The World According to Mitch

I often get questions from readers and followers about different aspects of the IT Pro world.  If the answer is a simple one- or two-liner then I answer directly, but when the question is complex and the answer could benefit others I like to share that with the blogosphere.  This week I received this question:

I have a lot of IT experience but I am just now starting to accumulate some certifications. I am in a program now after work that ends in January 2014 where I will earn A+, Net+, MCSA Server 2008, and CCNA. I then plan to take 20417 to get MCSA Server 2012 and then MCSE Private Cloud. I hope to have all this done by the end of 2014. Is there a high demand for SCCM/Private Cloud certified individuals? Does SCCM seem better than VMWare ESXi or vSphere? Would you recommend that I also learn a Citrix equivalent virtualization? Thanks for answering my questions.

Firstly I am always glad when people with ‘a lot of IT experience’ decide to pursue certifications.  I have said many times that certifications demonstrate that you have respect for your profession and are willing to not only learn the right way to do things, but also to quantify that by taking and passing exams.  If you do not know how strongly I believe in certifications then frankly you have not been paying attention.  So congratulations on taking the first step!

Everyone learns differently, and while I am not usually a fan of programs that promise a plethora of certifications at the end I am not going to dismiss any method of learning.  The important thing is that you are doing it!  I don’t think that anyone has ever told me that they plan to get their MCSE: Private Cloud and their A+ certifications in the same paragraph, but that is also the choice of the learner; if the program that you are enrolled in starts with A+ then by all means man do it!

I suppose the real questions for me are as follows:

1. Is there a high demand for IT Professionals certified in System Center Configuration Manager?
2. Is there a high demand for IT Professionals with the MCSE: Private Cloud credential?
3. Are Microsoft’s Private Cloud certifications more valuable than VMware’s assorted certifications?
4. Is there any value to learning Citrix virtualization?

All four of these are valid questions, and I will gladly answer them in turn.

1) Is there a high demand for IT Professionals certified in System Center Configuration Manager?

System Center Configuration Manager 2012 is one of the most important solutions that many IT Professionals can learn.  The certification (TS: Administering and Deploying System Center 2012 Configuration Manager) is certainly a valid one, and anyone with experience (and certifications) in Configuration Manager are definitely sought after.  However it is important to realize that System Center 2012 is actually divided into seven components, and ConfigMgr is only one of them.  Frankly you did not mention it anywhere else in your question, so I can only assume that you made the common mistake of referring to System Center as Configuration Manager.

2) Is there a high demand for IT Professionals with the MCSE: Private Cloud credential?

The MCSE: Private Cloud is to date the certification that I am most proud of.  It requires candidates to first pass three exams to earn their MCSA: Windows Server 2012, and then two more exams – Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 (246), and Configuring and Deploying a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 (247).  All of these exams are tough, and passing them requires dedication, learning, and most of all experience with the products involved (including Windows Server 2012 and six of the seven components of System Center 2012).

As private and hybrid clouds are certainly where companies are heading, these certifications will put you in good stead to earn a good living.  I do not know a lot of people who have these certs who are out of work, or who are not earning a good living.

3) Are Microsoft’s Private Cloud certifications more valuable than VMware’s assorted certifications?

This is a tougher question.  I have been a VMware Certified Professional for several years, and based on this cert I could earn a good living.  On the other hand I see more companies moving toward Hyper-V, and as I stated people certified in Microsoft are not going hungry.  However here’s the thing: The vast majority of vSphere installations in the world rely heavily on Microsoft technologies because the operating systems and application servers are all Windows-based.  Because of that the MCSE: Private Cloud cert would still be beneficial to administrators in a vSphere environment, whereas the VCP would not be valuable to an admin in a Microsoft-only environment.  With that being said, VMware still has a huge install base, and knowing their products will never hurt.  Also when it comes time to migrate from vSphere to Hyper-V a working knowledge of VMware will only benefit you!

4) Is there any value to learning Citrix virtualization?

The answer to this question is, of course, it depends.  What do you want to work on?  According to the latest Gartner Magic Quadrant of x86 Server Virtualization published in June Citrix is really not focusing on the server virtualization business the way they once did.  With that being said, if you are interested in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) then it is hard to go wrong with Citrix.  It is important to know that Citrix partners heavily with Microsoft on VDI, and knowing both will be hugely valuable.

Conclusion

Certifications are great, and having a plan is important.  I always appreciate questions like this because frankly people never know what they don’t know.  Questions demonstrate an individual’s recognition that they are not omniscient, and that seeking guidance is a good thing.  Frankly I wish i had done so when I started on my path to certifications – had I done so I likely would have hedged my bets and gotten some Cisco and other certs in addition to my Microsoft ones!

Good luck and go get ‘em… I look forward to hearing your thoughts at the end of this part of your journey!