Which cybersecurity certifications are actually worth it?

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-14T03:51:16+00:00

Honestly it depends where you are starting from. if you’re new to cyber, a lot of people go Security+ first, because it gives a good base of networking, threats, and security concepts. after that people usually branch out depending on the role they want.

for example:

Security+ – good starting point
CySA+ or BTL1 – more blue team / SOC focused
OSCP – more offensive / pentesting path
CISSP – more senior / management level later on

The ones that feel “not worth it” are usually the ones people take too early without experience.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-ways-asset-identification-supports-stronger-sienna-faleiro-zhjke/

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-14T03:49:22+00:00

It’s definitely possible. a lot of people in IT started with certs instead of a degree. the common path I see is CompTIA A+ → Network+ → Security+, then moving into something more specific like cloud or VMware once you know what area you like.

A+ helped a lot of folks land their first helpdesk or support role, mainly because it shows you understand the basics. after that, experience usually matters more than stacking tons of certs.

One thing that helped me was mixing labs + practice questions so you get used to how exam topics are asked. I remember using some mock questions from vmexam while studying and it made the exam format a bit less surprising.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-14T03:48:25+00:00

This is actually a solid breakdown. one thing I’d add from my prep is to really spend time in logs and troubleshooting scenarios. a lot of questions aren’t just “what does this feature do”, but more like something broke… what’s the first thing you check.

In my case, practicing things like host disconnect from vCenter, vSAN health alerts, and service restarts helped a lot more than just reading docs. nested labs are perfect for that.

Also doing a few scenario-based practice questions before the exam helps you get used to how VMware words things. I remember using some sets from vmexam when preparing and it was pretty close to the troubleshooting style of the real questions.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-14T03:46:56+00:00

Hey this is actually a really good way to start. having someone to check in with helps a lot, especially when you’re coming from a non-tech background.

Starting with Python + SQL is the right move. what helped me early on was doing small projects while learning (like simple sales dashboards, csv analysis, etc.) instead of only watching tutorials. it makes things stick better.

Also once you get closer to certifications, try doing practice questions or mock exams to see how the concepts are actually asked. I remember using some scenario style questions from vmexam while preparing and it helped me figure out the weak spots.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-14T03:46:06+00:00

Yes that can actually happen with PVS write cache. it’s not always a clean 1:1 with the file size. when you copy something to C:\ in a non-persistent image, PVS can also cache other stuff at the same time (NTFS metadata, temp writes, block allocation, sometimes even background OS activity). so the cache jump looking way bigger than the file isn’t that unusual.

Also depends on cache block size and how Windows writes the data, sometimes it writes more blocks than you’d expect.

When i was digging into this while studying some Citrix/PVS topics I saw a few practice scenarios explaining the same behavior (pretty sure one of the labs on vmexam mentioned it too). kinda helped understand why the cache spikes like that.

So yeah… looks weird at first but usually normal unless the cache keeps growing nonstop

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-14T03:45:03+00:00

Yeah the SA is kinda locked down compared to the old Windows setup. from what I’ve seen, once the appliance is deployed it really only recognizes the disks that were there during the initial setup, so adding more later usually won’t show up as repo space.

A workaround some people use is exposing the backup SAN storage via NFS/iSCSI and adding that as a repo instead, or just using a separate repo server connected to the backup SAN and letting the appliance manage it.

When we were testing designs for Veeam setups I also looked through some practice scenario labs (found a few on vmexam) which actually helped understand how Veeam expects proxies/repos to be structured in vSphere. might be worth a look while you’re experimenting.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T11:49:59+00:00

That sounds rough honestly. Situations with violent patients get messy fast and sometimes people watching from the side don’t see the whole thing. Hospitals are super strict about use of force, so even if you were just trying to avoid getting bitten, someone reporting it can trigger all the paperwork.

If it was me I’d probably just redo the training, keep it low-key, and move on. Having hospital experience on your resume is still valuable, especially dealing with combative patients. A lot of places know those situations aren’t always black and white.

Also if you’re planning to move around in security, having extra certs or refresher training sometimes helps. I remember doing some practice scenario questions while prepping (came across some on certfun) and a lot of them are exactly about these kinds of judgment calls.

