Forward progress is good!

So, I started my new role as a sr network engineer at a large company about a month ago. Overall, things are going well. Today I mentioned to my lead I was planning to take my written in a few weeks. He quickly told me the company was paying...on monday I should have my test date, which looks to be in the first week of sept. $350..paid by the company, I could get used to this.

In addition to that, they're likely going to pay for the lab...a bootcamp would be niice, but I won't push my luck.

Finally, we have a brand new 'replica' CCIE rack (1841's, 3560's), which anyone in the company with a lab date will get 100% dedicated time to it for the last month before they test. This doesn't mean you'll get out of your job duties..but they'll let you access the equipment without fighting for time on it..which is nice.

It's actually looking like the stars are aligning this time.

Oh, and I ordered an 1841 + two 3550's to add to my collection today. HOPEFULLY by next month I'll have two more 1841's and finish my switches...

That's all. Pretty stoked. I have a feeling it's all going to happen quite fast. Shooting for a lab date anywhere from 7-10 months after I pass the written.

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jamesp1983

Mrock4 wrote: »

So, I started my new role as a sr network engineer at a large company about a month ago. Overall, things are going well. Today I mentioned to my lead I was planning to take my written in a few weeks. He quickly told me the company was paying...on monday I should have my test date, which looks to be in the first week of sept. $350..paid by the company, I could get used to this.

In addition to that, they're likely going to pay for the lab...a bootcamp would be niice, but I won't push my luck.

Finally, we have a brand new 'replica' CCIE rack (1841's, 3560's), which anyone in the company with a lab date will get 100% dedicated time to it for the last month before they test. This doesn't mean you'll get out of your job duties..but they'll let you access the equipment without fighting for time on it..which is nice.

It's actually looking like the stars are aligning this time.

Oh, and I ordered an 1841 + two 3550's to add to my collection today. HOPEFULLY by next month I'll have two more 1841's and finish my switches...

That's all. Pretty stoked. I have a feeling it's all going to happen quite fast. Shooting for a lab date anywhere from 7-10 months after I pass the written.

Congrats man! That sounds like you are with a great employer. Good luck on the written!

NOC-Ninja

Congrats! I saw you visiting my blog! lol I hope my job is like that but it seems that my new boss doesn't really care about us. However, I am making the stars align for me but in an expensive way. lol

Mrock4

Thanks jimmy. So far it's a great place to work. It's challenging, but I'd rather take a challenging job over one that is on the other end of the spectrum (my last position). To me, them being supportive in my certification endeavors is worth a lot.

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

Congrats! I saw you visiting my blog! lol I hope my job is like that but it seems that my new boss doesn't really care about us. However, I am making the stars align for me but in an expensive way. lol

Hey..whatever gets you there. I've spent a chunk of change too..this is my second rack I'm building for my studies.

The perks of my job are great, BUT...I do put in my hours...and then some. Lots of working from home in the evenings, weekends, etc. But..the goal is to put the experience to work and hopefully come out on the other side with a CCIE.

Keep up the good work on the blog. I enjoyed reading it so far. If all goes well it seems we'll both be taking the lab within a few months of each other.

reaper81

Good to hear man. I have been spoiled by my employer, they have paid for everything so far which probably mounts up to around 2k. And I'm thanking them by leaving them lol.

How many lab hours did you get in last time around. When do you think is a reasonable time to take the lab?

jamesp1983

reaper81 wrote: »

Good to hear man. I have been spoiled by my employer, they have paid for everything so far which probably mounts up to around 2k. And I'm thanking them by leaving them lol.

Nice! What's the new adventure?

reaper81

Going to be more involved in network design and more advanced projects than today. Mostly large customers like banks and companies like that. I think it will be fun but only time will tell.

Mrock4

reaper81 wrote: »

How many lab hours did you get in last time around. When do you think is a reasonable time to take the lab?

Not that it means anything (since I never sat for the lab), I personally plan on putting in about 1,300 hours towards lab prep when it's all said and done. That will be over the course of about 11 months.

Last time I probably put in about 200 hours worth of labs..but that was almost 2 years ago. Once I pass the written it's full steam ahead. I'll probably end up taking vacation from work to either take a bootcamp before I sit the lab, or to just do labs all day long for a couple of weeks. We'll see. It really depends how I progress and where I am. If I'm not ready then I will simply reschedule.