Networking Career

Bakedgoods

Bakedgoods

Bakedgoods

Capodecina
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31 Dec 2003
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To those involved in the networking world..

How did you start?
Where are you now?
What qualifications do you rate?
Any advice?
 
The most important thing you need is experience so get started with a Junior network support role. If you find a good employer (particularly public sector), they should pay for your training which will typically begin with CCNA. If you are looking for big money contracts, make sure you get niche qualifications e.g checkpoint.
 
I'm studying CCNA already :)

My main area of interest is ultimately security, obviously there's the CCSP after the CCNA but as an intermediary thing i'm looking at the CompTIA Security+ to broaden my knowledge. Do you know how credible this is?
 
Wardie said:
I'm studying CCNA already :)

My main area of interest is ultimately security, obviously there's the CCSP after the CCNA but as an intermediary thing i'm looking at the CompTIA Security+ to broaden my knowledge. Do you know how credible this is?
Click to expand...

The security+ is ok but I wouldn't waste too much time on it. If you get the CCNA it will supersede your security+.

I myself started out with MCP's and then did my CCNA and after that I finished my MCSAM. That all took about 2 years but, I did get a job at the end.

So although you ultimately want to follow security I would advise doing an MCSA / MCSE, otherwise you may be seen as a one trick pony. The mickysoft stuff will get you are start somewhere and then you can go on from there.
 
Why would the CCNA supercede the Security+? It looks at completely different things?

I'm eventually wanting a fairly specialised role in networking and network/security so i'm not sure how an MCSE is really relevant or required.. athlough I love to learn and it's something I would be interested in.
 
I started as a network engineer for a small IT company, did some backoffice contracts for a couple of companies in the city, then moved to an ISP and got promoted a couple of times....

I'm now infrastructure architect for a business ISP, I'm responsible for a huge range of technical issues, design and implementation. It's particularly nice as I cover both client projects, core network upgrades and some server side stuff (particularly storage). It's a good job, it pays well but it's long hours and lots of stress, I have all the technical ability in the world but thats not enough on it's own, you've got to be a project manager as well and thats been a struggle for me to master. I'd make more money and work less contracting for a bank or something but I like the company so I stick around...

Vendors qualifications are still king really, Cisco and Juniper are my favourites on the networking side and I reckon some server stuff is good in a network engineer, a network engineer who doesn't know what a server is, can't install IIS etc, is only useful to the biggest companies who have dedicated teams. I have an MCSE (2003 - Messaging) but won't be renewing I don't think. RHCE is also nice, there's lots of unix floating around in networking and the redhat stuff is well recognised.

Not to put you off but every man and his dog has a CCNA, you need to differentiate yourself somehow, experience helps in that regard.
 
Yeah that's true, but I still feel as if the CCNA is worth doing to help with gaining that basic understanding of the fundamentals.

I suppose what compliments it is what's important. I thought with that job title it would be more around the planning etc than using your technical skills, I guess it's a good thing that you still get to do that sort of thing though :)

So the security+ isn't really worth the hassle and I should just concentrate on CCNA, then maybe CCSP and possibly some server related stuff?
 
I completed the Cisco CCNA a few years ago. I was an Network Engineer for Siemens, but since have moved to various Networking/IT jobs.

I am now in Information Security, I will be going for my Ethical Hackers qualification in a few weeks, and afterwards will start the CompTIA Security+
 
Are you doing so because your employer has suggested it? Or because you personally want to?

Sounds like you've moved on to pretty much what I want to :)
 
Wardie said:
Yeah that's true, but I still feel as if the CCNA is worth doing to help with gaining that basic understanding of the fundamentals.

I suppose what compliments it is what's important. I thought with that job title it would be more around the planning etc than using your technical skills, I guess it's a good thing that you still get to do that sort of thing though :)

So the security+ isn't really worth the hassle and I should just concentrate on CCNA, then maybe CCSP and possibly some server related stuff?
Click to expand...

