How to become a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

As a professional certifications add value to your CV from the point of view of potential employers. Not only do they demonstrate that you have a certain level of knowledge in a given area but they also demonstrate that you can apply yourself to a project or task and are able to see it through to a successful completion. This article explains how to go about becoming a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).

To become a CCNA you will need to pass either:

Exam - 640-821 INTRO and Exam - 640-811 ICND or Exam - 640-801 CCNA (a composite of the above two exams).

In order to sit the exams you will need to register with an authorised test centre and a fee is involved (currently around ?84 plus VAT). You can do this at Pearson VUE or Thomson Prometric. You should be able to find a location and date that suits you. (If you are attending the below courses your training provider should help you with this.)

In order to gain the necessary knowledge to pass these exams Cisco recommends the following courses:

INTRO - Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies (http://www.inventioconsulting.co.uk/intro.htm) ICND - Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices (http://www.inventioconsulting.co.uk/icnd.htm)

Self study is also an option and is cheaper than sitting the courses. Self study guides can be bought at online bookstores such as Amazon.co.uk

Either way whether you are attending courses or doing the self study it is advisable to spend time reading up from your course notes or books and doing some of the practice exams which can be found at various websites to build your knowledge and gain confidence before sitting the exams.

About the Author: David Carrier founded Inventio Consulting (http://www.inventioconsulting.co.uk) in 2003 and has over 10 years experience in the IT training and education industry.

MCSE Boot Camp ? Back To Basic Training

A web search using the words MCSE Courses turns up literally hundreds, if not thousands of search results. Everything from MCSE Boot camp which guarantees certification ready candidates in 16 days, to three week resort hotel-stay training regimes in India. Many online programs are also available?with self study materials. Many local or community colleges offer programs in MCSE certification.

In determining the best route for you as a potential MCSE certification applicant, it makes sense to review a number of different options for completing your MCSE courses. Factors such as available financing and cost, quality of the instructors and course materials, length of time required, self-study or group learning, and availability of job location assistance upon completion of the MCSE courses should be taken into consideration in determining the optimum plan of action.

Depending on your personal work situation, some companies may be prepared to assist employees to take MCSE courses during working hours or may be willing to finance or reimburse employees to gain certification on their own time. The benefits to the company are obvious?an employee is able to stay current in their field, job longevity is assured, and the employee feels more loyalty to the company. Find more info at http://www.mcsecourses4u.info

Even if you have decided to go the MCSE courses alone?it is wise to get the advice of an IT professional as to the best way to approach your goal. Establish a mentoring relationship with someone who is willing to provide advice and perhaps even some technical, hands-on experience. Self-study is important in that much work once in the field is done by an individual, but MCSE professionals also work in an environment where people are involved, so learning to work with people can be critical in successfully utilizing the formal MCSE courses in order to effectively accomplish required tasks in the working world.

Lisa Anderson is a proud contributing author. Find more articles here. For more info visit MCSE Courses or MCSE Distance Learning

How to Pass the MCSE 2003

When I started down the certification path towards my MCSE 2003, I really didnt know where to start. Of course, as a helpdesk support person for 2 years I knew that being MCSE 2003 Certified would increase my chances of being promoted to a systems administration job or securing a new, higher paid role with another company.

So I first went to Microsoft's MCSE Certification website to find out which exams I needed to pass. Sure, I wanted to pass these MCSE 2003 exams, but I didnt want to cheat using braindumps which are not only illegal, but I think defeat the whole purpose of being MCSE 2003 Certified in the first place. What I wanted was the pass my MCSE 2003 exams, but actually UNDERSTAND and LEARN the material, so that way, I could hold my head up high, knowing that my skills would match my MCSE 2003 status.

Once I knew which exams I had to pass, I went out and searched the web for more information about each exam. I bought the core set of MCSE 2003 Microsoft Press books from Amazon, but in all honesty, they werent a lot of help. I also bought a few exam preparation software packages, which did help somewhat, but only for last minute revisions...as study and learning material they were grossly ineffective.

