What kind of entry level job can i expect get with BS Information Technology security

dialectical

Do you think it's possible to take on Azure, AWS, and VMware all at the same time without overextending yourself? And being able to present your efforts in a way which would not make you look all over the map to a prospective employer?

Regarding CCNP, I have been listening to CBT Nuggets for CCNP for over a year commuting back and forth to work, and paid around two thousand for INE and hosted Cisco labs. I would not be trying to pass myself off as a network guy (would not have the confidence to work full-time Cisco) but I feel like those concepts are really important for cloud-based networking. I see diagrams of AWS networking between the containers and makes my CCNP training look like a coloring book. Those routing protocols still flow between containers and pods, and all of it works on raw networking at some point. I don't see the harm in putting some time aside each day for the CCNP out of respect for networking as a discipline and its translation to virtualized functions.

Best case scenario, you would be able to cut down Cisco budgets by understanding Cisco well enough to know what you need and what you can virtualize. I know it's a tough crowd here, but with the latest version of vSphere, for example, with multi-NIC vMotion you can break the laws of etherchannel and actually aggregate bandwidth rather than limiting connections to each NIC. The bandwidth and functional throughput actually stacks as if it were one big wire.

I will be playing with small paid packages of Azure and AWS in my home lab and see how it goes. Whichever plays best with Chef/Puppet/Kubernetes/PowerShell DSC will be my pick, I just wish I could focus on everything without raising eyebrows and call it being flexible.

UncleB

dialectical wrote: »

Do you think it's possible to take on Azure, AWS, and VMware all at the same time without overextending yourself?

I think it would be a bad idea to do them at the same time - rather do one then the next then the last one as they all share very much the same principles (especially networking) so you have less to learn as you go.

VMWare is quite possibly the simplest to start with as the exam requirements are fairly fixed. Azure changes a lot and there is no single source of effective study material that has up to date material for the exam (due to the constantly changing nature of the portal) - and finally do AWS.

Remember that at this stage you are trying to find a way to get an interview through your resume so you should probably be looking to gain some experience as soon as is practical, so look to see ways you can get some hands on with the technology with an employer, even if it is working for free for a while. This will become worth more than your certs if the experience is in your chosen area and could be the "in" you need to establish a career path beyond the conventional service desk route.

In your shoes I would be looking to complete one of the certs as soon as practical with your commitments, get a working lab and dig deep for a while then focus on writing to local employers offering your time in exchange for work experience with them. It is a bit of a long shot but it will give a lot more return for the start of your career than more certs will.

Remember not to stress about having to know everything - start by knowing one thing well and work your way through complimentary technologies for now. In the real world you never stop learning so you will have time for it later on. Experience in using the tech will be the real differential you should chase IMHO.

Good luck.

NetworkNewb

volfkhat wrote: »

lol
i knew this post was coming :]

Yea, it was just interesting the only people I knew personally with their CCNP had their MSCE as well

dialectical

volfkhat wrote: »

Just a few thoughts:
Why are you thinking about getting a CCNP (routing?) if you really want to be a "Cloud/virtualization" guy?
i understand that "more knowledge" is never a bad thing.... but it feels more like a "side-step" towards where you really want to be.

...

Given your current job situation...
Why not focus your efforts on more VMware products/certs, or the MCSA, or maybe even start going down the AWS road Now?
Hell, i'd even consider start learning Python (or other scripting language) before trying to get my CCNP.
Plus, i think you'd be able to "massage" your resume-exp to better align with the Cloud progression(?).

I took your advice and was hired for a 30 hour/week AWS job, starting today, that will be unpaid but I will do it in addition to my full-time job as a VMware admin. It is a nonprofit organization with 50 staff and I can do all the work from home. I will be logging my hours on their volunteer form, 30 a week. It is going to be a lot of work, but I’m excited about it, and I think that this would actually be able to “count” as formal AWS experience even though it is unpaid. There may even be a chance down the road to ask for some money from this organization if I prove my worth.

I will also open my own personal AWS account so that I can try high risk unorthodox thing and not worry about destroying business data. I will use this and my new job experience to clear my AWS Certified Solutions Architect exam. I did not give up on VMware but rather than is me betting on VMware/AWS integration as a winning combo. I’m going to start with simple S3 backups and try to get creative from there.

I was originally deadset on getting my CCNP by this Halloween, but I’m going to reduce that to a hobby and just get it when I feel I can just walk into the exam casually after years of taking a little time each day for it. I would do that out of respect for the networking discipline. I want to get an MCSA (don’t know when) but it cashes out on my current Windows Server administration so feels necessary.

You mentioned python. I want nothing more than to break out of infrastructure entirely and go into DevOps, but for that, after my MSci Cybersecurity, I will be doing a post-baccalaureate at Oregon State with the hopes of getting into Georgia Tech for a Msci in Computer Science.

I feel bad for taking the thread off the rails but you very much helped me out. Thank you.

volfkhat

dialectical wrote: »

I feel bad for taking the thread off the rails but you very much helped me out. Thank you.

Hey now, what did i do??

I'm just some random guy, with a random keyboard, asking some random questions.

Besides, You shouldn't believe everything you read on the internets :]

Good deal with the 2nd job.
30 hours sounds a bit much (and you are in school?); but if the "main" job gives you luxury to study/work on the "2nd" job....
Brilliant.


Maybe i need to take some of my own advice and get my act together. i have my mcsa & vcp... but Zero interest in supporting Windows anymore.
blehh!

2017 is supposed to be the year that i get some baseline Exp with NX-OS, f5 LTM, and (maybe) palo alto.
If things work out... i would like to resume focus on my ccnp for next year.

Or maybe... i should take a closer look at AWS.
lol

dialectical

NOW you tell me not to believe everything I read on the internet.

Yes I'm in school full-time online. It's cool I have no life. I technically already had that other unpaid 30-hour job as the CISO of a medium-small nonprofit where I manage their data, security engineering, and backups. I have autonomy over what and how many types of backups are being used. I'm currently providing them with 5 different disaster recovery methods, so my plan is to add an extra S3 bucket for additional redundancy and figure out what to do from there by gradually increasing its security and complexity. They are not paying me but they would cover all the cloud and hardware costs. I don't believe any lying would be necessary to claim this as AWS experience.

The fact that I don't know what I'm doing would not add risk to their data since all I'm doing is adding diversity to the standing strategies of backing up their data. Talking to you and UncleB made me realize this precise opportunity that I was sitting on. No comment on whether I can get most of my part-time and school work accomplished while on my main job.

Would you say that starting with a static S3 bucket be the best way to learn AWS?

I don't blame you for not wanting to work on Windows Servers. STIGs are awful. But we need to keep it positive for the long lost OP.

If you have $450 to burn then I highly recommend purchasing a year of unlimited access to Cisco's hosted labs. They are in pods that accept telnet or web-based telnet. There are hundreds, including all the CCNA R&S labs and the MPLS lab series. They are quite impressive.

However, one minor word of caution is not to let that VCP expire (must re-certify or up it every two years). As of VCP6, if your older VCP expires, then you must take both the class all over again and also an unproctored vSphere Fundamentals exam, which is really added insult to needing an entire University course or a king's ransom for the 5 day class.