Anyone do Data Center Specilization Certs?

I know this isn't specifically related to CCIE, but I figured the people with or attempting to get the CCIE might have more experience and/or knowledge of the specialization certs, so my question is: does anyone have or is anyone attempting to get data center specialization certs? With cloud computing and unified communications on the rise, it seems like it might be a useful cert to get. Your thoughts?

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kaigei

I have been looking for Data Center certification also. This is the only one I found so far by APC.

Data Center University by APC

I was looking to see if there where any types of study guides for this but could not find anything except for bdumps I was hoping to find some legit study guides or something like that for this cert but have not found anything so far

Bl8ckr0uter

Some of the high level Network Engineers at my weekend job have some of the DataCenter Specialist certs from Cisco. The APC cert has very good information but I think the cert is damn near worthless. Still good info. I started going through it awhile ago but since I have moved on to the DataCenter books from Cisco .

mikej412

WRKNonCCNP wrote: »

With cloud computing and unified communications on the rise, it seems like it might be a useful cert to get. Your thoughts?

I'd agree with that. If you have the time and/or inclination it's definitely worth studying.

But you have to remember to pay attention now when talking about Cisco "UC" -- Unified Communications or Unified Computing. I had a couple of "Wait?!?!?! What!?!?!" moments before I figured it out I should ask which UC is providing the Synergy for our Cross-Functional Teams and which UC is Driving Business Agility.

It's especially fun when you're talking about Unified Communications on the Unified Computing Platform.

QHalo

I believe that some of them carry the need for VCP before you can qualify for them and they need re-upped every 2 years. This is if my memory serves me correct. I looked into them as I do enjoy VMware and I think with Nexus and UC that having knowledge in these areas is a good place to get into.

BADfish10

Been looking at these as well!
when i finish the CCNP (PreReq) i will start working on 6000's and Nexus's in a Global Data Center enviroment

so think it would be good to get some certs for it

mikej412

QHalo wrote: »

I believe that some of them carry the need for VCP before you can qualify for them and they need re-upped every 2 years.

Yep -- the 2 Data Center Unified Computing Specialist Certs have the VCP requirement:
Cisco Data Center Unified Computing Design Specialist
Cisco Data Center Unified Computing Support Specialist

Here's the links to the other Data Center Specialist Certifications:

Cisco Data Center Networking Infrastructure Design Specialist
Cisco Data Center Networking Infrastructure Support Specialist

Cisco Data Center Application Services Design Specialist
Cisco Data Center Application Services Support Specialist

Cisco Data Center Storage Networking Design Specialist
Cisco Data Center Storage Networking Support Specialist

For anyone doing Sales or Sales Support -- these could be amusing:
Cisco Data Center Networking Sales Specialist
Cisco Data Center Storage Networking Sales Specialist

Turgon

WRKNonCCNP wrote: »

I know this isn't specifically related to CCIE, but I figured the people with or attempting to get the CCIE might have more experience and/or knowledge of the specialization certs, so my question is: does anyone have or is anyone attempting to get data center specialization certs? With cloud computing and unified communications on the rise, it seems like it might be a useful cert to get. Your thoughts?

I have been doing data centre design for a number of years now but had no bandwidth to study for this certifications. I may look at them next year.

Bl8ckr0uter

Have you heard about the APC cert Turgon ?

Turgon

knwminus wrote: »

Have you heard about the APC cert Turgon ?

Yes. I have not pursued it at this time. In the field data centre design tends to follow what has worked in the past in terms of inhouse experience with some steer from standards across the piece.

WRKNonCCNP

Thanks for the comments folks. I was looking at the DC specialization certs, but since i'm trying to get on Turgon's CCIE Wannabees list (working on passing the written), I prolly won't be pursuing any of them for some time. I'm trying to get the written done this year and move on to the lab next year.

"Synergy for our Cross-Functional Teams and ... Driving Business Agility"

Mike, with these ten words, you caused my narcolepsy to flare up.

skinsFan202

I don't know if anyone here is still going the UCS route. I've been hitting the books lately and came across a sweet product from Cisco. They've released a free emulator for the UCS Manager that can be run from a basic desktop/server, so you try lots of things like creating service profiles to playing with UCS API. This makes training and testing much much easier & cheaper

. Kudos to Cisco for this one

Free download: UCS Emulator Download - Cisco Developer Community

and the guide:

http://developer.cisco.com/documents/2048839/2049143/Cisco+UCS+Platform+Emulator+Guide.pdf