edumacation....

[jerrymrc]

Today I passed the first test of two for my A+ certification. I got an 842 out of 900 with 675 being a passing score.

I now have a week to study and I take the second half next friday. If all goes well I will try for my Network + test in December.

Anybody that has upper level access to DOD systems has to be certified now. We had a total of 30 people in three classes at once. 4 were from our shop and the rest were from the IT dept.

I will say it was not a fun test as it has questions from windows 2000, ME, XP, Vista and seven along with all the computer and network basics.

At least it proves that us old guys can still be taught. :)

[WillysWagon]

Congrats on phase #1 [Beer]

[Byte Stryke]

I got my 8570 Certification back in 09 with the completion of my security+

[netsecsys]

Congrats! Good luck with the remainder. Having come from 15 years in IT (Security, Network Engineering, SysAdmin), I can suggest that you will not likely be bored as it changes often (the technology as well as the direction ;).

Keep plugging away!

- Netsecsys
Semper Fi

[Beprepared]

Nice Job [Luck]

[funkfool]

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/pmc/lowres/pmcn4l.jpg
http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban1127l.jpg

[jerrymrc]

I got my 8570 Certification back in 09 with the completion of my security+

We had about 15 of the guys taking security+. Many of the big wigs where I work. this was a last second deal for many. Some were saying that there brain hurt.

I have no formal training unless you count all the work over the last 30 years. I have studied many books over the years and did have a networking class for medical equipment a couple of years ago but no collage since back when I got my AAS in electronics computers were just coming of age.

I do want to get my Network+ by the 1st since after that it is every three years instead of lifetime.

[sniper7]

congrats!

[ChadAmberg]

Congratulations! I remember taking the A+ oh so many years ago. Does it expire now?

But the worst test I have ever taken was CISSP. It took days for my brain to reset, and I was so surprised that I had actually passed when I found out a month later!

[jerrymrc]

Congratulations! I remember taking the A+ oh so many years ago. Does it expire now?


If your certified before Jan 1st it is still lifetime. After it will be every three years. This is why I want to get this now and in December try for the network + ;)

I want to get these before the Alzheimers sets in.

[gnihcraes]

I'm Novell, HP Printers and Compaq Computers, Cisco certified. (80's and 90's). wow I'm getting old! ha ha

Getting the modern certifications are a difficult thing to determine the value vs cost. Many shops I've worked for will not hire the certified people, they tend to be book worms and not able to fix things in the real world, usually over priced too because of the "Certification". So be careful how much money and time you put into some of these things, it might not pay back. Experience pays better in some businesses.

Good work though on getting them done with good scores!

[jerrymrc]

I'm Novell, HP Printers and Compaq Computers, Cisco certified. (80's and 90's). wow I'm getting old! ha ha

Getting the modern certifications are a difficult thing to determine the value vs cost. Many shops I've worked for will not hire the certified people, they tend to be book worms and not able to fix things in the real world, usually over priced too because of the "Certification". So be careful how much money and time you put into some of these things, it might not pay back. Experience pays better in some businesses.

Good work though on getting them done with good scores!

Your tax dollars at work. As Byte Stryke mentioned there are certifications that are now required for us to do our job and it is your tax $$$ paying for them.

Because of these requirements we have to get our guys where I work certified. Over half the guys taking these classes and tests have over 25 years in the field. Because I am a systems administrator for two systems that are now on the DOD network I now have to have the paper to do the job that I have been doing for 20 years.

I do know what you mean though. There were a couple of people taking tests this week that to put it bluntly gave me the willies.

As for me I have been a Biomedical Tech for 30 years. The IT side just came along with it taking up more and more of our job.

[Irving]

Great job. I never could pass a basic programing class.

[gnihcraes]

We have some idiots on our teams with no training, but enough others with experience and training to keep them from making big mistakes. One good thing about our agency, they have no money for training us. Bad thing, they have no money for training us.

They tried a few years ago and bought some online training courses, and forced us to do the training during working hours, but wouldn't give us time from doing the daily work to train. Really stupid. I don't think anyone ended up doing more than an hours worth of training because there was no time to do it.

I know some people with all kinds of MCP, MCSE, A+ on their resumes, and they can't diagnose a mouse failure. But that failure happens in most any field.

