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Certification advice from the trenches

To certify is a huge step - it changes your identity (those capital letters at the end of your name), it proves to others that you're qualified, and more than anything, it increases your probability of getting hired and getting paid more.

Passing your exams not only tests your knowledge, but also your perseverance and dedication. To succeed, you need to devote a good amount of resources, time and money to earning your cert. And the tricky part can be deciding what those resources are, how much time to invest, and how much money you will realistically spend.

SearchNetworking.com recently held a contest to win Cisco's CCNP Video Mentor, and an astonishing number of quality entries flooded our inbox. To enter the contest, certified network pros told us how they earned their certifications. Here is a collection of advice from our contest winners:

• Certification preparation: Locate good reading material, resources and practice tests for any networking exam.


• How to pass your exams: No matter which exam you're trying to pass, this advice checklist will help.


• CCNA exam plan: Know the best CCNA resources, and learn how to prepare mentally for your CCNA.


• Network+ exam plan: Learn how to study and read your Network+ material.


• Your certification game plan: This covers online tests, lab setups and lists of activities to complete A+, Network+, CCNA, MCSA and Linux certifications.


• When to study, what to read: Understand studying time constraints here.

Whether you're looking for the right book to buy or a good way to study, these pieces cover methods to certify in everything from A+ to MCSA. So get in the know and find the method of learning that's best for you.