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i started doing the ccna one evening a week (I already have MCPs in server, wkststion and server enterprise - nt4) and am currently studying for the 70-240.
I stopped the ccna because of 1) moving away and 2) it was a waste of time.
imho the ccna is just a glorified net essentials with some tricky bits. The MCSE and CCNA are 2 completely different fields and you're better off just syicking to one of them - then doing that one as best as you can - ie; do the MCSE in Win2k then maybe add-on the Compaq ASE, or do the CCNA then work towards your CCIE. It's the difference between being a jack of all trades or a master of one.
On the flip side, you may end up working for a company who wants a sys admin/support/designer who can ALSO support their routers/switches, in which case both would be helpfull.
You pays your money........
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I've had my NT 4.0 MCSE for almost a year and in that time it has never got me a job or anything. The ONLY thing that it has got me was a raise. I will admit I did learn a few things while studying for the MCSE but nothing that I wouldn't have unearthed any other way. As a matter of fact in all the years that I've been in the computer buisness (working for resellers/VAR's) I would say that 90% of my work is in the desktop support area while only 8% in the server area and the rest in firewalls/routers, etc.
Any certification will help and if your know your stuff well enough to "pass" a cert test, then by all means spend the money and get certified - it can ONLY help! I'm working on my MCSE 2K, but I'm realistic and realize that because I am not exposed to an "enterprise" level of networking my certification will be only that...A CERTIFICATION. I will by no means think that I know everything. I will have a "basic" understanding or a "foundation" if you will of the Win2K Enterprise level. It will only be by experience that really "learn" all that is covered in the MCSE 2K exams.
I said all that to say this...GO FOR IT! It cannot hurt but remember that only "real world experience" will get you to where you want to be. This may mean changing jobs, locations, etc.
I hope that this has helped somewhat...
JKSteger
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I really lucked out this past year when my employer bought me a year-long education pass at a local IT Ed. site. So far I've gotten my A+, Network+, MCP and CNA. By this years end I'll have my MCSE and CNE. Unfortunately, I work for peanuts and had to promise that I would stay on for an additional year after my training is finished.
But what the heck? I'd never be able to afford all that... Especially when they are paying me to sit in class, paying for all the tests, and paying my mileage there and back!!!
