You sound awful bootstrappy, old and curmudgeonly. A Cert bootcamp is the most efficient way of absorbing a lot of information about new technologies. Want to implement the newest Cisco thingamabob? Go take a relevant class -- might as well take the test and get the letters, you paid for it. Need to migrate to a new windows platform and want to do it effectively and efficiently? Same deal. Want to effectively implement a new program for testing security controls? Same deal. Certs are a byproduct of continuing formal education.

A lawyer friend of mine said to me one day. Wanna know what your jury would be like if you were brought up for trial? Go into walmart and pick 12 random people standing in line. That is likely to be the "jury of your peers." It's not exactly a comforting thought.

THAT is the question!