Hey there, my identify is Hank Preston, and I’m CCNA licensed. Effectively, truly, I’m additionally CCNP, CCIE, and DevNet Professional licensed, however it’s the Cisco Licensed Community Affiliate (CCNA) that began me on my journey approach again on August 8, 2004.
20 years in the past, I sat down for the primary time at a Prometric testing middle, coronary heart beating quick, palms just a little sweaty, and tremendous nervous for my first certification examination: CCNA 640-801. I nonetheless keep in mind the sensation of hitting the “Finish Examination” button and ready for the outcomes display screen. I used to be certain I failed; there have been simply SO many questions I wasn’t certain about. Did I keep in mind my decimal to binary steps? Was the utmost hops for RIP 15 or 16? It solely took perhaps 5 seconds for the display screen to pop up, nevertheless it felt like I used to be ready for spanning-tree to converge after a root bridge failure… and never the speedy model of spanning-tree, both. When the display screen modified, I closed my eyes… I didn’t wish to know. However ultimately, I opened my eyes and was introduced with these superb phrases…
“Congratulations, you handed!”
(Or one thing alongside these strains.)
It was an incredible feeling. I had completed it. I used to be Cisco CCNA Licensed! I used to be prepared for my profession as a community engineer. Effectively, to proceed and develop my profession. I used to be technically already working as a community engineer, however having the certification gave me confidence. It gave me proof that I had some data about networking. Heck, it meant that CISCO endorsed me as a community engineer. It was a reasonably large deal. When the exhausting copy of my CCNA certification arrived within the mail, I purchased a body and hung it on the wall.
Now for the marginally embarrassing flip within the story… three years later, on September 29, 2007, my CCNA expired. Phew… I mentioned it. And it feels higher to get the reality out. It wasn’t that I didn’t nonetheless worth being CCNA licensed. Or that I wasn’t working as a community engineer anymore. Nope… what occurred was… nicely, “life.” I used to be again in graduate college engaged on my grasp’s diploma whereas working full-time. I needed to do some robust prioritizing, and I needed to let my CCNA expire. I used to be disenchanted, however I knew I might research and re-earn it once more.
And re-earn it, I did. 722 days after my CCNA expired (8 days lower than 2 years), I used to be again at a testing middle in entrance of a pc, tackling CCNA examination 640-802. In these two years, Cisco had up to date the CCNA certification. Actually, I might have taken two exams, INTRO and ICND, as a substitute of a single examination. However coming again to recertify, I used to be extra assured and dove proper into the one examination. I say extra assured, however not absolutely assured. The nerves had been nonetheless there, and by the point I used to be completed, my confidence had dwindled. I used to be certain I used to be going to be again the next week for an additional try. However that didn’t occur. I as soon as once more was confronted with the fantastic phrases:
“Congratulations, you handed!”
As I walked out with my outcomes, feeling that very same delight at being CCNA licensed, I promised myself I might NEVER let it expire once more. And I haven’t. Actually, I used to be again at a testing middle lower than a month later, taking the CCNA Safety examination (I handed). And a month after that, I used to be again as soon as extra to take and cross the CCNA Wi-fi examination.
Why the push, you may ask? Nice query. Whereas I had been working as a “community engineer” for a number of years, by then, I needed to develop my profession. I needed to work on larger networks for larger firms. Whereas I had my grasp’s diploma in data techniques by then, one thing I used to be additionally very happy with, job postings, recruiters, and managers had been on the lookout for individuals with the sensible abilities to work on advanced networks. Senior community engineer positions all listed Cisco certifications as “desired” if not “required.” And I needed a type of positions.
Which brings me again to that day in 2004 after I first earned my CCNA certification, after which returned in 2009 to re-earn it. The abilities I discovered when learning for my CCNA had been instrumental in serving to me find out about wi-fi so I might add “wi-fi community engineer” to my talent set. With out the fundamentals of the OSI mannequin, IP addressing, and routing, I wouldn’t have been in a position to sort out safety matters like firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion prevention to change into a CCSP (Cisco Licensed Safety Skilled – the outdated identify for CCNP Safety) in September 2010.
