Computer Networking Question(s)

[Itchybottom]

The OSI model, and it's sub-layers make perfect sense for those that need to reference it. It's not all that confusing, but you need to expand it and re-organize it in your head after you learn about encapsulation and routing procedures. You also need to throw away a lot of what you've learned if you stick to brand specific hardware (such as Cisco using IS-IS over IDRP a while ago) What's going to be REALLY confusing, is when IPV6 becomes more widely used, it's going to be war of VTI vs EOIP vs zero index GRE for the first few years due to people not wanting to spend the money to update their networks.

Most of the time though, in the case of datacenter work, the only layers you need to concern yourself with are 2 and 7.

As far as needing a certification to get your foot in the door -- be more aggressive. Don't send your CV to human resources, you aren't just a piece of paper in a stack; research the company and get it on the appropriate desk if you think you're technically suited for the job. Everyone likes free lunch too, so if you do something like attach a note to your cover letter saying you want to discuss the company further -- you just might get a sit down over the braindead that think there is still a rule system in place for business etiquette. Chances are in the IT field (network engineering and systems analyst especially) that person in question is going to be more willing to get you hired, than the Net+ certified idiots they are forced to babysit all day. A lot of companies are really just looking for college degrees because you're showing that you can stick with something -- after all, highschool was your first job and your choices after that reflect greatly on how you view the world.