Certification and Career Goals for 2021

[config t]

Ok. I think we all pretty much had a rocky 2020. I didn't get anything done as far as training and just this month finished the SCOR digital learning I paid for a year ago.

Knocking out that course lit a fire under me and I realized I've been stagnating. My job is providing plenty of opportunities to expand my routing, switching and network security skill sets, but if I ever want to do anything other than network tier III support I will need to get moving. I'm already working on Enterprise Design to complete my NP recertification requirements and then moving on to Azure Admin. After talking with the Microsoft rep/whiskey buddy we concluded if I want to merge my networking skills with Cloud my ultimate goal should be AZ-303.

That's where I'm at. We are in the process of merging our wild west domain with $DOT_MIL enterprise so there is a strong chance my role is about to grow. That just means more phone calls for network tier III and probably the same pay though.

[deanwebb]

I'll take any intro cloud certification gauntlet thrown by anyone on these forums.

[Otanx]

I'll take any intro cloud certification gauntlet thrown by anyone on these forums.

Here you go:
Free Fundamentals training and certification exam https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/trainingdays

More free training and certifications. This looks monthly. The current challenge ends on the 28th, and a new one starts on March 1st.:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learncloudchallenge

I am going to try them. See how it goes. I need to catch up on my CISSP CE credits. Found they have some free webinars that will auto submit for 1 credit each so I am trying to do a couple a week. I also am going to need to figure out CE for my CCNP. I was just going to go to Cisco Live every year, but it is virtual again. I could do it, but I know I won't get as much out of it as I do by going in person.

-Otanx

[config t]

I need to catch up on my CISSP CE credits. Found they have some free webinars that will auto submit for 1 credit each so I am trying to do a couple a week. I also am going to need to figure out CE for my CCNP. I was just going to go to Cisco Live every year, but it is virtual again. I could do it, but I know I won't get as much out of it as I do by going in person.

-Otanx

I will shoot you PM for some easy CE for someone with a CAC.

I've been wrestling with the Cisco CE for my CCNP too. I feel they have over-monetized the certification program. This may be my last cycle.

[deanwebb]

I'll take any intro cloud certification gauntlet thrown by anyone on these forums.

Here you go:
Free Fundamentals training and certification exam https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/trainingdays

More free training and certifications. This looks monthly. The current challenge ends on the 28th, and a new one starts on March 1st.:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learncloudchallenge

I am going to try them. See how it goes. I need to catch up on my CISSP CE credits. Found they have some free webinars that will auto submit for 1 credit each so I am trying to do a couple a week. I also am going to need to figure out CE for my CCNP. I was just going to go to Cisco Live every year, but it is virtual again. I could do it, but I know I won't get as much out of it as I do by going in person.

-Otanx

OK, I'll do Azure first. I think my company wants me to go through their LinkedIn Learning first, so I'll give those a spin. But Azure, ho!

[config t]

Azure, ho!

AZ-104 is my first step. Gotta knock out this last CE batch for Cisco first 

[icecream-guy]

I did implicit training this morning,  all about our own bias in our subconscious, to choose diversity over the inherent biases we all possess, Seems hokey to me, especially when I figured out choosing diversity is biased in itself.

[config t]

forums.

Forgot to say I noticed this.

I did implicit training this morning,  all about our own bias in our subconscious, to choose diversity over the inherent biases we all possess, Seems hokey to me, especially when I figured out choosing diversity is biased in itself.

Don't get me started.

[Otanx]

I've been wrestling with the Cisco CE for my CCNP too. I feel they have over-monetized the certification program. This may be my last cycle.

I am hoping they open up the program some more, and make it more like ISC2 does for the CISSP/SCCP etc. ISC2 lets you submit just about any training you do, and they will review, and assign points if they feel it is valid training. Cisco is limiting it to just official Cisco training, and training partners which is too expensive without a company training budget.

-Otanx

[wintermute000]

The online training is not bad, just overpriced (1000 USD.... no thanks, even with virtual labs).

NSE training is free guys, just sayin'....

[config t]

NSE training is free guys, just sayin'....

Last I looked it was free up to NSE 2, which I picked up a year or two ago. I would like to do the NSE 4 since I work with the platform but I didn't see any free training for it.

[Otanx]

NSE training is now on my list. Thanks.

-Otanx

[config t]

I double checked just now and yes the NSE 4 training is in fact available for free. Righteous.

Otanx, it also provides CEUs for your CISSP.

[wintermute000]

I can't recall if the free NSE4 includes access to labs, but if not, you can simply DL a VM and mess with it under the eval license (~2 weeks IIRC).

[config t]

Finished all of my CCNP CEUs. Now it's time for nothing but $VENDOR stuff until August. Cloud is unfortunately going to have to wait on the backburner.