Monday, August 18, 2008
Network+ blues
12:31 AM
I am currently working towards CompTIA's Network+ certification. This is an industry recognized certification about...you guessed it, Networking. I really wish they could have come up with a better name for this. I know. I know. I know. There has to be something better to do with my time than rant about semantics but I hate telling people I am getting Network+ certification. Why? Because most people who aren't in the industry don't know what it entails and besides, they can network too.I have had two people say "Oh, thats cool. I should get that too." One person told likes to tell me "I can network XP with my eyes closed." Well my friend, that is because Microsoft wants you to. They don't need every idiot who can afford to buy a PC calling their help line because XP doesn't automate home networking. Just because you can change the oil on your car it doesn't mean you are a mechanic.
I am A+ certified and when people ask what it is I tell them it is about building computers. It involves more than that but A+ is mainly focused on computer hardware. Most people find out I have A+ certification or learn that I have built my own PC and think I must be some kind of mad computer genius when in fact my computer knowledge would pale in comparison to most techs who actually have a job in the field. A+ is the entry level certification and Network+ is actually the next cert on the average tech's leaning path. It goes a LOT deeper than plugging two pcs and an XBOX into a hub or setting up a laptop to work with a wireless router. It makes me so mad that people would think there is a actually a professional level certification with such limited scope. What company would pay someone to network two computers the way one does in one's own home? I am sure there are companies who require this service but it doesn't need to be completed by a Network+ certified person. The average teenager would do just fine. Network+ is about getting computers to communicate. It is about the how and why computers can talk to each other. It is about connecting multiple computers in multiple cities using multiple operating systems in many different configurations and optimizing networks for security, speed, and stability just to give you a small idea regarding some of what is involved. I could go into all the details but trust me, you would get bored. Who wants to know the speeds certain cables work at, what the maximum distance between two computers can be given the type of cabling used, or which port your email is sent out on?
Next time you run into someone who is Network+ certified just remember that they have put in a lot of study time or time in the field working on computers. Give em the respect you would any other certified professional. Don't be afraid to ask tech questions because we are a pretty nerdy bunch who enjoy talking tech but just don't pretend you could do their job until you have passed the test.
I am A+ certified and when people ask what it is I tell them it is about building computers. It involves more than that but A+ is mainly focused on computer hardware. Most people find out I have A+ certification or learn that I have built my own PC and think I must be some kind of mad computer genius when in fact my computer knowledge would pale in comparison to most techs who actually have a job in the field. A+ is the entry level certification and Network+ is actually the next cert on the average tech's leaning path. It goes a LOT deeper than plugging two pcs and an XBOX into a hub or setting up a laptop to work with a wireless router. It makes me so mad that people would think there is a actually a professional level certification with such limited scope. What company would pay someone to network two computers the way one does in one's own home? I am sure there are companies who require this service but it doesn't need to be completed by a Network+ certified person. The average teenager would do just fine. Network+ is about getting computers to communicate. It is about the how and why computers can talk to each other. It is about connecting multiple computers in multiple cities using multiple operating systems in many different configurations and optimizing networks for security, speed, and stability just to give you a small idea regarding some of what is involved. I could go into all the details but trust me, you would get bored. Who wants to know the speeds certain cables work at, what the maximum distance between two computers can be given the type of cabling used, or which port your email is sent out on?
Next time you run into someone who is Network+ certified just remember that they have put in a lot of study time or time in the field working on computers. Give em the respect you would any other certified professional. Don't be afraid to ask tech questions because we are a pretty nerdy bunch who enjoy talking tech but just don't pretend you could do their job until you have passed the test.
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