This area of I.T. is perhaps one of the most sweeping & extensive there is. Generally, some level of specialisation is required, as to cover every element would probably take decades of studying. Cisco and Microsoft are the two main corporations dominating this field. The Network and Server software programs are produced by MS, and Cisco are mostly responsible for routers & data-switches, i.e. the Network hard-ware. Both corporations have moved heavily in to Security during the last decade, by commercial need. Another fast growing market in this sector is wireless connectivity and related products. Lastly, two crucial and developing sectors within the Security market are Digital-Forensics & Ethical-Hacking.

The vendor-neutral global institution 'CompTIA' now provides possibly the most familiar & widely respected impartial IT qualifications. Various other establishments also provide worthwhile certifications, for example CWNP (Certified Wireless Network Professional) & 'ISC2' ('International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium'). Needless to say, there is a whole variety of accreditation tracks from Cisco and Microsoft. Largely because of the range and quantity of accreditation paths to be had in this sector, its sensible to talk through this kind of career change with an experienced advisor. Without having personally-tailored advice you could potentially head off in a wrong-direction & waste considerable money or time.

If you happen to be especially focused on Messaging or Security, then MS have speciality MCSE's on offer to target these areas. You may choose to opt for Security+ from 'CompTIA', and follow that with the 'Certified Information Systems Security Professional' ('CISSP'). CISSP candidates have to have substantial professional work experience, so be sure you investigate this thoroughly. Our recommendation is always to take part in an informed discussion before starting any new career-training.

You've probably noticed that 'Digital' or 'Computer' Forensics is a newer expression that has been popularised by TV shows such as "CSI". There could though be a tad less glamour regarding the actual workload than that executed by the characters on television! Having said that, technological-forensics provides a fascinating profession for a lot of professionals today. A Digital Forensics specialist will search for and explain digital artefacts that are frequently utilised to solve crimes.

Alongside Security & Computer Forensics the somewhat new field of 'Ethical Hacking' is developing. Seasoned I.T. professionals can learn the principles of 'criminal' hacking for ethical security reasons. The EC-Council provides mid to high level certifications, namely the CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) and the 'CHFI' ('Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator').

Accreditations within this sector aren't restricted MS & Cisco themselves. Actually, there's a great deal of accreditation that is provided by very well regarded impartial institutions -- and this has grown to be more and more important. An understanding of network-interface-connectivity between & within networks is now becoming increasingly important. Networking is in fact going through some significant paradigm-shifts right now; notably the move towards Cloud or internet-based computing (in terms of data storage, and processing-power), & the mental change towards 'green' I.T.. 'Green' I.T. doesn't particularly mean environmentally-friendly - it does of course have elements designed to reduce the carbon dioxide impact and so on., but it's also strongly installed in the economic reality of cost savings. Computer systems will generate less heat (& so need less cooling) if they have lower-power processors. Businesses with large networks of computers can reduce their fuel bills appreciably with 'greener' and much more efficient computers.

A rudimentary understanding of networks is a good first-base for anybody coming into the industry. You must know precisely how computers function and communicate with one another before you do anything else. Providing you have proficient user-skills, you'll find the CompTIA A+ and Network+ programs are excellent to begin with. We include information about these packages on the pages dedicated to CompTIA.

Moving on from this level you might consider the MS MCSA or MCSE or the Cisco CCNA/CCNP, depending on whether you're more interested in the hardware or software end of things. That said, MS boasts a major penetration within most network environments, which means an in depth understanding of their 'software' is very useful whatever your specialisation. Once again, these qualifications are covered in depth on the relevant pages on this website.

Another alternative is to carry on with 'CompTIA' certifications like Linux+, Server+ or Security+ & remain vendor-neutral, or maybe take the 'CWNA' or 'CWNP' & specialise in wireless technologies.

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