Please your honest opinions, IE VOICE, Security or R&S

Abal1

Hello Friends and study mates. I need your honest opinions regarding the following.

First of, I have 6.5 yrs experience working for a large ISP, troubleshooting and repairing DS0 - OC192 from layers 1-3. Therefore, I do lots of MPLS, BGP and other troubleshooting, as well as layer 2 ethernet troubleshooting such as vlans etc... FWSM ASA, NAT, access-lists etc... I have my CCNA and CCNP in R&S and JNCIA.

That is my background.

Recently I decided to do my CCIE but I'm very indecisive about the CCIE track I should go for. I have access to CCIE lab for R&S and Security at work, but my interest lies in VOICE mainly because of the demand and the pay. BTW I have no voice experience whatsoever.

Anyway, after comparing the study topics for all, I came to the conclusion that I can do the VOICE in 1 to 1.5yrs max though I hear voice is harder all the time, I've been reading the CVOICE 6 and some parts of CVOICE v8 and I don't believe it's any harder than R&S. Besides there is less topics and technologies to study for voice than for R&S.

But I don't want to base my judgments after only looking some portions of VOICE, thinking it's easy and finding out later on that it's harder than I thought, after spending so much time and money on it. Because if I do go with voice I'll have to spend a few grands on lab equipment. Please I need your feedback, experiences, guidance and opinions to help me decide.

Thank you all in advance!

chmorin

Abal1 wrote: »

If I'm gona do the CCVP then I'll have to do the CCIE whether I like it or not because by then I will have invested a lot money and time in voice.

Alot of people in this thread concern me with this mindset of effort + trend = money, which while accurate does not include ENJOYMENT as part of the formula. I wont digress to much, but I think your first grade teacher would be disappointed in you if they realized that the thing you are spending the vast majority of your life doing and pursuing is something you don't actually have a passion for. I'd call that miserable.

Anyway, you have your CCNP and years of experience. Going and getting your CCNP:Voice after your CCNP is in no way a waste of time, and just because you pursue one of the specialist tracks does not mean that you are suddenly tied to that track. What you choose to learn to supplement your value is up to you, but don't let it take heritage over what you enjoy doing. If you want to supplement your skills with a CCNP:Voice but your passion is R&S, then don't force yourself to go down the IE:V track as a result. Do what you enjoy, and do it well. Damn well.