This area of I.T. is possibly one of the most sweeping and extensive there is. With so many complicated skill sets to embrace, some specialisation is the only practical answer. Cisco & Microsoft are the 2 major companies ruling this particular field. The actual software program side of networks is Microsoft's focus, & the hardware side (routers, controllers and switches and so on.) is where Cisco mainly work. It's become financially and economically necessary for MS and Cisco to move into security over the last decade. Additionally in this field we are finding the substantial growth of wireless-networking. Although Computer-Forensics and Ethical Hacking have feet in all of these sectors, they are also professions in their own right, and demand substantial training & real-life experience to become completely effective.

'CompTIA' (the 'Computing Technology Industry Association') is a world-wide concern that right now offers many of the most respected vendor-neutral accreditation paths on the market. In addition there are various other companies, such as the 'ISC2' (abbreviated from the rather long winded: International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium!) and 'CWNP' ('Certified Wireless Network Professional'). Clearly, there is a complete slew of accreditation tracks from Cisco and Microsoft. Because of the scope and amount of certification routes to be had in this field, it's sensible to discuss this kind of career move with an industry experienced advisor. This will likely keep you from making an expensive mistake, both in terms of money & time spent.

Industry recognised qualifications can be gained from the suppliers themselves & vendor neutral companies. A number of well-respected independents are now supplying progressively more applicable and important accreditations. The importance of understanding converging technologies and inter connectivity in networks is now well accepted. We are seeing an essential generational shift within network technology today, thoughts in general are leaning towards greener IT, and both processing power and data storage are switching towards 'cloud' computing. From a financial viewpoint, 'greener' technology must be designed to be a lot more cost effective, as well as being more gentle towards the planet. Computers generate much less heat (& therefore need much less cooling) if they have lower powered processors. Both of these together greatly cut down the fuel bill, and therefore affect a company's bottom line - primarily in data-centres and high volume processing departments.

For a lot of people taking a look at getting into I.T. as a profession, basic networking is the starting-point. Before you're confident about exactly how a Computer functions and 'communicates' with other PCs, the rest is nonsense. Presuming a rudimentary level of computer user skills, (see the more general I.T. Training sections if not,) the recommended starting point is nearly always 'CompTIA' A+ & 'Network+' . These are dealt with on the 'CompTIA' section on this site.

Progressing from here you can look at the MS 'MCSA'/'MCSE' or the Cisco CCNA/CCNP, depending on whether you are interested in the 'hardware' or 'software' side of the equation. Even so, an in-depth knowledge of MS's operating systems is highly important as they're such a key aspect of most networking-environments. Once again, each of these certifications are written about in-depth on their respective sections within this site.

A further possibility is to continue with CompTIA certifications for instance Security+, Linux+ or Server+ & stay 'vendor-neutral', or perhaps look at the 'CWNA' or 'CWNP' and become a specialist in wire-less technologies.

MS produce a number of specialisations within MCSE, for instance in Security or Messaging for students who have a particular interest. It may be that 'CompTIA' Security+ is right for you, so that you can move on to the 'CISSP' - 'Certified Information Systems Security Professional'. There are strict 'experience' requirements for the CISSP, and these need discussing and getting to grips with prior to deciding to go along this particular path. As always, we advise talking with a professional industry advisor to avoid any kind of 'mishaps'.

You've probably noticed that Digital or Computer Forensics is a frequently used expression that's been popularised by TV shows like "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation". There may though be a tad less glamour to the real workload than that performed by the actors on our screens! But for many people, it offers a highly interesting and satisfying career within technology-based exploration. A Computer Forensics expert will trace and interpret digital artefacts which are frequently utilised to resolve crimes.

Together with Security & Computer Forensics the relatively new field of 'Ethical Hacking' is emerging. The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) & the 'Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator'(CHFI) are medium to advanced level accreditations provided by the EC-Council.

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