Today’s IT industry is fast paced and continuously evolving. In this dynamic industry, a technology professional must keep pace with changes in the industry for him/her to remain ahead of the curve.
The best way to remain on top and stay in touch with the latest technology developments in the Industry, is Tech Certifications. A Technology Certification is a course and Exam pairing that you take to learn the latest advancements in a particular area of IT. A certification also lets the industry know, that the you have the knowledge and skills in that field.
Because the IT industry changes so quickly, most certifications have a life-span. Usually a Cert will be valid for 3 to 4 years before you are to re-certify. This tells employers, colleagues and the industry as a whole, that have the most recent and relevant knowledge and skills to be effective.
When starting out in the networking industry, you might not be sure about which network certification is best to start with. Selecting the right cert can set you up for a great job and fantastic career.
I too had all these questions when I was starting out. I will share with you the path I decided to take, and give you the reason why I made my decision.
I feel there are 5 big name certification providers in today’s industry. CISCO, CompTIA, Palo Alto, Fortinet and Juniper. Let’s take a look at these in more detail.
1. CISCO
CISCO Systems is the grand daddy of Network vendors around the globe. Founded in 1984, CISCO has grown to be one of the largest networking companies on earth. It provides solutions across the network spectrum from IP Phones to Security devices that protect the enterprise edge. CISCO Systems refer to themselves as a software company even though they are mainly known for awesome hardware. Their IOS software which is at the heart of their hardware products is the real magic behind the success.
With the global recognition comes respect. CISCO certifications are regarded as one of the most respected technology certifications in the industry today. The fact that many organizations trust and use CISCO devices on their networks makes them trust and respect network engineers who are CISCO certified. A CISCO certification guarantees employers that a professional has the skills not only to operate and manage CISCO devices, but also to manage the network. They are guaranteed that a holder has a sound understanding of todays network infrastructure.
CCNA-Cisco Certified Network Associate
CISCO CCNA is considered one of the industries most powerful and relevant certifications for a career as a network engineer. The certification can be achieved by either taking the CCNA exam, or breaking it down and sitting for the ICND1 and ICND2 exams. ICND1 also known as CCENT (CISCO Certified Entry Networking Technician) is the entry point for CISCO. However if you choose to, you can skip this exam and jump straight into the CCNA which combines the ICND1 (CCENT) with ICND2 exams into one. My advice to you if you are new to networking is to take the two exams one after the other. If you have been working in the industry for a few years and want to certify your skills, then going for the combined CCNA is a good idea.
2. CompTIA
The only vendor neutral certification provider on the list is CompTIA. They specialize solely on providing courses and exams for certifications on a wide range of technology topics and fields. They provide knowledge and skills that are not tied to any specific software or hardware vendor. Principles learned in their certifications can be applied regardless of the vendor that is ultimately selected. This gives you more flexibility, as the principles you learn are broad and cover a wide range of topics and subject matter.
CompTIA has been in the certification game for over 20 years and is a trusted source of relevant up-to-date knowledge and skills. Many employers regard a CompTIA certification as a must for their employees as it lays a great foundation for professionals to perform in the industry.
Network+
The Network+ exam is CompTIA’s entry level certification in the networking track. This course and certification exam covers a wide range of networking concepts and principles. Topics that you cover in this certification are broad and give you a very good base on which to launch your career as a network professional. An added advantage with this exam is that it is vendor neutral, meaning you are not locked in to a specific vendor with the knowledge you possess. This allows you pick a specific vendor later in your career. If you want you can even learn how to operate more than one vendor’s software and hardware solutions. This certification is great for those new to networking who want to gain a good understanding of the industry.
3. Palo Alto
Palo Alto is a Networking Company whose focus lies on Cyber-Security. Using their Security Operating Platform (Firewall OS) and Firewall hardware, they provide a security solution for the enterprise. Palo Alto’s solutions range from security inside the enterprise all the way to Perimeter protection using Firewall Solutions. They have a proven track record in the security space as they are ranked as market leader in Enterprise Firewall production by Gartner from 2011 to 2017.
The Palo Alto offers a number of education tracks focusing on different aspects of security. Some tracks focus on perimeter protection while others dive into endpoint protection both on premise and in the cloud. The main focus of this certification is for a professional interested in securing the enterprise.
