8 Must-Have IT Certifications for IT Management Professionals

IT managers play a vital role in practically every workspace as cogs in the fast-moving IT wheel. They are responsible for supervising the maintenance and security of networks and computers to ensure that each are operating efficiently and properly. 

While there are several ways to gain entry and excel in this competitive field, continuing education and professional development certifications are the recommended approach. However, not all professional certifications are created equally. Continue reading to learn more about the top must-have certifications for today's up and coming IT management professional.

Windows Network Engineer 2012

The Windows Network Engineer 2012 certification is a must have for any IT management professional. It professionally validates the necessary skills required to install, configure, and maintain operating systems for both clients and servers. This certification also confirms the professional’s ability to conduct performance monitoring measures on the network. The prep course provides hands-on experience and covers the following Microsoft Windows applications:

• Windows 8
• Maintaining and Managing Windows 8
• Microsoft Server 2012
• Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012
• Administering Server 2012
• Configuring Advanced Windows Server 2012 Services
• Designing and Implementing a Server Infrastructure
• Implementing an Advanced Server Infrastructure

Network Virtualization

Preparing for this certification will provide IT managers with a solid foundation on the most basic and aspects of virtualization technology. Students can also learn how to:

• Create virtual networks
• Bolster the performance and security
• Implement high-availability clusters
• Manage multiple virtual servers with the Virtual Machine Manager.

Ethical Hacking

The Ethical Hacking certification is one of the hottest certifications around because of the increasing level of cyber-crime. Professionals with the ethical hacking certification are trained to discover vulnerabilities in a network before an attacker does. Ethical hacking is all about finding weaknesses in networks, documenting them, and then fortifying the network against real future attacks.

CompTIA A+ Certification

A starting point for most IT management professionals, the CompTIA A+ certification lays the foundation to begin working with cutting-edge information technology. This certification covers tablets, mobile devices, desktops, and much more. In the end, professionals with this certification ensure they are able to troubleshoot networking and various security issues with the most popular operating systems, such as Android, Windows, Apple, and more.

CompTIA Net+ Certification

The Net+ certification is an internationally-recognized certification that validates the technical knowledge and understanding of IT management professionals. This certification confirms that the professional has the knowledge and ability to maintain, manage, install, troubleshoot, operate, and configure network infrastructures. A few areas covered in this certification are:

• Networking protocols and devices
• Internet addressing
• Troubleshooting
• Network Security
• TCPI/IP Architecture

CompTIA Security+ Program

The Security+ certification attests to the knowledge and ability of professionals within the field of IT security. This certification covers various aspects for securing networks and effectively managing risk. It includes identity management, access control, cryptography, and several other deterrent and mitigation techniques designed to address various vulnerabilities and network attacks.

Cisco Certified Network Professional

The Cisco Certified Network Professional certification ensures the IT professional can plan, implement, verify, and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks. The prep program can teach students how to work with other specialists on advanced security, wireless, voice, and video solutions. It can also teach students how to choose, deploy, support, and troubleshoot firewalls, virtual private networks, and other technological solutions in various networking environments.

Cisco Certified Network Associate

The Cisco Certified Network Associate certification in computer networking is designed to recognize the basic level of competency in the installation and support of medium-sized networks which includes:

• Local area network and wide area network design
• Internet protocol addressing
• Routers and routing protocol
• Virtual local area networks (VLAN) and Wireless local area networks (WLAN)
• Network security and management 

The IT management professionals in demand are the ones that can perform a wide variety of IT-related tasks. At ECPI University, you can earn your Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in IT Management in as little as 2.5 years through our year-round program. What’s more, with classes available day, night, or online, you can work around your own schedule to earn your degree and excel your career as an IT management professional. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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