9/10/2002 -- According to CRN's 2002 Certification Study, Novell may be making a comeback.

CRN reports that Novell's Certified Network Engineer (CNE) title came in at number 10 in its 2002 list of most important certifications for small solutions providers (resellers with under $10 million in annual revenue). According to the magazine, the CNE "didn't come close" to making the top 15 last year.

CRN speculated that the title may be ranking higher this year because Novell is once again requiring its partners to employ CNEs. Many technology companies, including Microsoft and Cisco, require partners to have a certain number of certified professionals on staff to attain or maintain certified partner status. Other reasons cited include renewed interest in Novell technology with the release of NetWare 6.

Novell does not release numbers regarding the size of its certification program, but it's widely assumed that the number has dramatically decreased since the program's heyday during the mid-90s.

Aside from Novell, CRN said that other certification trends it spotted for resellers this year are security and Linux-related titles. Check Point's Certified Security Expert (CCSE) title was rated number one for best return on investment.

The magazine also said that some resellers are feeling overwhelmed by the number of certifications.

CRN's 2002 Certification Study was released in August. To read the study online, click here. - B.N.