Top 10 IT Certifications for 2012

Global Knowledge, a US-based IT and business skills training company, releases an annual IT Skills and Salary report. Based on their latest release, they have come up with Top paying IT certifications that open up several job opportunities for certified professionals.

Certain certifications like CCIE (Cisco Certified Internet-working Expert) and VCDX (VMware Certified Design Expert) have not been included in the report because of their exclusivity. Read more

Top 10 IT Certifications for 2012 are as follows:

1.       PMP (Project Management Professional): Project Management is meant to complete a complex project in a cost-effective manner and on time. From planning to hiring resources to delegating tasks and delivering the final product, project managers have to handle multiple tasks. In this field, the certifications offered by Project Management Institute (PMI) certifications are widely respected worldwide. See details

2.       CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional): If you have at least five years of experience in the field of Information Security and want to be a globally recognised expert in the field, opt for CISSP. CISSP professionals define and implement the architecture, design and management of the security of business environments. See details

3.       CCDA (Cisco Certified Design Associate): CCDA is a CISCO certification for network professionals who have verifiable skills needed to design routed and switched network infrastructures and services involving LAN, WAN, and broadband access for businesses and organizations. Valid for three years, the CCDA certification curriculum encompasses designing basic campus, data center, security, voice, and wireless networks. See details

4.       ITIL v3 Foundation (Information Technology Infrastructure Library): ITIL certification denotes Best Practice in IT Service Management. It covers documented, proven processes to cover the entire Service Lifecycle of the quality IT services, which makes it easy for organisations to learn, modify, and implement it to suit their corporate aims. See details

5.       MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer): The MCSE is the most recognized industry certification in the world. It helps professionals expand their skills both on-premise and in the cloud. Constantly in touch with the latest industry trends, MCSE professionals are thought to be forward-thinking industry leaders in IT certifications. See details

6.       VCP (VMware Certified Professional): Certifying IT professionals for their skills in datacenter virtualization, VCP certification is recognised by the industry. It signifies completion of a VMware-authorized training course and at least six months of hands-on experience with VMware technologies that teaches professionals to successfully install, deploy, scale and manage VMware vSphere environments. See details

7.       CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional): CCNP Certification is for those who have at least one year of networking experience and would learn the necessary skills to work on complex network solutions. This IPv6 Forum Gold Education Certification validates the professional's ability to plan, implement, verify and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks. They are apt for enterprise roles such as network technician, support engineer, systems engineer or network engineer. See details

8.       CompTIA Server+: CompTIA Server+ certification is a vendor neutral certification for professionals that have at least 18 to 24 months of experience in the Information Technology field. It validates knowledge of server hardware and software. The certified professionals possess skills and knowledge in the field of server issues and technology, including disaster recovery and troubleshooting. See details

9.       MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional): MCITP certification assesses the individual's skills for a particular job role in IT, such as database administrator or enterprise messaging administrator. The certifications are not updated for future versions of Microsoft products. However, MCITPs are eligible for special upgrade paths to new Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) certifications, which access an experienced professional’s ability to design and build technology solutions in the cloud and on premise. See details

10.    CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate): Validating the professional's ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-sized route and switched networks, CCNA curriculum includes implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN, basic mitigation of security threats, introduction to wireless networking concepts and terminology, and performance-based skills.  It also includes various protocols like IP, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), Serial Line Interface Protocol Frame Relay, Routing Information Protocol Version 2 (RIPv2), VLANs, Ethernet, and access control lists (ACLs). See details

Expert Advice

Rutul Naik from Jetking Infotrain Ltd points out, "CCNA, CCNP, MCSE, MCITP, and RHCE are some certifications which are most popular among Indian students who wish to pursue a successful career in IT. The first four are there in this list too. Students who wish to make a career in Networking can get Cisco certifications (CCNA or CCNP) and students who wish to make a career in server on Windows platform, can go for Microsoft certifications (MCSE or MCITP)."

At Jetking, top companies have approached the institute to specifically ask for CCNA certified students even at fresher levels. Naik says, "Recruiters always prefer someone who is certified. Advanced Certifications are quite helpful in career progression too."

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