Getting certified with HP much like most certification paths, is a bit mystifying at first. This guide will walk you through the path to certification through Hewett-Packard so that you can see if HP certification is for you! Our guide to HP certifications breaks down the two major paths at HP and will help you make an informed decision on what to study. Making a life-changing decision to start a new career or learn a new skill can be challenging but we are here to help!
Hewett-Packard does more than sell laptops
Most people think of HP as a simple provider of desktop computers and laptops at your medium sized electronics chain store. The reality is that HP has high-level tech solutions for some of the greatest needs in technical fields today. For instance, HP Server Automation Enterprise Edition is competitive priced automated server software that they sell to help run data centers. Often these solutions are not common knowledge, even for those used to working in the Windows or Linux ecosystem. Learning about HP can greatly enhance the variety of tools at your disposal to solve the world’s most complex IT problems. That being said, HP does sell laptops as well and someone has to fix them. There is a career for everyone, even those with no interest in HP Server Automation Architecture.
Why HP certification?
Whether it’s HP Server Automation Architecture or basic networking, technical knowledge is changing at an insane pace these days. Hewett-Packard has numerous courses that prepare you for a wide range of careers and technical fields such as HP Cloud Service Automation, that take you from an entry level tech to a qualified individual. They also specialize in using Aruba based products for those who are interested in learning the proprietary hardware and software of HP. Aruba works from top to bottom, from server to access point, and is a great solution for business needs.
Hewett-Packard Vs. Hewett-Packard Enterprise
As Hewett Packard grew they eventually began creating in house products as well as offering a range of basic tech products such as laptops. This created the need to split certification into two different cert companies, HP and HP Enterprise. The difference is primarily in the intensity and scale of the training needed. While HP is focused on smaller solutions such as troubleshooting a desktop computer, HPE is focused on more intensive paths such as fulfilling HP Server Automation Requirements and learning Cloud Based System Maintenance.
To start looking at exams, visit http://www.pearsonvue.com/hp/
The two paths of HPE
Choose your path wisely! On top of the difference between HP and HPE, Enterprise itself offers two different paths for certification that fall under the broad category of sale focused and technically focused. From those two categories, HP has certifications in many different categories.
HP offers certification and training in the following subjects: Networking, Operating Systems, Servers, Software-Defined Infrastructure and Cloud, Storage, and Partner Restricted – Sales certifications.
The reason there are so many options is that HPE has self-developed technology in both the Hardware and Software sector that you have to become familiar with.
Which Certification is for me?
This is why you are reading our guide to the HP certification system! Picking a cert can be hard! The advantage to HP offering so many paths is that there is a certification for everyone. Even those who traditionally do not find themselves looking to enter into a highly technical field can find themselves entering a career based on the HPE sales models. There are A LOT of options, so we boil it all down to a few good starter courses below that you can take in order to learn the system and eventually make a more informed decision.
To look at the enterprise certifications, go here.
What do they mean by Partner Restricted?
Some HP paths have what is known as a HPE Partner Restricted certifications. These special certs are reserved for authorized employees of HPE or an authorized partner such as a reseller or OEM worker.
I want to be certified but will it take years?
To become certified takes multiple tests that usually cost around $100 to $200 dollars each.
There are four skill levels for all HPE Technical courses, Entry, Foundational, Intermediate, and Advanced. As with most courses, these levels build upon each other meaning that to reach Advanced level, one needs a larger skillset and quite a bit of experience. In fact, at the advanced levels, learning is tested in unique ways from labs to even a board of review, meaning that those at the advanced levels are highly trained. Meanwhile the sales certs have only one skill level. Despite the difficulty level being known by this nomenclature, the actual job role may have a different title. These levels range from Product Certified, Professional ATP, Expert Level ASE, and Master level ASE.
This means that some tests will take a minimal time to study for (A couple of weeks) and others a couple of years as experience and foundational knowledge is necessary. Still, be not discouraged! The entry level to most HP certifications is approachable and easy. HP offers a multitude of paths to equip yourself for exams.
How to get certified
First, you have to pick your certification. Sometimes this is a complex course involving a long period of study and multiple exams. Other times it is simply an exam that shows you are an advanced or expert level user of an HP system or product.
Common Exams to start with
It can be a bit overwhelming to pick from the hundreds of available exams as well as walk through HPE certification. We recommend starting with an exam such as the HP2-H27 (Servicing HP Desktops, Notebooks, and Workstations). This entry level exam will walk through some basic tech needs of the HP infrastructure and give you the foundational knowledge necessary to make an informed decision about which direction to take.
Another common exam is the HP0-Y52 Exam also known as FlexNetwork fundamentals. Networking is such an important skill in the IT world and literally every computer with internet or LAN access encounters it. FlexNetwork teaches basic concepts of networking such as configuring routers and switches and the idea behind networks. This crucial exam can prepare you for a lifetime of career possibilities!
For those interested in sales, the HPE2-W01 is a great option for large scale industrial selling. HPE2-W01 deals with the Aruba ecosystem and how to approach new clients and show them solutions using Aruba. This incredible course is great for those with an entrepreneurial spirit who really get the IT needs of the industry.
A bit easier on the technical side for a sales exam is that of the HP2-B143 (Selling HP as a service). This exam path deals with certifying you in sales by learning the necessary pathway to show people that HP can offer products as a service. This means maintaining and extending the lifespan of a product range (And as many places do, dabbling in leases as well).
For those who are forward thinking, HPE0-D33, navigating the journey to the cloud, is the perfect exam. The nebulous Cloud is a huge part of the future but not all of understand what that means. HPE0-D33 prepares you
Thanks for Joining us!
We here, wish you luck in the next part of your career. Whether its HP Cloud Service Automation or running a complex sales CRM, skills like that take time, patience, training, and a bit of certification. We hope this guide helped clarify some of the paths you can take to enter a new exciting field. Remember to like, share, and come back often for more opportunities to enter tech fields and see just what incredible pathways are out there!
