Those finishing up CCNP R&S

mistabrumley89

Just curious as to what you all are going to move onto after you wrap up your CCNP studies? I love to study and learn as much as I can, but I don't know what my next goals should be. At first I was thinking my CCDA/CCDP since it would be a quick pickup, and I've read from all over that the CCDP material helps bring together many of the different aspects of networking, but I'm not sure if that's where my true desire is. I love studying routing and switching, but is it really practical for me to go for CCIE R&S? I just feel really intimidated about those four letters... CCIE. With my current situation, I know that I will not be gaining any networking job experience (just left my networking job). I work at a help desk doing basic active directory stuff, ITSM Remedy tickets, submit account requests for signatures, make slides, build baseline images for exercises, and other not too technical things. I feel like I am being wasted, but you can't just pick up and leave in the Army. I am submitting a packet to go to the Cyber Protection Brigade, but even that is kind of iffy because I don't meet the rank requirements (they are in a transitional period). So with a complete halt in my experience, as far as networking goes, I don't know what to do next. I have a strong desire to learn more, but I don't want to study for something that I have 0 experience in. I might pursue my CISSP because it is a broad spectrum of security, and I've already been to a CISSP bootcamp. Then again I lack the years experience as I've only been in IT for 3.5 years. I know what other people are doing doesn't effect what my desires are to learn, but I just thought I would fish for some ideas. Thanks for your time!