Ccent Vs. The Network+

By Author: Willsimith
Total Articles: 48
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In my opinion, the CompTIA Nerwork+ Exam is targeted, market-wise, at the entry-level IT professional. In response, Cisco offers the While I do not possess the CCENT, I do hold its big brother,, otherwise known as the CCNA.

Let me be very, very clear about the comparisons sometimes made between the Network+ and the CCENT:

To my mind, the Network+ is a walk in the park compared to any Cisco Career Certification exam.

You can draw your own conclusions from there, friends. I don't care how CompTIA's or Cisco's marketing departments spin their certification promotional materials. In my opinion, the Cisco entry level/associate exams are orders of magnitude more difficult than the CompTIA Network+ test. Why? Let us count the ways:

* Cisco exam items involve complicated scenarios that involve your having to interpret network diagrams and Cisco router/switch output
* CompTIA items involve extremely terse (brief) item stems and even shorter multiple choice answer sets
* Cisco exam items include router that test your ability to actually ...
... use Cisco networking gear
* free CompTIA practice tests your ability to regurgitate facts

Now it might sound as if I am harshly indicting CompTIA in general and the Network+ in particular. Most people will use a
free exam papers as their basic method of test preparation. Let me be clear: We have all heard the expression You get what you pay for. CompTIA charges examinees a whopping $239 USD for the privilege of taking a crack at their Network+ exam and potentially earning the Network+ credential. What is your expected return on investment (ROI) for your time, money, and effort?

What I'm saying is if CompTIA publishes a Mickey Mouse exam and underqualified men and women pass this exam like gangbusters, how much harder is it for legitimately qualified folks to find gainful employment in an already crowded and ultra-competitive marketplace?