forth.
Understands key security services and devices, including screening routers, firewalls, proxy servers, and intrusion detection systems, and how best to install, configure, and deploy such systems and services to implement security policies.
Observes and monitors security exploits, news, and events keenly and consistently to keep abreast of recent developments and to forestall the perpetration of successful break-ins or use of vulnerabilities on the systems and networks for which he or she is responsible.
Works with users and managers to provide appropriate security services, technical training, technical support, and needs analysis to make sure that future growth and technology changes occur within a well-secured network and systems environment.
An ideal internetworking professional has the following knowledge and skills:
Understands networking thoroughly, including cable, NICs, routers, gateways, switches, hubs, and other local and wide area networking hardware and connections. Knows how to install, configure, upgrade, maintain, and troubleshoot all networking and internetworking elements.
Understands how to specify, procure, install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot remote network services for access to service providers, private networks, VPNs, and other internetwork connections. Understands technologies from POTS to ATM, including ISDN; X.25; Frame Relay; T1, T3, and so on; E1, E3, and so on; and cable modems. Is able to manage ISPs and long-haul communications providers, including specification, procurement, installation, configuration, maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting.
Understands key internetworking services, including directory and name services, DNS (possibly also WINS), and DHCP, and how these services interact with switches, routers, and other key elements of the internetworking infrastructure.
Understands routing protocols, services, and management, including interior and exterior routing protocols, RIP, OSPF, EGP, BGP, and other routing protocols and services as required.
Understands network security and integrity principles, practices, and services, including such things as authentication, security hardware, Kerberos v5, PKI, and intrusion detection systems. Knows how to specify, procure, install, configure, maintain, upgrade, and troubleshoot related hardware and software elements.
Works with users to provide appropriate network services, technical training, technical support, capacity planning, and needs analysis to make sure the applications and services delivered meet user and organization requirements.
An ideal programmer has the following knowledge and skills:
Thoroughly understands one or more high-level programming languages, such as Java, Python, Visual Basic, C++, C, and so on. Is able to architect, design, implement, test, debug, troubleshoot, and maintain simple and complex systems.
Thoroughly understands one or more scripting languages, such as JavaScript, Perl, WSH, Unix shells,
sed, andawk. Is able to automate routine tasks using such languages and perform arbitrary tasks to manipulate files, parse text input, and translate data among multiple forms and formats.Understands modern programming principles, including object-oriented design, distributed programming techniques, client/server software design, implementation, testing, debugging, and maintenance.
Understands principles and practices for production software development, including version control, code libraries, source control systems, documentation, code reviews, testing tools and methodology, and software release management.
Understands principles behind interactive Web pages and Web-based applications, including one or more of JavaServer Pages, Java servlets, Active Server Pages, and ActiveX controls.
Frankly, there are so many ways to slice and dice this information that it's almost scary. We've chosen to present these certification ladders in terms of the job roles listed in the preceding section. That's because these roles seem to fit directly into the most commonly climbed certification ladders better than anything else does.
If you combine these ladders with the rankings from the section “Rating Certifications,” earlier in this chapter, and the ideal candidate descriptions from the preceding section, you should be able to decide where to start your own certification ladder. You should also be able to figure out how to climb that ladder's rungs in whatever way works best for you.
Here, then, are the top five job role–related certification ladders, based on the earlier descriptions of the job roles they match:
PC technician—. A+ remains the most popular entry-level certification for PC technicians and can be enough to help you get your foot in the door for an entry-level help desk or technical support position. The next rung could include one of the ancillary help desk certifications mentioned in Chapter 11, “More Certification Programs.” From there, it's wise to specialize in a desktop operating system, which probably means obtaining an MCP for Windows 2000 Professional exam (70-210). After that, MCSE or CNE certification might make sense if you want to advance to the next most popular certification ladder, network administrator.
Network administrator (Novell flavor)—. A Novell network administrator may start with A+ and then get Network+ and CNE (and optionally MCNE) certification. Unless you know you'll be working with an older version of NetWare, you should follow the most current NetWare track. If your NetWare network uses TCP/IP, you should select the Internet Security Management with BorderManager exam (50-650) as an elective. If you're pursuing MCNE certification, you should take whichever of these exams that you can count as electives: Network Management Using ManageWise 2.7 (50-660), Managing Netscape Enterprise Server for NetWare (50-712), or Internet Security Management with BorderManager (50-650).
Network administrator (Microsoft flavor)—. A Microsoft network administrator may start with A+ and then get Network+, optionally jump to MCSA, and then get MCSE certifications. Unless you have interests somewhat off the beaten track, you should start off with the four required core exams, in numeric order: 70-210: Windows 2000 Professional, 70-215: Windows 2000 Server, 70-216: Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure, and 70-217: Windows 2000 Directory Services. If you pause at the MCSA level, you should take 70-218 before 70-216 or 70-218, and you should be sure to choose an elective that works for both MCSA and MCSE.
