The IT Certification Megathread: Straight Outta CompTIA

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Serious Hardware/Software Crap > The IT Certification Megathread: Straight Outta CompTIA

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Is there a preferred set of recommended practice tests for the latest A+ set of certifications? I'm currently doing most of my work in computer configurations, in spite of the fact that I got hired (contract) without specifically having said cert. (A+)

Also weighing to see if I should get A+ out of the way before completing MD-101...Mostly so I can get hired officially and start to get on track for gaps I'm lacking currently, and begin to focus more on security, if for no other reason that security will continue to be in demand.

Edit : I currently have CCNA (the older routing/switching skillset)

# ¿ May 22, 2020 08:29

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# ¿ May 2, 2024 21:59

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Thanks Ants posted:

Has somebody told you that you have to get an A+? A CCNA is a far more impressive qualification to hold than an A+.

A+ more as it relates to the current position itself. (which isn't a completely ignoble reason) Let's just say that the current place I work, has plenty of room to advance beyond computer janitor.

Getting hired, means more potential resources to getting better certs. And perhaps a bit of a better break on costs?

Edit : Or, if not actually getting hired, appearing more advantageous for the next contract?

Killer_B fucked around with this message at 09:35 on May 22, 2020

# ¿ May 22, 2020 09:26

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Are there any recommended practice-related exams for certifications on Udemy or similar web-based learning platform?

I guess it would sort of depend on the exam, of course. It's more so I can get a rough idea of which portions of the exams I'd need to be focusing more heavily with. (A+, N+ to start)

Nothing's going to replace cold, hard time spent studying, for sure. Just want to make sure I'm trying to be efficient about it.

# ¿ Jun 28, 2020 01:29

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

rngd in the womb posted:

Check out DionTraining. He has his website and is on Udemy. His practice tests are pretty good and close to the real thing. They go on sale pretty often too. I got my A+ recently this way.

Dion's Udemy course with the practice tests are part of what I used to pass both exams for the A+. Not so sure I found much as far as prep for PBQ's however - I do suppose that there is no perfect resource in this manner though.

# ¿ Oct 27, 2020 08:46

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

BaseballPCHiker posted:

First off congratulations. A LOT of people talk about getting their CCNA and a basic understanding of networking and never actually end up doing it.

Start applying anywhere and everywhere that you can. Just based on my limited experience try and get in somewhere small and broke. You'll learn so much jury-rigging stupid setups together, and those orgs arent able to afford senior people so you can come in and basically get plenty of experience by being thrown into the deep end.

Just dont stay that long and try to leave on good terms. Positions at places like that can and will burn you out if you try to become the sole technical savior.

As someone who got their CCNA, (before they revised it earlier this year) I sort of wish that I'd taken Network+ simultaneously/instead of CCNA alone, simply as someone who didn't have previous tech/tech support experience previously.

I might simply just not be looking at jobs that are more Cisco-centric so far as experience/skills go, they've tended to lean quite hard more towards the Comptia-branded certs instead where I am, or it's been suggested that CCNA isn't exactly an entry-level cert to begin with.

TL;DR, Have CCENT/CCNA, more recently A+, undecided if I should have taken N+ first to begin with.

# ¿ Oct 27, 2020 08:54

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Famethrowa posted:

I may have an opportunity to do my CCNA through school for mega-cheap. Is BGP at all included in the test? If so, I definitely need more study time before taking it, lol

This post was a huge boost in deciding to go for it. I'm excited to search for these types of jobs.

I don't recall BGP being mentioned on the exam itself, possibly outside of the value for Administrative Distance.

However, this was when I took the exam a bit over a year ago, BEFORE they retired & restructured the certification & exam paths.

BGP is more commonly used telecom to telecom, if I remember correctly. (Absolutely correct me if this is incorrect!)

# ¿ Nov 2, 2020 05:38

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

ClumsyThief posted:

I'm glad I have the certs now but CompTIA can gently caress off. 809 on the Security+. I felt like I was failing the entire time but same as A+ and Net+ I passed the first attempt. The school's uCertify content was so-so. Jason Dion's six packs of practice exams are the best. I'd think he wrote the questions for CompTIA they're so similar.

