September 02, 2008

The Neverending Answer

Okay, granted, there are people who cheat their way through certifications. And there are people who get certified and have no hands-on experience. They both make people who are certified *with* experience get lumped into this paper cert category until they can prove to each questioning individual that they know their stuff. But sometimes I think we are our own worst enemy.

Take for example the Neverending Answer on the Cisco Learning Network. Some guy asks for help. His tiny little 4 switch network is strung together all in VLAN1 and he needs to add a new switch. Some guy answered and told him he needed to *trunk* between the switches. Of course, I had to answer that because trunking involves multiple VLANs and everything in this makeshift 'network' is all in the default VLAN1.

https://cisco.hosted.jivesoftware.com/message/5028

Of course, genius boy has to answer back. Apparently to connect switches differently, you *don't* need to move the cables around -- you need to purchase a new switch, which apparently is not cost-effective. ??? Okay, so I see this guy is retarded and I let it go...

The original poster (probably confused by the first answer) never writes back. By now his people are on their patchwork quilt of a network and humming along. He probably fiddled with it the best he could and tried things until it worked (however inefficient) or got someone local to help him out. This was at the beginning of Aug.

There are still responses to his original question - today. The responses are redesigning his network over and over. They are answering questions formed in their mind or situations that they think may be on his network. The poster is long gone. What bothers me is that not too many are seeing this as some guy who probably has no training to speak of who is trying to solve a practical problem and keep on trucking. They take it like it's a test question to be answered with an elaborate solution.

We are our own worst enemy. No wonder people poke fun at 'certified idiots'... The world is a test question and we must provide the proper answer --

Reminds me of a time when I was eating in the cafeteria of a Health Sciences Academy. One of my friends said - whatever you do, don't choke on your food. You'll have 200 people instantly around you - all trying to 'help' you. You'll be smothered to death.

Posted by BlueWolf on September 02, 2008

August 24, 2008

IPv6

Well, I finally finished the IPv6 book. And I'm looking at the rest of the 'list' [CCIE R/S Recommended Reading] and thinking ... how the heck am I going to get through all THAT? There's only one way -- right through the middle of it.

I've already prepared myself for what's coming. I know it's going to suck to be me for the next few months. But it's really really NOT going to suck to be me later on. It will be worth all the hard work.

Although the IPv6 book went slowly, I believe the other books will go much faster. It's material that I've seen and studied before. IPv6 was somewhat new and unfamiliar to me. The Wireless material is something I don't have a ton of experience with, so that may go a little slower than the review of RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, etc... The only other book that's going to slow me down a bit is the MPLS. So a first shot at the test in October is probably a realistic (although ambitious and exhausting) goal.

As I update the site, I'm going to start moving things around on the sidebar. The cert battle stats seem a bit obsolete. Although my Microsoft skills have helped in very many ways and situations, I'm at the point now where that cert is no longer relevant to my activities. I could keep up the MCSE if I maintained the CCNP, but the only way I'm going to advance to CCIE is to let go of that round of testing. That doesn't mean I'm going to forget it altogether, just not at the level to maintain certification. It's too much - especially now that I don't have a lot of hands-on opportunity to implement the activities I would be practicing or reading about. But I will still read and learn the material eventually. It's just going to be a more leisurely read.

So if I don't update anything other than the stats on the side - you know where I am... READING.

Posted by BlueWolf on August 24, 2008

August 22, 2008

Still Reading

Just since I haven't updated in a while...

I'm still trying to plow through the 2 1/2 ft of textbooks for the CCIE written exam. It's slow going, but I know I have to start to step it up a notch. I only have until October to take the exam. Not really - this is an artificially created deadline I have set. I have to take it by October in order to be eligible for the free second chance exam. There's some program where if you take any Cisco exam from April to October, you get to retake the exam for free if you don't pass the first time. Since the exam itself is $315, this would be a good idea...

I went back and re-read the "Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture" book. Since it's already been counted in my stats, I didn't re-enter the numbers. But, I was glad I read the book again. Some of the things I've seen and experienced are now making more sense. Perhaps the material had a while to gel in my brain. All I know is that it seemed to be better the second time around. I felt like I understood more this time. The information stuck in my head much better. So I'm glad I went back to it rather than crossing it off as 'read' and moving on.

Very interesting, but the same thing is happening with the IPv6 material too. I had started reading the book a while ago and never finished. So I started from the beginning again. And the material is now making sense. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're studying and having a hard time remembering or digesting the information, take some time for yourself. Put it down and immerse yourself in whatever experiences crop up. Then go back to it. When you're reading and 'not getting' the information, you're not ready for it yet. When you're ready, the material will flow into you. Now that doesn't mean I'm going to guarantee that I'll be passing on the first shot, but I feel much more ready and comfortable for this phase of studying.

I still need to work on keeping my nerves in check and not working myself up about the exam. Yes, it's stressful to take an expensive exam. But if you let the stress get to you, it will lessen your chances of success. I've sat for some tests where the screen started to blur in front of me. I've also had others where I ran out of time and couldn't even click to see the questions at the end of the exam. So as I'm getting the material under my belt, I also have to keep an eye out for ways to work on controlled speed. I can't rush through it, but I can't walk -- I have to sort of jog through the questions.

I'm looking at the shelf of books that need to be read in 2 months time. I'm moving the books as they're read from the top shelf to the second shelf so I can visibly keep track of my progress. And I'm keeping a notebook for my notes as I'm reading. I'm trying not to use it to reinforce the reading - but to pull out any charts or special points that may help me remember the bulk of the material. When I make notes to reinforce the reading, I write every pertinent point. That would slow me down too much and I'd never get through the material. So I'm just putting down the stuff I don't already know or have under my lid.

Only time will tell. We'll see if those reading stats jump by the end of September. I have a feeling it's going to be a looooong month.

