This area of I.T. is perhaps one of the most sweeping & extensive there is. Because there are so many complicated skill-sets to embrace, a certain amount of specialist training is the only effective option. The key systems contributors in this marketplace are Microsoft and Cisco. The software side of networking is Microsoft's department, & the hardware side (routers, controllers & switches and so on.) is where Cisco mainly work. Each of the organisations have branched heavily into security over the last several years, by commercial necessity. We should also take note of the greater professional use of Wi-Fi these days, which is basically wireless connections and hard-ware. And next we have the dark art of Hacking (legally) and Computer Forensics - both very complex & very specialist subjects in their own right, & take a considerable amount of working experience and understanding.

Qualifications within this market aren't confined just Cisco and Microsoft alone. A number of well-respected independents are now supplying increasingly more applicable & important certifications. The significance about understanding converging technologies & inter-connectivity in networks has become very well appreciated. Networking is in actual fact under-going some key paradigm-shifts right now; both in processing terms and in data-storage, with internet based computing gaining presence & 'green IT' getting to be increasingly relevant. From the economic point of view, greener engineering has to be built to be a lot more cost effective, in addition to being kinder to the planet. Lower power processors and computers produce much less heat, which means less cooling is necessary. Both of these together vastly reduce the energy bill, & so impact upon a corporation's bottom line -- especially in data-centres and high-volume processing departments.

The vendor neutral worldwide institution CompTIA now provides perhaps the most recognised and widely respected independent IT certifications. Various other institutions also supply worthy certifications, such as 'CWNP' ('Certified Wireless Network Professional') & ISC2 ('International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium'). Most prominently needless to say are Cisco and Microsoft themselves, each with their own accreditation tracks. Largely because of the range & volume of accreditation paths to be had in this sector, its a good idea to talk through this kind of change of career with an industry experienced advisor. Without individually-tailored guidance you could potentially head-off in a wrong direction and squander considerable time or money.

Microsoft offer a number of MCSE specialism's, such as in Security or Messaging for those who have a particular interest. It may be that CompTIA Security+ is right for you, so you can move onto the 'CISSP' - Certified Information Systems Security Professional. You'll find there are strict 'experience' requirements for the CISSP, and these need talking about & understanding before you take this route. Our professional advice is always to take part in an educated discussion prior to embarking on any kind of new career training.

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