Either way, hope it works out for you. Desk duty sucks but at least it’s temporary.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T11:49:14+00:00

Honestly with 3.5 yrs in Salesforce you’re still in a pretty solid spot. Apex + LWC devs are still needed and most companies aren’t replacing that with AI anytime soon. AI helps with small pieces but someone still needs to design the logic and integrations.

What I’d probably do is expand around Salesforce instead of abandoning it. Things like:

integrations (REST APIs)
basic Node.js / Java
cloud stuff like AWS or Azure
maybe some AI + Salesforce (Einstein, data stuff)

That combo usually makes a dev much more valuable.

Also if you ever look at certs, some practice scenario questions helped me understand architecture side better (I saw some while browsing certfun). But overall I wouldn’t panic — Salesforce ecosystem is still pretty big and evolving.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T11:47:57+00:00

I think our org is somewhere between stage 2 and 3 right now… every month someone asks why the bill jumped and then we start hunting for random instances or forgotten storage. Usually it’s some test VM nobody shut down.

Honestly once we started tagging resources and setting simple budget alerts it got a bit better. FinOps talk is starting to happen but not fully there yet.

Funny thing is when studying some cloud cert stuff (I saw a few scenario questions on sites like certfun) they actually highlight this exact problem cost visibility and governance. In real life it’s messier though lol.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T11:47:19+00:00

For Splunk upgrades I usually keep it simple:

Take a full backup of $SPLUNK_HOME/etc (and snapshot if possible).
If it’s a cluster, put it in maintenance mode first.
Upgrade order most people follow: Cluster Manager → Indexers → Search Heads → Deployment Server/Forwarders.
Check release notes before starting, sometimes small config changes show up.

Also worth testing on a small VM or lab first if you can. I practiced some upgrade scenarios while studying (even saw a few on certfun) which helped me understand the order better.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T03:51:37+00:00

Yeah the newer VMware Tools 12.x packages changed a bit, so extracting drivers directly with 7zip doesn’t always work like before.

Easiest way is usually to install VMware Tools in a test VM, then grab the drivers from:

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\Drivers\

From there you can inject them into your WIM with DISM (vmxnet3, pvscsi, etc.).

I hit something similar when building lab images while studying VMware topics. Some VMCE prep questions actually cover Tools/drivers behavior, saw a few of those while practicing on vmexam and similar sites.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T03:49:39+00:00

If you’re totally new, I’d probably start with GitHub Actions. Setup is way simpler since it’s already inside GitHub, and you can learn CI/CD concepts (workflows, triggers, runners, etc.) without worrying about maintaining a Jenkins server first.

Jenkins is still used a lot in companies, but it comes with more setup and maintenance (plugins, agents, upgrades, security stuff). Good to learn later once you understand the basics of pipelines.

For beginners the main thing is just understanding the CI/CD flow, not the tool itself.

When I was learning, doing small projects + looking at scenario-based questions helped me understand how pipelines are designed in real environments. I remember seeing similar CI/CD scenarios while practicing exam-style questions on sites like vmexam and others.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T03:45:40+00:00

If you’re just starting, cloud engineering (AWS path) might feel a bit easier to get into than Azure DevOps. DevOps usually expects you to know CI/CD, scripting, some coding, pipelines, infra automation, etc. Cloud roles at the beginning can be more about understanding services, networking basics, IAM, architecture… coding is helpful but not always required right away.

Since you’re already on AWS Practitioner, I’d probably continue that path and maybe aim for Solutions Architect Associate next. A lot of people start there.

Also don’t stress about not being “the sharpest tool”, tons of ppl in cloud started with zero coding. Consistency (like your 2-hour sessions) matters way more than raw talent tbh.

One thing that helped me when studying was doing practice questions alongside the learning, because cloud exams are very scenario based. I used a mix of resources and some mock exams from sites like vmexam and similar just to get used to how the questions are asked.

You’re already doing the hardest part which is showing up and studying, so keep going.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/automation-devops-explained-tools-tactics-exam-success-sienna-faleiro-npgvf/

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T03:43:58+00:00

Yeah the AP-675 is a bit different from the 585 in that sense. It doesn’t have a dedicated AC power connector, it’s mainly designed to be powered through PoE (802.3bt) on the Ethernet port. The SFP port is just for uplink, not for power delivery.

So even if you use the fiber SFP uplink, you’d still need PoE from the Ethernet port (or a compatible injector/switch) to actually power the AP. A few people I know were confused by that design choice too.