It took me a while to find the right information, but finally I came across the CBT Video site, Winstructor.Com. Actually I cant take all of the credit for it, one of our systems administrators recommended them. So I signed up to Winstructor for 12 months and downloaded their MCSE 2003 Training Videos. Now this is what I had been missing.

As far as training goes, I am a convert to CBT, or Computer Based Training. The thing I liked about these videos was that I could watch them over and over until I fully understood what is being taught. During the time that I was watching these videos, I did have a couple of questions relating to different exams. Not only did Winstructor support take the time to answer my questions, which they didnt have to do, but they also gave me the ultimate piece of advice.

"When studying for your MCSE 2003, pick one exam, concentrate on it and forget the others exist. Once you've passed it, only then move onto the next"

Whilst this sounds quite obvious, there I was, wasting my time reviewing subjects that were'nt being tested. Only once it was mentioned to me, did I realize what I was doing and focused on the immediate goal of the exam I was trying to pass.

So if you want to pass your MCSE 2003 like I did, here is what I recommend.

* Visit Microsoft.Com and create a list of the exams that you need to study for and pass.

* Sign up to Winstructor.Com for 12 Months and download their videos.

* Pick 1 exam, only 1, and concentrate on it. Dont be tempted to look at the others.

* When you watch the Winstructor Videos, have 2 computers or a copy of Microsoft Virutal PC handy and Lab out what you're learning. You'll be so surprised at how much more you'll retain and understand about what you're learning.

* If you do fail an exam, get over it, move on. Its not the end of the world. No-one but you will know, so study the areas where you went wrong and you'll be fine the next time around. I found that the areas I did poorly on are now some of my best subjects since I took the time to really learn them and that learning sticks in your memory.

* Enjoy learning and studying for your MCSE 2003. If you dont like learning about IT, then maybe you're in the wrong job.

Best of luck in your exams.

Jason Stan regularly reviews Computer Based Training and some of his reviews can be found at http://www.CBTReview.Com. This article may be reproduced as long as all links remain intact.

Microsoft MCSA Certifications Serves Many Purposes

The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator or MCSA training certification qualifies the user's learning in system administration of Microsoft Windows operating systems and is generally simpler than--without losing its significance--the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer or MCSE.

The Windows Server 2003 MCSA is usually achieved after passing two networking system examinations, a client-operating system examination--generally Microsoft Windows XP--as well as an elective examination. The Windows Server 2000 MCSA title is given after taking three Core exams and one elective. Although the Microsoft MCSA isn't inferior to the MCSE, it is possible to earn the Microsoft MCSA on the way to an MCSE--without taking any examinations during MCSA training--that are irrelevant to the MCSE on Windows 2000.

The MCSE enables certification for an individual's ability to plan, design and execute Microsoft Windows server solutions and structural designs in medium to large-sized companies. The Microsoft MCSA certifies the individual's ability to implement, manage, as well as maintain the routinely complex computing setting of medium- to large-sized companies.

Much akin to the MCSE, the MCSA is available as "MCSA on Windows 2000" and "MCSA on Windows 2003" in the effective Microsoft MCSA training courses. There are two specializations for both tracks: Messaging and Security in Microsoft MCSA training. In MCSA training, Microsoft Press has several books on the market towards preparation for Microsoft MCSA certification examinations. Books and training manuals are usually the starting place to explore options for various types of Microsoft Certification. Outside of the Microsoft Press books are other reputable publishers like Sybex. In addition to non-fiction reference, Microsoft Learning covers certain courses during the Microsoft MCSA training course.

Former candidates and MCSA training experts recommend not only reading more than one book, but using a good amount of quality time practicing the principles on computers in a quiet, test environment. Once practicing and reading is fulfilled, it's highly recommended to take sample examinations prior to taking the Microsoft MCSA test.

There was a small controversy regarding the usefulness of the questions asked during the Microsoft MCSA training examination. Microsoft rectified the problem in later programs for the Server 2000 segment and the Server 2003 segment by increasing the difficulty of the tests as it focused on practical skills. Microsoft MCSA training can be read online at http://www.unitek.com/training/mcsa_bootcamp.php.

Shannon Margolis
IT Marketing Coordinator
www.unitek.com