I picked up a Cisco Cert last year. I'm selling my
CCNA CCNP Lab Routers 2501-2610-2612-2620 Catalyst 2950. It really helped me to practice using real equipment rather than emulation software.
Ah, the sound of the fans, it brings home the real software lab environment. Honestly you have to get the wires right and everything or no "ping". It really drives home the more basic configuration stuff so you can focus on the higher level stuff.
I like all computers and have done so since the '70s. These routers are just like the old computers from the '70s.

Networks and the internet are really cool and I am proud to have worked on some internetwork technologies.
So last year I bought the book, bought a lab and started studying. I passed the test first time around. It was harder than I expected!
Have any of you gotten any technical certificates in the past year? Any students out there?