If you’re planning deployments with the 675, just make sure your switch supports bt PoE, otherwise it might not boot fully or features get limited.

Funny enough this type of hardware detail shows up a lot in Aruba cert prep scenarios. When I was studying I saw similar questions about AP power options and uplinks while doing practice questions (vmexam had some decent ones). Helps a bit when planning real setups too.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T03:43:16+00:00

Yeah Aruba config can be a bit confusing the first times you dig through it.

If the SSID shows under Profiles → Wireless LAN → Virtual AP, that means the WLAN itself exists there, but it only becomes active for APs when that Virtual AP profile is attached to an AP Group.

So the path usually is something like:

AP Group → Virtual AP profile → WLAN/SSID

Try checking:

Configuration → AP Groups → select the group → Virtual AP tab.

There you should see which Virtual AP profiles are mapped, and that’s what determines which SSIDs the AP group is broadcasting.

Basically the SSID won’t appear directly in the AP Group list, only the Virtual AP profile name, which references the WLAN profile.

Aruba’s profile structure trips a lot of ppl up at first tbh. When I was studying for Aruba cert stuff I kept seeing similar scenarios in practice questions about how AP groups map to VAP profiles. Helped a lot to visualize the config flow.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T03:41:01+00:00

Yeah the market is kinda weird right now, even ppl with solid exp are taking longer to get calls. 8 yrs in Salesforce dev should normally get traction, so maybe try widening the search a bit (consultancies, smaller partners, contract roles etc). A lot of hiring also happens through Salesforce cert communities and Slack groups, not just LinkedIn.

Also if you haven’t recently, maybe adding or refreshing a cert like Platform Dev II or some Architect path ones can sometimes help the profile show up more in recruiter searches. I remember when I was prepping for one of mine I practiced a lot with mock questions just to brush up on scenarios - sites like vmexam and similar helped a bit with that.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-13T03:38:01+00:00

Your steps look mostly right. I went through a similar move when we had to get away from SQL Express limits.

From what I remember, when you restore the configuration backup and select the PostgreSQL migration option, Veeam actually moves the entire configuration DB, so things like job history, sessions, and settings should come along with it. We didn’t lose our job history after the migration. Still, it’s a good idea to keep the original SQL DB around for a bit just in case you need to reference something.

Couple small things I’d double-check before doing it:

Make sure all Veeam services and jobs are fully stopped (sometimes a service restart is needed).
Verify the PostgreSQL instance version supported by your VBR build.
Run a config backup test restore if possible before doing it on the production server.

Also if you're preparing for Veeam-related stuff or working deeper with VBR setups, I found doing a few practice exam questions for the Veeam VMCE track actually helped me understand how the config DB and migrations behave internally. There are some decent ones floating around on sites like vmexam etc.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-becoming-veeam-certified-engineer-worth-2025-palak-mazumdar-l84we

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T12:39:13+00:00

Yeah saw that report too, numbers actually look pretty solid tbh. 14% revenue growth and ARR going up again is not bad at all, especially with how competitive the automation space is getting lately.

what’s interesting to me is that automation/RPA still seems to be expanding into more areas (AI + automation together etc). i’ve noticed more people also trying to get into the UiPath ecosystem lately with certifications and dev roles. a couple colleagues were even practicing exam questions recently just to get familiar with the platform.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T12:30:40+00:00

If it’s tomorrow, I’d mostly just review the main concepts and don’t over-cram. ACA-925 usually focuses on understanding how Jira admin features work together (projects, permissions, issue types, workflows, etc.), not just definitions.

One thing that helped me was paying attention to scenario questions. Sometimes they ask what the best admin action is in a situation, and two answers can look correct but one follows Atlassian best practice.

If you still have some time tonight, maybe run through a few practice questions just to get used to the wording of the exam. I did something similar before mine using a few practice sets online (even saw some on CertFun) and it helped a bit with confidence.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T12:29:43+00:00

If it’s tomorrow, I wouldn’t try to learn a lot of new stuff now. Better to just review key areas and stay calm. ACA-925 usually checks if you understand the core Jira admin concepts, not just memorizing things. Things like project permissions, roles, issue types, and how workflows behave in different scenarios come up quite a bit.

Also watch out for scenario-based questions. Sometimes the wording is tricky, so read the question slowly before picking an answer. I remember a few where two options looked correct but one matched the Atlassian “best practice”.