Posted by BlueWolf on August 22, 2008

July 24, 2008

Smile for the Camera

Excerpted from my email today:

Cisco and its global testing provider, Pearson VUE, a business of Pearson Inc. are pleased to announce a series of security enhancements that will reinforce the integrity and value of its Career certification program.

The advanced security enhancements include the use of digital photographs for candidate-identity verification and forensic analysis of testing data. The new measures, to be implemented beginning on Aug. 1, will include:

Photo on Score Report and Web – On completion of a certification exam at the test center, candidates will receive preliminary score reports imprinted with their photos and unique authentication codes. The authentication code can be used to access a candidate’s official score online at Pearson VUE’s website usually within 72 hours of the examination. The online score report will also display the candidate’s photo. Candidates may share access to their online records with employers or other third parties.

Forensic Analysis – Exam results and other testing data will be continuously analyzed by forensic software to detect aberrant testing behavior and to flag suspect exams for further investigation.

Preliminary Score Report – All paper score reports will be preliminary, pending the results of forensic analysis, until official exam scores are posted to the Web usually within 72 hours of exam completion. Once the exam scores are official, candidates may use the authentication codes on their score reports to access the Pearson VUE website for score and photo verification.

These new exam security measures are part of Cisco’s overall strategy to protect the value and integrity of its certifications. Other measures include simulation-based testing, dynamically generated questions and emulations to help ensure that Cisco certified networking professionals continue to have the knowledge, skills, and credentials to perform well on the job.

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As much as you want to say WTF to such measures... you have to *really* say WTF to the incidents that prompted such measures. More and more I hear stories about how 'other cultures' have a 'norm' of what they call 'collaborative testing' and 'collaborative interviewing'... Makes you wonder if such cultures also believe in 'collaborative paychecks'???

Some other stuff that I've been reading from the Cisco Learning Network courtesy of the pen of Chris Cohen:

A candidate was caught in possession of stolen exam questions and answers. In fact, he brought them to the testing center. When we banned him because of this violation, his defense was that he didn't create the materials, he just bought them off the Internet. To me that's like saying, "I didn't make the steroids. I just used them in the Olympics." I think it's clear why he never pursued a career as a defense attorney.

Or more to the point with this example, with multiple markets come multiple perspectives on cheating. What some see as a pretty black and white issue, others view in shades of gray. Different cultures have different interpretations of cheating. For instance, in the US swapping answers during an exam is cheating, cut and dry. But in other countries swapping answers during an exam is seen as just another form of a collaborative work environment.

And now because of such things, we have to have photos on our certifcations. So, on top of being stressed out about the exam - I also have to deal with an embarassing drivers-license-like horrible picture plastered forever on my certifications. What am I going to do with that? I'll have to go to interviews and then chug a large iced coffee and pull on my hair in order for them to match me to my photo.

Although it's a nice gesture, I have some doubts that it will work as planned. If a testing center is participating in the cheating (remember they're part of that culture too), then they're probably going to participate in the 'workarounds' to continue the process. Think about it -- who's going to be taking the photos? Cisco employees? Pearson VUE employees? No - it will be the local center administrators. These are the people who are already not properly checking photo IDs for these exams.

But, you have to start somewhere.

Posted by BlueWolf on July 24, 2008

April 24, 2008

Lovin' the Shark

So my most recent method of procrastination happens to be viewing the Wireshark University course videos. I got lucky enough (read:whined enough) that my supervisor kicked in for the 4 DVD set of Wireshark U course materials. Of course, he figured I'd never look at them, but having them would at least shut me up...

I just finished the first DVD. It took hours, but the material was good and was presented in an interesting manner. We all have to admit - this is dry stuff. You're taking captures of network traffic and then looking at them under a microscope to figure out which one of the million possible things could be pissing on your connectivity parade. Okay, so there's really no microscope. That's an analogy. But when you look that closely, it can be tedious and the material can get very detailed. These videos help to keep you interested and capture your attention. And it's pretty much like actually being in a classroom course.

The first video basically focuses on how to use Wireshark. I had a little head start in that area, having already read the Ethereal book. And the Wireshark interface/GUI is somewhat intuitive. Basically, your average network admin can stumble their way through it and find the obvious problems. But, naturally, that's not good enough for me. I want to be able to go a step beyond that. These videos definitely help in that area.

Just within the first DVD, I've already learned how to do some customizations. These are the little things that will make an average person look more polished. And it will definitely help the captures and analysis go much faster. On top of that, Laura Chappell also lends us some of her tricks and tips. She shows us not only how to use this, but how *she* uses it. The section on graphing the data and displaying it professionally will definitely 'up' your game. You will not only know what you're doing, but you'll also *look like* you know what you're doing. Professionalism usually lends points to credibility.

I'm up to the second chapter of the second DVD (went through that tonight). The second DVD is exploring the protocols in depth and relating it to what you see in a capture. Yeah, you probably already know how DNS works. But don't skip that part. You've probably learned enough to fill a book about DNS. This focuses that knowledge so that you look at the key areas and it relates specific parts of the packets to the tools that will help you look at the protocol from a trace analysis viewpoint (versus your install, configure, maintain viewpoint). It's a little less overwhelming that way. You don't have to look at every line of every packet in a 546,000 packet capture. She shows you how to build filters to make the capture 'speak' to you and tell you its story.

This is some good stuff. And it comes from a name that should already be familiar. If you've read the ICRC or ACRC or CIT books, you've seen the name before. She knows her stuff - and knows how to teach it too. That's something that isn't found very often in this field. The 'experts' put you in a coma with their stuff. The good teachers often don't give you enough 'meat' in their classes. This set of videos has both. Get them if you can.

Posted by BlueWolf on April 24, 2008