Interesting Graphic from Cisco Networking Academy...

Interesting Graphic from Cisco Networking Academy

On Thursday afternoon, I found this interesting graphic posted by Cisco Networking Academy in my LinkedIn feed.

Skills Required in Different IT Specialties

Some Background

Ever since I decided to go into information technology (IT), I have been overwhelmed with all of the various certifications that are out there. After I earned my CompTIA A+ certification a couple of years ago, I tried to study for CompTIA's Network+ certification. It was an ABSOLUTE, COMPLETE, and TOTAL mess!!! Trying to study for the Network+ certification was like trying to study for three or four separate IT certifications at the same time. Let's see, for the Network+ certification, you needed to know about configuring routers and switches, how to configure servers with Microsoft Server, how to use Microsoft Active Directory, and how to use a network monitoring program like Wireshark. The Official CompTIA Network+ study guide that I was following along with used Microsoft's now-defunct Network Monitor program. I even paid $700 to CompTIA for online exercises for Network+ that were WORTHLESS. Ironically, for a certification that was supposed to be vendor neutral, everything about routers and switches was about Cisco routers and switches. Not a single mention about routers and switches from other vendors, such as Palo Alto Networks or Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

As a result, I became HIGHLY DISCOURAGED with studying for Network+. A co-worker at the Tier 1 IT help desk at the Social Security Administration suggested that I give studying for CCNA a try.

Studying for CCNA

At first, studying for CCNA was a breeze compared to studying for Network+. The study guides for CCNA focused exclusively on Cisco routers and switches. Before I got really busy with work, I made slow, steady progress through the first ten chapters in the first CCNA study guide. Perhaps more importantly, the author of the CCNA 200-301 Official Study Guide, Wendell Odom, had a section about career planning in IT. It was an intriguing read. You can read the series of posts about career planning for those going into IT here. I read each post and actually wrote down some ideas on what I wanted to do with IT. Like I wrote earlier, I had a span of time where I got really busy with my job. I put aside studying for CCNA. I put aside my nascent attempts at some kind of career planning.

After moving from Maryland back to Arizona after 13 years, I have restarted studying for networking. Instead of studying for CCNA directly, I made the decision to work my way through the online networking classes available from the Cisco Networking Academy. My original intent was to complete the online networking classes as a way to establish a foundation in networking PRIOR to making another attempt at studying for CCNA. Another factor for studying the online networking classes was that it became rather apparent to me that I needed to add some IT certifications on my resume IOT get out of working at a Tier 1 IT help desk.

Skills Required in Different IT Specialities

Getting back to the interesting graphic from the Cisco Networking Academy that just randomly appeared in my LinkedIn feed, I was immediately intrigued when I saw it. The graphic gave recommendations on what subjects to study for four different IT specialties. Want to be a software engineer? Then you need to study Python, C++, Java, and Scala. In other words, you will want to study the major programming languages. Want to be a web developer? Then you need to study HTML 5, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. Again, you need to know how to use the most popular applications. Want to go into computer networking? Then it gets tricky. The graphic recommends that you study networking (preferably CCNA), have an analytical mind (for problem solving), have communication skills (for communicating with non-technical customers), and be able to read and understand reams of documentation (researching an answer is a valuable skill). Let's see, I have really good communication skills. I can simplify complex subjects for non-technical people to understand. For the analytical mind piece, I already worked as an intelligence analyst for the Army for almost nine years. All I need is that CCNA certification. Want to work in cyber security? Cisco recommends knowing how to use the Linux operating system, know about computer networking (again, CCNA), know how to program (Python), and have an analytical mind. In addition to computer networking, cyber security is also a field that interests me. For whatever reason, I cannot tell you why I never got around to studying for, say, CompTIA's Security+ certification for cyber security. Cisco also has its own cyber security certification. For Linux, I have played around with Ubuntu on a previous Dell laptop. When I had to buy a new Dell laptop back in November, I wanted to install either Debian or OpenSUSE. Unfortunately, my brand new Dell laptop doesn't have enough memory to do so. Currently, I am learining about computer networking. I have tried to learn how to program in Python on previous occasions. I need to try again, but make it my only focus. Lastly, for the analytical mind piece, I worked as an intelligence analyst for the Army.

In Conclusion

The graphic from Cisco gives me a guide on what to study for CCNA. That said, I also should get certified in Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft Azure, for example. On their own, those two certifications will add punch to my resume. From what I have seen, those are the certifications that get noticed on a resume. There is always a demand for those certifications. When I complete my last CCST online course, I just might move over to studying Microsoft Windows Server and Azure. We'll see. Another possible option would be to find a location in Peoria, in Glendale, in Surprise, or in northern Phoenix that offers in-class learning for CCNA. With the new CCNA study guides coming out soon, that might be the way to go. On LinkedIn Learning, I found what appears to be a really good class on the Python programming language. I just might give that a try. Again, knowing how to program in Python is a good thing to have on your resume. Unfortunately, there are only so many hours in a day.