To be fair, I don't think CompTIA is alone in leaving their test takers feeling "I can't imagine I passed it, I tried" as a mindset; I felt that way with both CCENT and CCNA exams, but very pleasantly surprised with scores solidly above the minimum required.

CompTIA is out for your $$$, nothing more really.

# ¿ Nov 22, 2020 02:02

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

SpaceSDoorGunner posted:

Mostly just really specific information about exact requirements for various versions of Windows. Stuff like that. I�ve been making tables to get all that stuff memorized but it�s hard to hit every single requirement for every single version and edition of windows. I like his pace otherwise but he seems like he�s breezing over a lot of stuff that the examcompass questions require you to have memorized and a lot of the nitty gritty specifics are blatantly wrong.

I�m just worried that it�s wrong. If examcompass is basically the best questions like said above then a LOT of messers lectures have outdated or bad info. Given how late in the game I am using almost entirely his info we should probably recommend something else that�s more up to date and in depth. I wish people didn�t recommend him so highly if his info is out of date. Oh well, I�m still taking it tonight and I�ll do as well as I can. I guess I�ll double down on examcompass this afternoon. gently caress.

I was really hoping someone was gonna say examcompass was trash or something instead of �yeah this is literally a lot of the test questions� that would have been a relief lol.

examcompass actually isn't too bad so far as an additional resource for review; Just bear in mind that the context of the questions might be the exact opposite of how they will be worded on the actual exam itself - This can be a huge drawback for some folks if they don't factor that part in.

I used it, just not by itself.

# ¿ Nov 30, 2020 15:52

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

guppy posted:

It was covered in the official materials when I took mine a few years ago, but not in much depth. I think it's more of a topic at the CCNP level. The curriculum has changed since I took it so maybe it's no longer covered at all.

From what I recall before the curriculum changed, BGP deals more with direct connections to service providers/telecoms/backbone routers...Sort of specialized, not something everyone at an enterprise is going to be dealing with on a day-day basis - Maybe only if they deal with said service providers on a daily basis?

That said, I didn't see anything directly relating to BGP on the exams I took. (CCENT, CCNA R&S)

Now if it's the cloud? Maybe? No idea.

# ¿ Dec 28, 2020 19:51

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

BIG FLUFFY DOG posted:

Get them to pay for it. If you�re not stealing from your boss you�re stealing from your family

The only possibility where the choice to self-pay (no (re)imbursement from current company) would be if the current company expects the employee to pay the $$$ back if they leave before 18-24 months pass or something like that; not sure how many companies act like this though.

# ¿ Oct 6, 2022 08:08

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Concerning Cisco certs, I do have (the now retired) CCENT and the original CCNA. (Routing & Switching, or the older one that got retired)

My expiration date on CCNA expires next month, I'm wondering if it's worth it to try renewing before then, or if it's better to try and get the MD-101 done first.

While I'm not currently using some of the skills learned in my older CCNA cert, (I still do program eXtreme switches and hardware on a regular basis) is there any downside to having to start from the beginning? (which is where I'm at anyway)

I've already seen some of the differences in the exam with regards to the OSI model, and also the introduction of getting familiar with python/automation as well.

# ¿ Jan 12, 2023 07:40

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Passed my MD-101, like a couple of years after just barely passing the MD-100.

Looks like Microsoft still hasn�t decidedly been interested in both retiring the 100/101 exams, or changing the MDAA over to endpoint administration associate yet.

I think I�m going to knock out Sec+ next, the position that I�m possibly getting promoted to, might not require CCNA, which I let lapse, without significant use in 3-4 years.

Anyone see any actual use out of Six Sigma in IT? White belt�s free, can�t hurt to get it all the same.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2023 01:38

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Ashheap Empire posted:

I'm just going to apply everywhere for anything I think I can handle. If I have to pay my dues at help desk so be it. Would it be worth it dropping the $600 to get A+ or should the CCNA be enough to show I know enough for entry-level work?

