NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/misc/jobs/contract/4770

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-03 | 3.6 KB

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From: uunet.uu.net!weyrich!orville
Organization: Odyssey Ultraware, Inc
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 03:00:03 CDT
Subject: Novell CNA vs. CNE
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Novell has long had a "Certified Netware Engineer" (CNE) program which
they seem to use as a cash cow -- it is very hard to find an inexpensive
way to learn the material needed to pass the exams -- it costs on the
order of $5000 for the couple/three weeks of training classes through a
Novell authorized training center, plus another $500 or so for the exams.

This cost and scarcity of alternative information sources seems to be a
substantial barrier to entry into the world of Novell consulting [more so
than the level of difficulty inherrent in the technical topics].

Novell has recently introduced a "Certified Netware Administrator" (CNA)
program which seems to distinguish itself from the CNE primarily as being
about one third the cost and material.

So the question arises -- is the CNA worth-while to obtain? Who would
utilize a CNA as opposed to a CNE, and what would the typical billing rates
be for each? If the CNA is viewed as an "entry-level" type skill expected
primarily of second-tier grunts working under the supervision of a CNE
in a employer-employee relationship for $15 to $20 hour, it would seem to
be pretty worthless for a consultant to waste time/money on.

Are these Novell-authorized training centers a rip-off? Maybe not for
a company that needs to bring their staff up to speed quickly in Novell.
But they are certainly NOT cost-effective for a consultant who has the
academic training to dig in and learn what they need to know and then just
do it. I.e., someone with a Masters or Ph.D. in a technical area may or
may not have a lot of "real-world" common-sense [I don't want to get into
a flame-war over that!], but they CERTAINLY have demonstrated that they can
dig out information and learn it on their own without much help from
teachers. And consultants CERTAINLY have periods of "bench-time" to devote
to such studies.

So what does the net think?

[As a side-question, does anyone know of an inexpensive outline of topics
with a reading list of references that could be used to prepare for the
CNE or CNA exams without paying through the nose for training at a rate of
a couple/three hundred dollars per day? Does anyone have used training
materials for sale?]


orville

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Orville R. Weyrich, Jr., Ph.D.                     Weyrich Computer Consulting
Certified Data Processor                         POB 5782, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
Certified Systems Professional                        Voice: [phone]
Certified Computer Programmer
Internet: [e-mail]                Fax:   [phone]
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Path: wupost!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!weyrich!orville
From: [e-mail] (Orville R. Weyrich)
Subject: Novell CNA vs. CNE
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Sender: [e-mail] (Orville R. Weyrich)
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Date: Tue, 29 Dec 92 05:45:13 GMT
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