2018 GOALS:Junior Network Admin to Junior Network Engineer?

pujan96

Hi Guys,

Id just like to share my 2018 networking career goals and would like to ask for advice on how to move from a network support admin to network engineer.

2018 Goals:
CCNA Recap (just finished ICND1 CCENT recap)
CCNA Security
CCNP Route exam
CCNP Switch exam

Advice needed:
I am currently in a network support admin role and would like to become a "junior network engineer". Ive currently been in the network support role as a junior admin for about 5 months at my current business. Before that I was in an IT support role for 12 months. Currently as a junior network support admin I mainly do Layer 2 network administration and a bit of IT support, I recently pass the Palo Alto ACE exam and have slowly started doing some basic firewall administration. I currently do next to nothing interns of routing.

My question is as follows:
Am I being to eager in trying to become a "network engineer". I feel after getting my CCNP it will definetly help but I still only have less then 6 months experience in networking. How long do you guys expect for someone with a lot of self study enthusiasm to move from a network admin to network engineer?

Thanks in advance

Welly_59

Is there any opportunity to start taking on change work? Such as firewall rule changes, adding vlans and routes, or things such as amending wireless ssids?
If there are then jump on them

YuckTheFankees

Certs are nice but I do not think they are enough to bump you into a network engineer role. Yes you'll know terms, how to complete certain tasks but a lot of companies want experience because when something goes wrong, a person with experience has probably run into the issue a few times and can resolve it fairly quickly. With having most of your knowledge from certs, you'll have the theory down but its sometimes hard to stop thinking like youre studying for a Cisco test, rather than a real world issue.

I would say ask for more work and if your department doesn't have any additional work, reach out to the network engineer group and let them know you are interested. Ask to sit on troubleshooting calls, watch them make changes, etc...being proactive and making that connection will go along way. Its a way to show you have more than just cert knowledge...

Cisco Inferno

I say go for it. It can take a year or more for the CCNP. Youd be hot at that point in your career. If they dont bump you up after getting it, youd have enough experience to move on with a CCNP and 1.5years of exp.

volfkhat

pujan96 wrote: »

2018 Goals:
CCNA Recap (just finished ICND1 CCENT recap)
CCNA Security
CCNP Route exam
CCNP Switch exam

I find your 2018 timeline to be highly improbable.
lol

Assuming a schedule like; 5 months Route, 4 months switch, 3 months Security....
it doesnt leave much margin for error.

ANd (admittedly) you only have 6 months of network experience??
Also, dont forget about the Troubleshoot Exam as well (requirement for CCNP).
Also, cisco will probably be refreshing their NP curriculum at some point in 2018.

i dont think you should worry (just yet) about having that CCNP with not enough exp.

Not impossible.... but just saying.