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Certification question: is CompTIA Server+ worth it in 2024?

General Discussion by haroldgsm 24 replies 2.6K views
haroldgsm

Member OP

Grumpy Old Sysadmin

#1

I am at a crossroads in my career. My employer is pushing me to get Server+ certified for a government contract bid. I have been running servers for six years, mostly hands-on, and I have always felt certifications were a racket. I know RAID 10 from RAID 5 in practice but if I am honest I just know what works, not why. I have never failed a drive and thought about the math.

Is this actually worth the $370 and the study time? Or is it just a checkbox? I do not want to waste weekends on flash cards if the market has moved on. My background is mostly Linux admin at a mid-size host, some VMware, no real enterprise storage. Government work would be new to me.

What did Server+ actually teach you that you use? Be honest. I have heard every sales pitch already.

IPv4, IRC, and irssi — fight me
cpanelliw780

Member

shared hosting survivor

#2

Government work is all checkboxes my dude back when I did state stuff they wanted the paper not the skills I got mine in 2022 and the only thing I remember is the raid stuff actually made sense finally like I knew raid 10 was fast but I didnt know WHY the study process was worth it but the cert itself is just a checkbox for contracts mark my words tho they are going to add cloud+ or some garbage next year and make you recert double spaced for life

Joy

Member

10 #3

I am take server+ last year lah the book is very boring xixixi but I am understand parity pinaly pirst time I am know why raid 5 is slow on write I am think bepore "just use ssd" xixixi the cert is checkbox yes but I am buy yesterday for study process very worth government client want see paper you are get job easy xixixi do it lah not waste the study is open eyes regards lah

bellaauc

Member

3-2-1 Believer

11 #4

I got Server+ in 2023 for exactly this reason — government checkbox. But I agree with cpanelliw780, the study process was where the value hid.

The RAID level explanations finally clicked for me too. I had been setting up arrays blindly for years. Did you test your restore? That's more important than any cert.

My checklist for your decision:

  • Will your employer pay? If yes, do it.
  • Do you have 3-2-1 backups of your current environment? Fix that first.
  • Is the contract worth the career pivot?

The cert expires. Understanding why RAID 6 needs two parity disks doesn't.

3-2-1 or you're already dead
BE

Member

#5

I did state contract work too, paper beats skills every time.

RAJ

Member

#6

Your employer paying the $370 or you eating it?

your margin is my opportunity
haroldgsm

Member OP

Grumpy Old Sysadmin

#7

Employer is paying, so that box is checked. I still have to spend my weekends though.

IPv4, IRC, and irssi — fight me
RAJ

Member

#8

If employer pays, treat it like paid overtime you do at home. $370 is nothing, your weekends are the real cost.

your margin is my opportunity
dave39

Member

#9

I got mine in 2021, employer paid. The RAID math was the only thing I kept. Everything else was trivia about form factors and cable lengths I already knew by feel.

bellaauc

Member

3-2-1 Believer

#10
haroldgsm said:
Employer is paying, so that box is checked.

Then the checklist answers itself. The only real question left is whether you want government work enough to trade some weekends for it.

The RAID math will stay with you. The cert will not.

3-2-1 or you're already dead

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