The program I went through to get my CCNA (R&S) cert, seemed to push CCENT(since retired)/CCNA as an entry-level variety of cert...It could be if the candidate is young enough to possibly get internships and such...But otherwise, both of them are sorta *anything but*.

Thankfully it was through WIOA grants, but still. I'm kind of not-so sure I want to renew CCNA, especially if it's not so likely to see use where I currently work, which makes it less practical to get if I'm looking at other places too.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2023 04:38

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Captn Kurp posted:

Part of the CCNP ENCOR involves automation; I was curious if anyone had ideas for projects to help learn those things? In my public sector job I'm mostly typing in the CLI like a caveman and only use scripts in association with putty.

Any project ideas or resources to learn that? I don't have much experience with coding so some direction would be appreciated. Thank you!

In the past, I remember that Cisco/Cisco IOS appeared to prefer python. Not to say other scripting languages couldn't also apply though.

Uncertain if anything's changed in recent years.

# ¿ Jul 15, 2023 22:04

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Nostalgia4Butts posted:

I finished a bunch of IBM Mainframe Developer/COBOL certs on coursera and now im cranking through my Server+ after finishing my net+ this year and a+ last year

server+ aint poo poo after network+ tbh

Server+ appears to be little more than an amped up A+ for the most part.

# ¿ Oct 22, 2023 16:12

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Handsome Ralph posted:

CompTIA does let you go back and forth, which is great because as you said, sometimes you will see a question later on that gives the answer to a previous question.

Confirmed, with Comptia you can go back and forth/flag for review before you submit.

I wasn't sure if there's a similar mechanic for doing any of the Microsoft exams, the labs/scenario with the MD-101 based questions scared me enough about just powering through those at the beginning, just so I got credit for them, thankfully I had enough time to complete the rest and review the questions I flagged.

Oh, passed Security+ earlier today, 789. Pass is a pass.

# ¿ Dec 18, 2023 05:55

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

jeeves posted:

The screen legit said �congratulates you passed!� the moment that I hit the finish exam button. It was so fast that I honestly figured that I had mistaken it for something else.

I appreciate the immediate feedback, as having to wait after feeling like I bombed it with a C- amount of question answering would have been stressful. Maybe it would have been even more of a surprise though?

edit - I guess I am forgetting that a C- is still technically a pass in the grading terminology.

The passing score for the first A+ exam (now replaced with the current version) was only 675, so technically even a D+ can be considered mostly a pass?

# ¿ Dec 18, 2023 05:57

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

salartarium posted:

Passed Server+ yesterday. I was bad and only read up to Chapter 3 of the book. I was not expecting so many practical/simulation questions and took up every second that I had.

How difficult did you feel Server+ was, and how long did you take with studying/prep?

I'm looking to take it fairly soon, to fulfill a requirement for a potential promotion...Though for the most part, I'm not so sure why I'd need to pass it short of dodging the HR filter, and even then, I'm not certain how stringent the requirement would be.

# ¿ Feb 17, 2024 23:22

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

salartarium posted:

About 90 days of studying. Took a 24 hour course on skillsoft and then used their practice test. Also, downloaded the ebook study guide but didn�t read much.

Honestly a lot of it was really easy questions but very broad and then the few hard practice simulations. If you have a basic IT, networking, Linux CLI knowledge it shouldn�t take long to learn the server hardware stuff.

Passed Server+ this past weekend.

Agreed, many of the questions were pretty much "DUH" level questions.

I did perhaps a month of studying, tops.

# ¿ Mar 19, 2024 23:42

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# ¿ May 2, 2024 21:59

Killer_B: May 23, 2005; Uh?

Is it even remotely worthwhile to get any VM-based (not necessarily cloud/AWS based) certification, outside of satisfying the HR filter?

# ¿ Mar 28, 2024 02:46

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Serious Hardware/Software Crap > The IT Certification Megathread: Straight Outta CompTIA