IT Masters or certification?

Novicaine15

Hi there,

I've just spent the year travelling and will be returning to Ireland soon. I'm just wondering about my next move career wise. I spent 5 years doing tech support on a helpdesk but I basically got fed up of it and then decided to travel the world. During the year away I worked for 6 months in Oz as a IT support officer for a small company supporting the companies front of house application as well as doing generic hardware/software support for everyone in the office. It was a different and more relaxed environment with only 3 of us in the IT dept. had a more chilled out vibe as well which I liked. My previous company had paid for me to do a software masters which I studied part time and completed half of the modules. But I couldnt face doing that job any longer. I'm trying to decide what Id actually like to do now in iT in terms of specialising in something. From talking to some people Id like to maybe become a IT system administrator. I've no interest in development really so I'm not sure if there's any point in finishing if I've not got a genuine interest in it. But I like supporting specific applications and would like to find out how I would look after a company network. So I'm thinking of doing an MCSA for windows server 2012. From looking at jobs on sites, this cert seems to hold more weight than say the Network + or am I wrong? I've heard the Linux and VMware certs are good as well and worth doing, hopefully Fas do these too. But am I right to do the MCSA first? How intense is it? Surely with my experience I shouldn't bother with the A+ certification. It's just im gettin to the age now I need to start making some decent money ).

IamMetaldave

MCSA is a windows certification, N+ is a non vendor specific network certification. They're totally different. If you want to be an administrator having both would be a benefit, but the MS ones would probably hold more to you in the shorter term for getting work. Linux admin is everywhere now and a great knowledge base to have as would having knowledge of VMware. From what you said, MS route seems to be ideal for you.

Novicaine15

Thanks for the advice, I'm hoping to get a decent job with a good company. I'm conscious of not falling into the same pattern again and starting with the correct cert that has relevance to what I actually want to do.

Novicaine15

Novicaine15 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, I'm hoping to get a decent job with a good company. I'm conscious of not falling into the same pattern again and starting with the correct cert that has relevance to what I actually want to do.

Another thing , I would have administered and worked on virtual servers daily that used windows 2008 and 2012 while in Oz. I wouldn't have looked after group policy myself but I would have made changes to user accounts and AD groups at each server location. I'd also administer the exchange for all the mail accounts too - adding people, removing people from mail groups where necessary. With this experience, would it be possible to go straight into the MCSA or would you recommend I do the N+ first? Just Worried I'm case I get caught out if the depth of information is too much.

L1011

Novicaine15 wrote: »

Another thing , I would have administered and worked on virtual servers daily that used windows 2008 and 2012 while in Oz. I wouldn't have looked after group policy myself but I would have made changes to user accounts and AD groups at each server location. I'd also administer the exchange for all the mail accounts too - adding people, removing people from mail groups where necessary. With this experience, would it be possible to go straight into the MCSA or would you recommend I do the N+ first? Just Worried I'm case I get caught out if the depth of information is too much.

I would go straight in to the MCSA - you're going to need the textbooks or other materials regardless, if you're wildly over your depth *then* consider the N+ before paying for any MCSA exams.

Eire Go Brach

I would say you would be fine with the MCSA. It's hard enough though. I'm doing it at present. With your experiences it should be easier.

DNS and subneting are the hardest parts for me. I would suggest reading some Microsoft MTA books. No point in you doing those exams. Try the networking or even the server one. You might find beneficial. Plus you get into the MS way of thinking if you do the MCSA.

TallGlass

Just on a side note, I wouldn't bother with the n+ I would head right in for the kill with the CCNA. Guy beside me in work has a+ and n+ he just book a course for the CCNA.

Get either the MS cert or the CCNA cert. I am working on my CCNA cert at the moment, then going to get the MS cert next while at the same time getting a degree started.

Novicaine15

After changing my mind a few times im thinking I may just do the MCSA first. May try and get my hands on the MTA books though, as I have never done any certs before, just with experience. I'm hoping the MCSA books make sense and easy to follow. I don't want to be dropped in at the deep end and not understand it, maybe network fundamentals would be a good MTA book to go over and give myself some foundation.