41 replies to this topic

[Tchdwn2000]

I was going to the Comptia website today to purchase my voucher for the Security + exam and discovered this...

http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/12/cert-shelf-life/

Apparently the certs will now only be valid for 3 years because "technology is constantly changing".
I am sorry but this really pi###s me off! I worked really hard to get my A+ and Network+ last year not to mention all the money I shelled out and now they will be expired after only 3 years. Granted a lot can change tech wise in 3 years but not to the point where I will suddenly be a noob again. I mean what is 3 years - the gap between Vista and Win 7 please, spare me.

They do/will have continuing education options but I dont want to have to spend more money on the same certs again. The certs I have now have a date certified on them - I am just wondering if the new certs will have a date certified AND an expiration date.

I think Comptia is making a huge mistake by doing this, they are being greedy and looking to add more revenue. Please someone tell me I am wrong?!?!?

[Tchdwn2000]

Heres the policy...

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx

I hope other people are as mad about this as I am, maybe if everybody complained enough they would re-think this.

[altjx]

Yeah, I think it's just ridiculous. The only good thing about it is that unemployed 58 year olds won't be able to take my future job anymore cause they might not even bother taking it again.

It also seems pointless because once people get their CompTIA certifications, if they get their certs within 3 yrs when they're all still valid, and if they find a job, they could care less about getting more certifications if they're satisfied with their job.

But then again its only gonna be a little review every 3 years, maybe one week or two every 3 years, so I guess it's not too bad.. But I feel as if us certified members who have to re-take it should get the opportunity for free, because we're already certified.

[dogma1029]

Wow. Well that's news to me.

I'm not thrilled with the idea of making the rounds of having to recertify every three years. Takes time and money away from pursuing further certs.

I'm not sure if a bunch of complaints will change their minds. Think of all the extra moolah they will make by people having to repay each three year term. Whatever the reasoning it sounds like someone wants to raise their profit margins.

I suggest all people read the links posted by Tchdwn2000. Even if your certification is current it seems that it pertains to all those that want to remain certified.

Edited by dogma1029, 12 January 2010 - 01:43 PM.
grammer

[leschua75]

Heres the policy...

http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx

I hope other people are as mad about this as I am, maybe if everybody complained enough they would re-think this.

Yes, I am mad about all these. Because I am being misled into enrolling for the network+ and A+ certifications 2 years ago. If I knew there was expiry date, I would not even consider those 2 certifications. You dun tell people this during enrolment and simply changed it over night.

Now I stopped my enrolment for the security+ which I intended to take in 3 month's time. Why? I would take the CISSP instead, no doubt it will be much harder but the cert is more efficient in terms of salary and career advancements.

Read my comments on comptia site.

http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/12/cert-shelf-life/

Edited by leschua75, 12 January 2010 - 09:05 PM.

[DarrilGibson]

This may not be as bad as it sounds at first blush.

You don't necessarily have to retake the exams.  Instead, you need to do things to earn continuing education credits. The idea is that you don't stand still, but continue to move forward.  This is currently required with CISSP certication and some Cisco certs.

For most people working in the IT field, some training is built into the job.  You'll need to take some time to document your training (or other relevant activites that earn continuing education credits), but most people won't need to pay extra money.  

Additionally, this will cost money for CompTIA to track. They'll have to put together the rules, the way credits are submitted, some type of validation or spot check program...

This may actually add value to the certification for some job seekers - separating those with current certs from those with expired certs based on older technologies.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

[leschua75]

This may not be as bad as it sounds at first blush.

You don't necessarily have to retake the exams.  Instead, you need to do things to earn continuing education credits. The idea is that you don't stand still, but continue to move forward.  This is currently required with CISSP certication and some Cisco certs.

For most people working in the IT field, some training is built into the job.  You'll need to take some time to document your training (or other relevant activites that earn continuing education credits), but most people won't need to pay extra money.  

Additionally, this will cost money for CompTIA to track. They'll have to put together the rules, the way credits are submitted, some type of validation or spot check program...

This may actually add value to the certification for some job seekers - separating those with current certs from those with expired certs based on older technologies.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

Darril,

The fact that we do not like is because we took the exams due to the fact that there are no expiry and now sometime like this comes alot. Felt like we are being ripped off. I would not even consider comptia certs in the first place knowing that there are expire date. I would spend more time and efforts taking the ICND1/INCD2. At least those certs are much higly regarded.

[Tchdwn2000]

How about those poor people who spend thousands on an A+ boot camp or something of the like only to find out this news.

Its like having my former college call me up all of the sudden and say that my Associates degree is about to expire unless I do continuing education.

I would encourage others to post comments on the CompTIA blog site as well

http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/12/cert-shelf-life/

Let them know your frustrattion maybe it will help, certainly couldnt hurt!

Edited by Tchdwn2000, 13 January 2010 - 07:35 AM.

[leschua75]

How about those poor people who spend thousands on an A+ boot camp or something of the like only to find out this news.

Its like having my former college call me up all of the sudden and say that my Associates degree is about to expire unless I do continuing education.

I would encourage others to post comments on the CompTIA blog site as well

http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/12/cert-shelf-life/

Let them know your frustrattion maybe it will help, certainly couldnt hurt!

now they are being whacked upside down..seems like alot of people are not happy with the decision.

[DarrilGibson]

now they are being whacked upside down..seems like alot of people are not happy with the decision.

http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/12/cert-shelf-life/

Yes, that is quite a thread.  