[Byte Stryke]

I know some people with all kinds of MCP, MCSE, A+ on their resumes, and they can't diagnose a mouse failure. But that failure happens in most any field.

Wallpaper administrators

had a guy SWEARING at us saying that it was our end that was down. "I AM A CW3 and I have a CCIE and an MCSE I know what the fuck I'm Talking about!"

"Sir, we see your Modem and your router, we cannot ping your switch, Please check the physical connection between the switch and router."

4 Hours of yelling later
"Oh Yeah, it came unplugged."



[Bang][Bang][Bang][Bang][Bang][Bang]

[netsecsys]

Wallpaper administrators

had a guy SWEARING at us saying that it was our end that was down. "I AM A CW3 and I have a CCIE and an MCSE I know what the fuck I'm Talking about!"

"Sir, we see your Modem and your router, we cannot ping your switch, Please check the physical connection between the switch and router."

4 Hours of yelling later
"Oh Yeah, it came unplugged."



[Bang][Bang][Bang][Bang][Bang][Bang]

Make sure you billed them for the full 4hrs ;)

[Byte Stryke]

Make sure you billed them for the full 4hrs ;)


DoD Contract
$28.87/hr
+10% Hardship
+25% Hazardous duty/Combat



:)

[gnihcraes]

Funny and true story: We've recently taken over a section of a building we never occupied before. There is a switch left behind by the City or County of Denver. It is really noisy and is bothering people. So they unplugged it. (I told them not too!) So someone comes running eventually from some unknown City/County agency and plugs it back in. (All pissed off)

So, these people complain some more, and one agency sends a tech over: "It's not my ip address, not my equipment" and he unplugs it. ha ha.

Someone again appears from the other agency and plugs it back in. Apparently it's feeding some top secret server for Mayor H i c k e n l o o p e r.

I think I'll unplug that switch myself tomorrow just for fun. Not mine, and it's bothering us, so we'll just unplug it again.

[Byte Stryke]

Funny and true story: We've recently taken over a section of a building we never occupied before. There is a switch left behind by the City or County of Denver. It is really noisy and is bothering people. So they unplugged it. (I told them not too!) So someone comes running eventually from some unknown City/County agency and plugs it back in. (All pissed off)

So, these people complain some more, and one agency sends a tech over: "It's not my ip address, not my equipment" and he unplugs it. ha ha.

Someone again appears from the other agency and plugs it back in. Apparently it's feeding some top secret server for Mayor H i c k e n l o o p e r.

I think I'll unplug that switch myself tomorrow just for fun. Not mine, and it's bothering us, so we'll just unplug it again.

Put a large Magnet on it

[netsecsys]

Funny and true story: We've recently taken over a section of a building we never occupied before. There is a switch left behind by the City or County of Denver. It is really noisy and is bothering people. So they unplugged it. (I told them not too!) So someone comes running eventually from some unknown City/County agency and plugs it back in. (All pissed off)

So, these people complain some more, and one agency sends a tech over: "It's not my ip address, not my equipment" and he unplugs it. ha ha.

Someone again appears from the other agency and plugs it back in. Apparently it's feeding some top secret server for Mayor H i c k e n l o o p e r.

I think I'll unplug that switch myself tomorrow just for fun. Not mine, and it's bothering us, so we'll just unplug it again.

Reboot it after-hours and do a passwd recovery on it..then mirror the port and capture all the data. Free pass on bldg permits and parking tickets for life (or term) ;)

[netsecsys]

I think I'll unplug that switch myself tomorrow just for fun. Not mine, and it's bothering us, so we'll just unplug it again.

And for a little more excitement, unplug all the cat 5, snip the ends off and plug blank rj45s into the ports [ROFL1] [ROFL2][Luck]

[gnihcraes]

Such great ideas. I unfortunately need to keep my job though. :(

So much fun trying to get City, County and State Agencies to play in the sandbox. That is government at its best.

Stupid demolition crews the other day, went through an area and just cut all data cables off at the floor and walked away. Needless to say, they cut active lines we told them to leave alone. Ugh.

[jerrymrc]

Such great ideas. I unfortunately need to keep my job though. :(

So much fun trying to get City, County and State Agencies to play in the sandbox. That is government at its best.

