CCNP Book List

I’ve compiled my CCNP book list. Still a ways to go before I get cracking. Need to finish reviewing ICND 1/2 topics, and complete IINS 640-553 before I get started proper. Gotta upgrade my lab with more gear. I’m pretty sure, I’m going to be leaning heavily on GNS3 this time around. Get to put this shiny quad core to the test, maybe dual boot with debian to run Dynamips (Vista, hmm, well, umm, better not post that…). Anyways here’s my list, any recommended additions, let me know.

• CCNP Official Exam Certification Library (5th Edition)
• Routing TCP/IP, Volume 1 (2nd Edition)
• Routing TCP/IP, Volume 2
• CCNP Quick Reference
• CCNP Building Scalable Internetworks (BSCI 642-901) Lab Portfolio
• CCNP Building Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN 642-812)
• CCNP Implementing Secured Converged Wide-Area Networks (ISCW 642-825)
• CCNP Optimizing Converged Networks (ONT 642-845) Lab Portfolio

Not 100% sure about the Quick Reference, it seems like it may be one of those books that are great in concept, but you don’t really need. Kind of like the CCNA Flash Cards book, it wasn’t needed, although the PDF version of the book on the CD included a concise review of ICND1 and ICND2 topics, not found in the printed version. I might not of considered the Jeff Doyle books, but many people swear by them for the CCNP level. I hope the lab books are good. This will cost a small fortune. Forget paying subscriptions, I need a real book plus an electronic version.

Flip flop

I change my mind like the weather… I’ve been talking with a couple people that have been in the industry for awhile, and I’ve reversed my decision on doing CCNA Voice > CCVP. Gonna stick with CCNP, once I clear the CCNA Security that is. I guess its the unknown, not being 100% sure if you’ll secure the type of work your looking for when you hit the CC*P level. I was looking for leverage, by going the route of CCVP first. Its always been the core R/S I’ve been most interested in. Sure, I’d like to get into Voice one day, but I’ve been advised that I’ll have no problem securing the work I’m looking for with a CCNP. On top of all that, the Voice stuff is super expensive. I could have enough gear for CCNP and CCIP and pretty much CCIE R/S for the cost of a Voice lab. I know you can emulate a lot of it. Blindhog have some excellent tutorials. I guess it boils down to this, if I can’t get the job I’m looking for as a CCNP, then fuck ’em, the certs’ for me, not the job offers.

Back on Track

My CCNA Security Official Exam Certification Guide book arrived on Saturday. Not as much reading as the ICND1 or ICND2 books. I ripped the audio from CBTNuggets CCNA Security CBT and dumped it on my mp3 player. Been listening to that today, and got started on chapter 1. So far it seems like, ACLs and SDM are the only things kept from the CCNA exams. We’ll see when I get further along. I know I need to spend sometime reviewing CCNA material, its a been awhile since I’ve touched much Cisco stuff. I’m sure 90% of it will come right back to me in no time. Need to sharpen up my subnetting and do a review and some labs for a 3-4 weeks, then get started proper on the CCNA Security.

Been scanning ebay for deals lately, in the hunt for a 2811 Voice bundle with AIM-CUE, or a good deal on an AIM-CUE, a 35xx POE switch and 2511. I’m starting to think, there is no such thing as a good deal on an AIM-CUE module, haha. I’ve read a lot of posts that say you don’t really need Unity Express for the CCNA Voice exam, but I’d rather have it. I got by without the SDM for the CCENT and CCNA, but this is a little different. Besides, maybe I’ll pull a Jeremy Ciora and run CME/CUE system at home.

Back to the CCNA Security, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to it. In my preview of the materials so far it really boils down to 4 things, ACL, SDM, VPN and AAA. Basically master those concepts (at the CCNA level) and you should be good to go. I’m not underestimating this exam, I’m just seems not as in depth.

I got an email awhile back (around December) from Wendell Odom, thanking me for my errata submissions on the ICND books. I thought it was cool to hear from him, here’s me just a CCNA getting props from a CCIE. I printed off the email and brought it to my last job interview. Maybe it played a part, I landed a job with a Cisco Partner (albeit not the tech stuff I want to do, but hey).

What else is new, had to drop the old CSS, needed a refresh. Its cool to look around the blogs, and see everyone is still working on their goals or completing them. I’m really looking forward to the next couple years!

Back from the dead…

So, I’m not dead after all, and six months without a post. PING. Anyhow I started college finally, what a dilemma, getting started. I’ve switched my degree paths and Schools. Now I’m doing a 2 year associates degree in IT-Programming, when I get that, I’ll either to a BA in Information Systems Assurance or a BA in Computer Science. We’ll see what happens.

At present I seem to have more time that I expected, now that I’ve switched colleges. So I’ve decided to get back to doing what I enjoy most which is playing with routers and switches. I give a lot of thought to the future and what I will do. I may change my mind about some things. For now, this is the battle plan:

• June 1st take the CCNA Security exam. (I haven’t started studying for it yet, but I’m hoping this will be enough time)
• Sometime before the end of 2009 take the CCNA Voice.
• Obtain CCVP by the end of 2010.