Darril,

The fact that we do not like it is because we took the exams due to the fact that there are no expiry and now sometime like this comes alot. Felt like we are being ripped off. I would not even consider comptia certs in the first place knowing that there are expire date. I would spend more time and efforts taking the ICND1/INCD2. At least those certs are much higly regarded.

Yes, I understand.  When they change the rules in the middle, it certainly can be frustrating.

Who knows, they may back peddle and come up with some type of grandfather clause, especially with the amount of noise some people are making.  

Two years from now though, if you hold a current CompTIA certification, it will hold more weight.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

[gtrman]

Wow, the whole thing is a little confusing.  Here are my initial questions.

1.  So if I have A+, Net+ and Security+, and I join the continuing education program, will it cost me only $49, because my price is based on the level of my highest certification, or do I have to pay $25 for the maintenance of my A+, $49 for the maintenance of the Net+ and $49 for the maintenance of the Security+.

2.  If I do the 50 CEUs for my Security+, then are all 3 of my certs renewed?

3.  If you need to get other industry certifications relevant to the highest CompTIA certification achieved, then I must get other Security certifications in order for them to count?  So achieving CCNA wouldn't count for anything?

Anyone?

[PFury]

Who knows, they may back peddle and come up with some type of grandfather clause, especially with the amount of noise some people are making.

Yes, I think a grandfather clause is the best solution. Even though I'm one of the few that are in favor of an expiry date, I completely agree that springing this on people that have been certified is unfair.

For me, this would have meant that since I took my A+ in March of 2007, it would be about to expire with only three months notice. Fortunately I just passed the Security+ so I'm assuming that this will renew my older certs as well.

-Fury

[gtrman]

Wait!

I just noticed from CompTIAs chart that my 5 month old A+ certification expires on December 31, 2011 and if I had taken the exam back in 1993 when they started it, it would now expire the same day.

[DarrilGibson]

Wow, the whole thing is a little confusing.  Here are my initial questions.

1.  So if I have A+, Net+ and Security+, and I join the continuing education program, will it cost me only $49, because my price is based on the level of my highest certification, or do I have to pay $25 for the maintenance of my A+, $49 for the maintenance of the Net+ and $49 for the maintenance of the Security+.

2.  If I do the 50 CEUs for my Security+, then are all 3 of my certs renewed?

3.  If you need to get other industry certifications relevant to the highest CompTIA certification achieved, then I must get other Security certifications in order for them to count?  So achieving CCNA wouldn't count for anything?

Anyone?

CompTIA will likely clarify things later, but here's what I understand based on what they've posted.

Higher level CompTIA certs take care of lower level CompTIA certs.  In other words, if you certify in Network+, and then two years later you certify in Security+, the Network+ certification is automatically renewed.

Or, if you do the 50 CEUs for the Security+, then yes, it only costs the $49 and all of your certs are renewed.

If you move on to Cisco, CISSP, Microsoft MCITP, or any other non-CompTIA certification it does not have any effect on the CompTIA cert.

Wait!

I just noticed from CompTIAs chart that my 5 month old A+ certification expires on December 31, 2011 and if I had taken the exam back in 1993 when they started it, it would now expire the same day.

Yes.  And if you certified in SY0-201 in December 2009, then it expires in two years in December 2011.  

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

[gtrman]

Yes.  And if you certified in SY0-201 in December 2009, then it expires in two years in December 2011.

Now to me, that's a huge problem.  What was to be a never expiring certification is now going to expire in three years.

Fine!  

BUT, anyone who took an exam in 2009 should still get the full three years.  How is it fair, that in the process of changing it from forever to just three years, that some people's certifications won't even be valid for three years?  They need to change that at the very least.

[gtrman]

Higher level CompTIA certs take care of lower level CompTIA certs.  In other words, if you certify in Network+, and then two years later you certify in Security+, the Network+ certification is automatically renewed.

Darril,

Based on that, and the fact that they are not starting the continuing education program until mid-2010, would I be better off waiting until after they start this up to take my Security+?

[gtrman]

If you move on to Cisco, CISSP, Microsoft MCITP, or any other non-CompTIA certification it does not have any effect on the CompTIA cert.

They actually do say that, "Obtaining an industry certification relevant to the highest level CompTIA certification achieved" will get you CEUs.

I was assuming CCNA could qualify for this.

[ebiker]

They actually do say that, "Obtaining an industry certification relevant to the highest level CompTIA certification achieved" will get you CEUs.

I was assuming CCNA could qualify for this.

Things are changing.  Lots of surface mount caps from China.  They don't last long.  

Learn how to test and change them.

[DarrilGibson]

Darril,

Based on that, and the fact that they are not starting the continuing education program until mid-2010, would I be better off waiting until after they start this up to take my Security+?

You're hardly ever better off waiting.  If you can achieve something now, achieve it.  The benefits you gain from what you do today are often hard to predict, but if something is in your reach, it's almost always worthwhile to extend yourself to achieve it.

You'll have three years from the date you achieve the certification so even if they take a year to get the renewal program together, it'll still give you two more years.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

[leschua75]

You're hardly ever better off waiting.  If you can achieve something now, achieve it.  The benefits you gain from what you do today are often hard to predict, but if something is in your reach, it's almost always worthwhile to extend yourself to achieve it.

You'll have three years from the date you achieve the certification so even if they take a year to get the renewal program together, it'll still give you two more years.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

if they can simply changed it from no expiry to 3 years. how can we make sure that they will not do it again like changing from 3 years to 1 year? this comptia talks like a kid with no integrity. I am not trusting them anymore.