Stupid demolition crews the other day, went through an area and just cut all data cables off at the floor and walked away. Needless to say, they cut active lines we told them to leave alone. Ugh.

Been there. Undergoing lots of floor by floor renovation. They did it once a year ago and every since then they ask if there is any question at all. I think it cost the gen contractor 10K to fix it. Not a large amount on a 20M contract but we also made them stop everything until it was put back. 2 days lost time hurt them more.

[netsecsys]

Such great ideas. I unfortunately need to keep my job though. :(


Yeah, I don't condone any actions I have submitted in this thread..just bringing IT nightmares to life... Jobs are good to have ;)

[netsecsys]

So much fun trying to get City, County and State Agencies to play in the sandbox. That is government at its best.


Kind of like trying to herd cats with firecrackers?

[Byte Stryke]

Yeah, I don't condone any actions I have submitted in this thread..just bringing IT nightmares to life... Jobs are good to have ;)


Same

[Marlin]

Been there. Undergoing lots of floor by floor renovation. They did it once a year ago and every since then they ask if there is any question at all. I think it cost the gen contractor 10K to fix it. Not a large amount on a 20M contract but we also made them stop everything until it was put back. 2 days lost time hurt them more.


Naw, what's funny is when You make the IT guy sign and date the wall next to the ones He wants cut. And, he has a hissy fit about it.. Then, the wrong ones get cut and the same guy comes in sceaming how you are going to be the one to pay for all the lost time.. You point to the wall and smile,, He starts sweating profusly and saying how accidents happen...

[jerrymrc]

Naw, what's funny is when You make the IT guy sign and date the wall next to the ones He wants cut. And, he has a hissy fit about it.. Then, the wrong ones get cut and the same guy comes in sceaming how you are going to be the one to pay for all the lost time.. You point to the wall and smile,, He starts sweating profusly and saying how accidents happen...

Have not seen that one only because I think most of us old Military guys understand the ramifications of what they are signing off on. I signed off on many doors/walls and closets.

And we never scream. that was for the one contractor that was late on one of the projects that had not got all the equipment staged and it was all in boxes telling us what WE were going to do to fix HIS problem. :) I just smiled because his boss on the contract used to be our chief of LOG where I work. ;)

[Marlin]

Oh, this was one of those things, "It's going to take a few days for the paperwork to go through. But, go ahead and do it." My boss and the GC were both walking with him..

Found out later that He had walked through changeing a bunch of stuff, and "reworded" the paperwork so it had looked like the contractors had screwed up. so He could get some non contract work done for "free".

Didn't work so well when it came to the sparkies though. [Tooth]

[jawsnet]

Congrats it's been a long time since I did mine

[gnihcraes]

My recent story, included photos of what they could cut and a suggestion that they trace out the other lines, because I'm not sure where they go and if they are mine. Turns out the County did trace them out. (sure they did) and the contractors not only cut what I photographed, but those items that county said not to. So go figure.

[jerrymrc]

I am now A+ certified. I did not do as well as the first test but better than others. I will say I used every bit of the 90 min they gave me. Many questions that had me going "WTF????" where was this in the book.

My head hurts. :)

[gnihcraes]

Good Job! My head hurts most days. This weekend they did some floor core drilling to run some conduits, but they neglected to tell anyone important, nor did they cover my 60K$ blade server. Needless to say it's completely covered with concrete dust and water from the wet core drill. idiots. someone is paying for the cleanup, new tapes and repairs to the tape drive that is not operational now. Who knows what else isn't going to be working tomorrow.

LEARN: Cheapest Bid is not always cheap in the long run. Stupid City and County of Denver - Low bidder wins the work!

[jerrymrc]

Good Job! My head hurts most days. This weekend they did some floor core drilling to run some conduits, but they neglected to tell anyone important, nor did they cover my 60K$ blade server. Needless to say it's completely covered with concrete dust and water from the wet core drill. idiots. someone is paying for the cleanup, new tapes and repairs to the tape drive that is not operational now. Who knows what else isn't going to be working tomorrow.

LEARN: Cheapest Bid is not always cheap in the long run. Stupid City and County of Denver - Low bidder wins the work!

And just 10 years ago Quantum was building DLT's here in the springs...... Now it is a "fun" center.