[aklug] Re: IT certifications

I admit I am fairly unimaginative and am pretty much satisfied supporting
networks with under 20 users, of which there are plenty. I have built all
my labs with hand me down gear, but unless you have unlimited time to
monitor Craigslist you kind of need to 'know a guy'. Showing if which, I
have some surplus gear including at least one Cisco switch plus a couple of
poweredge 2900 or 2950 if someone wants them.

As far as learning on someone's network, there is a big difference between
using someone's network as your own personal lab and implementing something
you have no production experience supporting but have thoroughly tested in
a lab. Every time we roll out a new OS for the first time we are doing this.

I, no doubt, incorrectly assumed the OP's goals and current job align with
my own. So my feelings on certs for anyone wanting to do what I do, (make a
comfortable living and set my own wages and hours while choosing who I work
for by supporting small businesses as an independent sysadmin) are a direct
result of many years of direct experience in my chosen (more evolved than
chosen) career path.

Getting a government job or working with a large corporation never entered
my mind. I don't even think I could work for someone else, self employment
is all I really know. If I did decide to get on with the state or something
like that, I would probably ask a similar question. I hope I didn't
unintentionally 'shoot down' your ideas Christopher, getting someone else
to pay my certs for me would be great.

In a side note, my brother I believe had some of his testing paid for when
he worked for NAC.

-- 
_
(forgive my terseness or the typos, I am writing on my mobile device)
*JP (Jesse Perry)*
voice/txt: 907-748-2200
email: jp@jptechnical.com
web: http://jptechnical.com
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