Feel over my head at my MSP job, really need some good resources to tap into

So I recently started a job as a Unified Communications Engineer at an MSP, but given my lack of VoIP in my background, I've sort of been designated the Data guy for my group. We are supposed to handle UC calls (CallManager, Unity, Jabber, Telepresence, etc), but we literally get every kind of network ticket imaginable.

Now there has been no training aside from the only UC person at the location holding my hand through tickets I can't google-fu, and he is moving into his new role in the field (on the road) in 2 weeks, and will no longer be available much for help there after. He is gone all next week as well, so I'm on my own for that entire week, with a couple of new hires with VoIP support background.

So the thing is, because I have my CCNA and no Voice experience, I've been labeled the 'Data' guy as previously mentioned. I have a basic understanding of the mechanics of routing and such, but the real world scenarios I get are just waaaaay over my head.

Setting up and troubleshooting VPN's, adjusting VERY intricate ACL's tied to NAT'ing rules for ISP cutovers, etc. I can log onto my home lab and setup / tear down the basic routing protocols and acl's / nat'ing, but I always feel like I'm going to drop a network if I sneeze in front of the CLI line on a production network.

Is there any suggestions some of you vets of networking have for resources or just like advice in general? I have transition to watching instructional videos for INE CCNA voice which has helped me tremendously in understanding Unified Comm, but I've barely scratched the surface of that while now being dubbed the Data guy for all network issues, along with one other person at a different location. Other guy is usually so busy on complex issues though, that I can't get him to respond on our IM but maybe a couple times a day.

Any input mucho appreciated!

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Comments

Ivanjam

@ande0255 - Forgive my asking, but how in hell do you start a job as a "Unified Communications Engineer at an MSP" without any VoIP experience?

shodown

he's in MN. He prob works for enventis telecom. Ask me how I know about that place with no experience.

If not enventis prob another support center. Your best bet is to ask questions on cisco support forums, and rack up the tickets you know how to do. Take care of the MAC's, then move into the easy dial plan problems and so on. Also read the CIPT/Gateway Gatekeeper books to get a understanding of the concepts.

ande0255

Kind of a funny story, I asked the hiring manager that before I accepted the job offer, cause I asked him the same thing almost word for word.

He said the tipping point was when he asked "What do you like to do in your free time?" I started off with some generic stuff like "Being outside, blah blah blah," and his body language reflected the fact that I was telling him bull ****, cause all I did at that time was study / labbing. So I said "I don't mean to sound like a shut in or a freak, but I go home and study in my free time, cause it gives me a feeling of accomplishment."

I'm pretty sure he actually hired me for a lesser role after the interview and before that after hours talk, but I had to know why in the hell he wanted to hire me into that role as well, and after we talked for an hour or so (post interview) about why me they put me in an Engineer role.

So I was offered a lower role in the group initially, but after talking to him off the clock / record about the position and our own similarities of ambition to reach an expert level, he designated me the Data guy.

His closing question was "Why should I hire you over everyone else I interviewed today?" (of course) My answer was "If you hire me, you are making an investment in the future of your company, because I'm only going only going to grow as an IT professional from this point forward"

And we established immediately that the tech sitting in the interview couldn't beat me down with VoIP technical questions cause I had no experience, so the hiring manager interviewed me on my soft skills, and he told me the drive that I conveyed made it an easy choice for him to hire me. I am so grateful, and I cannot stress enough how critical all the interviews before that one was, because I started out WAY nervous in interviews until I just got used to being in the spotlight and was able to express my point without sweating bullets / stuttering / blanking out on answering questions.

/off soapbox. Hope that helps!

ande0255

shodown wrote: »

he's in MN. He prob works for enventis telecom. Ask me how I know about that place with no experience.

If not enventis prob another support center. Your best bet is to ask questions on cisco support forums, and rack up the tickets you know how to do. Take care of the MAC's, then move into the easy dial plan problems and so on. Also read the CIPT/Gateway Gatekeeper books to get a understanding of the concepts.

Have not heard of Eventis, yet

shodown

work a problem for 30 min. If you don't have an answer open up a tac case and work on a easier ticket while you wait back for tac. Take notes, and go home and read up on the technology as long as its not a bug. Do this over and over and in no time you will be an expert.

--chris--

I had a similar (though much lower title) position as this just 2 months ago. I was hired knowing very little about professional IT skills, but I was able to impress upon the interviewer that I learn quick, I have a zeal for technology and I am easy to get along with.

After day three I went to my boss at the end of the day and he asked "how are you doing?". I was honest and I told him "I feel overwhelmed and in over my head.".

He sat me down, explained that he expects me to not know 80% of what is asked of me. He said although I don't know it, they expect me to handle it. AKA, they don't expect me to get it done quickly. Just find a good solution, work through it and fix the problem in a reasonable time frame.

I'm sure its a very similar situation for you. Giving you a label such as "data guy" will keep some of the heat off from you from co-workers and peers. You can feel overwhelmed, you can feel out of place, you can feel dumb...just don't show it and work your ass off. The problems you are seeing today are probably things you have seen for the first time right? What about the next time you see this problem? You will remember some of it, google some of it, but it will get fixed quicker. The third time? No problem. Everything will be like that and sooner or later it will be a rare occasion you are stumped.

But before you get there, you have to show your boss that you wont buckle under the pressure. You have to show him you do learn quick and most importantly keep a smile on your face and your head down.

