At What Age Did You Obtain your CCNP

Just curious with the norm of the people here who have full NPs. I defiantly plan to have mine completed at my current age of 28. This is just a fun little feeler thread. I am just curious as I feel I am seeing more and more younger people with NPs

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Iristheangel

I'm 30 now. I'll have mine before I'm 31. For me, it was important to get the certification while I was working in a role where I would actually be utilizing the knowledge since it's a "professional level" exam so I waited a little longer than most would have.

I'm putting the knowledge to practical use every day so it makes studying a lot more fun when I get 2960/3750/4500/6500 switches and ASRs to play with every day as part of work and I get a "baby lab" sitting on my desk (One of these days I'll snap a pic of the baby lab)

Danielh22185

You are very lucky to have your "baby lab" available to you. I don't quite have that luxury but do have access to over 30k Cisco devices spanning my company's network. I just can't do as much experimenting with a live network

However I do get some good experience when things are broke and I get to fix them

Iristheangel

I know what you mean. There just isn't much time or inclination to "explore" when you've got a ton of people pissed off at you when something is broken.

My "baby lab" consists of 2x 2811s, 2x 2921s, 1x 3750, 1x 3560, 1x 3550, 2x 2960 and 2x ASA 5505. Not so "baby" but my boss seems to think it's cute for some reason.

SteveO86

22 when I got my NP I think, maybe 23. Hopefully I'll knock out my IE by 28.

Although the term "young" always turned me off.

azaghul

I'm now 51. Passed my CCNA R&S in 2008. Should get my CCNP:Voice next month. Came late to the world of Cisco from the PABX realm having decided to change IT streams (due to a shrinking job market). An uphill struggle at times having to learn everything again, but highly rewarding, just expensive when its self funded (but it does give you an incentive).

Current home lab: 1 x 2851, 1 x 2811, 4 x 2801, 1 x 3725, 3 x 3550, 3 x 2960, 1 x UC520 + misc bits

Monkerz

NP at 27.

shodown

28 when I got my CCNP

union122

42 is my plan

Cisco Inferno

23 now. 24 in June. Shooting for CCNA by the end of the year/early next.

so maybe 25/26 depending on the courseload.

aaron0011

40% done with CCNP Voice. I'll have it finished by the end of year so 29 for me.

Mike-Mike

I got my CCNA at 32, CCNA Security at 33 (current age), and I hope to have CCNP done by 35, but kinda like what Iris was saying, I'd like to wait until I'm in a job at that level to get it

shodown

I would go against having a job that you feel you should be required for it. Right now I have my CCNP and CCNP V. I wish I would have finished my CCIE V in my last consulting position when I had the free time. I work right along side with CCIE's and do the same work and I get less $$$$$$. Cert up as high as resonalbly possible meaning if you are already working as a network engineer implementing designs go all the way to the top and get your IE. Hell even if you are just as administrator and you have a Cisco partner come in and do the work get your IE and you will learn right along the side of the men and women who do your heavy lifiting. Why am I saying this.

I'll point out again right now I work along side several IE's and do the same job and less $$$$ in my pockets. Hell I'm even called in to troubleshoot certain task that certain IE's said they weren't comfortable with but I had the experience from past positions. Right now I get very little time out side of the 60+ hours I put in certain weeks to really get any studying going. I write tech documents and several meetings during the day. Nights spent implementation and cut overs and the customers get larger and larger. My last position I had 1 2500 user Enterprise where I could prob study 3 hours a day I knew the environment so well. Now I work on several large projects some of them as man as 10 clusters thought the globe. Get it while the work is easy and your not jumping through hoops to get insane project requirements completed in a timely matter.

networker050184

I was 24 when I got my NP.

ciscoman2012

Working towards the full NP now. Actually going to test for SWITCH at the end of this month.

I'm 23 currently and hoping to get it within 2013.

Kelkin

28 when I got NP Voice and 30 when I got NP

srg

20, about to turn 21.

FloOz

Passed CCNA in February being 22. I am now studying for CCNP and am turning 23 March 15th

Node Man

Great thread. I hope to have NP at 39. I got CCENT at 38.

My story in Networking/IT is a little different than many stories here. I work at at a small telco, for about 8 years now. Most years in accounting and then customer service, but I love the IT people and they shanghaied me and brought me into VOIP.

