Dismay at IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ilcram19

no matter how many cert u get alot of the times u dont use all you learn, if you know the base it shouldnt be a problem to find out wut u need

is alot of stuff to remember in a year i read 15 book i took 14 test fail 3 and i still need to read another million lol so u cant really know everything

snadam

I dont see why using google as a last resort, or during a time-sensitive issue is a BAD thing. Like most, I agree with MCSA's googling simple everyday tasks all the time is NOT a good thing. Google should not be depended on for ALL the answers, but it should be there to assist you if needed.

too much of something is never a good thing...

mikej412

I survived and thrived in IT for over 12 years without using Google -- but that was probably because Google didn't exist back then.

Of course now I'll use the Google site search function to search the Cisco Docs

And the CCIE Lab Exams are "open book" -- you can use the Cisco Documention Web Site (but no seach function) -- since no one, even CCIEs can remember everything.

ilcram19

hey mike412 when u becoming CCIE!!!!

bighusker

This is about the most ridiculous post I've ever read on here. This isn't school where the goal is to memorize as much as you can and then regurgitate the information on a test. This is the real world where the goal is to use every resource you have to solve the problem. Why in the hell should I spend hours troubleshooting an error message when I can google for the answer in a few seconds? Maybe the OP would prefer to live in the dark when there wasn't an easy way to share information with the entire world.

The reality is that far too few people use google for this purpose. Hence sites like this: http://www.fuckinggoogleit.com/

seuss_ssues

I once beat google in a chess match...i know its hard to beleive but its true.

I had the video on youtube to prove it....then google found out (somehow it finds everything out) and bought youtube and removed it.

Im the single reason google bought youtube.

remyforbes777

Thats the equivalent of saying a lawyer (who should know everything about law) should not consult books to find answers when preparing for a case. It's impossible. Google is a tool, not a crutch. IT people use it to find answers to seemingly obscure problems or to just refresh the memory. Are you telling me you never used Google or asked someone about a fix to a problem? What you are basically saying is that you don't ask questions. Whats the difference between asking a person about an issue and googling the issue?

Paul Boz

Being able to know everything simply doesn't scale. One of the prerequisites of the CCIE lab is being able to quickly and accurately reference the DocCD that's provided. Cisco ingrains real-time research into their most prestigious certification for a reason.

mgeorge

mikej412 wrote:

Of course now I'll use the Google site search function to search the Cisco Docs

And the CCIE Lab Exams are "open book" -- you can use the Cisco Documention Web Site (but no seach function) -- since no one, even CCIEs can remember everything.

I cant remember who said it but i do remember some famous CCIE saying "Being CCIE dosent mean you know everything, it means you can find out any thing"

In a way I agree and disagree but I do agree with you here mike, I use the fire out of google to search for Cisco documents because Cisco's website search feature isnt the best in the world...

And of course theirs the famous quote "Google is man's best friend"

Man, I feel sorry for the dog...

Plantwiz

sprkymrk wrote:

Ahriakin wrote:

anyone that claims to know it all is the last person you want working on your system. Knowing what to look for is more important than burning syntax blindly into your noggin.

May I quote you Ahriakin? Thanks! Because I agree 100%.

On a side note, how many folks could take a lesson on using google? Not that I mind any of the questions asked here, and I am glad that people know to come here to ask, but come on - If you want to know how many questions are on an exam, what the passing score is, and how much time you have to complete the exam - you don't know how to use google!

I personally use google for a focussed search. Most times I use the site:something.com syntax because I want to return results only from Microsoft or Cisco or Symantec, and google searches are much better than the built-in search engines on most sites.

And to toss my 2 cents in...

Tack in using Google is key too. You surely don't want to tell you client (who called you in on an emergency and is paying you $150 p/h emergency rate) that you are going to jump on google and research the problem for them. They could likely have done that and will wonder why they are 'paying' you. So, hopefully you have a few of your favorite resource sites bookmarked and will hit those....then maybe narrow (or broaden) the search by jumping onto Google.