PCCSA-Palo-Alto Certified Cyber Security Associate
Palo Alto Cyber Security Associate certification is a fantastic certification if you are interested in security in cyberspace. With today’s ever evolving threat on the internet, cyber security professionals are in high demand. This certification will get your foot in the door and make you a highly demanded professional. Because Palo Alto provides fantastic Cyber Security solutions, the certification makes you a must have resource for any organization that already uses Palo Alto solutions, or who are considering Palo Alto. Despite the training and certification being specific to Palo Alto, the underlying principles you will learn give you a strong understanding of cyber threats and how to mitigate and prevent attacks. This one is great if you are a network professional who wants to branch into Cyber Security.
4. Fortinet
Fortinet is a network Security platform best known for their Flagship Firewall Appliance, FortiGate. Their goal is to deliver integrated, high performance security across the IT Infrastructure. Regarded as the most deployed security appliance on the globe from 2012 to 2017, they have reportedly shipped almost double the number of firewall units than their closest competitor. They also claim to have 5 times the number of listed patents than their closest rival, Sonic Wall thus. This is a clear signal of the level of innovation that they achieve.
Fortinet NSE-Fortinet Network Security Expert
This training program is aimed at giving an organizations work force the skills needed to manage all aspects of the Fortinet Security platform. This ranges from products that protect the cloud all the way to any IOT devices owned by the organization. After completing the NSE training program and successfully passing the Certification exam, a candidate will be well rounded and capable of protecting the Enterprise. This certification is great for organizations that are using or plan to migrate to Fortigate. The program consists of 8 levels of training. The exam is written after completing all 8 levels.
5. Juniper
A company built by engineers with the purpose of solving complex problems in the simplest way. Juniper is a networking company that aims to simplify and solve problems using networking technology. They provide products and solutions ranging from routers to security devices. Juniper is a genuine and direct competitor to CISCO in the networking space. Juniper has earned a number of awards since inception in 1996, from best employer (2018) to best place to work in tech in (2017). Gartner also ranked Juniper as the second to CISCO in the industry for Best ability to execute and Completeness of Vision. They are one of the market leaders in the networking space.
JNCIA-Junos Associate
The Junos Associate certification is the entry level cert meant for network professionals with a base understanding of networking concepts. As one of CISCO’s oldest direct competitors, the Junos Associate exam even has additional resources that help its candidates with the specific migration from CISCO CCNA to Junos Associate. The Junos Certification has a range of topics that take you from Networking Fundamentals, to Introduction to the Junos OS (equivalent of CISCO IOS). This is a great certification if you are in a Juniper environment and need to validate and learn skills to help you within your organization. Like CISCO, despite Junos Certification being vendor specific, the underlying principles learned about networking can be applied across any vendor platform.
To Conclude
So if you walked up to me today and asked me which certification is best for you, here’s what I would tell you.
New to Computer Networks?
Take CompTIA’s Network+ Certification. This is an awesome place to start and will give you everything you need to know to start your career as a network engineer or network professional.
Want to boost your career and find a great job?
Take the CISCO CCNA. Split it into the ICND1 (CCENT) and ICND2 exams though. The CISCO cert will give you a fantastic advantage when you are looking for a Job, because CISCO is one of the most widely recognized network vendors on earth. It also helps that a vast number of organizations around the world use CISCO devices across their networks. A good Second option here is the Junos Cert. Juniper is a close competitor to CISCO and is a good second choice in this case.
Interested in Network Security?
Take the Palo Alto Certification. This will teach you what you need to know to protect the enterprise and will get you a great position in an organization that uses Palo Alto. An alternative to this is the Fortinet NSE. This is also a great certification for the security minded network professional looking to break into an organization that uses Fortinet Security Solutions.
Personally I took the CISCO path and attained the CCNA Certification (took ICND1 and then ICND2 exams) at my second attempt. Failing the exam is somewhat normal as these certifications really test your skills and abilities. I chose CISCO for the following reasons:
- CISCO is widely used in my country (and continent) with over 80% of organizations using CISCO to run their networks.
- CISCO’s certification exam is fairly priced. The certification exam itself cost me about $300 in total (ICND1-$150 & ICND2-$150).
- Availability of study material. Because it’s so widely known and sought after, I managed to find and use free study material to prepare for and pass my certification exams. CISCO’s materials are pricey and at the time I did not have the financial resources to purchase them.
I hope my article has been helpful to you and will help you make the decision. A certification can really be the game changer you are looking for. Take the Leap.
Check out my Resources page, it has more links to amazing learning platforms and opportunities to help you boost your career as a network professional.