Certification and Career Goals for 2018

deanwebb · February 19, 2018, 08:33:22 PM

Well, it's a new year, we need a new goal thread.

I'm taking the FCSE class this week, I'll have to pass the test so I can keep working with ForeScout. I plan to pass that test soon, should be fun. It's mostly a cert for ForeScout employees and vendor partners, so it's not for folks that support it at their firm or anything like that.

Career-wise, I want to meet my billable hours goal. Should not be an issue, since I'm booked for some major clients that bought lots of architect time in their POs. But, all the same, if it's a goal on my manager's list, it's a goal on my list.

Looks like I'll also get a chance to learn tons more about Splunk and ServiceNow and how they work with ForeScout.

wintermute000 · April 11, 2018, 01:30:23 AM

AWS Solutions Arch: Associate done and dusted!

VCP6-NV recertification next.... thankfully they retired my VCIX-NV so I don't actually have to recertify on VCAP6-NV to claim VCIX greatness. I don't have the energy these days to do a full NSX lab build again, but a few hours on the free HOL labs should be enough + skimming the cert guide to nail the VCP level recert, not a lot has changed greatly (aside from cross-cluster constructs) for NSX from 6.1 to 6.2.

After that I actually have no re-certs for the next 12 months which is AMAZING. So going to solidify my tinkering with formal Ansible and Terraform linuxacademy courses, certs be damned. And knock out a couple of CSCO e-learning automation courses for the continuing education credits if nothing else.

Designing and Implementing Cisco Network Programmability (NPDESI) v.1.0
Developing with Cisco Network Programmability (NPDEV) v4.0

The treadmill never ends....

deanwebb · April 11, 2018, 01:14:32 PM

Getting more serious about the FSCE stuff now that my actual hardware has arrived.

SimonV · April 23, 2018, 03:15:58 AM

Currently working on JNCIP-SEC but I'm finding it hard to get back in the study routine. Gotta knock it out before September though, or my JNCIS-SEC expires.

Otanx · April 23, 2018, 10:05:19 AM

Signed up for CCIE Written. Doing it at Cisco Live.

-Otanx

wintermute000 · April 23, 2018, 07:01:29 PM

good luck man, its a ridiculous exam

Otanx · April 24, 2018, 09:48:09 AM

Thanks. CCIE was the holy grail when I started networking, and I have always wanted it. I don't think it supplies as much value as it used to, but it is still a personal goal. My company couldn't care less if I hold a CC anything as long as I have my 8570 cert. So if I fail I will just try again next year. If I pass then I have to deal with the lab, and start serious study.

-Otanx

deanwebb · April 24, 2018, 11:24:31 AM

Making my way through training files... not always easy to schedule with work and stuff still happening, but I can fit it in.

icecream-guy · May 03, 2018, 03:43:20 PM

Wasn't a career goal for 2018, but I'm a Splunk Certified User 6.x now, just passed my test.

jason.copas · May 12, 2018, 03:22:49 PM

I finished my CCNP R&S back in January, so I've got a pretty good start. My fall semester includes CCDA and ITIL foundations.

That said I started a new job in April. Having never touched a juniper device in my life, I am in charge of a refresh replacing all of our branch office with juniper equipment. Architecting a data center move and bringing this Network inline with best business practices. So am just hoping I can keep up with this pace.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

deanwebb · May 12, 2018, 04:20:11 PM

Oh fun, a DC move! You will learn a LOT. The CCDA book is really quite good for bringing up lots of aspects of DC stuff. When you take the test, though, be ready to answer like a Cisco professional services engineer or you will not pass that test.

SimonV · May 22, 2018, 02:28:10 PM

Quote from: SimonV on April 23, 2018, 03:15:58 AM
Currently working on JNCIP-SEC but I'm finding it hard to get back in the study routine. Gotta knock it out before September though, or my JNCIS-SEC expires.

Wanted to order official Juniper courseware ($1000) but it's delivered only through an eDlivery application, no more phyiscal copies. Kind of sucks, as I want to knock it out, but I really hate studying off a screen.

deanwebb · May 25, 2018, 09:16:00 AM

Quote from: SimonV on May 22, 2018, 02:28:10 PM
Quote from: SimonV on April 23, 2018, 03:15:58 AM
Currently working on JNCIP-SEC but I'm finding it hard to get back in the study routine. Gotta knock it out before September though, or my JNCIS-SEC expires.

Wanted to order official Juniper courseware ($1000) but it's delivered only through an eDlivery application, no more phyiscal copies. Kind of sucks, as I want to knock it out, but I really hate studying off a screen.

And the "print it out" solution leads to PC LOAD LETTER errors and those lead to...

icecream-guy · June 15, 2018, 08:38:26 AM

Quote from: ristau5741 on May 03, 2018, 03:43:20 PM
Wasn't a career goal for 2018, but I'm a Splunk Certified User 6.x now, just passed my test.

Wasn't a career goal for 2018 either, but I'm a Splunk Power User Certified 6.x now, passed my test yesterday.

deanwebb · June 15, 2018, 02:18:27 PM

Quote from: ristau5741 on June 15, 2018, 08:38:26 AM
Quote from: ristau5741 on May 03, 2018, 03:43:20 PM
Wasn't a career goal for 2018, but I'm a Splunk Certified User 6.x now, just passed my test.
Wasn't a career goal for 2018 either, but I'm a Splunk Power User Certified 6.x now, passed my test yesterday.

Ah, but can you also use Microsoft Office? And also Microsoft Office 365?