RouteMyPacket

Sorry dude but welcome to the real world, it's time to either step up or fail...it's precisely jobs/positions like this that either make you or break you.

This will force you to become better or fail miserably, at the end of the day you have to make the decision. Google, google and google some more.

ande0255

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

Sorry dude but welcome to the real world, it's time to either step up or fail...it's precisely jobs/positions like this that either make you or break you.

This will force you to become better or fail miserably, at the end of the day you have to make the decision. Google, google and google some more.

Failure doesn't need to be miserable, but thanks for the lecture mom.

@chris - That's been my mode since I started, nothing I can't do, but I know longer have that source / trainer for a confirmation I'm not gonna drop a prod network. My trainer google'd something called 'accidental administrator', which made me larf from the belly.

Wanted to see if some of the vets had any resources they used other than cert training in their infant days of network administration, other than 'welcome to the real world'.

NetworkingStudent

I work at an MSP too, and I just started in the role.

1. Evernote is your friend!!! Do you guys use evernote? One note?

I find it helpful to write down or, take (digital) notes.

TROUBLESOOTING Steps need to be written down!!

2. It be helpful to meet everyday for 5-20 minutes and discuss what tickets you're working with your manager and the guy that is training you in.

3 if you get stuck you should be able to escalate tickets after a certain amount of time.

4. Is there a training manual, or procedure manual that you can refer to when you get stuck?

This is all I can thing of at this time.

Good Luck!

filkenjitsu

Do you have access to the vendor? At my job, if I run into something I don't understand I will open a ticket with Cisco and call the call center and press for them to get an engineer on the phone as soon as they can for a non critical issue. Then the Cisco Engineer explains a lot about the issue and what can be done to fix it. I ask him for an example of what CLI he would use to fix it, etc. If it is an ACL my company would not allow that change outside the maintenance window (12am-6am) anyways.

Dude, rely on your vendors. Get really fast at opening Cisco and other vendor cases and keep calling back until they get someone on the phone with you ASAP.

The vendor will show you exactly how to fix an issue. Create a note for each type of problem and how they fixed it.

filkenjitsu

What vendors do Yo use in your network for the hardware and software you support? Do you know all the steps to open a vendor ticker? (contract numbers, phone numbers to call, vendor contacts that may be assigned to your company, etc.)

Get all this info from the engineer moving to the field before he goes!

QHalo

Is your org a Cisco partner at all? Do you have a lab where you can start looking at these technologies off-hours to help support your experiences?

ande0255

Yup my place is a Cisco partner, been working with TAC quite a bit, watching their remote troubleshooting has been really helpful for learning both the CUCM web interface functions as well as the CLI functions.

I do have a home lab I'm going to see if I can somehow figure out how to access it remotely, and I'm currently watching INE videos to learn the voice stuff, was thinking about just picking out the important chapters on CCNP route about ACL'S and NAT'ing.

Trying not to study too much and burn myself out, but I do usually stay after work an hour or so to give myself some uninterrupted study time. Hope to keep that up enough to get my voice cert before I move in March.

QHalo

That's really good that you're taking the appropriate steps. Don't be so hard on yourself. If you didn't feel over your head, you would never gain anything.

the_Grinch

Welcome to the world of MSPs! I was the same way when I started at the MSP I worked for. I always tell people, for the first two months you will be basically useless and merely a way to meet the SLA. Months three and four, you'll begin to be slightly useful and will stop bothering people as much. By month six, you will be an old pro and running things. The MSP world is a completely different animal when compared to normal tech positions. I had to know 100 different environments and that is tough in the beginning. But eventually (usually around the six month mark) it all finally clicks. Honestly, no one you work with is the least bit surprised or mad about where you currently are. Just keep chugging along and I know once you hit six months you'll be back here posting about not knowing why you were so worried. You're going to be amazed at the skills you'll amass in a short time believe me.

N2IT

Dang Grinch you beat me too it! Welcome to the world of MSP's about sums it up LMAO. OP I am not laughing at you I have been through something similar worse in some ways not technically though. I started for a company as a tech team lead. Building servers etc nothing to crazy I would consider it a step above desktop support. Well anyway within one week our PM quit and guess who was the PM now?! LMAO Yep me didn't know anything about project management it was awful. While I agree wholeheartedly you have to be able to learn quickly and on the fly in most IT positions sometimes the MSP's abuse that mindset and go over the top. Good luck I wish you the best.

Hypntick

Working for an MSP I've been handed a piece of equipment that I've never seen, never had training on, and never even knew existed. I've been expected to take said equipment, configure it to the client's needs, install it, and verify that is functions with the rest of their stuff. Now all of this is with a notice of less than 30 minutes from when the install needs to happen because the project manager has dropped the ball. No one to ask for help aside from Google, and it was a very poorly documented and supported product.

Welcome to the wonderful world of sink or swim!

In all seriousness however, it sounds like you're going about things in the best way possible. Enlist vendor support every chance you get, it will save your butt in many instances.

ande0255

Thanks for all the responses, I did not realize there were so many people on here that got thrown to the wolves as well

I was pretty hesitant to open vendor tickets as I felt like I should know some of the stuff I'm opening tickets for, but I'm getting more comfortable with opening the tickets.

I already feel a lot of stuff clicking at the moment, but there is just such a huge amount of information and variables, guess it's easy to second guess myself when I'm going solo on a lot of these issues with little to no training. Again many a thanks to you lot for at least confirming others have been in this same position, that actually does make me feel a little better!