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There’s several goons in here have done WGU, myself included. I had a pretty positive experience and would do it again. My wife may also do WGU for her teaching credentials once she’s done at the community college.
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Jan 1, 2021 03:58
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Yeah I’m a WGU grad, positive experience and would do it again. Like FCKGW said there’s several of us here and I don’t recall anyone having anything negative to say about it.
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Jan 1, 2021 20:57
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Yep, current student here. Good stuff, very affordable and it'll leave me with a bunch of certs I didn't really have to pay for so I'll get those checkmarks too. Really I'm just doing it for the bachelors checkmark to pass the HR filters.
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Jan 1, 2021 21:42
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Thanks goons, this is all good to know, hoping it leads to better things. I'm also glad I'll get some use out of my GI bill. Never saw myself going back to school, or doing school again after the tech college but here we are
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Jan 2, 2021 16:01
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Hey anyone done AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals? Got a sub-technical family member working on it and I don’t know how how difficult the test should be or what the goto study materials are.
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Jan 3, 2021 02:00
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I did AZ-900 about 6 months ago. I just use Micrososoft's official training docs which include labs and stuff https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/az-900 Once I was done with the training I paid $16 for some practice tests, these were pretty close to the actual test material. https://www.whizlabs.com/microsoft-azure-certification-az-900/ I used this Azure study guide a couple days before with the tests to go over any missing material https://github.com/undergroundwires/Azure-in-bullet-points#az-900-microsoft-azure-fundamentals
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Jan 3, 2021 06:13
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FCKGW posted:I did AZ-900 about 6 months ago. I just use Micrososoft's official training docs which include labs and stuff Thanks! That’s exactly what he’s doing except for the last bit. Maybe that will be what he needs to cross over to reliably passing the practice tests.
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Jan 3, 2021 22:55
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Current WGU student here, kinda looking for direction actually. Currently in for a BS in Information Systems -- I'm interested in really all of IT but I also enjoy having a life outside of it. I've been interested in doing cloud work (opinions on Cloud and Sys admin degree with WGU?) but I'd be cool doing networking or even cyber security, I just have no idea what I'd actually enjoy doing without having done it. I'm in my 5th year doing support though its with a very hands-on MSP and they trust me so I'm a defacto sharepoint admin for one large client, I do a lot of Meraki MDM stuff for another, I renew SSL certs on domains and servers, I do a bit of powershell scripting, do general support poo poo, etc, happy with the work just not the company. Anyway, I really want to get to the 'next level' I just don't know what to expect or where to look and its getting overwhelming. I'd love to do sysadmin but with the constant chants of "it's dying" for the last 10 years idk if it'll actually come to fruition. Cloud stuff interests me, networking interests me, cyber security SORTA interests me, I have no idea where to go with it. Should I keep on with my degree as is in information systems (coming into my second term soon) or should I consider the cloud and sys admin route (which seemed sorta made to be trendy imo but idk) Currently have my A+ and Sec+
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Jan 4, 2021 07:34
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FCKGW posted:I did AZ-900 about 6 months ago. I just use Micrososoft's official training docs which include labs and stuff I just did the MS free course and then some free tests and got a pass by not very many points but eh, pass is a pass.
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Jan 4, 2021 08:30
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Slumpy posted:
I'm much more of a beginner, but even without a lot of hands on IT experience, I found basic networking pretty easy. If you are curious, might be worth dipping your toes into to get a sense of if it's for you. It's not a huge mental investment relative to sysadmin or cybersecuity. E. especially if your school will enroll you in Cisco learning modules. The packet tracer labs provided are fantastic.
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Jan 4, 2021 17:19
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AlternateAccount posted:Thanks! That’s exactly what he’s doing except for the last bit. Maybe that will be what he needs to cross over to reliably passing the practice tests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKEFWyqJ5XA&t=6394s This worked for me as well.
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Jan 4, 2021 17:23
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Looking for a course to help me prep for the RHCSA, would the Linux Academy one be good? Any other recommendations?
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Jan 4, 2021 22:46
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Sander is very good but expensive. I bought his course for RHCSA/RHCE and it was worth the money. Look up his LabIPA YouTube video to get your lab environment started. Whatever course you're on, as long as you can pass the practice tests, you'll do fine.
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Jan 5, 2021 20:18
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Failed the first part of the A+ exam, retook it today and passed (barely). Passed the second part the first time, also barely. Guess I'll start looking for a job soon? Hopefully I can find one that fits with my part-time school schedule.
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Jan 11, 2021 01:59
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Farecoal posted:Failed the first part of the A+ exam, retook it today and passed (barely). Passed the second part the first time, also barely. Guess I'll start looking for a job soon? Hopefully I can find one that fits with my part-time school schedule. Nice job! Hope you're able to find something quick and that can work with school. Take a look at WGU if you're wanting some more flexibility with a school schedule, I'm loving it after almost 2 years.
