Cisco Certifications

[Luis G]

It isn't just useless, it is a bad design too.

Even when nobody admits it in public, the real reason about why the OSI model has 7 layers is that by the time it was designed, IBM had a 7 layer patented protocol called SNA (systems network architecture). By that time, IBM dominated the computing industry at such degree that everybody feared that IBM used its market force to push everybody into using SNA, which could change anytime they wanted. What OSI pretended was to create a reference model and stack protocol similar to that of IBM so that it could become a worldwide standard not controlled by one company but by a neutral organization, the ISO

(fast translation, from my book in spanish).

 

[chcr]

That sounds about right. My only netwoking experience is on tcp/ip, so I've never used it myself.

 

[Winky]

So basically in recent times there has been a flattening
of the wedding cake?

On topic. So Rave ya gonna pursue the cert with a vengeance, right?

 

[chcr]

So basically in recent times there has been a flattening
of the wedding cake?

Not really, I think they still expect you to know it, you just don't use it much.

 

[Raven]

So basically in recent times there has been a flattening
of the wedding cake?

On topic. So Rave ya gonna pursue the cert with a vengeance, right?

Fer sure

Cheaper than going to Uni for 5 years for the degree which is mostly theory....I'd rather pay £2500 for a 12 month course and have hands on experience than £4500 for 5 years and have very little.

 

[chcr]

Fer sure

Cheaper than going to Uni for 5 years for the degree which is mostly theory....I'd rather pay £2500 for a 12 month course and have hands on experience than £4500 for 5 years and have very little.

You know...

I'm not really trying to sway you one way or the other, and I know that that five years seems like a very long time to you now, but employers will hire you more quickly, pay you more and you'll have better opportunities for advancement with that degree. A common scenario (I've seen it once or twice) is that you'll end up being the guy in IT who knows everything and your boss will be a well-meaning but useless twit with a degree (making half again as much as you do or more). Something to think about.

 

[tommyj27]

perhaps it's just me, but OSI layers are something i think about a great deal, especially when i'm looking at a network problem, i find it very useful. i don't deny that parts of it are rather irrelevant, presentation and application could be merged without me losing any sleep, and i'm sure i could use TCP/IP as a guide, but you use what you learn.

 

[tommyj27]

You know...

I'm not really trying to sway you one way or the other, and I know that that five years seems like a very long time to you now, but employers will hire you more quickly, pay you more and you'll have better opportunities for advancement with that degree. A common scenario (I've seen it once or twice) is that you'll end up being the guy in IT who knows everything and your boss will be a well-meaning but useless twit with a degree (making half again as much as you do or more). Something to think about.

isn't that why you get the certs first, then an employer that will subsidize your continuing education?

 

[Winky]

Doh why did Chic have to point that out?

Heh besides there's lotsa hot honey's at Uni.

How did we get from takin' a product specific cert.
to deciding between being a low paid wage slave
or a college grad with a future???

 

[chcr]

isn't that why you get the certs first, then an employer that will subsidize your continuing education?

Nice work if you can get it, but those gigs are rare.

 

[Raven]

You know...

I'm not really trying to sway you one way or the other, and I know that that five years seems like a very long time to you now, but employers will hire you more quickly, pay you more and you'll have better opportunities for advancement with that degree. A common scenario (I've seen it once or twice) is that you'll end up being the guy in IT who knows everything and your boss will be a well-meaning but useless twit with a degree (making half again as much as you do or more). Something to think about.

It's less the time spent and more the experience that's swaying me. I'm thinking that employers would prefer someone who has had practical experience with the systems in use rather than someone who hasn't (the degree candidate).

Besides I can always pull the 'but you won't need to spend £x thousand training me' card

 

[chcr]

Ask around a bit before you decide. I've been hunting lately and most places tell me they'll take the guy with degree first almost every time. Of course, I'm not looking at entry level positions.

 

[greenfreak]

I don't have a degree and there are many employers who list it as a requirement to apply (even if it's not an IT degree). But I also see a lot of "degree or relevant work experience" in my current job search.

I thought the same thing you did, get the schooling done quick and get out there working. But it's not that easy to find the work when you don't have the experience and you don't have the degree either. I got really lucky with this job.

Are you working in IT now?

 

[Winky]

Listen to GF she's aboot pegged the whole thing right there Dood!

a college kid gets the hot chicks and the big pay everyday

 

[Raven]

Are you working in IT now?

I wish

I work call centres mostly but thats a means to an end thing. Call centre = means of making money, end = completing my education when I have enough of said money. So far it's been three years and no dice

 

[tommyj27]

on a related note, i started brushing up on the ccna material again. i still have the supposedly hard things like router configurations and subnetting down cold but the stupid little things (i.e. which wan protocols support error correction) will drive me insane.

 

[Luis G]

I'm taking the instructor ccna exploration module 1. I'll finish it this friday. Very busy week.

 

[valkyrie]

I'm taking the instructor ccna exploration module 1. I'll finish it this friday. Very busy week.

Which test is that for? There's the 640-802 and the 2 part path, 640-822 ICND1 & 640-816 ICND2.

Let me know how you do. I've been working with routers and switches on the voice end for years, couldn't pass that damn test though. Tried twice. Funny thing is that it doesn't matter if you fail with an 84 or a 34, you still fail.

Recently tossed myself out there on dice but when it came to certifications, I could only put down my stupid ITIL cert.

Not sure if I need to pay $2K for a class or self-study. Let me know what works for you and I'll try it.

 

[Luis G]

It is this one: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/course_catalog/CCNAexploration.html

CCNA Exploration is divided in 4 courses, I took the first one (fundamentals, instructor version).

I passed with a 97, meaning that I have proven "mastery on the subject" and now I can teach it to students.