One thing else occurred to my profession in September 2010. I used to be employed as a Programs Engineer at Cisco. Working for Cisco had been like a “secret dream” of mine for a few years. I imply, I used to be a community engineer — and Cisco IS networking. At that time in my profession, I hadn’t had the chance to fulfill many Cisco workers, however the ones I had met had left me in awe of their abilities and data. They gave me an instance to work in the direction of. Simply interviewing at Cisco was an incredible expertise.
I keep in mind conversations with my hiring supervisor, Eric Knipp. We talked about what it meant to be a Cisco SE, how essential technical data and abilities had been for a Cisco engineer, and the way he was impressed by my devotion and concentrate on incomes certifications. At that time, I used to be working in the direction of my CCNP Route/Swap (the certification now often known as CCNP Enterprise) when he requested whether or not I noticed myself changing into a CCIE. He was a CCIE Voice cert holder who valued data, expertise, AND certifications to validate that data and expertise. I advised him I’d like to change into a CCIE sooner or later. In later interviews with different management and engineers at Cisco, the data I gained from learning and passing my certification exams was important to standing as much as the technical interview questions I used to be posed. One engineer requested me to do subnetting workout routines on a whiteboard, describe how spanning-tree labored, and the way light-weight entry factors communicated with controllers.
By the best way… Eric Knipp is presently a Vice President of Gross sales Engineering at Cisco and STILL maintains his lively CCIE certification and pushes his engineers to take care of and earn certifications. He champions a “Beat the Boss” problem the place he rewards engineers who can earn a brand new certification earlier than he does.
Being licensed didn’t get me the job, however changing into licensed did. With out the Cisco Community Academy instructors and lessons that launched me to networking and put me on the trail in the direction of the CCNA, with out the nights spent with Cisco Press books from authors like Wendell Odom, Kevin Wallace, and Tim Szigeti, and with out hours spent practising sensible abilities on lab gear scrounged from wherever I might discover it, my profession wouldn’t be what it’s right this moment.
“However Hank… that was nice 20 years in the past, however what about right this moment? Certifications aren’t essential anymore.”
I’ve heard this query and remark quite a bit. Whereas I agree that certifications and their place as a part of studying and constructing expertise have modified, they’re completely nonetheless a worthwhile a part of any engineer’s toolkit and worth. I simply did some job searches for various community engineering roles. Each single one in every of them lists certifications as required or most well-liked. And you already know which certification confirmed up greater than every other? The CCNA. Yep, 26 years after being launched, CCNA remains to be acknowledged as a requirement for community engineers.
It’s secure to say that I completely LOVE the CCNA certification. It continues to alter the lives of engineers worldwide, and I’m excited to be serving to new engineers earn their CCNA certifications.
My first community engineering course was a Cisco Community Academy class at my local people faculty. Beneath the supervision of an exquisite teacher, I linked to my first router with a blue ribbon cable. Final yr, I returned to a Community Academy classroom as a CCNA teacher. Serving to the subsequent era of engineers make their first ping work was so rewarding. Whereas a few of the abilities I needed to study after I earned my CCNA are not a part of the fabric – RIP and HDLC connections, foundational matters like subnetting, spanning-tree, and VLANs are simply as essential right this moment.
I’m excited to be “getting again to fundamentals” this summer season with the CCNA Prep program, refreshed for model 1.1 of the CCNA. Joined by Patrick Gargano, my colleague right here at Cisco and fellow Community Academy teacher, we have now launched “Season 1” of our CCNA Prep – Again to Fundamentals collection to assist community engineers put together for the CCNA examination. This primary season will cowl a few of my favourite foundational networking matters, reminiscent of VLANs, Spanning-Tree, EtherChannel, and the fundamentals of routing. The CCNA Prep program is totally free, so register to hitch us for demonstration-based webinars the place we take a look at the technical matters on the CCNA examination, present entry to apply questions, and downloadable CML and PacketTracer information to work by means of the workout routines your self! You possibly can join CCNA Prep right here without spending a dime.
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