So CCNA... now what.

So you've studied your butt off... know all the configs... and pass the CCNA.

now what...

I'm just curious about the different backgrounds/experience or technical levels that people come from when taking the CCNA...

but mostly: What was your first networking/cisco job experience like? Did you wake up one day say to yourself "I want to be network engineer." Or did you come from a MS background? etc...

I'm currently in a CCNA class with a non-experienced instructor at my college (good time)... we're flying through powerpoints in 10 weeks and i'm not getting the CCNA experience i feel like i should be so naturally i have some questions for working CCNA's...

btw: This is all out of curiosity... at this point in time i plan on MS administration career path but i feel like i need to at least make sense of a few confusing things and i would eventually like to pursue this certification when i have more free time.

1. serial/aux interfaces and the real world...

i guess this is confusing because i've never been in large LAN or enterprise network environment... our local LAN at my college just has a T1 coming into a cisco router on an E0 interface, and an E1 interface to the firewall/proxy server... (at least i think its like that... lol)

2. daily duties of an entry-level CCNA...

just curious as to what kind of stuff gets delegated an entry level CCNA in the real world...

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Comments

Paul Boz

I started working in tech support for a smallish Telco/ISP when I turned 18. I'm 22 now and have moved into a network admin position, yet I don't have any certs at the moment. I passed the INTRO and could pass the ICND if I'd get around to taking it, but with my schedule at LSU (finals coming up, yay) and my workload, I have to wait for winter break.

Most people will tell you that you won't learn anything in a fancy CCNA prep class that you can't teach yourself with a text book (sybex or Cisco Press) and a lab (virtual or real).

Serial interfaces come into play when you want to connect routers back to back, and there are T1 and ISDN interfaces that work via serial connections.

Your question about "entry level CCNA job duties" is hard to answer, because having a CCNA doesn't necessarily place you in any particular job frame. There are people with CCNA's that can't network to save their lives, yet the senior network admin where I work doesn't have any certs at all. Al the CCNA does is show an employer that you've taken the time to familiarize yourself with the technology and interoperability, it doesn't mean you're good at networking, and it doesn't mean that you'll get particular types of tasks assigned to you.

sprkymrk

Brandon779978 wrote:

but mostly: What was your first networking/cisco job experience like? Did you wake up one day say to yourself "I want to be network engineer." Or did you come from a MS background?

I came from a MS background and did the CCNA to round out my skill set.

Brandon779978 wrote:

I'm currently in a CCNA class with a non-experienced instructor at my college (good time)... we're flying through powerpoints in 10 weeks and i'm not getting the CCNA experience i feel like i should be so naturally i have some questions for working CCNA's...

Hang in there. While an experienced instructor is great, it's not a show stopper if you don't have one. The CCNA curriculum is very good. In the 2nd 10 weeks you'll start to get hands-on with the routers and you'll have more fun. My instructor did not come from an IT background, but she was good enough to proctor the class and help with the labs. You might not get any "real world" stories and tips from the instructor, but you'll still learn stuff.

Brandon779978

In the 2nd 10 weeks you'll start to get hands-on with the routers and you'll have more fun.

actually i go to a technical college... so we get these 10 weeks and thats it... then we'll be flying through 70-290 & 70-291 in the next 10 weeks. Then i'm done... I'll have my associates degree after almost 2 years...

so yea... kinda hard to become a CCNA in 10 weeks... i could have got into it more if i had more time/better resources... but i throw meat around in a 30 degree cooler about 50 hours a week to pay the bills (also a good time... lol)

sprkymrk

Brandon779978 wrote:

In the 2nd 10 weeks you'll start to get hands-on with the routers and you'll have more fun.

actually i go to a technical college... so we get these 10 weeks and thats it... then we'll be flying through 70-290 & 70-291 in the next 10 weeks. Then i'm done... I'll have my associates degree after almost 2 years...

so yea... kinda hard to become a CCNA in 10 weeks... i could have got into it more if i had more time/better resources... but i throw meat around in a 30 degree cooler about 50 hours a week to pay the bills (also a good time... lol)

Ah, my mistake. I assumed you were talking about the Cisco Academy classes many colleges have.

pr3d4t0r

I came from a security background, unix oriented etc.

I NEVER had hands-on experience with routers, only once with 6500 switches.

I like routing,switching, generally i like cisco a lot :P

I'm trying to combine security knowledge with cisco stuff, my point is, i never had hands-on experience but i did score 923 in CCNA, and a 100% on technology.

I happen also to know ppl with ccna or ccnp and be very theoretical and zero practical. Job experience is all that matters.

Certifications are mostly to challenge your self, advance your carrier etc.

My next target is of course the NEW CCNP, and of course CISSP.