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pwolfe1 · Nov 20, 2006, 07:46 PM

So here it is. I have been working in the windows world doing tech support and network administration for 5 years now. Starting in a university, and currently at a very large hospital. I hate working with windows and want to seek training to switch into the apple / unix world. I'm prepared to start all over from the bottom, but outside of getting apple certifications, what kinds of things would I need to find a tech job working with apple?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer

imitchellg5 · Nov 20, 2006, 09:02 PM

To be certified by Apple you need this- Apple - Support - Products - Technician Training. If you want to become competent, I would buy a Power Mac G3 Blue and White or a low end G4. For people like me who are hands-on, this is a great way to learn. I tore apart a G3 last year, and killed it ( not sure exactly if it was me), and it was lots of fun.

besson3c · Nov 20, 2006, 09:30 PM

Learn Unix. It will give you a much deeper understanding of computers in general, will provide you with many useful skills you can use in pursuing system administration, programming, and networking. When you begin to really understand the Unix way of thinking and operating, the pointy and clickly GUI stuff in OS X will seem like cake.

You could learn by rote what stuff to click on to get X, Y, or Z done, but when you really understand exactly what it is you are doing, it makes all computing easier. You don't have to learn Unix to get to this point, I suppose, but Unix is a very hands-on OS to work with. You could ease in by learning it within the OS X Terminal.

It also depends on what aspect of computing you are interested in... I'm assuming you are interested in general system administration/support.

pwolfe1 · Nov 20, 2006, 11:43 PM

I've been a Linux user for the past 8 years, its only professionally that I work with Windows. I would like to think that I have a fairly advanced understanding of unices and bsd's its something of a hobby for me. I have owned 2 macs in the past and always adored them. My current line of thinking is that learning to work with mac's professionally will get me closer to working with systems i'm passionate about rather than working with systems that bore me.

To answer your question besson, I'm only 26, and despite 5 years in the field I'm very new to the game. So system administration/support is really all I have available to me. But given my background, I do not want to be a repair tech at an apple store, I'm used to much larger environments (though as I said before im my op, I'm not above starting from a clean slate at the bottom).

I guess when it comes down to it, I'm really asking what credentials will get my foot in the door in a medium to large mac environment. The requisite certifications at least.

Thanks for the input guys!

rickey939 · Nov 20, 2006, 11:51 PM

So have you used OS X Server in the past? If you know OS X Server and how to implement a Windows AD environment from it, you are good to go at a lot of places.

besson3c · Nov 21, 2006, 01:00 AM

Getting a University IT job is a great way to get your foot in the door, there are several benefits from working within academia...

pwolfe1 · Nov 21, 2006, 02:55 AM

Originally Posted by rickey939

So have you used OS X Server in the past? If you know OS X Server and how to implement a Windows AD environment from it, you are good to go at a lot of places.

We had one Xserve at the University that was really just a quark liscense server. While I was there I did have the foresight to familiarize myself with its administration tools, but our Network Engineers were terrified of making it a part of the AD.

Will my experience with windows have any benefit to me do you think in searching for a job like this?

kikkoman · Nov 21, 2006, 09:40 AM

Cross platform integration is very a useful skill and can differentiate you from all the other MSCEs out there. I would also recommend getting a job at a University. The pay maybe be lower than in the private sector but it can be great work environment.

pwolfe1 · Nov 21, 2006, 10:26 AM

Well, the University job days are behind me now. This newer one working for the hospital is a much larger environment, with many more responsibilities. But working for the university definately gave me the experience I needed to get here.