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Jan 11, 2021 02:09
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cage-free egghead posted:Nice job! Hope you're able to find something quick and that can work with school. Take a look at WGU if you're wanting some more flexibility with a school schedule, I'm loving it after almost 2 years. WGU is Western Governors University? Also, what's a next good cert? I'm not sure what to specialize in, at least until I get more work experience
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Jan 11, 2021 05:38
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Farecoal posted:WGU is Western Governors University? Can't go wrong with the entry level Cloud Certificates like Microsoft AZ-900: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/exams/az-900 AWS Certified Cloud Practicioner: https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-cloud-practitioner/ Both are introductions to cloud computing, which (if you're still studying) will likely become a large part of your professional life in IT. Getting to know the concepts, options, up and down sides to them will be beneficial for many years to come. The good news is both are completely free with regards to course materials. The exams are also pretty cheap I believe ($150 if I'm not mistaken). Should be able to knock one of these boys out in a few weeks time. It might give you an idea on which area you're interested next as well.
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Jan 11, 2021 09:03
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LochNessMonster posted:Can't go wrong with the entry level Cloud Certificates like I'll take a look at those, thanks!
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Jan 11, 2021 17:01
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I've been studying for the ITIL v4 Foundations exam using the official book, planning on taking the exam later this week. Does anyone have any extra study material that they would recommend using? I was given a recommendation for the ITIL v4 Foundations App (google store link) as a source of extra study questions & practice tests, but haven't put down the $8.50 for it yet.
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Jan 11, 2021 17:28
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Actuarial Fables posted:I've been studying for the ITIL v4 Foundations exam using the official book, planning on taking the exam later this week. Does anyone have any extra study material that they would recommend using? I was given a recommendation for the ITIL v4 Foundations App (google store link) as a source of extra study questions & practice tests, but haven't put down the $8.50 for it yet. I actually just passed this a few hours ago. I used Jason Dion's study guide, and if you're a student of WGU, there's a copy of a separate study guide floating around in their library. https://diontraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Study-Guide-ITIL-4-Foundation.pdf Tips video made by Axelos. Panelists include the author of a study guide (which is in the WGU library), and a guy who helped design the exam. The video tells you about the structure of the exam and pointers, but not any of the content. A key takeaway is that none of the questions are trick questions, so overthinking any question is a sign you're going the wrong way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJpXsug8fZE
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Jan 13, 2021 01:03
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Congrats! I'll definitely check them out, thanks!
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Jan 13, 2021 12:32
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Got my ITILv4 Foundations exam scheduled through PeopleCert. One of the post-confirmation screens had this offer for $89. Haven't heard of certification exam insurance before.
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Jan 14, 2021 17:06
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Actuarial Fables posted:Got my ITILv4 Foundations exam scheduled through PeopleCert. One of the post-confirmation screens had this offer for $89. I know both Microsoft and CompTIA offer them, but they are somewhat hidden and I rarely see it mentioned.
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Jan 14, 2021 17:44
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Yeah. At some point, you have to be confident that you'll pass because you put the actual work in to study for it (and not just cursory glimpses through the material because it's supposed to be easy or you've worked in the field for X years). For an exam like the ITIL 4 Foundation that doesn't engage in CompTIA word trickery and there being only one definitively correct answer, it doesn't really seem necessary. Do people actually go for the ITIL 4 out of pocket? From what I've seen, it's usually a work or school compensated thing.
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Jan 14, 2021 20:14
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Passed both A+ tests good to have that monkey off my back.
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Jan 15, 2021 17:55
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SpaceSDoorGunner posted:Passed both A+ tests good to have that monkey off my back. Congratulations! What are you looking at next job wise or cert wise?
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Jan 15, 2021 20:14
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I think I need to learn networking next. That being said I just got a job offer for a junior developer position so I may go that way even though the pay is worse than doing government IT
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Jan 15, 2021 20:20
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SpaceSDoorGunner posted:I think I need to learn networking next. That being said I just got a job offer for a junior developer position so I may go that way even though the pay is worse than doing government IT Sounds like you're just starting out. IT is a wide field, I'd say while you should consider money as a factor, you can be well paid doing either software development or on the infrastructure side. Get your feet wet somewhere and see what interests you the most.
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Jan 15, 2021 22:08
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Anyone know if AWS online proctored exams through Pearson require you to have completely bare walls or will they be OK with posters and such as long as they can see 'em during the check-in?
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Jan 15, 2021 22:13
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MJP posted:Anyone know if AWS online proctored exams through Pearson require you to have completely bare walls or will they be OK with posters and such as long as they can see 'em during the check-in? When I took my A+ tests through Pearson a week ago they were fine with my bookshelves just to my left, and some stuff on the upper shelves of my desk. If they don't like something during check-in they'll call you and ask you to take it down or put it away
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Jan 15, 2021 22:29
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I just did mine in the kitchen instead of at my desk. I have an insane cable management nightmare of pi’s set up on sort of a improvised KVM deal using hdmi and keyboard switches for my ghetto homelab, and the first time they made me prove that I disconnected everything so I just didn’t want to deal with that. As long as its not within an arms reach they don’t care.
