Welcome to Cisco hell... I'll be your tour guide...

[Stephen]

***WARNING: TECHNO-BABBLE FOLLOWS***

As some of you may remember, I went nuts preparing for my CCNA exam a while back. I passed it on the first shot, the only one in my company to do so, and I scored higher than anyone else.

Well, as we all know, no good deed goes unpunished. So I'm now going to boot camp. That's where they cram you with 2 years of knowledge and (presumably) experience in 8 weeks. I'm being sent to get my IP Telephony Express certification.

This means three more tests to be passed, CVOICE (Cisco VOice over IP), QOS (Quality of Service) and IPTX (IP Telephony Express).

It gets better... For our company to be certified as IPTX, the boss needs one CCNA (Cisco Certified Networking Associate) and one CCDA (Cisco Certified Designer Associate) to endure the IPTX boot camp. Our current CCDA is a sales guy with no real technical experience. So the boss needs someone who tests well to rush through and get his CCDA.

Yup, that'd be me.

And the cherry on it all: we were enrolled into boot camp one week late. So now I have 3 weeks to do 4 weeks of cramming covering 1 year of info, followed by an exam, followed by 6 days in hurricane-y North Carolina where we get 1 year of hands-on experience crammed into 6 8-hour days, followed by 3 weeks of studying to take two more exams. And I have the added bonus of an extra CCDA exam to top it off.

So, keep me in your thoughts. And if you see me online... tell me to get the hell off and back to cramming.

-Stephen

 

[Paul]

The 640-861 sucked big, hairy, monkey butt.

Which B.C. are you attending?

I started working on my BSMSN awhile ago, my stupid company expects me to get my CCNP by year's end, and CCDP by the 2Q next year, with CCIE by 4Q 2006. Excuse me while I stop laughing...

Of course, I have no funding for ANY training, and the cheap bastiches will only cover the expense of ONE test voucher.

Cisco IS hell, especially when there are better options out there. (I'm a supporter of Adtran)

 

[SkiDog]

Just think of the big bucks though.....that stuff pays..

You guys are better "men" then me...im still draggin my feet...

Oh yeah...go Adtran...HA

M

 

[Paul]

Just think of the big bucks though.....that stuff pays..

*Wiping coffee off of monitor*

*Waiting for fits of laughter to subside...*

Sorry, Dog....would you care for some more Kool-Aid?
:wink:

 

[Stephen]

Pay... it all depends on landing the right job. Also, it matters what you can produce. A monkey can be trained to regurgitate exam answers. Pay factors in your ability to bring 150 nodes back to life when the entire lan has gone down the crapper.

Adtran- we do Adtran as well. And Mitel.

B.C.- Inghram Micro in Cary N.C.

CCDA- I had thought about getting it anyhow, as they want us to get CCNP as well, and CCDP is only one additional exam from CCNP.

IPTX- The saving grace is that I worked in DSL in a past life, so I already have a grasp, albeit a weak one, on PSTN.

-Stephen

 

[smitty77]

B.C.- Inghram Micro in Cary N.C.

My aunt and uncle live there. He works for IBM, she used to before retiring. I have nothing further to add to this conversation. Carry on.
Smitty

 

[ctenidae]

I used to date a girl from Matthews, NC, which is near Cary.

I, too, have nothing to add to this conversation.

Not like that's ever stopped me before.

Okay, one more thing- I used to work for a temp agency (as an actual employee, not a temp). The guy who did tech placements would always make up some acronym in an interview. If the subject said they were certified or whatever in that, the application went in the garbage.

 

[Skier75]

WOW, Stephen, better you than me. I'm just trying to get into a 2 week refresher AutoCAD 2005 class, just so I can get the "right" job! Good luck with the cramming, I hate going into a class that's already started....just means you gotta work harder. Keep the faith, you can do it!

 

[pepsi]

Cary, NC has an REI

Not that it looks like you'll be needing any hiking gear for a while

But, congratulations and good luck. Visit Chapel Hill for me, I really miss it.

 

[pepsi]

oops

 

[cantdog]

cisco sucks so badly that they don't even deserve to be capitalized! :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil:

 

[MtnMagic]

Well, being a cisco certified geek surely must have its rewards. For me being in NC means Mts Mitchell & Craig will be bagged.

Here's one formula: for every 3 whole days at work, one hikes one whole day.

 

[Stephen]

cisco sucks so badly that they don't even deserve to be capitalized! :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil:

OK, I'll bite. What so so hideous about Cis- er, cisco?

-Stephen

 

[smitty77]

cisco sucks so badly that they don't even deserve to be capitalized! :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil: :angry: :evil:

Now don't hold back... Tell us how you really feel.

 

[cantdog]

I have multiple issues, but I'll need some time to articulate my thoughts and feelings in a plausible and organized way that won't result in alienation or getting banned.

 

[MtnMagic]

I've a lifetime to wait and such, don't think you'll be alienated or banned, this is not Boston. Looking forward to reading more. This should be great! It's like an internet version of a drum roll -- exciting -- and I'm on your side!

Mister, the cat says hello for your nice words several weeks ago. Btw: ghostdog hikes the Coos trail. Does she get a bonus point or two for that?

Good, 'n you?!
:wink:

 

[Stephen]

Update: I passed the CVOICE (Cisco Voice Over IP) exam this morning.

Next week I'll be in boot camp for QoS and IPTX.

Though I've just noticed that Cisco is retiring the IPTX certification as of December 29...

-Stephen