FREE CompTIA Certification starting August 11

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Originally Posted by Pinnacle-Project

I agree completely. I think the A+ is an excellent certification to prove entry level skills.

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I believe that's true today, but when I did my A+ certification something like 14 years ago, there were actually a lot of BS questions on the exam. One that I missed, that still sticks in my mind to this day, was something like "What is the voltage on the corona wire of a Panasonic laser printer?" I think the correct answer was "Who cares" but that wasn't one of the choices. I once had a job applicant who had an A+ cert who couldn't correctly set the jumper on a CD-ROM drive.

So, I think the current tests are much more relevant, and while CompTIA has caught flack for ending lifetime certs, and requiring periodic retesting, I think that has practical value and is in line with the continuing ed requirements of many professions. My wife doesn't have to retake her nursing exam every few years, but she has a pretty hefty load of courses she has to complete every year to retain her accreditation. I'm encouraging my daughter to consider doing some CompTIA certifications in the summer when her class load is relatively light. I like to see her work toward A+, Security+, and Net+ in addition to her pursuit of a degree.

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Originally Posted by slgrieb

. . . CompTIA has caught flack for ending lifetime certs, and requiring periodic retesting, I think that has practical value and is in line with the continuing ed requirements of many professions.

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I agree completely. I got my A+ in 2000 so I do not think it should offer any kind of proof of my capability unless I can prove I have maintained those skills through other certs since then.

Some of the worst messes I ever cleaned up in IT work were caused by people who just got their A+, and got it by studying, rather than working in the field. There is NO substitute for real world experience in any field that I have worked in. Training is a good thing, but if you are going to work for me, you need experience as well, unless you are exceptional, and I have only had one guy that was ready after just training.

That being said, any experience to go along with the A+ is a good thing.

Yes, experience is very important.

I interview a lot of people as part of my current position. During each interview I ask them how they would fix a scenario I describe. In summary, the scenario is a user cannot get to any Internet site, cannot send/receive e-mail with Microsoft Outlook, and cannot print to a network printer. I show them a basic desktop in the office and ask them how they would troubleshoot the issue.

I am always amazed by the new grads from ITT Tech who overlook the obvious (disconnected or damaged network cable) and instead tell me to flush the DNS and troubleshoot TCP/IP.

After hearing their guesses I tell them that any problem may have countless different fixes but a technician should explore possibilities in order of what is most likely. Knowing what is most likely comes from experience. As much as I like the A+ certification, I completely agree that experience is important too.

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Originally Posted by Pinnacle-Project

Yes, experience is very important.

I interview a lot of people as part of my current position. During each interview I ask them how they would fix a scenario I describe. In summary, the scenario is a user cannot get to any Internet site, cannot send/receive e-mail with Microsoft Outlook, and cannot print to a network printer. I show them a basic desktop in the office and ask them how they would troubleshoot the issue.

I am always amazed by the new grads from ITT Tech who overlook the obvious (disconnected or damaged network cable) and instead tell me to flush the DNS and troubleshoot TCP/IP.

After hearing their guesses I tell them that any problem may have countless different fixes but a technician should explore possibilities in order of what is most likely. Knowing what is most likely comes from experience. As much as I like the A+ certification, I completely agree that experience is important too.

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Oh man, that's like troubleshooting 101 basics right there. Always start at the physical layer. In other words,... is it even plugged in? LOL. That's an awesome test though. :D

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Originally Posted by Pinnacle-Project

I am always amazed by the new grads from ITT Tech who overlook the obvious (disconnected or damaged network cable) and instead tell me to flush the DNS and troubleshoot TCP/IP.

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Depends on the system, but on Windows a disconnected cable would be obvious.
Regardless, my first response would be ipconfig /all - and all the basic stuff is available at a glance, including a "media disconnected" state or an autoconfig IP assigned.
Hell, even a ping would do, as it immediately reveals TCP/IP or DNS issues (even hardware).
So yes, I agree with TCP/IP for beginning, it will point in the right direction immediately.

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Originally Posted by Webhead

Always start at the physical layer.

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Why? If you are experiencing file access issues do you start by diagnosing the physical hard drive?

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Originally Posted by CeeBee

Why? If you are experiencing file access issues do you start by diagnosing the physical hard drive?

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If you're getting paid by the hour, yes.....:D

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Originally Posted by CeeBee

Why? If you are experiencing file access issues do you start by diagnosing the physical hard drive?

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http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view7/289...facepalm-o.gif

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Originally Posted by CeeBee

Why? If you are experiencing file access issues do you start by diagnosing the physical hard drive?

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I agree with ceebee. That was weird.