Talk to me about CCNA/CCNP - anyone obtain the certs?

[alkemyst]

hell a CCIE, won't be nearly as beneficial as a degree. IMHO, get the degree THEN get certs. Going the other way around can work, but a higher failure rate I would imagine.

I am willing to bet with a CCIE you'd be far more valuable than having a BA...however for most a CCIE will be much longer and more expensive than a BA.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Yeah, it's very rare you just reboot a piece of networking equipment. The only times it's needed are a software crash or upgrade (and even on some platforms you can do in service upgrades). If there is a problem, it's happening for a reason and the NP will help you understand what those reasons are. You have to be able to understand WHY in networking because things you don't control can have an affect on your network so root cause analysis is fundamental.

And, rebooting won't do anything other than take your network down (if it isn't already) for a few minutes while it reboots. The startup config will most likely be the running config as well, in which case rebooting will just give you the same problem.

Even if you wipe the device clean and start from scratch, you need to re-configure it for your network. In that case, depending on the root problem, you just wasted 30 minutes (or more) redoing the config that wasn't the problem.

CCNA level stuff focuses more on small networks and base level stuff. How to configure devices, get routing protocols up, subnetting a network, etc. CCNP level stuff focuses on medium-large networks AND how to work with ISPs/customer networks as well. CCNP also deals with how to troubleshoot (hence the TSHOOT course) on a much more general basis, instead of how to just troubleshoot a basic EIGRP config issue (i.e. mistyping a network statement IP). CCNA is a broad "here is a bit about everything" deal, where CCNP is a "here is very detailed info on only a few subjects".

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

I am willing to bet with a CCIE you'd be far more valuable than having a BA...however for most a CCIE will be much longer and more expensive than a BA.

It depends on experience. A CCIE with no experience is not going to do well in the real world, where a 4 year degree opens the door to many different jobs.

Would you hire a CCIE with no (or little) experience? I'd be willing to bet that's a "no" unless he is as cheap as a CCNA or maybe entry level CCNP.

 

[drebo]

Pick you apart? You redistribute static routes into OSPF as E2s and you notice the route 0/0 isn't showing up on any neighbor routers, what do you need to do on the ASBR to get this route into the AS?

"default-information originate" is what I usually do.

 

[spidey07]

"default-information originate" is what I usually do.

You get a cookie.

 

[alkemyst]

It depends on experience. A CCIE with no experience is not going to do well in the real world, where a 4 year degree opens the door to many different jobs.

Would you hire a CCIE with no (or little) experience? I'd be willing to bet that's a "no" unless he is as cheap as a CCNA or maybe entry level CCNP.

I'd say it'd be next to impossible to have a CCIE without experience so the argument is flawed.

 

[drebo]

You get a cookie.

Just had some Nutter Butters...mmmmmm....

 

[manlymatt83]

We did the CCNA Exploration courses at school, but you had to pay separately and take another test to get the official cert. Haven't done that yet, but probably will in the next few months.

We had access to lots of lab equipment, and could use any number of Cisco switches and routers.. But to be honest, I would only have needed a day or so with the physical equipment. Once you know what the connectors and cables look like (if you didn't already), you can just use Packet Tracer and GNS3. Maybe you can get some old, discarded equipment from your place of work or from some other company?

It's not that hard if you're reasonably clever, and familiar with basic networking stuff since before. The most difficult thing is probably the math of IP addressing (subnetting, supernetting etc.), but it quickly starts making sense. Also, lots of focus on how protocols work at the lowest level, and of course, the OSI model that they keep going on and on about....

Please Dear Not Tonight Sore Pecker Already?

 

[drebo]

I'd say it'd be next to impossible to have a CCIE without experience so the argument is flawed.

Not entirely true. There are "bootcamps" that will teach you how to pass the test, and the people that come from them may or may not have any real, practical experience.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Not entirely true. There are "bootcamps" that will teach you how to pass the test, and the people that come from them may or may not have any real, practical experience.

Exactly.

A CCIE that has the experience, cert, etc will obviously make more than somebody who just has a 4 year degree. The CCIE level cert is between a masters and doctoral as far as earnings potential and work required to obtain the cert.

 

[freegeeks]

Not entirely true. There are "bootcamps" that will teach you how to pass the test, and the people that come from them may or may not have any real, practical experience.

bootcamping your way through the CCIE is not that easy anymore. They changed the lab and it's reflected in the passing rates.

 

[drebo]

bootcamping your way through the CCIE is not that easy anymore. They changed the lab and it's reflected in the passing rates.

I'm sure that's the case. However, someone who had a CCIE and no job history would probably be less desirable than someone with good job history and no CCIE. At least, in my opinion.

 

[freegeeks]

I'm sure that's the case. However, someone who had a CCIE and no job history would probably be less desirable than someone with good job history and no CCIE. At least, in my opinion.

i agree, get the cert that matches your experience, not the other way around, I got my CCNP almost 3 years ago and I have a total of 10 years experience, slowly working on my CCIE. I'm a freelance contractor and I have no trouble finding well paying interesting jobs but I think the job market is better here right now then in the USA

still, CCIE is a tough cookie, bootcamps or not...