Career Planning and CCNA...

As I have mentioned in other posts, I am studying for the Cisco CCNA certification.

After getting nowhere studying for CompTIA's Network+ exam, I gave that up and switched over to studying for Cisco CCNA instead.

Right now, I just completed reading Chapter 5: Analyzing Ethernet LAN Switching in Volume 1 of the CCNA 200-301 cert guide book.

The author of the book is Wendell Odom.

Wendell Odom has a website that can be used in conjunction with both volumes of the CCNA 200-301 cert guide book. The website, Wendell Odom's CCNA Skills Blog, has a lot of really good information about studying for CCNA and networking. I should geat around to reading the supplemental material on his website for each chapter of the book.

Now that I am at Chapter 5, I will DEFINITELY take a look at what he refers to as Config Labs, which are meant to be short exercises about using the command line interface for Cisco networking equipment.

Speaking of the command line interface for Cisco networking equipment, I really should try using the exercises on Pearson Vue's network simulation tool that came with both volumes of the CCNA 200-301 cert guide book.

The Pearson Vue network simulation tool that is included with the CCNA 200-301 textbooks is meant to be an abridged version. If you want all of the exercises, you have to buy the complete version of the network simulation tool from Pearson Vue. That said, Cisco has a rather interesting program called Packet Tracer. Packet Tracer is Cisco's version of a network simulation tool. Unlike Pearson Vue's product, Packet Tracer is free from Cisco. A couple of years ago, you could freely download Packet Tracer from Cisco's website. Now, you have to create an account with Cisco IOT download Packet Tracer. Can you study for CCNA using Packet Tracer? It certainly looks like you could. I have a former co-worker at SSA's Tier 1 IT help desk who told me that he only used Packet Tracer when he studied for CCNA. Over on Amazon, I did find a book that contains 101 labs for Packet Tracer for those studying for CCNA. However, the authors assume that you already know how to use Packet Tracer.

Another interesting feature on Wendell Odom's blog is the section about career planning for networking. Thus far, I have completed the first step of six in constructing my own career plan. Like many people, I just assumed that earning the A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications was the way to go. Since I ran into a roadblock with Network+, I have had to make some adjustments. I can see earning the CCNA certification. I can also see earning Cisco's CyberOps Associate, which is Cisco's version of CompTIA's Security+ certification. Speaking of Security+, I see that ISC2 now offers their own cyber security foundations certification, which looks pretty interesting. Speaking of ISC2, the CISSP certification is rather interesting. A few years back, I had a roommate that was trying to study for the CISSP. He didn't get very far as he gave me his copy of ISC2's CISSP Study Guide. A couple of years ago at my company's Christmas party, I met a GS-12 who works in SSA's Security Operations Center. He told me that the only IT certification that he has is the CISSP. All he did, he said, was to study, study, and study for the CISSP until he could pass the exam. However, from what I can tell, the CISSP certification is meant to be an advanced level IT certification for an individual that has been working in IT for several years. Lastly, I can also see earning the certification for Microsoft's Azure, Google's Google Cloud, or Amazon's Amazon Web Services.

Career planning is a sensitive subject for me. When I graduated from New Mexico State University back in 1995 with a bachelor's degree in Economics from the College of Arts and Sciences, I didn't know what I wanted to do. No one asked. I found myself in Liberal Arts Purgatory. I was one of those people that graduated from college with no idea on what I wanted to do. If I could go back and redo college, I should have been a computer science major. When I was in the Army, I had ZERO career planning. Someone should have councelled me about giving up the dream of attending Officer Candidate School and give serious thought about what I needed to do about becoming a Warrant Officer instead. Now that I am working in Information Technology, it is very easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated with all of the various things that one can do with the various certifications that are out there. Plus, there are those IT certifications that have a high demand (CCNA, Azure, AWS, CISSP, Security+) and those that do not (A+, Server+).

For now, my main focus is to earn the CCNA certification.

My other goal is to get a new IT job. Given all of the competition here in Maryland for IT jobs, I might have to go back to Arizona and look for a new IT job out there. There are all kinds of IT jobs both in Phoenix and in the Maricopa County area. Many of those jobs do not require a security clearance. For someone that no longer has a Top Secret clearance, that is definitely music to my ears.