10 tech certifications that actually mean something
26.12.2007
There are hundreds of tech
certification programs and exams out there,
some sponsored by software vendors, some by
vendor-neutral organizations, and some by
educational institutions. A number of them
are easy to obtain — as evidenced by the
many IT pros who list a three-line string of
acronyms after their names. You pay your
money and you take a multiple-choice test;
if you pass, you’re in.
Others are excruciatingly difficult: Cost is
high; eligibility to even take the exam is
dependent on having years of experience,
formal education, and/or sponsorship from
others who already hold the title; and the
exams are grueling, multi-day affairs that
require hands-on performance of relevant
tasks. Most are somewhere in between.
But which certifications really provide a
measure of your knowledge and skills in a
particular area? And which will really help
you get a job or promotion? Here’s a look at
10 of the technical certifications that
actually mean something in today’s IT job
market.
#1: MCSE
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
(MCSE) certification suffered a bad
reputation several years back when numerous
people were memorizing the answers to exam
questions from “brain dumps” posted by
test-takers on the Internet and obtaining
the certification without any real
understanding of the technology.
Microsoft responded by replacing the
knowledge-based multiple-choice questions
with a variety of performance-related
scenario questions that make it much more
difficult to cheat. The difficulty level of
the questions was escalated, and the number
of exams required to obtain the
certification was increased to seven.
The MCSE has consequently regained respect
in many corners of the IT community and is a
useful certification for demonstrating your
expertise in Microsoft server products.
#2: MCA
In addition to making the MCSE exams more
difficult, Microsoft has created many new
certifications. The Microsoft Certified
Architect (MCA) is the premiere Microsoft
certification, designed to identify top
experts in the industry. To obtain the MCA,
you must have at least three years of
advanced IT architecture experience, and you
have to pass a rigorous review board
conducted by a panel of experts.
There are a number of MCA programs. The
infrastructure and solutions MCA
certifications cover broad architecture
skills, but there are also more
technology-specific programs for messaging
and database skills. There are currently
fewer than 100 MCAs in the world, making
this an elite certification.
#3: CCIE
The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert
(CCIE) is widely recognized as one of the
most difficult to obtain (and expensive) IT
certifications. Like the MCSE/MCA, it’s a
vendor-sponsored certification, focusing on
Cisco’s products.
The CCIE requires that you pass both a
written exam and a hands-on lab. To sit for
the written exam, you must pay $300 and
choose from one of several tracks: Routing
and Switching, Security, Storage Networking,
Voice, and Service Provider.
You must pass the written exam before you’re
eligible to take the lab exam. This is an
eight-hour hands-on test of your ability to
configure and troubleshoot Cisco networking
equipment and software. The lab exams cost
$1,250 each. This does not, of course,
include travel expenses that may be
necessary since the labs are conducted only
in certain locations.
As if all that weren’t enough, you don’t get
to rest on your laurels after obtaining the
certification. CCIEs must recertify every
two years or the certification is suspended.
#4: CCSP
Another Cisco exam that’s popular with
employers in today’s security-conscious
business world is the Cisco Certified
Security Professional (CCSP). It focuses on
skills related to securing networks that run
Cisco routers and other equipment.
You’re required to pass five written exams
and must recertify every three years by
passing one current exam. Before you can
take the CCSP exams, you must meet the
prerequisites by obtaining one of Cisco’s
lower-level certifications, either the Cisco
Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or the
Cisco Certified Internetwork Specialist
(CCIP).
#5: CISSP
Security certifications confer some of the
highest-paying jobs in IT today, and one of
the most well-respected non-vendor specific
security certifications is the Certified
Information Systems Security Professional
(CISSP). The organization that grants the
CISSP is the (ISC)2, which was founded in
1989 and has issued certifications to more
than 50,000 IT professionals.
Exam candidates must have at least four
years of direct full-time work experience as
a security professional. One year of
experience can be waived if you have a
four-year or graduate degree in information
security from an approved institution.
Another unique feature of the CISSP is that
you must subscribe to the (ISC)2 code of
ethics to take the exam.
Exam fees vary based on geographic region.
In the United States, standard registration
is $599 ($499 for early registration). You
must recertify every three years by
obtaining at least 120 hours of continuing
professional education, and you must pay a
yearly fee of $85 to maintain the
certification. The exam is a six-hour test
consisting of 250 multiple-choice questions.
#6: SSCP
For those who can’t meet the rigorous
experience requirements to sit for the
CISSP, the (ISC)2 also offers the Systems
Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
certification. SSCP candidates need have
only one year of direct full-time security
work experience. The exam consists of 125
multiple-choice questions, and you have
three hours to complete it.
Those who pass the written exam must be
endorsed by someone who holds a current
(ISC)2 certification and will attest to the
candidate’s professional experience or by an
officer of the corporation or organization
that employs you (owner, CEO, managing
partner, CIO, etc.). As with the CISSP, you
must recertify every three years by
submitting proof of continuing education
credits and paying an annual maintenance
fee.
#7: GSE
Another popular and well-regarded security
certification is the GIAC Security Expert
(GSE), offered by the SANS Software Security
Institute. Before you can attempt the GSE,
you must complete three lower-level
certifications: GIAC Security Essentials
Certification (GSEC), GIAC Certified
Intrusion Analyst (GCIA), and GIAC Certified
Incident Handler (GCIH).
The lower-level certifications require
passing multiple-choice exams, and at least
two of the three certifications must be at
the “Gold” level, which requires that in
addition to the written exam, you submit a
technical report that’s approved to be
published in the SANS Reading Room. A
personal interview is also part of the GSE
qualification process.
Pricing depends on whether you take the exam
as part of SANS self-study or conference
training programs or challenge the exam.
Without the training, each lower-level exam
costs $899.
#8: RHCE/RHCA
Many companies are looking to save money by
switching to Linux-based servers, but they
need personnel who are trained to design,
deploy, and administer Linux networks. There
are a number of Linux certifications out
there, but the Red Hat Certified Engineer
(RHCE) certification has been around since
1999 and is well respected in the industry.
The exam is performance-based. You’re
required to perform actual network
installation, configuration,
troubleshooting, and administration tasks on
a live system. You have a full day (9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) to complete it. The cost
is $749.
The Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA) is an
advanced certification that requires
completion of five endorsement exams, each
of which costs $749 and range from two to
eight hours. Like the RHCE exam, they are
hands-on skills tests. You must have the
RHCE certification to take the RHCA exams.
#9: ITIL
For those who aspire to management positions
in IT services, the Information Technology
Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certifications
provide demonstration of knowledge and
skills involved in that discipline. There
are three certification levels: Foundation,
Practitioner, and Manager.
The Manager level certification requires
completion of a rigorous two-week training
program, and you must have the Foundation
certification and five years of IT
management experience. Then, you must pass
two three-hour exams consisting of essay
questions.
#10: Certifications for special situations
Many specialist exams are available in IT
subcategories that can be helpful to those
who want to specialize in those areas. Some
of these include:
* Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance
certification
* Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance
certification
* Database administration certification
* Wireless networking certifications
* Voice over IP certifications
In addition, for those who have little or no
experience in IT, entry-level certifications
such as those offered by CompTIA may help
you get a foot in the door as you start your
IT career.
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