CCNA is the way to go for Cisco training. With it, you'll learn how to operate on the maintenance and installation of switches and routers. The internet is made up of many routers, and big organisations who have different locations utilise them to allow their networks of computers to communicate.

It's vital that you already know a good deal about the operating and functioning of computer networks, because networks are linked to routers. Otherwise, you'll probably struggle. We'd recommend you find a course teaching the basics - perhaps Network+ and A+, and then do a CCNA course. Some providers offer this as a career track.

Achieving CCNA is more than adequate; don't be cajoled into attempting your CCNP. With experience, you'll know whether CCNP is something you want to do. If so, your experience will serve as the background you need to tackle the CCNP - which is quite a hard qualification to acquire - and ought not to be underestimated.

Some training academies are still using one of the most out-dated training concepts - classroom lessons. Quite often pushed as a positive point, following a chat with most students who've had to attend a couple, don't be surprised to be lectured on several if not all of the following problems:

* Many back and forth visits - sometimes hundreds of miles at a time.

* Access to classes; usually weekdays only and usually 2-3 days at a time. This can be difficult to get the leave of absence.

* Holiday days lost - a lot of trainees only get 4 weeks annual leave. If you use up half of that with training workshops, vacation time is going to be quite short for most student's families.

* Training workshops usually get too big.

* Many students want to study at a slower or quicker pace than the rest of the class. Sometimes this causes a lot of tension amongst the class.

* Take into account all of all the travel, fares, accommodation, food and parking and you'll be in for a big surprise. Students have reported extra costs of hundreds to thousands of pounds over time. Break it down - and you'll see how.

* Privacy is important to us all. We don't want to risk throwing away any lift up the ladder due to us just because we're retraining.

* Don't think it's unusual for trainees to keep a question to themselves - simply down to the fact that they're surrounded by fellow attendees.

* If you sometimes work or live away part of the time, imagine the trouble involved in travelling to the needed days in-centre, when time is at a premium.

The absolute best situation is watching a videoed workshop - giving you the opportunity of instructor-led coaching at a time that's convenient to you alone. Imagine... If you've got a laptop then you could learn in any location you choose. And live 24 hr-a-day support is only a web-browser click away when you get challenged. Irrespective of how regularly you feel you need to repeat something, video instructors are never going to run out of patience! And don't forget, with this method, you don't have to worry about any note-taking. Everything is already there for you. Though there's no way this can avoid every problem, it surely reduces stress and eases things. You've also got less travel, costs and hassle.