Networking Computer Courses

As the Internet becomes an increasingly important tool in our daily lives, so too does the art of networking. Linking computers together becomes crucial. Today there are a series of standards in networking intended to make sure that networks are established securely and well. These are the building blocks of industry IT, and most networking courses you'll find will try to satisfy the needs of these standards.

In the IT world, most technicians and workers need to have a certification to work in a chosen field. The same holds true for networking, which is an important sub school of information technology. Generally speaking, if you're going to be getting a network-related job, you're going to need a certification from one of three major providers. These providers are Cisco, Microsoft, and CompTIA. Apple also provides a set of certifications for its own hardware.

CompTIA provides more general certifications than the other two providers, and offers such certifications as A+ and Network+, basic training that is almost universally accepted in the computer world. This universality is an advantage because it is vendor nonspecific, dealing in generalities that work across all kinds of systems. This differs from Cisco and MS certifications, which familiarize students with their specific hardware. CompTIA also offers Server+ and Security+.

Cisco certifications tend to focus heavily on security and the management of groups of computers. The basic Cisco certification is the CCNA, or 'network associate' certification, while higher-level certifications include the 'network professional' and 'voice professional' certifications. Unlike CompTIA certifications, Cisco certifications are vendor-specific, and work chiefly with Cisco hardware alone.

Microsoft certifications, like the Cisco certifications, are also vendor-specific, and tend to focus heavily on the role of the MS operating system in network configurations. In this way, Microsoft certifications can qualify one to become a strong system administrator, while a Cisco certification might make for a stronger network administrator.

There are several independent certifications, too. The CWNA certifies your competency with wireless networks, while the CISSP is an excellent security-based certification for contractors and technicians alike.

There are many resources for learning the content of these certifications. Open courseware can be found on sites like MIT's university site, or you can purchase books and guides meant to specifically train you for these certifications.