Cisco Technical Deepdive Partner Training (ASA5500 NGFW) - How to prepare?

ande0255ande0255 Banned Posts: 1,178
Hi, I stepped up at my job to go to a one day deepdive technical training session for ASA5500-X NGFW's, here is the exact description on the Cisco website for this:

"In this session, we will provide technical deep-dive of the new capabilities and major updates on the ASA 5500-X NGFW. We will also go through how you can drive migration, position, and sell the ASA 5500-X NGFW. Attendee will have opportunity to perform hands-on lab to setup and configure the AVC, WSE and NGIPS services."

Now I just started working with like ASA5505 and 5510 firewalls about 2 months ago, so I feel this may be like way, way over my head. Wondering if I can show up with like bare minimum experience, and not make a huge jackhole out of myself, or whether technical aptitude is required?

Also if anyone knows, can I just wear jeans and a Polo shirt, or is there any kind of restrictions?

Basically anyone with experience with one of these Cisco shindigs, if you could provide any kind of feedback, I'd greatly appreciate it - Thanks!

Comments

  • DevilWAHDevilWAH Member Posts: 2,997 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Well cant tell you about the course. But i generally turn up in black jeans an T shirt to this kind of thing. I would say 90% of people wear smart/casual polo shirt / shirt and jeans / trousers. You get the odd person in a suit but they look out of place. Often there the people who either know the least or the most depending how cheap/expensive the suit is.

    Don't worry to much about what you know, just true to learn as much of the fundamentals as possible before you go. But you have to accept that especially as you start out you wont know it in depth. But then again there will be about 1/2 the room in your shoes so you wont be the odd one out :)

    I remember the first few times going along to stuff like this, all these people talking in a language that I had no idea about, and feeling any question I asked would be laughed at, listing to them all go on about the few £million they had spent last week, and sitting quietly hopping no one would ask me a question or what I did.

    These days I am the one chatting to the instructor during the breaks and asking the questions that they don't have an answer to, and I try to be nice to the new guys. :)

    Don't worry about it being over your head, or what to wear, our about taking notes. Just make sure to ask for the slide pack which they normally give out at the end. These things are great to network (hate that word), but seriously you meet people doing all kinds of job and working in all kinds of places. I often lean as much from the other people attending as I do from the instructors.

    These events are mostly informal, relaxed and easy going. As long as you don't have ripped jeans and unwashed hair. Can be polite and don't try to blow your own trumpet then you will be fine and have a good day.
    • If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. Albert Einstein
    • An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging you back with difficulties. It means that its going to launch you into something great. So just focus and keep aiming.
  • xenodamusxenodamus Member Posts: 758
    A guy on my team just attended this event at our local Cisco office. These things are usually half technical overview, half sales pitch. Most people dress how they normally would for work. No prerequisite knowledge is required. It helps, since you'll have a better grasp of the new technologies they're talking about, but there's no test at the end. Don't worrry!
    CISSP | CCNA:R&S/Security | MCSA 2003 | A+ S+ | VCP6-DTM | CCA-V CCP-V
  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    I've been through quite a few of these from vendors. Usually for something like these deep dives they are expecting you to already have some knowledge on the platform and how it operates. It's not to learn about fire walling or TCP/IP. I'd get up to speed on how the ASA operates as much as possible so you aren't lost in the class. There is always at least one guy that gets sent by his company that knows absolutely nothing and drags down the whole class.....

    You can wear whatever you want. Tshirt, shorts and flip flops would be fine but you are a representative of your company so I always try to keep it somewhat professional. No need for anything fancy though.
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
  • ande0255ande0255 Banned Posts: 1,178
    So it's like a classroom style thing more than a seminar? Could you explain how someone with less knowledge on the subject slowed the class down so I hopefully can avoid that networker?

    My first thoughts is this would be like a seminar with 100-200 people at least, but when you say class, would it be safe to expect no more than 50 people?

    Thanks for the replies, not sweating it at all, just don't want to be 'that guy' like networker referred to just above.
  • DevilWAHDevilWAH Member Posts: 2,997 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Yep no more then 50. some thing like a small conferencing room with a projector/whiteboard

    Just accept you arnt going to learn in depth information in a single day. The idea is to cover a lot of ground to point out features that people might want to take away and look at. If you are interested in a technology or a feature that is mentioned, make a note and grab some documentation once you are back in your office to find out about it. Don't ask for it to be explained there and then, there are 5 day and certification courses to learn about how the features work and to configure them. This is for a over view, just don't hold up the class asking for details, and when it gets to hands on labs, the chances are you will be paired up, so just consider what the other person wants to get out of the day and again if you see the class is waiting on you, jot down what you haven't covered and move on.

    To be honest most instructors are very good at keeping the class together, and are more than happy to discuss things over lunch/breaks, there all geeks. So again rather than hold up the class in mid flow, note it down and ask at the end of the section.

    Really just be aware of the rest of the class and don't expect to leave as an expert.
    • If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough. Albert Einstein
    • An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging you back with difficulties. It means that its going to launch you into something great. So just focus and keep aiming.
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