How would you compare Comptia's Network+ with Novell's Networking Technology Certification?

How would you compare Comptia's Network+ with Novell's Networking Technology Certification?

Even though Novell is slowly losing popularity, how would you compare CompTIA's Network+ with Novell's Networking Technology Certification? I've heard that Novell will accept Net+ towards CNE, but would the Novell cert mean more on the job market? I am aiming toward the networking infrastructure and considering which exam to take.

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Great questions. The Novell Networking Technology exam is much broader and deeper, and more demanding, than the old Network+ exam. There's a new Network+ exam getting ready to kick in on 1/31/2002, however, that compares more directly to the Novell Networking Technology exam. But there is one important difference to these two items: completing the Network+ exam entitles you to claim Network+ certification; completing the Novell Networking Technology exam by itself will not qualify you for any Novell certification. You must take the Administering Novell NetWare five or six exams (one or the other) to obtain the CNA certification, and six or seven exams (depending on track) to obtain the CNE certification. The Networking Technologies exam counts toward CNE, but by itself doesn't really count for much.

Thus, unless you're planning to obtain a CNE at some point, I'd recommend Network+ over the Novell Networking Technology exam.

HTH,
Ed

This was first published in January 2002