CompTIA Certification Renewal Policy Clarified

[Albert]

Forgive me for asking this if the answer is clearly obvious to you guys. Don't quite understand something related to the renewal policy clarification.

Say someone passes both A+ and N+ by 31 Decem. 2010 but takes Security+ after this date. I think it superseeds the other 2 certs at a higher level according to CompTIA. What happens when this cert expires, would the A+ and N+ be the automatic fallback certs or would the Security+ expiration take the A+ and N+ along with it?

Thanks

[greenbrucelee]

maybe my evil email I sent to them the other day had some bearing on their new deceision

[sunn]

Originally Posted by Albert

What happens when this cert expires, would the A+ and N+ be the automatic fallback certs or would the Security+ expiration take the A+ and N+ along with it?

Thanks

As I understand, the certs are independent. Another words, the A+ is not a predecessor for the N+ for Security+. In your example, if the Security+ expires, the A+ and N+ would still be valid (if obtained before the deadline).

[Rover977]

Re these changes in the renewal policy regarding CompTIA certifications, I cannot see why they could not have simply attached a year to the certs, for example A+ (2003) or Network+ (2005), the year corresponding to the Exam Objectives for the specific exam which was passed. Any pre-existing certs without a date would be understood as coming from an earlier time. Also, on the A+ and N+ certs there is the actual date the cert was obtained, which in my case was in 2006.

Its no different from the various Microsoft certs where people certify in Windows NT4/2000/2003/2008 for example, and have upgrade paths if they choose them, but do not lose pre-existing certs.

All certs in IT should have a year attached or a software version or OS version of some kind, then its clear what the candidate has studied for, knows about, and is certified in.

Its really very simple, and this is all really a fuss about nothing and hasn't done CompTIA's reputation much good, and doesn't really give a good impression of IT certs in general.

[lonestar6416]

thanks for this info friend...I was terrified when rumor started that ALL compTIA certs had to be rewritten after 3 years...starting this year lolz.
I just finished A+ this year and am halfway through Net+ so that's a huge relief for me.

[BosonMichael]

Hahahahahah!!! "Clarified"... I don't think that word means what they think it means!

[Albert]

Originally Posted by lonestar6416

thanks for this info friend...I was terrified when rumor started that ALL compTIA certs had to be rewritten after 3 years...starting this year lolz.
I just finished A+ this year and am halfway through Net+ so that's a huge relief for me.

That's all well and gud for someone in a similar situation like yours but not so for me. I am currently 23 yrs old. Have an FdSc in ICT and BSc Business IT (second class) but what I learnt mostly isn't applicable to what I do. Currently working as Tier 1 Broadband Support in an outsourced call centre for an ISP since 22/09/09. It's getting to the point of being mind-numbing, speaking and repeating the same statements and process over and over again. The only changes are improvements to one's product knowledge and enhancing customer service skill but most importantly I feel hindered on the technical side. On the other hand it has been the closest and only experience I've had to network/helpdesk support. I do have ambition to progress further.

When do you suggest I take at least the first two important certs. A+ and N+?

1. Before 31/12/2010 so that I have these for life and won't need to pay again to recertify? This might result in just exam cramming and not learning a lot or enough in detail. I'll be studying with Michael Meyers 7th Ed. book and using TestOut software.

2. Or take them at my own pace, which I'm thinking 1yr for each. So thats 2 yrs for both A+ and N+ then 3rd yr for MCDST? Although I would need to pay and recertify the highest cert. out of A+ and N+, which is N+ again every 3 yrs or take Security+ (highest cert.) when N+ expiry nears. Again Security+ would still need to be retaken after every 3 yrs so I'll still be recertifying the highest level CompTIA cert. anyways. I'll be at least 26 yrs old then,

[BosonMichael]

Originally Posted by Albert

That's all well and gud for someone in a similar situation like yours but not so for me. I am currently 23 yrs old. Have an FdSc in ICT and BSc Business IT (second class) but what I learnt mostly isn't applicable to what I do. Currently working as Tier 1 Broadband Support in an outsourced call centre for an ISP since 22/09/09. It's getting to the point of being mind-numbing, speaking and repeating the same statements and process over and over again. The only changes are improvements to one's product knowledge and enhancing customer service skill but most importantly I feel hindered on the technical side. On the other hand it has been the closest and only experience I've had to network/helpdesk support. I do have ambition to progress further.

When do you suggest I take at least the first two important certs. A+ and N+?

1. Before 31/12/2010 so that I have these for life and won't need to pay again to recertify? This might result in just exam cramming and not learning a lot or enough in detail. I'll be studying with Michael Meyers 7th Ed. book and using TestOut software.

2. Or take them at my own pace, which I'm thinking 1yr for each. So thats 2 yrs for both A+ and N+ then 3rd yr for MCDST? Although I would need to pay and recertify the highest cert. out of A+ and N+, which is N+ again every 3 yrs or take Security+ (highest cert.) when N+ expiry nears. Again Security+ would still need to be retaken after every 3 yrs so I'll still be recertifying the highest level CompTIA cert. anyways. I'll be at least 26 yrs old then,

Everyone learns at their own pace, but I doubt it'll take you a year get through A+ or Network+. It really shouldn't, if you love IT.

[The_Geek]

Although I feel this is good news, on the down side I have not had to manually configure an IRQ or a DMA channel in a long time.....and probably wouldn't remember how if my life depended on it.