The poll has been closed and it's time to announce my decision...
I guess the majority of those who voted will be disappointed, but my decision is to take the CCIP exam...and then -maybe- (see the explanation at the end) the CCIE SP.
I have already passed BSCI from CCNP and some days ago i passed the QoS exam. That means i still have BGP & MPLS. BGP should be easy, because i know most of the stuff (because of the recent CCIE exam).
MPLS will be the most difficult exam, because i have very little experience on it (although i have read the theory behind it). My job involves many things, but not MPLS (there is another engineer responsible for this). Recently i started experimenting with some L2/L3 VPNs based on MPLS and the basic stuff seemed easy. On the other hand, there were a lot of advanced features that seemed unknown to me. Based on my learning experience on past subjects i would say i'll need a month in order to gain a good understanding of MPLS. Something above the basic, but still not all the advanced topics.
Now....the explanation about the forementioned "maybe". If at the end of the CCIP i have enjoyed MPLS (i must enjoy a technology in order to understand it fully and experiment more with it), i'll probably proceed with the CCIE SP exam. MPLS/VPLS seems like (i won't say "is" because some other vendors have different opinions) a technology of the future (although it's already widely deployed) and i'm definitely interested in it. Surely VPLS looks more interesting because of my LAN "passion".
But there is another prerequisite. I don't know what will happen with my job. I was given a bonus for passing the CCIE lab, but i was to told to wait (for some weeks/months/years?) for an answer to my salary increase request. In the meantime i "rejected" another job, because i thought i would get the salary increase immediately (after the end of February) on the current job. I've asked to have a meeting with my boss hoping to get a more specific answer: when and how much. Based on this, i'll either continue with my current job or continue the who's-looking-for-a-ccie job hunting. And if i decide to change my job, i don't know whether i'll have the needed free time to go through another CCIE lab (at least in the beginning). So, only time will tell.
Monday, March 3, 2008
CCIP and then -maybe- CCIE SP
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I must say Tassos, you are quite a clever one indeed! You slayed the beast in very short order and you seem to have done so at a very reasonable price! I'd put my own cost and 10 times yours. Add in lost consulting fees, we're talking quite a bit more than even that! Congratulations to you sir!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I have been to Athens many, many times (and elsewhere throughout Greece). I have very fond memories of my little place in Glyfada.
Cheers,
Scott
Thank you very much Scott! I guess if it wasn't my former experience, everything would be quiet different.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever come to Athens again, drop me an email or a comment. Maybe we can meet somewhere ;)
Well done Tassos,
ReplyDeleteWhile I do agree your background has made your 3 month intensive doable thanks to a massive effort from yourself it's still an achievement.
That's something for people to think about before they aim their sights too high and take on an equally aggressive schedule! Kudos to your boss for supporting you there.
I like your decision to finish up CCIP next. It's clear you have defined goals rather than battering on with another IE. I have no doubt you will do very well on SP should you wish to persue it.
Congrats again.
OK Tassos, will do! The project that brought me there so often has pretty well run its course, but one never knows. At the very least, I'll return during my leisure years (which I can only hope aren't as distant as they now seem)!!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Scott
Brilliant.
ReplyDelete