MS/MTech vs Certifications

I am confused and need some help, i have completed my Btech and am working in IT field, my interest is in Networking, so which of the following makes more sense:

1. masters in comp/IT through correspondence, as i dont wanna leave work. need suggestions for colleges.

2. Certification courses from NIIT/Aptech or any other institute. please suggest come courses n institutes (i live in gurgaon)

Thanks in advance

I would suggest both. Look Master Degree would add up a bit more value in your carrer.

But practically(if you need to choose b/w these two then) cerfications will be more valuable(I think). No NIIT/Aptech. Go for global certifications like CCNA, CCNP etc.

CCNA is more of programming of router/switches, i am more interested in designing/managing... will CCNA suit me? also what is the value of CompTIA Network+ certification?

thanks

N+ also has gr8 value. But not much more than CCNA. BTW didn't got your query.

You said "i am more interested in designing/managing". What do you mean by this??

If I got it correctly then you mean you want to implement n/w. So to successfully implement a good n/w and maintain them you need to work with Router and Switches always. CCNA focus on whole basic n/w. You won't be a n/w engg by doing CCNA. That needs CCNP(which is much more harder).

Without knowing anything about router and switches how would you maintain a n/w?? No one will hire you just for maintaining PC's.

Well, if I had said sumthing wrong please feel free to clear.

u got it correct... actually i was going through the cisco site and got a bit confused with all the courses : *www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/learning_career_certifications_and_learning_paths_home.html

I think i will go ahead with CCNA for now... is it true that CCNA is valid for only 3 years?

---------- Post added at 09:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:57 AM ----------

What is CCDA? how different is it from CCNA?

Ya you are right

You were viewing wrong pages. There are many parts of CCNA. But the CCNA which we normally mean is this *www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le0/le9/learning_certification_type_home.html

And here is about CCDA *www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le0/le4/learning_certification_type_home.html

CCDA will be covered in CCNA. Don't worry

isnt that a big disadvantage? what after 3 years?

No it's not like that........look after 3yr's this doesn't mean you have no value.

You need to re-certify yourself again(That will cost less and you need to give xm to the new added part only, though I'm not sure)

They have done this coz every now and then new technology comes up. And they have done this to make u cope up with all these.

Even after 3yrs you can use the same old certification. They are not cancelling your certification. They are just cancelling your validation. What I mean is after 3yr's you'll be like this "yes you are CCNA Certified, but not updated". Thats it.

Now after you get a job after the certification, it's completely upto you that would you like to validate it again after 3yrs. Coz you've already got a job. Now if you want to go more higher and want to get into big companies then a updated certification will be much better. Otherwise no one keeps validating every 3yr's. Coz i'ts of no use anymore. You'll be naturally get updated while working(practically).