That exam in the very first CNE track differed from all others in that its problems were ones for which you had to find the answers in the Novell Support Encyclopedia and Microhouse technical library set of support CDs, which would've been loaded on the test machines. Being self-taught and self-funded, these were expensive products that I couldn't afford, and I saw no reason for them in the real world. Each time I took the test, I was confident that I could bluff my way through the products well enough to find the answers. Each time, I was proven wrong.

I finally did become a CNE many attempts later, after I broke down and purchased a version of the products. I eventually got comfortable enough with them to be able to sail through the exam's questions.

As frustrated as I was at the time, I have to admit the exam did precisely what it aimed to do: Keep those who didn't know the product from passing. Indeed, as much as I tried, I didn't pass until I thoroughly understood the product that I would never use again (and couldn't afford to subscribe to).

Wouldn't it be nice if exams of that sort were more the rule instead of the exception? Instead of being tested on everything from hardware to security via multiple-choice questions, what if you actually had to do something?

Novell was there at least 15 years ago, and I don't see that the IT certification world, as a whole, has progressed beyond that point since.

Top 10 Reasons To Get Certified
Red Hat's recently posted list of the top 10 reasons to get certified is really a top 10 list of reasons to get Red Hat-certified ("especially," according to Red Hat, "during the difficult economic climate where holding certifications like Red Hat Certified Engineer...or Red Hat Certified Technician...are increasingly important for IT professionals and the organizations that rely on these pros to help reduce costs").

Among the reasons included in the list are "IT departments must do more with less" (eighth on the list) and "[to] be part of the open source movement" (tenth).

Got reasons of your own that Red Hat's list didn't cover? Send me an e-mail at [email protected].

Cisco, Feds Agree on Something
Cisco has tweaked the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) security and Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) certifications so that they're accredited by the Federal Curriculum Standards for information assurance professionals.

This accreditation is given by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS). The standards are meant to "ensure that information assurance professionals are trained to oversee and help protect national security information systems."

Book of the Week: 'VMware V13 Implementation and Administration'
Virtualization is showing no signs of slowing down. When it comes to learning about the latest release of VMware, the virtualization solution used by so many Fortune 500 companies, there's no one better equipped to write about it than Eric Siebert. Siebert has been given the status of "guru" on the VMware VMTN support forums, has a Web site devoted to it, is one of only 300 vExperts (as named by VMware), and regularly writes and blogs on the topic.

In VMware V13 Implementation and Administration, Siebert does an outstanding job of waking readers through the product. The content is divided into 11 chapters that run from assessing through planning, building, configuring, securing, populating, monitoring, maintaining, backing up, and troubleshooting your virtual environment.

Not only is this a good reference book that you'll want to keep handy, but you'll also find it an invaluable study guide for topics that appear on the VMware Certified Professional (VCP).