An Overview of CompTIA Certifications
Table of Contents
Introduction
Look around you! You read information, order goods, talk to people and promote your business over the internet. Could you do without computers for a day?
The IT industry today is a very lucrative and fast-growing industry, and as is the case with all such fast-growing industries, many people are venturing into it, especially due to the ease of acquiring skills in this world.
This leaves a beginner in the IT world with a need to distinguish himself in order to have a little edge over others. One of the best ways to have an edge over other IT personnel is by having IT certificates.
And why would anyone not go for the ‘edge’ when arguably the most respected IT certifications you could get, CompTIA certifications, could be picked for as low as $350?
The reason is that just like you (most probably), many of them have no knowledge about this certification.
So What Exactly are CompTIA Certifications About?
Starting with the CompTIA A+ certification in 1993, CompTIA has been one of the best recognized certifications in the IT industry, issuing over 2million certifications.
CompTIA certifications are vendor-neutral certifications; that is: they do not focus on one particular vendor’s platforms or tools, but they give a broad overview and test your knowledge of different technologies provided by different vendors.
CompTIA certfications spread across different fields: from cloud computing and networking to cyber security and infrastructure.
How Do CompTIA Certifications Work?
Like the heading says, it is a certification and not a course. This means you could, at any time, enrol for the certification and sit for the exams if you believe you are equipped for it.
CompTIA provides you with a brochure to study the exam objectives and practice test questions so that you can know what the exam is all about.
So, generally, CompTIA certifications are more about certifying your knowledge to make your employers trust you better, that they are about giving you new knowledge.
Of course, preparing for the certification would force you to look into and study some aspects of your career which you might never have paid attention to before then.
Where Then Do You Get Resources From?
CompTIA certifications are not your local high school testimony, they are globally recognized certificates which have been around for nearly twenty years.
It should come as no surprise then that there are a host of courses and resources on the internet that are aimed at preparing you for the various certifications you may enrol for.
Popular IT tutoring sites often have many courses that prepare you for CompTIA certifications, and this is even if you need them.
CompTIA itself provides some resources, traditional study guides, training, and books to prepare you for the examination, but you can choose not to follow that path and rather study on your own and then only come for the certification exam.
What Can You Get Certified In?
CompTIA IT certifications, grouped by skill set, can be divided into four categories.
Core Certifications: Core certifications are designed to certify core foundational skills in handling computers and networks.
CompTIA offers four Core certifications:
1. IT Fundamentals+ certification focuses on the essential IT skills and knowledge needed to perform tasks commonly performed by advanced end-users and entry-level IT professionals.
2. CompTIA A+ focuses on, among other areas, software, hardware, and network troubleshooting as well as security and networking.
3. CompTIA Network+ certifies your competence in managing, maintenance, installation, troubleshooting, and configuration of basic network infrastructures.
4. CompTIA Security+ focuses on entry-level cyber security skills.
Infrastructure Certifications are designed as a deeper dive into the Network+ certification. They focus on deep aspects of networking.
CompTIA offers three Infrastructure certifications:
1. CompTIA Server+ focused on validating the skills necessary to be a server administrator. this includes:
virtualization, storage, security, and troubleshooting.
2. CompTIA Cloud+ covers hybrid cloud, virtual system administration, and deploying network storage resources.
CompTIA Cloud+ validates the skills you need to maintain and optimize cloud infrastructure services.
3. CompTIA Linux+ focuses on Linux operating system administration and management.
CompTIA offers three cybersecurity credentials that focus on handling and preventing cyber attacks.
1. CompTIA CySA+ CySA ( Cyber Security Analyst) and targets IT security behavioral analysts.
2.CASP+ CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner; focuses on professionals who design and implement security solutions.
3. CompTIA PenTest+ focuses on Penetration Testing and targets professionals who conduct penetration and vulnerability testing.
Additional Professional Certifications:
This category features programs that do not readily fit into any of CompTIA’s other core IT programs.
These include CompTIA Project+, CompTIA CTT+, and CompTIA Cloud Essentials.
How Respected Are CompTIA Certifications?
This would be your assignment. But I would give you tips nevertheless.
A certification that has been in vogue since 1993, gotten by 2 million people (compare with the ratio of people in the IT industry) and continues to update its courses from time-to-time, would not have survived if it weren’t valuable.
Moreso, if you were to ask this question on Google, if the certifications weren’t valuable, with over 2million certified people, you should have a number of people disapproving of it and urging you not to waste your money and time on it.
Now with those tips, good luck in your research!