Danielh22185

I got my start in IT a little later than I would have liked. I started in a help desk at age 25 with a CCNA. At that time I was hoping to move into the networking field within that company but never had the opportunity. After nearly 2 years with that company I decided it was time for me to move on. Found my current job an I love it now that I am getting TONS of networking experience. So I do believe and agree with Iris that it is best to have the certifications that applies to your job responsibilities. I had an NA for 2 years before I actually used it and I know I lost a lot due to not using it. Now that I work at an NP level I am ever more seeking to get mine completed and ready to move on with the next!

Iristheangel

@Daniel - Good for you! I've been finding that studying for the NP material has helped make my job easier and I've been able to absorb new responsibilities and projects. I hope you have similar results!

@Shodown - You misunderstand me. I wasn't saying that you NEED to be doing NP level work to be getting an NP, but I do think it's important to have some sort of position in the networking field so you can at least get your hands on some of the technology, see how it behaves in the wild, and actually have some troubleshooting skills. There's a lot you learn in the material but even more that you really learn in the real world. We've seen a lot of kids come and go on these forums saying stuff like "I'm going to go from CCNA to CCIE within a year with 0 experience!" and maybe they do and maybe they don't, but keeping away skillfade is going to be a B. I'm pretty sure most CCNA or CCNP candidates with even a year of practical work experience can do laps around them in any technical interview.

instant000

The first time, I was 28, but it expired. I got it (along w/ MCSE) when preparing to leave the Army, turned out I didn't really use it, working mostly in heavy MS environments, and it expired. Now, times have changed, in a different role (auditing) where it helps to be well versed in the networking also.

To cosign what shodown said, if I had been smart to keep the credential up back then or even better, go further, (when I surely had much time to do so), I'd probably be better off financially today. (But, truth be told, I 'm not starving anytime soon.)

But, hey, we can't change the past, but we can assuredly influence our today, and do our best to proceed.

If you take anything from this thread, learn from those before you, and don't waste your time.

Hope this helps.

Danielh22185

Iristheangel wrote: »

@Daniel - Good for you! I've been finding that studying for the NP material has helped make my job easier and I've been able to absorb new responsibilities and projects. I hope you have similar results!

Thanks! I firmly believe it is helping the material sink in for sure! I am grateful to have what I have indeed.

Shanman

I go my CCNA when I was 31. I am taking the switch at the end of this month and tshoot a week later. I turn 33 on the 25th so looks like I will have my CCNP when I am 33. Man I feel old

I work for a gold partner now doing new build outs and upgrades at the NP level. I agree that it makes it easier when you are working at the same level as your studies.

shodown

Iristheangel wrote: »

@Daniel - Good for you! I've been finding that studying for the NP material has helped make my job easier and I've been able to absorb new responsibilities and projects. I hope you have similar results!

@Shodown - You misunderstand me. I wasn't saying that you NEED to be doing NP level work to be getting an NP, but I do think it's important to have some sort of position in the networking field so you can at least get your hands on some of the technology, see how it behaves in the wild, and actually have some troubleshooting skills. There's a lot you learn in the material but even more that you really learn in the real world. We've seen a lot of kids come and go on these forums saying stuff like "I'm going to go from CCNA to CCIE within a year with 0 experience!" and maybe they do and maybe they don't, but keeping away skillfade is going to be a B. I'm pretty sure most CCNA or CCNP candidates with even a year of practical work experience can do laps around them in any technical interview.

Yes I misunderstood you.

Iristheangel

Yay! I'm now meme-worthy! I will later today! It's literally the most ghetto fabulous lab ever. No rack and just sitting here piled on each other on my desk.

f0rgiv3n

CCNA@19, CCNA Security@22 and CCNP@25 over here.

ram1101

CCNP @ 24
CCDP @ 25
CCIP @ 26
now working on CCNP:Security taking ASA vpn 2.0 on thurday next IPS

f0rgiv3n

^What a beast.

dover

As of next Wednesday - when I pass the IPS exam - 40 for CCNP Security

Yeah, who's old now ^@#$!

darkerz

I'm 21 now, so I'm hoping by 22 I'll have my NP, then start branching off into security and wireless since my environment DEMANDS it more and more (yum yum, so much funding being approved!)