IT people need to be good salespeople too, after all you are selling YOUR service.

jarjar

Don't care what it takes...

I work in a hospital. Due to some changes the IT manager as well as the Network engineer both left. I was left with 200 computers, 11 servers, 8 switches, a Pix, and at least 10 different pieces of software (some that have there own hardware). God bless Google!

I'm not advocating that people just lie on their resume and Google everything, like the tech we hired..., but I can't imagine trying to deal with all of this different stuff without Google.

Plantwiz

jarjar wrote:

Don't care what it takes...

I work in a hospital. Due to some changes the IT manager as well as the Network engineer both left. I was left with 200 computers, 11 servers, 8 switches, a Pix, and at least 10 different pieces of software (some that have there own hardware). God bless Google!

And this is a unique situation. 1. it sounds like you are the employee OF this place...so naturally they expect you get it done 2. You were left in a situation of things to be responsible for that you didn't normally maintain, but were there because co-workers left.


At least for my comment based on the inital post and several replies...stems from a consulting perspective. I think you should take the time to learn your clients systems so that you have some 'goto' resources you use regularly. Of course when a new event occurs you'll be required to research it, but as mentioned with the Cisco basics....you wouldn't put a lot of confidence in a tech who walked in and started google-ing everything to solve the issue.

Stating that, it also boils down to how savy one's client is. If you have a client who merely leans on you to 'consult' when they get stuck and through your diagnostic interview you are unable to determine further action, you may turn to the web and start looking for someone else who'd already been through this problem...and corrected it.

Bottom line, down time is unexceptable in most business settings. All can usually survive a little, but your skills need to offer them a solution or band-aid while you continue to research and then can correct the problem at an off-peak time. There may never be an off peak, but you'll want to give them something whenever possible to get them back to work and off your back whiel you continue to search.

Trailerisf

Ever tried to search a Microsoft site for troubleshooting? Google is way quicker than browsing knowledgebase articles.

Its not what you know. Eventually you will be stuck with a task you know nothing about.

Its how you go about finding the answer. If you are smart enough to use ANY tool at your disposal, why not?

ITNYC

eamo20 wrote:

Hi Folks,

Well let me give you a bit of background on myself.

I have been studying away to get certificate's in I.T. for a few years now, and since june of this year i have got my break.

What a disapointment it has been i can tell you,can someone tell me why "Google" plays such a pivitol role in I.T.?

The amount of time's i have heard people say google is the answer to a problem someone is having with a network here, a computer there. Maybe i am not getting the big picture here.

I think it is unprofessional to be at a client place of business and technician's hit a problem and their off to google the problem and all the while hoping the client does not see them.

First of all, if i was that client and i had seen that going on that technician would be asked to leave my premises immediately and i would be on the telephone to that company is question reading them the riot act.

Whatever happened to knowing the technology in question inside out. I am of the belief that if you know what you are doing you do not need google.

Clearly Microsoft and Cisco have all the documentation in the world available to I.T. professionals to properly look after their products? After all they have designed them so if something was to happen and clearly it does that you have a safety net that you can go back to vendor and find the proper and correct solution for it.

I am hearing all the time a hack here for that, a quick fix for that - it is so frustrating to think that i am in an industry where this is the norm.

Clearly my idea of the I.T industry is very different to many.

It has come to the fact that i am reconsidering my future in this industry now.

Disappointment is an understatement at the moment.

Dismayed in Ireland

Regards

Eamonn

I understand what you are saying here but in reality, We are not computers, we are humans and there is just WAY! too much information for someone to know it all. Google serves a great purpose to looking up solutions that you may not know about. Especially if your working on something that is time crucial, you might want to look up what Might be another cause other than the troubleshooting steps you have taken. I see no problem with looking things up but if you have to look things up for every single thing, then thats a problem. otherwise its all good. BTW, my manager i work with is pretty awesome at knowing things, this guy is GOOD! yet i find him checking google out for some information. Goes to show, no matter how good you are, you will always end up looking for further information.