CCIE anyone?

Okay, just curious is anyone around here a CCIE?

I'm a Security Engineer for my employer with a great deal of Cisco and UNIX experience. Before I was a Security Engineer I was a Sr. Network Engineer for a large Cable Company managing their Broadband network in Socal.

I've always wanted to attempt the CCIE Routing and Switching but because the economy hasn't been that great in the tech sector I figured finishing my Bachelor's was a better bet - I'm on that route now.

Currently I hold a few Cisco Certs, CCNP, DA and am almost done with the CCSP. Still, I want to go after an IE because of the challenge mainly - it's always thrilled me in that respect. The thing is, if it isn't going to raise my salary significantly then I'm not sure it's worth the effort ( I could just work on my house).

Well, the Boss dropped it on me today - Go after the CCIE Security. Okay, great, happy to do it. Justifies studying on company time. Anyway - he also told me to look for training opportunities. Anyone know of some good training companies in the SoCal area? I have to stay in SoCal due to budgetary restrictions imposed on us because we are a state organization.

What I know about myself is www.ascolta.com and www.globalknowledge.com. They don't have anything that is that high level in security though.

Lame.

Thoughts?

I don't really believe in cisco certs. I did start working on mine after I lost my job in 2001, thinking it would help me get a new one, but it didn't. now I have little interest pursuing it more. I have two friends in the bay area that both got jobs in the last week. one has a CCIE and one has essentially nothing. both got jobs from the two largest router companies. the CCIE is making $20k less than the guy with nothing.

"Sr. Network Engineer for a large Cable Company managing their Broadband network in Socal."

which one? we've probably talked before since I was a network engineer for @Home between '97 and '01.

I worked for Time Warner Cable's Broadband unit formally of AT&T/TWC's RoadRunner (now just TWC's RR).

I started working for Continental Cable Vision in '97 in Jacksonville, FL then they were bought by US West making MediaOne and then AT&T bought them. By then, AT&T, TWC, Compaq and MSFT had joined up to make RoadRunner and I was working under that umbrella. I got transfered to Orlando under a TWC division and then to Los Angeles under a joint TWC/AT&T division that eventually split. I then went to TWC down in Orange County. I left in Oct '03 to pursue better things.

As far as the Certification helping you with the job...I wouldn't have qualified with the employers of any of them if I didn't have at least one of what I carry. Started requiring CCNA, then this new job required a CCNP or better.

While I do agree that certifed does not mean good or experienced, especially in the associate or professional level certs (just book reading mainly can get them) the Expert level are hard tests. I think those who can pass on real world experience and a bit of studying ARE those experts but more often than not you have somone who studied for a long time, never looking up from a book and doesn't know his head from a hole in the ground. Hell, I get that talking to genuine Cisco employees on a daily basis. While I've studied on and off for the big show and I've even sat for the written (failed just f'ing barely) I've never studied for more than a month very hard. It's a waste - that isn't the IE that I want to be. The thing is I do love reading the technology and understanding it and would love to be one of those CCIEs who knows his head from a hole in the ground. So...While I think it you sort of right - it's hit or miss - I think it is more likely that if you can read and work and get the cert it will only help you get a job. Incidentally, I have never had a Certification get a promotion for me. I have only had them get my foot in the door as well as my experience. I have noticed that in recent years as my experience has been growing leaps and bounds and nearing that decade mark the questions I get regarding my certs are fewer and farther between. They focus more on my education (which is why I'm working on a BS) and on my experience in Senior positions. I'm in a situation now where the job can give me the time and the resources to persue both the BS and the IE if I feel like putting the effort in.

The last thing that is surely of note regarding the certifications is their context. For the most part they are a genuine tool for Cisco and other Vendors to sell more product. Plain and simple - especially with Cisco. Cisco resellers incentives to support the certifications AND they are able to build networks that leverage Ciscos upgrade path for networks in general. Sales tool indeed but regardless I would not be where I am today had I not read those books and taken those tests that got me that little bullet on my resume.

I'm smart because I studied, I studied because I have a goal. I met that goal now what should I do next. Of course, bear in mind that I have had most of these certs for 3 years and have to recertify them this year (CCNP).

Long winded...I know but when ever someone says they don't believe (previous boss at TWC was like that) I must speak about why I think they are great.

Another example that comes to mind is the CCDA, a simple little insignificant cert but it does something that even the CCNP cert didn't do. It concentrates very nicely on OSPF implementation and it's interaction with other protocols. It's a fantastic! certification. I recommend it to anyone who wants to get started in understanding routing.

Anyway, that's all...

Mikester,

I think you're right that CCIE is certainly going to get you through certain "gates" when it comes to applying for a new job. But I think a college degree is also an important "filter" when employeers are screening candidates. I'd suggest getting the BA/BS first.

Also, do you want your career to go in the direction of Network Engineer, or Security Engineer? If network enginneer is your intended career direction, getting CCIE would serve to assure potential employers that you have the right knowledge and experience in internetworking. However, if Security is your career direction the CCNA & CCSP, plus CISSP or some other non-vendor-specific security certification would likely open more doors in that direction.

It always helps to know what you want to be when you grow up. I hope to figure that out for myself some time ... ideally, before I retire :-)

Hey Mike, I got my CCNA and CCDA coming up on 2 years ago December, my instructor was a CCIE and he had never worked on a network in his life, it was all book smart. He wanted to go to work with me just to get some hands on experience. I became one of the technical advisors for the college and I found it amazing that he could get his CCIE without ever working on a network. I think it may be a little over rated as with most certs. I got a scholarship for my MCSE from the California Microsoft solution providers many years ago and went through the whole thing. I only keep my server certs valid and current anymore. I even hired someone one time that had all of his Cisco, Microsoft and Novell certs only to lose a valuable client because he had no clue what he was doing. It was an expensive lesson for me. I worked for MCI Woldcom and got all my experience from them back in the late 80's and 90's. I dont even work on Cisco routers much anymore, I use Netopia routers for all of my clients. They are a lot less money, very reliable and do the same things. I have only been doing it for about 15 years now but it always cracks me up when these kids come out of school all ready to go and really dont know anything. Good luck with the CCIE, if I worked for a company that would pay for it, I would do it just for the cert. I too think the CCIE is the best as long as you have hands on experience to go with it. I know you do.

ahhh yes, TW. @home did not have a contract with them. I figured you were either with cox or comcast. getting a CCIE is NEVER going to hurt you. I don't think it is a terrible idea in the least, I just feel it is not the solution for getting that great job, high salary, or promotion. if you're motivation to get it is to simply learn some more, then great! I don't have it in me to study that much and I hate to read. I do think a BS is more important to the avg employer, but who knows these days. in the end, experience is what counts. like you, I have had network engineer experience in the cable field for a long time now (7 years or so). I think in the end this is what will get me in the door places. good luck.

Cisco's CCIE certifications have come a little ways since it was just the one. In an effort to branch out the way their brand has they have expanded it into different areas.

They now have CCIE certifications for Security, Routing & Switching (the original), Communications Services (ISP related) and VOIP.

I would be pursuing the Security cert because that's where I'm at now. I've moved out of the Network building business for the most part and am now in the network/systems securing business ($$$).

Of course, I'm on the BS track right now and will probably finish that in 18 months or so.

I still don't know if the IE is worth it but I guess if the boss is gonna front the doh then I'll give it a shot.