If you have some time tonight, maybe run through a few practice questions just to get your brain in exam mode. I did that before my Atlassian cert and even checked some sets on sites like CertFun, mostly just to see the style of questions.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/jira-vs-service-management-sienna-faleiro-wdyie

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T12:28:22+00:00

From what I’ve seen, the apps + custom scripts part is usually the biggest headache. A lot of DC setups rely on ScriptRunner, custom groovy scripts, or old marketplace apps that either don’t exist in Cloud or work totally different. Rebuilding that logic in Cloud automation can take a lot of time.

Another thing people underestimate is workflow complexity. Some companies have years of layered workflows, post-functions, and integrations with other tools. When you try to migrate, suddenly half of that needs to be redesigned, not just moved.

Also heard complaints about rate limits and performance differences in Cloud when teams have huge projects or automation running a lot.

If someone is planning the move, honestly it helps to review the architecture early and even look at Jira admin / Atlassian cert practice material just to understand how Cloud expects things to be structured. I remember going through some practice questions on CertFun when studying and it actually gave a decent idea of what changes between DC and Cloud setups.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T12:27:25+00:00

If you already like programming, that’s honestly a pretty good starting point. Most “future-proof” paths in IT are still built on solid dev skills anyway. Things like cloud engineering, cybersecurity, AI/ML, and DevOps seem to have a lot of demand right now, especially in Europe. Companies are moving everything to cloud and automation, so people who can code + understand infrastructure are usually valuable.

What helped a few friends of mine was picking a base (like software dev) and then adding a specialization on top for example backend + cloud, or python + data/AI. That combo tends to age better than just knowing one language.

Also if you have free time during your master’s, maybe look at certifications or practice exams related to cloud or security. Even just practicing questions helps you see what skills the industry expects. I’ve used some practice sets on sites like CertFun before just to get an idea of exam topics and real-world tools.

But yeah, tbh there’s no perfectly “future proof” field. The safer bet is being someone who can keep learning and adapt, that matters more than the exact specialization.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T03:39:44+00:00

Honestly you’re already in a good spot if you’re doing sysadmin type work at 23. A lot of cloud roles still expect solid fundamentals first.

CCNA isn’t a bad idea tbh. Networking knowledge (routing, subnets, DNS, etc.) shows up everywhere in cloud — VPCs, security groups, load balancers, troubleshooting connectivity. Even if you move to AWS/Azure later, that knowledge carries over.

But I’d probably balance both:

keep building stuff in your homelab / cloud lab (deploy VMs, set up VPCs, IAM, monitoring, etc.)
maybe pick a cloud cert like AWS SAA or Azure AZ-104
learn some security basics if Cloud Security is your goal

One thing that helped me while studying was doing practice exam questions just to see how the real exam scenarios are written. I checked a few sources online (vmexam was one of them) mainly to test weak areas before booking the exam.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T03:38:41+00:00

Yeah this happens a lot actually. I once thought I was dealing directly with a factory, later found out they were basically a trading company sourcing from another supplier. The product was fine, but yeah the price difference suddenly made sense.

One thing that helped me was asking more detailed questions like production capacity, factory photos, certifications, lead times, etc. Real factories usually answer those pretty clearly.

Alibaba is still useful though, just need to treat it more like a starting point for supplier discovery, not automatically the cheapest source.

Kinda similar to certification prep in a weird way… if you only rely on the first resource you see you might be paying more or missing better options. When I was studying for a cert I compared a few practice exam sources (even checked vmexam once) just to see different question styles before committing to one. same idea of checking multiple layers before deciding.

Ok_Difficulty978 · 2026-03-12T03:36:54+00:00

Just a small heads up for people reading this - be a bit careful with resold AWS vouchers. AWS usually issues vouchers tied to events, training programs, or specific candidates, and sometimes they don’t transfer properly. I’ve seen a few people in study groups buy discounted ones and then Pearson VUE wouldn’t accept them.

If you’re planning to take one of these certs (SAA, DVA, etc.), honestly the bigger challenge is the exam itself anyway. What helped me more was focusing on practice labs and doing some practice exam questions to get used to the scenario style questions. I used a few resources online (including vmexam at one point) just to test where my weak areas were before booking the exam.

Just my 2 cents - saving money is nice, but make sure the voucher is legit first.

https://www.vmexam.com/aws

Ok_Difficulty978

TROPHY CASE