Packet analysis is my area of interest so I am looking at the GCIA after I take the CISSP exam. I'd love for an employer to pay for it though instead of me shelling out so much money but that's unlikely to happen unless I change jobs. One of the reasons I took the WCNA was the cost of the exam was only 175 so for the total cost was quite reasonable.

 I went the Wireshark University route though because I really enjoyed the freebie courses Laura Chappell has. The Core 1 & 2 courses are almost as expensive as the All-Access pass so I went in for the whole shebang. She's a great teacher and she really drums in the material and makes a somewhat difficult subject easy. Even though the CWNA exam was MUCH harder, I'm probably prouder of the WCNA (hence the forum name I chose) because it put a lot of missing pieces in my knowledge in place.

The exam is half protocol and half wireshark knowledge. Now that I am reading Art of exploitation and the Malware cookbook, I see how very important knowing your protocols are.

Wow I wonder how worth while that book is. I really want to challenge the GCIA and I think the material mentioned in this thread and this book I am really starting to feel like I can do it.

AH. Well I am still on board with going for GCIA. I plan to do WCNA as a warm up some time after CEH. As I know you know SS. CEH is going up to 500 so I guess I am trying to stomach doing CEH 6 instead.