Working on CCNP

I thought I would introduce myself. My display name is a website that I started/company. I am trying to do computer work on the side to make some extra cash. Currently I am the Network Administrator for Tom Johnson Camping Center (www.tomjohnsoncamping.com). We are one of the largest RV Dealerships in the South East. We have two locations with around 150+ computers. I manage all of that, along with anything else IT that comes along. Any questions, future purchases, etc go through me. I don't get to make the decisions on "if" we buy but I do make the decisions to what.

I achieved my CCNA back on May 20, 2008. I stopped for a while after that and didn't really focus on anything Cisco. I got back into it a few weeks ago because I want to get my CCNP, and eventually one day my CCIE. I am trying to find a better opportunity to further my career. Where I am now isn't the worst job and I do enjoy it most of the time. We laid a few people off about a month ago, so I am helping out in other areas. I work in the warehouse thru the week when I have time and every other Saturday.

Since we are a RV Dealership, we don't really focus or purchase newer technology, workstations or servers often. We just upgraded our servers before I started working there back in 2005. We still have one or two Windows 98 machines and one dummy terminal, if that explains anything.

I work in a very small town, and don't really live in a larger one. I live in Asheville, NC and it is hard to find a tech job in this area. My fiancee and I just bought a condo back in March and with the economy and such now, I don't see us selling anytime soon. Hopefully in 2 years or so we sell and move to a larger city, Atlanta for example.

Hopefully some of you will take the time to read this. I spend time here along with the Networking-Forum (www.networking-forum.com).

Any advice for obtaining my CCNP and finding a better job would be appreciated. I have a small home lab, and working on increasing that. I find a rack-rental place (www.mindtechcom.com) and will be using that until I get my home lab up to par.

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Comments

Mrock4

Give dynamips a shot as far as the lab goes. It's free, and runs actual IOS code. The drawback is, if you don't have access to an IOS image, you're out of luck. It's outstanding, I highly recommend it.

I used Mindtechcom too..not too bad.

I would just study as much as you can, and get some hands on experience (which it sounds like you're working on), and schedule the tests. Oddly enough, a few months ago, my fiancee was wanting me to move up to Winston-Salem, NC..I was concerned about the IT opportunities there.

DefendingNetworks

My only way to get hands-on-experience would be at home. We only have two cisco swithes at work with no special configs. I ordered this for work because one of our switches died, and like I said they don't really question what I buy if they approve it. The router I didn't get to configure, nor can I get into it because it is managed by IDS (www.ids-astra.com) Our in-house software is developed and managed by them. It manages everything; inventory, payroll, work-orders, etc. I can't make changes to it because its proprietary.

We really don't have a need for Cisco equipment. I did put in a wireless access-point at our other location in Concord, NC. I used the GUI to config it.

I have used dynamips, but really prefer the actual equipment. Maybe I am a brat, but I feel I would get better experience from doing that. Plus dynamips, to me, is a little annoying to setup. Its not hard but just seems like a hassle.

lildeezul

Welcome to the forum, i am glad so see some one from NC.

I live in Winston Salem, NC.

There are alot of jobs for tech guys in Charlotte, Greensboro and Durham. keep looking and searching around your area.

again, welcome.

DefendingNetworks

Thanks for welcoming me. I'm glad to see someone from NC also. The problem is I can't move at least for another year. I will stay where I am until I get laid off or we can sell the condo.

My question is how do people move to a larger city without having a job first? How do you get a job 4 hours away? I guess you say you are planning to move, etc.

DefendingNetworks

I think I am going insane. I would say I am about to but I think I am past that point. I need to find another job before all my sanity is lost. I come here mostly to rant. I could have taken another job, closer to home, driving my own car but they paid for mileage. I just wasn't happy signing a non-compete, especially in the city I live in where tech jobs are scarce.

I would have been doing on-site service calls for various business around the city of Asheville. I don't really want to get back into the tech-support business. I do that now actually. With managing all this sounds great on a resume, thank god, but all in all I don't do much. I wish I could move but since we bought a condo right before the housing market went in the tank, it will be impossible to sell for at least another year.

I am not sure how one goes about getting a job in a larger city anyway. I mean I know we couldn't afford to make payments on our condo and live in another city paying rent. We can't rent the condo because of the contract. I am all around screwed it seems, lol.

dynamik

Hang in there. A year isn't too much in the grand scheme of things, and there are people who have much worse jobs than you do. I think a lot of us are in the same position as you, so we can all support each other and keep each other company

Keep studying and doing whatever you can to make your next jump as big as possible. You could probably have that NP in a year.

DefendingNetworks

That's my plan, to have the CCNP by then. I don't know how I am going to sell though. We will only have had the condo a year, a year from now, and I'm not sure how that works as far as taxes go. I guess I'd have to move, without a job, and then try to find one asap.

jamesp1983

good luck man! also, networking-forum.com is great!