IT Certs going forward

jank

Im looking at next years training budget in my Dept and there seems to be a bit on offer. The boss is leaving soon and I can get him to approve courses for next year.
Just wondering what i should do.
I have done a fair amount already so im getting stuck on what to ask for.
Things i have done are MCSE 2003, MCDBA 2000, ITIL, CCNA, Doing CCNP routing exam in january fingers crossed. What else can i do?

I was thinking VCP (vmware) or maybe upgrading the MCDBA to a 2005 version?
CCNP courses are no longer offered in cork, which is a bummer as this is what i wanted to do.

Going travelling in october for a few years so what would ye recommend?

Ginger

The upgrade path for the MCDBA to MCITP DBA is a 2 exam path. You need the 447 upgrade exam and the MCTS 70-431 as well. Good certs to have under your belt, tho the new 2008 exams will be coming out mid next year I guess.

The MCTS SQL 2005 is very handy one i think. Head for that. Some of the other regular posters will be able to help you on the Cisco and infrastructure MCPs

Ginger

Where are you travelling to? And are you going to work there..

Static M.e.

It depends on what technology you use or plan to use.

VMware is definetly a hot cert right now, you could also look at getting
ITIL v3 Manager Cert.
Prince2
Upgrade course to MCITP:EA

jank

I plan to go to OZ and NZ for a few years and i plan to work in IT there.
Do you have any tips?

Was thinking of the SQL 2005 myself alright. But then will i wait for the 2008 stuff? Are there upgrade paths for 2000 to 2008?

Vmware is one cert and exam so ill prob def do that.
Plus would love to get to know the stuff as there is definately a future in it
But not sure what else to go with. SQL is meehh. Its ok like but im not a developer. Of course if i was stuck i could learn the stuff and its not too bad i suppose when you get interested in it. Just much prefer the infrastructure stuff
Not into prince or ITIL that much.

Wanted to do the CCNP but it got canceled as i mentioned.

Cheers

Ginger

If you are going to be in Sydney, Cisco have an operation there and the North Shore is all high tech with all the big IT names having a presence there in some shape or form. Plus most of the telcos have ops there as well as the big financial and consulting houses.

DOnt know if there will be an upgrade path from 2000 to 2008 but I would doubt it being very honest. THink it will be only 2000 -> 2005 -> 2008 similar to the MCSA/MCSE on 2000 and 2003 to the new MCITP EA on Server 2008.

I worked in Sydney for a couple of months doing web development work in 2004/2005 when the market was rising again, and I was only travelling and subsidsing my partying by working so wasnt too pushed. Market should be still quite good I should think.

Pay rates will be lower than Ireland but the cost of living is lower too so when I was getting 40K AUD (about 26KEUR), i was living quite well. Couldnt tell you what the rates are like now.

If you are an infrastructre head, do the 2008 Server exams and get them out of the way. Having the old and new certs as well as cisco cert will deffo make it easier to land a decent consulting role

mick.fr

Forget about VMWARE, in a few months the company is not going to be worth a lot :-)

Static M.e.

mick.fr wrote: »

Forget about VMWARE, in a few months the company is not going to be worth a lot :-)

Why do you say that? Microsofts Hyper V?

mick.fr

Static M.e. wrote: »

Why do you say that? Microsofts Hyper V?

Yep and all the related new MS VM enterprise tools.

_CreeD_

You're trusting Microsoft to outdo the market leader in Virtualization? They've already tried many times and failed. VMware dominates the first major wave of virtualization worldwide, even if Msoft's offering was much better and VMWare dropped the ball the existing level of adoption and visibility for VMware means it will be a long time before it is 'useless'.

For the OP. Do what you're interested in and you actually need. Having certs in areas you don't have experience in is actually a turn off for a lot of Technical Managers, MCSE/CCNA+CCNP can all be related to admin. experience but if you also have things like SQL with no actual position that used it on your resume they may presume that some of your other certs are also just done for show (even if not). The job market's relationship with certification is getting trickier and trickier

merkuree

Agreed...

MCSA/E+CCNA+CCNP will get you some good gigs outside of Ireland.

A proven track record and experience in industry is really what hiring managers are looking at.....continuous improvement through certs and training are important ......

However, any professional company worth working for will put you through a thorough technical assessment as part of the interview process.....and these assesment tend to be more real world as opposed to cert world.

But then again, these are the companies that are worth working for and will elevate your career.

ntlbell

mick.fr wrote: »

Yep and all the related new MS VM enterprise tools.

What have MS done to you?

Poor kid, looks like there's no saving you...........

To the OP have you looked inti CISSP?

What interests you?