After that, you can take two electives in areas that interest you. Be sure to take the newest exam that makes sense when multiple versions are available, as with SQL Server and Exchange; if you already did the MCSA, you need take only one more objective at this point. Cap off your MCSE with the elective core exam of your choice: 70-219: Designing Windows 2000 Directory Services, 70-220: Designing Secure Windows 2000 Networks, 70-221: Designing Windows 2000 Network Infrastructures, or 70-226: Designing Highly Available Web Solutions with Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Technologies.
Note
Alternative approaches might focus on Linux or Solaris instead of Microsoft. Linux certifications come in multiple levels, and CompTIA's Linux+ (or one of the various Level 1 certifications) is a good start. You can then move up to Levels 2 and 3. Solaris certifications start with system administration and then move up to network administration.
Security professional—. A security professional may start with A+ and then get Network+ and i-Net+ certifications. Next, you need to take either the CIW Security Professional exam or Microsoft exam 70-220: Designing Secure Windows 2000 Networks. After that, you can tackle the SSCP, TICSA, or Security+ exam. You can climb to the highest tier in this field by tackling the CISSP or the SANS-GIAC upper-level certifications as an excellent culmination to this ladder. Don't worry—ongoing recertification requirements will keep your knowledge base from going stale!
Internetworking professional—. An internetworking professional may start with A+ and then get Network+ and i-Net+ certifications. Next, you can begin climbing the Cisco ladder (detours for relevant Microsoft or Novell exams may be worth taking to qualify you for jobs that require network administration as well as internetworking tasks). You can start with CCNA, continue to CCNP, and go all the way to CCIE certification if you can take the heat. You should opt for the Routing and Switching track, unless you have compelling reasons to take the WAN Switching track.
Programmer (Microsoft flavor)—. A Microsoft programmer may start with some basic programming training, be it self-study of a popular Microsoft programming language such as Visual Basic, C++, or FoxPro, or classroom study of one or more of these topics. Next, you can get MCSD certification, with a focus on your programming language of choice (statistics say that this means Visual Basic, C++, or FoxPro, in order of popularity). You can take additional MCP classes as your interests dictate; this could also mean obtaining MCDBA certification if you decide to pursue database programming as a specialty and use Microsoft's SQL Server. If you're using other databases, you should pursue those certifications instead, if applicable. For Web-related development topics, you should peruse the MCSD curriculum carefully; there are developer courses and operator courses for technologies such as Site Server. You need to make sure you take the right ones.
Programmer (Java flavor)—. A Java programmer may start with some basic programming training and some exposure to object-oriented design concepts, tools, and techniques. Self-study, classroom, and online training options are widely available. You can take the Sun Java Programmer exam for your JDK of choice (we recommend the Java 2 JDK because it has the longest run still ahead of it). If you want to climb the Sun Java certification ladder, you should take the Sun Java Developer exams next; you can go on to the Sun Java Architect certification from there if you want. For other Java certifications—such as Netscape, IBM, and Novell—you should take on the intermediate certification next and decide whether you want to stop there or keep going.
By this time, you've probably noticed that although we said we were going to cover five job role ladders, we've actually documented seven. That's because two of those ladders—network administrator and programmer—come in two flavors each. It still adds up to five job role ladders, though.
When it comes to picking a common certification ladder or custom-crafting one of your own, you should let your working circumstances and ambitions be your guides to the rungs you choose and how you order them. Remember that hands-on experience is a key ingredient in earning any certification and that workplace exposure to the products and technologies in which you seek certification is the best way to get that experience. That way, you won't find yourself chasing a Cisco certification when there's no Cisco hardware or software around for you to play with. Should that ever happen to you, though, you need to do one of two things:
Find a new place to get your experience where there is some Cisco stuff to play with.
Choose a different certification—. hopefully, one for which there is some relevant hardware or software for you to play with in the workplace (or at another location where you can spend time and effort learning what you need to know).
Another way to approach the construction of a certification ladder is to take it from the top down (although this works metaphorically, don't try it literally). That is, start from where you'd like your ladder to culminate, and then determine what other steps or certifications might lead to that final step. For each preceding rung in the ladder, perform the same exercise, until you can get from where you are now to the next rung in your ladder with a single certification.
Although it can be hard to remember in the heat of pursuit, the application of a little common sense when choosing or building your own certification ladder can help ease the climb tremendously. Don't forget to take a break every now and then, compare your plans to the reality that surrounds you, and make whatever adjustments might be necessary. Go ahead: You can do it!