Hi Philip, I can help you with your online Cisco discussion group: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications
Certainly helped me when I was studying for the CCNA. As regards how far to go with Microsoft or Cisco certification, it's up to you, your mileage may vary etc. I know some great people who have never taken a vendor exam and I know some people who studied very hard for exams but have no real knowledge or skills to speak of. Not sure that helps. I know others will have plenty to say about that and your other questions... Regards, Andrew 2009/12/21 Philip Brothwell <[email protected]> > Hi, > > Sorry for the off topic (if it is) post. I am getting back into IT full > time after doing it as a secondary job for a decade or so and I have a > number of questions. My goal is to get the skills necessary to become a > modern Systems Admin and/or Network Admin in the SMB market. > > I currently have both the MCSA and MCSE for Windows 2000 and a Cisco > CCENT. I plan on updating the Microsoft certifications to their modern > counter parts and to take the Cisco certificate to at least to CCNA. Now > the questions. > > > - Any recommendations for a good online Cisco discussion group? > - For my target job, how high should I go in the Microsoft and Cisco > certification tracks? > - Other certifications? > - Recommendations for training sources? > - Recommendations for lab equipment? I'm thinking a virtual server > farm but real Cisco equipment. Question is, which Cisco equipment. I > already have a 871W that I got for the CCENT but it hurt as much as it > helped -- integrated routers have command sets that are similar, but > different, from their non-integrated counterparts -- so I'm looking for > other equipment to train with. Any suggestions? > - Is TechNet still the best way to Microsoft lab software on the cheap? > > > > I think that covers it, at least for now. :-) > > Any help you be greatly appreciated! > > Phil Brothwell > > > > > > -- Kind regards, Andrew Levicki MCITP MCSE CCNA [email protected] www.andrewlevicki.eu ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
