There is virtually no performance difference and in most tasks the Athlons far out-perform the Pentium IIIs. After you put together your network, you ll need some good study guides. They have been put together especially for the self-paced learner, and they contain all the information, and all the practice you need to pass your Windows 2000 exams. My husband and I were career changers who had been computer hobbyists all our lives and switched to full time network consulting in the early 90's. In the last decade we have exceeded our previous income, are certified trainers and have written eleven books on computer networking.
Certification definitely makes a difference to some employers, less so to others.
The job market also differs a lot geographically. The Dallas area where we live has a huge shortage of qualified IT personnel. You'll also find links there to mailing lists we run. If you decide to pursue the MCSE, you might also want to consider joining the very popular saluki mailing list. All Rights Reserved.