You may ask why the change from CCNP to VP. To be honest I want to get all Cisco certs, haha, will that happen, who knows? My line of thinking is, it will be easier to find a job developing quality experience as a CCVP, than it is with a CCNP or CCSP. Who will want someone with little experience working on their production routers, or responsible for security with their freshly printed CCSP? I just think that I have more chance of securing a job with potential to cross train and develope a broad networking skill set by going the CCVP route first. I plan on doing the CCIP and CCNP before trying for the top. All this stuff will take years. Who knows I might change my mind a year from now, decide to go back to my original plan and try and get my CCIE R/S in about 4 years.

In the mean time, I started a new job with a Cisco Partner, not the technical experience builder I would like, but its a good job, and will serve my immediate needs for now. I ordered my CCNA Security book, got some CBTs from some ware z, and hope to have a linux box built by next month to run some labs. I had to sell one of my 2611xms last year, sucks… Probably gonna get a 2800 series when I get started working on voice.

So, things are going well, a couple CCNA concentrations by the end of this year, plus half way through my associates degree, then hopefully by the end of the following year, I’ll have my CCVP and my associates degree, and be ready to start the learning process for the CCIP and CCNP =)

I got big plans =)

CCIEs gone wild…

I originally read about this, on CCIE Pursuit back in July.  Here’s an interesting summary/update of the CCIE gone wild:

…Childs was carted off to jail where he refused to turn over the user IDs and passwords in his possession to anyone but the San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom. Newsom met with Childs on July 23, and succeeded in acquiring some (but not all) of the information officials needed to regain control of the city’s FiberWAN network. Continues

Decisions…

It’s been a really tough call, deciding on the best path forward. Studying for and obtaining Cisco Certification has taught me a lot. I’ve learned that with enough effort and discipline you can achieve what you want. This brings me to my point; I’ve made the decision to complete a BS Degree in Network Design and Management. I should complete it before my CCNA expires. My long term career aspirations require me to accomplish this, and I’ve learned I have what it takes to stay motivated, study and be successful. My CCNA expires, July 2011—hopefully I have enough time to prepare for a professional level exam instead of just recertifying with another CCNA exam.

Its been a tough call, to turn down career opportunities that would enhance my skill, but hinder my educational goals, to take a massive pay cut in the shorter term to pursue my degree, and most importantly to put Cisco Certification study on a 2.5 year hiatus, especially while I read of the challenges and fun others are having in their pursuits.

I’m looking at long term, and obtaining my degree is vital. At least, when I complete my degree, I won’t need to digress from learning Cisco Internetworking again.

CCIE pilot program being tested in China

Picked this up from Colin McNamara’s Blog

Dear Candidate:

On August 27, Cisco will introduce a pilot for the CCIE Routing and Switching lab exam in Beijing, China. The pilot will add a 10-minute interview that will assess the candidate’s ability to apply expert-level
networking skills and knowledge to networking problems that are encountered on the job. After the lab orientation, a panel of three experts will conduct a verbal interview with each candidate, asking a series of expert-level networking questions (questions and answers will be in English). The ability to correctly answer these questions will affect the exam score. Continues

Sittin’ on Chrome

Ok, its not the old Rap tune from 1995, its google’s new browser to be released shortly. Three horse race?

From BBC news:

Google is launching an open source web browser to compete with Internet Explorer and Firefox.

The browser is designed to be lightweight and fast, and to cope with the next generation of web applications that rely on graphics and multimedia.

Called Chrome, it will launch as a beta for Windows machines in 100 countries, with Mac and Linux versions to come. Continues

Google Books have a comic book describing the from the ground up design concepts and need for a new approach, check it out here. And the wiki here.

IOS Rootkit

Interesting post, I picked up from cisconews.co.uk. Old news, but hey, I haven’t had time to read blogs much the past 6 months, until now.

For those of you who haven’t heard, Sebastian Muniz of CORE Security will release a proof of concept rootkit for Cisco’s IOS. Wanting to know more I contacted him, and he agreed to answer questions about his work. Continues

Whats new with you?

Like  I said, been busy with lots of stuff. I’m now back in the USA about 10 days now, took care of most of my to-do list. Waiting on my lab to be shipped over, should be here within a couple weeks. Been job hunting lately, a few interviews coming up soon, looks good. So far three quality jobs, look like they could pan out, all with some serious positives, we’ll see what happens.

I’ve been thinking about career development as much my Cisco/Networking related ambitions, and I’m toying with the idea of enhancing existing skills, not related to Cisco. I think the ultimate factor will be my next job, 2/3 prospects I’m looking at require expanding my knowledge of Microsoft or Security, only one is dedicated Cisco. So, if I nail that job, its definately time to get cracking on my CCNP.

Just got a new wireless keyboard/mouse, Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop 700 it sucks. On sale for $25, but the mouse is cheaply made and the keyboard, just ceased working, this is Day 2 of ownership, ha ha. Time to switch back to logitec.

Haven’t studied since getting my CCNA, that should change soon, just not at the top of the pile right now.