Your certification goals for 2015?

[deanwebb]

I see what you did there. Well done, both on getting the cert and on lining up the text with the cert line.

[SimonV]

Hmm.. speaking of certification goals for 2015..




<------------- POW! CCNP

Passed the JNCIA this morning with 81%.

Congrats Simon!!

Thanks, same to you!

[routerdork]

I just finished one of my final courses for my BS. I've got two left. Going to take some time off so I can focus on house projects and re-up my CCNA. After that possibly start working towards the CCNP. I wanted to pursue the CCIE but I just don't have the time right now to keep a consistent schedule. CCNA will likely be in the next month just to give me the breathing room.

[that1guy15]

I just finished one of my final courses for my BS. I've got two left. Going to take some time off so I can focus on house projects and re-up my CCNA. After that possibly start working towards the CCNP. I wanted to pursue the CCIE but I just don't have the time right now to keep a consistent schedule. CCNA will likely be in the next month just to give me the breathing room.

Congrats on the Degree! It feels great once your done.

I have learned CCIE studies are a lot like having kids. You want kids but there is really never a good to have them. You just gotta jump in and figure it out on the way!

[icecream-guy]

I have learned CCIE studies are a lot like having kids. You want kids but there is really never a good to have them.

best time to have kids at at age 47.  Kids turn 18 when you turn 65,  ya kick them out of the house and retire.

[Dekoo]

Okay, so my CCNP R&S&Tshoot books just arrived, but I have a few questions before I start studying. (not sure if this is the rightful topic for this)


1. Should I use GNS3 or CPT for building the labs?
2. Should I first go through the Switch -> Route -> Troubleshoot book or ?
3. How are the exams being taken ? 1 exam per book or 3in1 ?I am totally confused - also what is their price ? What is the ETA for a person with a full job time to 'learn' everything that he needs for the exams ?


That's that for now I hope someone will be kind enough to answer

[SimonV]

1. GNS3 or real hardware
2. Depends on your personal preference. I took ROUTE first because I was least familiar with routing.
3. 1 exam independently. Price is somewhere around 250€, probably the same in $. Depends on your own pace but it took me two years.

[Dekoo]

1. GNS3 or real hardware
2. Depends on your personal preference. I took ROUTE first because I was least familiar with routing.
3. 1 exam independently. Price is somewhere around 250€, probably the same in $. Depends on your own pace but it took me two years.

Thank you for your kind answer

I was thinking of 1-2 years + as well because I work 10+ hours per day most of the time.

The thing is that this is a huge investment for me (books + exams) and I want to get prepared as much as I can.

I am curious to know whether the topics/materials from the books cover everything about the Network Professional certificate ? Would be great if someone can answer on that.

[that1guy15]

I agree with SimonV. I took the old track before TS and each test took me about 6+ months but yeah it really depends on what your skillset is starting off and what your study schedule and learning sty is..

Start with the test you feel most comfortable with. Save TSHOOT for last.

My suggestion on topics is to get the Officale exam topic breakdown from the Cisco Learning network and compare that to your study material. Any thing on the topic breakdown is fair game for the test.

here is ROUTEs: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-24495

[config t]

I went about it the same way Simon did.. I did route first because that was my weakest area. I felt it was the hardest of the three, but that could be because it was mostly new to me.

I'm not ashamed to say I failed both ROUTE and TSHOOT once each  don't get discouraged if it happens to you. keep at it and don't walk into the TSHOOT exam thinking you are a rockstar and blow through it in 20 minutes like I did.

For the record, I got a perfect score on the new 300 series TSHOOT 

While studying for route I used GNS3 exclusively, and while studying for switch I used CPT and real hardware we had around the shop.

[burnyd]

Wed I am going for the VCIX-NV.  I plan on defending the VCDX-NV some time this year.  Other than that maybe finish up my vcap?  Im not sure this will be a more of learning how to automate all the things for work type of year.  Who knows.

Ran into some issues that Wed I finally had it rescheduled for yesterday.  I received the email that I had passed this morning.  Now on to the vcdx!

[deanwebb]

 

Awesome news, burnyd!

[that1guy15]

Woot congrats dude! What other social mediums did I not congrats you on?

[wintermute000]

thats insane burnyd. You're now second on my list of 'guys with the most impressive certs' I know (no. 1 is a 5x CCIE. I'm not joking. But I suppose you get mega extra points for going cross discipline!!!)

[routerdork]

My CCNA ended up expiring  kinda pissed me off that I never went any further after spending so much time learning so last week I re-took it  and now I'm on to the rest of my goals list.
I took the last 6 months off from everything and it really refreshed me, I'm on a 3 year plan now and feeling good about knocking things out.

2015:CCNA R&S, CCNA Wireless, CCDA, CCNP
Tentative for 2016: Last two classes for BS, CCDP, F5-CA, hopefully begin CCIE R&S
Tentative for 2017: CCIE R&S