First decisions

Well, after warming up here, I´d like to start taking a direction on my studies.

Firstly, I´ll say that, due to various reasons, but mainly because I´m just like that, I want to go Frank Sinatra... and do it My Way

. So, I have planned to study separate topics, until I am satisfied, even if I exceed what is needed for CCIE. When I´m done, I´ll start to focus on the exam itself and any remaining topics. I would love your thoughts on my plans.

I narrowed it down to two blocks to start with:
1Security and QoS
2BGP and MPLS

First path is the one I believe to be more reasonable. As I am being requested primarily for LAN jobs and CCNP is so short on these topics, I believe it would help me rapidly. And, along the way I´d also get my CCNA Security, so it looks good overall.

Second path is my personal favourite. It might not be as practical, but the fact is that as soon as I met BGP, I fell in love. I wouldn´t want to use any other routing protocol, as I found them sloppy and senseless (I know they are not, I´m just playing drama here

) MPLS would also be useful, as there are lots of requests for MPLS experts in Spain at the moment, and as I expected CCNP to have more than just routing protocols over Frame Relay, I´m kind of needing to put something in that L2 WAN hole.

I know that it might be different depending of the market-country you are moving in, but leaving this aside, what would you advise? I would also appreciate it if books were recommended.

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Comments

silver145

Just to add to that: You wont be an expert in the technology by far until you start mixing them.

The complexity from networking is the different protocols working together in tandem and hence where the problems come from. E.G i can run through the BGP section of the INE workbook as if it was a bible, but 1 question worded differently or throw a simple nat problem onto the basic topology and you have to re-think from the bottom up - just keep that in mind to challenge yourself

_Gonzalo_

That´s good advice!

But I believe that CCNP is a good and rather complete base. As I always told my teachers, I consider it an introduction to Networking. And as my path has been fast (maybe too fast) and with detailed guidelines (as per Cisco official courses) I want to feel free to go in depth in some subjects that interested me most, and take all the time I feel like taking on them.

And, as I´m sure that CCIE preparation will round my skills, there will be time for mixing it all up!

_Gonzalo_

Well, I have to say I´m a little disappointed by the lack of replies here...

Is there any reason for that? Do you people think that I´m crazy trying to do it like this?

fredrikjj

_Gonzalo_ wrote: »

Well, I have to say I´m a little disappointed by the lack of replies here...

Is there any reason for that? Do you people think that I´m crazy trying to do it like this?

Because it's not a question that can be answered. You said in your first post that you are requested for jobs where deeper knowledge of QoS and security issues would be useful. However, you want to learn more about BGP because you enjoy the protocol. You are also interested in MPLS and say that this is a technology that there is demand for in your country at the moment. All of these are of valid things to study and who are we to say that you should do one or the other?

_Gonzalo_

fredrikjj wrote: »

Because it's not a question that can be answered.
...
All of these are of valid things to study and who are we to say that you should do one or the other?

Thank you!

Well, I wasn´t expecting to be told to do this or that, I was expecting what you did. Opinions from sources other than me.

I already have the materials for CCNA Security already, and by now that´s all I need. Any books you can recommend for QoS, BGP and/or MPLS?

fredrikjj

Recommended CCIE Books | INE - INE
CCDE Practical Exam Recommended Reading

The standard path for BGP when it comes to books is probably CCNP RS -> Routing TCP/IP Vol 2 -> Internet Routing Architectures -> BGP Design and Implementation. Some would probably argue that it's not necessary to read Internet Routing Architectures. I can't say since I haven't read it.

For MPLS most ppl start with MPLS Fundamentals and/or MPLS Enabled Applications. For QoS, that voice cert guide is recommended, but there's a new QoS book that has just come out (end to end qos design 2nd ed I think it's called) that seems to be pretty good. I haven't read it so I can't say.

_Gonzalo_

Thanks again man! All that is very useful information. About CCNP R&S book, I´ve toyed with the idea of reading my CCNA/CCNP books thoroughly. I believe it will be rather fast, and I´ll probably learn some!
That QoS book seems to be exactly what I´m looking for. I have just found a BGP book (I honestly have no idea of where, I opened a few web pages and one of them had it, full, on .pdf) It is:

IP Routing: BGP Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE Release 3S (1200 pages or so)

The QoS book you recommended is just over 1000 pages as well.

And I also checked Cisco´s CCIE official guide bundle, which is 1400 pages.

This gives me a better idea of what I´m trying to do. I´m going to take it easy, "holiday up" a little while I decide. But at the moment, the best plan I seem to have is:

1 Review CCNA/CCNP books that I already have
2 CCNA Security material (and probably go for the cert straight away)
3 QoS in depth

I have also installed a virtual machine that has no network connections where I can safely use any simulation software

, so I´ll be doing both theory and practice.