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Jan 16, 2021 05:42
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late last year, I posted about my school track getting me CCNA MSCA and a bunch of Comptia stuff, I was looking at jobs right now for when I get out of school... How important is a bachelors? I'm looking at getting my AA but I can't find any job openings in the bay area that would even look at me with out a bachelors.
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Jan 16, 2021 12:05
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Passed the ITILv4 Foundation certification exam today, 37/40. It's upsetting that I can now understand management speak.
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Jan 17, 2021 22:55
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Actuarial Fables posted:Passed the ITILv4 Foundation certification exam today, 37/40. It's upsetting that I can now understand management speak. Considering the passing score is only 65%, some managers probably don't even understand it.
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Jan 18, 2021 04:41
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Boba Pearl posted:
It sounds like you already answered your own question... We can have a lengthy discussion on if the financial and time burden of a bachelors is worth it for most IT fields but at the end of the day it's an easy to require HR filter that cuts a few hundred applications from the thousands they receive for entry level positions. On the flip side, if doesn't matter if you get turned down by 99 companies that require it if you get an offer from one that does.
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Jan 18, 2021 15:27
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Actuarial Fables posted:Passed the ITILv4 Foundation certification exam today, 37/40. It's upsetting that I can now understand management speak. Our entire organization has a requirement to take and pass that exam and I can tell you that while we use the terms outlined in ITIL, we don't use them correctly.
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Jan 18, 2021 17:08
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20 year IT veteran, network/sysadmin, python/ruby/php development, windows/linux/mac, manufacturing/erp/healthcare, server hardware/wiring/vmware/phone systems, a pretty good mix of everything I don't have a bachelor's degree so I find myself locked out of some of the bigger companies around here. I make about $75k in a small city in the midwest and I've been looking to make the next step up to $100k+ I don't have any certifications, other than an A+ that I got back in like 2000 or so. I bought an RHCSA book a few months back but I've also had a baby join the family lately so that's been taking up some of my time at home. I could probably knock that out in the next 2 months or so, but there doesn't seem to be a ton of Linux jobs around here, at least not paying anymore than I make now. I realize that there might be remote Linux jobs out there but I'd prefer to not work 100% remote. I also realize everything has been moving to the cloud, but no companies that I work for have been buying it. So the next logical step would be start working toward something there, AWS vs Azure certifications? I 'like' doing Linux stuff so would AWS make any more sense there? Also wouldn't mind something doing development again, not real sure. Part of this is not being left behind in 2000's sysadmin world, part of it is wanting to make more money. Should I bother finishing the RHCSA or just jump straight to cloud certs?
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Jan 18, 2021 19:24
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Bob Morales posted:20 year IT veteran, network/sysadmin, python/ruby/php development, windows/linux/mac, manufacturing/erp/healthcare, server hardware/wiring/vmware/phone systems, a pretty good mix of everything AWS vs Azure doesn’t make much of a difference with regards to Linux knowledge being useful. I recall reading that there are more Linux than Windows VMs in Azure these days. AWS is the largest cloud provider so I assume it’ll be more in demand but I see an abundance of Azure roles as well but that’s all up to location I guess. If you like working with linux and already have some experience with it the RHCSA shouldn’t be too much of a problem. It’s a pretty nice cert to have which shows you have decent hands on linux skills. Which way to go is entirely up to you. Without a bachelor you need to convince your new employer of your skills/experience in a different way. Certs can help you display that. If you already have a strong Linux background I’d recommend knocking out RHCSA and have that to showcase your knowledge in the area. Next step is looking at which route you want to go, AWS, Azure or GCP even. There’s free courses for both the entry level AWS Certified Cloud Practicioner and Azure Fundamentals certifications. Exams are $150 I believe and even with no cloud experience you can knock them out in a week of fulltime studying. Maybe take a month for it as you have a newborn. These are mostly about fundamental cloud concepts and which service does what. After that you can start studying for a cert that should be able to land you a cloud related role. For AWS that’d be Certified Solution Architect - Associate or Certfied SysOps Engineer - Associate. Or you coule opt for the Certified Developer but that doesn’t seem directly to line up with your current experience. Doesn’t matter and you can still do it, but if you want to take the quickest/easiest route I wouldn’t start with the Dev one.
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Jan 18, 2021 20:52
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LochNessMonster posted:Or you coule opt for the Certified Developer but that doesn’t seem directly to line up with your current experience. Doesn’t matter and you can still do it, but if you want to take the quickest/easiest route I wouldn’t start with the Dev one. I was a Rails developer for 3 years, but that was the only job where I was a full-time dev and not just doing it in addition to sysadmin stuff (10-20% of the time) I think I might just start the AWS ones, I always get distracted and want to learn a little bit of everything so I think I just need to choose something and stick with it.
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Jan 18, 2021 21:00
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Don’t bother with the cloud practitioner certs. They are very general and it’s a bit of a waste of money. the associate cloud engineer certs are a great place to start and will actually get you cloud jobs. You’ve been a sysadmin long enough you don’t need to do the warmup certs. As for which one, well, you can’t go wrong with AWS. But just pick one, the skills are broadly transferable.
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Jan 18, 2021 22:42
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Cat Army