Please guide me...

hi all
i would first like to thank all for the replies to my earlier post.
Can someone tell me how does a newbie like me step into the world of network security.Here my profile:

currently studying in the final year of bachelors of engineering in Electronics and telecommn branch.I have done MCP(windows xp).
I am currently studying for my CCNA and doing a project internship for a company where i develop network policies under guidance of a good mentor.I am currently getting handson experience on Cisco 2500/2600,catalyst switches and Pix Firewall devices.

I want to have a good base in the network security domain before i graduate out and land up in the industry.I known network security field is huge and one needs to go step by step.

Can someone tell me if i must pursue CEH(Certified Ethical Course) or do PIX firewall certification so that i can get a clear edge over others when i aply for a job or i have done enough to get an entry level job and i must work on them later while on job.
waiting for your reply
thanking in advance.

Job wise, I would say that the security field is only going to grow so having an edge over other people is not going to be such a problem as with the highly competitive market of say PC/Server support. Security, Voice and Wireless are going to become really huge over the coming years.

That said, you would do well to eventually gain the cisco security certs upto CCSP and get the ethical hacking courses behind you. Security+ will be another bonus as a start into your ccsp.

As you will be aware, the ccna is the prerquisite for the start of your ccsp and the ccsp courses can be found here - www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le37/...ation_type_home.html but maybe getting time for the ccda as well to give you more weight having the design aspect knowledge too.

Your internship will provide you with valuable experience which will help so that it doesn't look you are starting with no experience at all even though you have studied extensively.

There are other forum members who are already CCSP and already work in the field and they would be able to provide more knowledgable guidance.

I agree with Starfire and yr decision is correct.