We are still a relatively small infrastructure team, and complex implementations I prefer to lead myself instead of handing over to someone else. It also suits how I work, I like to lab test and refine my designs as I go rather than trying to come up with a perfect design on paper straight off...

For me, it's a real benefit if a network engineer can do some server work as well. In a big organisation or if you're contracting as a firewall specialist it may well matter less.

I would say get beyond the CCSP if you want to do high level security, Cisco firewalls are actually fairly rare in big companies.
 
Wardie said:
Nokia are reated pretty highly as far as firewalls go aren't they?
Click to expand...

Yes, Checkpoint these days but they are pretty good still. Juniper make a lto of noise about the number of FTSE 100 companies that use their kit (and as you can see in the shows us your racks thread, we use them too) and are pretty good firewalls. Fortinet are another name with a reasonable reputation. Watchguard and Sonicwall etc I don't know about enterprise usage, but personally I don't rate them....
 
I did both my CCNA and Security+, there is value in both. I have since done CCSP, CCDA, CCSA (checkpoint) and am sitting the CCSE (checkpoint again) on Monday.

I have packed in a bunch of other certs in between for various partnerships we have done with Cisco.

I didnt go on a course for any of them though. Read the books, build it, lab it, pass it :)

I work with this stuff day to day so its easier for me I guess, but then I knew nothing about this stuff when i started the CCNA ;)

I work for a Cisco Managed Services Provider.
 
Interesting someone suggested the CCNA to me how difficult is it actually? I know a little about comuters in general but was told the course is equal to a uni course. I struggle with dyslexia so I'm a little worried I'll fail :(
 
K so I am a penetration tester, not your typical network engineer... So I deal with breaking into networks and systems (need to have a large skill set) - since I see you have mentioned security I guess this might help. Uh well.. It all started as a hobby for me many years ago (10 years perhaps). I taught my self plenty of systems admin/network stuff and then started my own small ISP. Selling dedicated servers, peering, co-location etc.. I had to teach my self a ton about network infrastructure, routing, firewalling etc... Eventually I could no longer run this company so I sold all my asserts and went to university.

While growing up I also taught my self to code. I wrote tools like packet sniffers, packet crafting tools and read a lot about networking protocols. Studied Computer Science at uni and gained a more theoretical background to go with my practical experience and did a CCNA in my own time (bit pointless imo, but a necessity to the better cisco certs). Which leads up to today... Plan on doing a CISSP perhaps CCIE if my employer pays in future.

People always bang on about certs but most the really skilled guys I know have hardly any formal qualifications just lots of practical experience in that environment.
 
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/sour grapes mode

Not that bothered about certs anymore, I attempted the CCIE Lab a year ago and failed by a few points ":/" then watched as someone I knew downloaded the stolen labs from the foreign sites and passed with hardly any effort.
To top it off 3 people I know have just downloaded all the Labs from the same sites, 1 of them has passed first time and another one is currently in San Jose taking it.... Total waste of time.
All my certs have now expired and I couldn't care less, if all people want to do is download the exam and pass then fair enough but you won't catch me doing it. I'd rather not bother and not be tarred with the same brush.

/sour grapes mode.

I've been working in I.T for nearly 9 years, (networks for 8) I currently work for the UK's second largest ISP, I mainly fix faults/redesigns, develop and test new products. (Broadband/business etc) for some of the UKs biggest companies.

I'm not that sure how much longer I want to remain technical, I could go contracting tomorrow and get a fortune but I've got too much of an active social life - money isn't everything to me..
I think one day i'd like to move into management of some kind, I prefer dealing with people rather than telnet.exe these days..
 
V-Spec said:
I'm not that sure how much longer I want to remain technical, I could go contracting tomorrow and get a fortune but I've got too much of an active social life - money isn't everything to me..
I think one day i'd like to move into management of some kind, I prefer dealing with people rather than telnet.exe these days..
Click to expand...

Surely an active social life would be a reason to go contracting? When I was contracting I worked a couple of days a week from home, was never in before 10 and usually gone by 6.

These days I'm working 60 hour weeks as a matter of course, when the stress gets too much I'll be going back to contracting myself.
 
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