Passed CCNA this morning

[CS1983]

Passed CCNA this morning. Super stoked, mainly because it validates barely seeing my kids for the last 3 months (but hearing them downstairs while I did labs and read odiously boring Odom text).

Waiting for a slot to open on our NOC team. Or maybe just add it to the LinkedIn profile and keep low crawling towards IT Security work. Probably won't go for CCNP unless operational networking is enjoyable.

Anyone else done anything boring for a paper trinket recently?

[ray1970]

I would congratulate you but I don't know what CCNA is.

[CS1983]

I would congratulate you but I don't know what CCNA is.

Lol. You're probably a better man for it. It's a cert where 15 years ago jackasses memorized 500 pages of info and now they memorize double to triple that to let Cisco stroke itself on how awesome it is.

[brutal]

Passed CCNA this morning. Super stoked, mainly because it validates barely seeing my kids for the last 3 months (but hearing them downstairs while I did labs and read odiously boring Odom text).


Waiting for a slot to open on our NOC team. Or maybe just add it to the LinkedIn profile and keep low crawling towards IT Security work. Probably won't go for CCNP unless operational networking is enjoyable.


Anyone else done anything boring for a paper trinket recently?

CONGRATS!



At least you're working on a volunteer basis.

As an OEM partner, we're required to pass their (IBM) certs for tons of different products to maintain partner status. They're all like that too, our network guys gotta have their certs, Security, NetApp, MS, etc. ad nauseum. Sure, part of it is customer sat within the partner channel, but part is also about the $$$ they get to charge for classes and/or testing.

That said, I don't have to pay anything, and frankly, the company gets most of it all free through distributor or mfr programs/promos/marketing dollars, etc. I do get rewarded with "utilization" hours that helps maintain my quota so I get my shitty little bonus for being a good corporate wang.

[Brian]

Congrats!

LOL I was one of those jackasses, and while it seems more recent in my head, it probably really was right around 15 years ago. Dang, how did I get so old so fast...?

[MrPrena]

Congrats!

I had to study it when I was in securities/finance sector (as well as many other stuffs/sector).

[IMG][/IMG]

[GilpinGuy]

Congrats! Like Ray, I have no clue what any of those acronyms mean. But Obviously its important to you.

Edit: I do know what IT means.

[CS1983]

Ray and Gilpin -- CCNA is the Cisco Certified Network Associate. Basically means I should be able to walk into a networking situation and not be completely confused as to what the analysts/engineers are talking about and/or be able to set up, troubleshoot, etc. My old company's networking team wouldn't even interview someone if they didn't have it. Others are more lenient.

Brian -- It's been fun though, right? Was talking with one of the networking engineers w/ CCNP at work, before I took CCENT a few months ago, and he was telling me how much more is expected now vs when he took it. Was definitely like drinking from a fire hose. I look forward to getting onto a team where the information can really gel and become 2nd nature. In the last 6 months, any time I had to deal with the NOC I'd be pumping them for info, asking them to walk me through the configuration changes they were making, theory behind it, etc. Definitely helped.

Don't want to be a cert chaser, but WGU is competency based so there are certain ones I need to get for graduation. Post-graduation, I'm thinking I'll focus on CEH and then CISSP.

[cfortune]

Congrats! Networking is fun. Hence me procrastinating getting ready for work right now

Certs are stressful though. I'm heading to a Juniper conference in a few weeks that has free certification testing there. I'll be hitting the books pretty hard until then.

[roberth]

Congratulations!! Keep plugging away.