A Cisco training course is designed for people who wish to understand and work with routers and switches. Routers connect networks of computers via dedicated lines or the internet. It's advisable that you should start with the CCNA. It's not advisable to launch directly into a CCNP as it is very advanced - and you should gain some working knowledge to have a go at this.

Routers connect to networks, so it's essential to understand how networks function, or you will have difficulties with the course and not be able to understand the work. Find training that covers networking fundamentals (for example CompTIA) prior to starting your CCNA.

The CCNA qualification is more than adequate; don't let some salesperson talk you into starting with the CCNP. Once you've worked for a few years, you can decide if it's relevant for you to have this next level up. If you decide to become more qualified, you'll have the knowledge you need to master your CCNP - because it's a difficult qualification to master - and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Being at the forefront of the cutting-edge of new technology is about as exciting as it can get. You personally play your part in shaping the next few decades. It's a common misapprehension that the revolution in technology we have experienced is cooling down. This couldn't be more wrong. Terrific advances are ahead of us, and most especially the internet will be the biggest thing to affect the way we live.

Should receiving a good salary be high on your scale of wants, you'll be happy to know that the regular income for the majority of IT staff is noticeably better than with the rest of the economy. The search for certified IT specialists is assured for quite some time to come, due to the continuous increase in the technology industry and the massive deficiency that we still have.

'Exam Guarantees' are often bundled with training offers - this always means exams have to be paid for upfront, before you've even made a start on the course. Before you get carried away with the chance of a guarantee, be aware of the facts:

You're paying for it somehow. It certainly isn't free - it's just been rolled into the price of the whole package. Evidence shows that when trainees fund their own exams, one after the other, there's a much better chance they'll get through on the first attempt - since they are conscious of their payment and therefore will put more effort into their preparation.

Take your exams somewhere local and look for the very best offer you can at the time. Is there a good reason to pay interest on a bigger loan than is necessary because you've paid early for examination fees when you don't need to? A lot of profit is made by companies getting money in early for exam fees - and then cashing in when they're not all taken. Re-takes of any failed exams through training course providers with an 'Exam Guarantee' inevitably are heavily regulated. They will insist that you take pre-tests first so you can prove to them you have a good chance of passing.

With average Prometric and VUE tests in the United Kingdom costing around 112 pounds, it's common sense to fund them one by one. There's no sense in throwing away maybe a thousand pounds extra at the start of your studies. Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

Always expect an authorised exam preparation system as part of your course package. Don't fall foul of relying on unauthorised exam preparation systems. Their phraseology is sometimes startlingly different - and this could lead to potential problems when it comes to taking the real exam. As you can imagine, it is vital to be confident that you're absolutely ready for your final certified exam prior to doing it. Going over 'mock' tests will help to boost your attitude and helps to avoid failed exams.

A lot of training companies will only offer support available from 9-6 (office hours) and sometimes later on specific days; very few go late in the evening or at weekends. Be wary of any training providers that use 'out-of-hours' messaging systems - with your call-back scheduled for standard office hours. This is no use if you're stuck and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.

The most successful trainers use multiple support centres across multiple time-zones. By utilising an interactive interface to seamlessly link them all together, irrespective of the time you login, help is just a click away, avoiding all the delays and problems. Never settle for less than you need and deserve. Online 24x7 support is the only viable option when it comes to computer-based study. It's possible you don't intend to study late evenings; usually though, we're working when traditional support if offered.