Look. There's nothing wrong with increasing your knowledge. Everybody has to start somewhere.
The problem arises when guys who are certified, but have little experience, still expect to get the same pay and respect as somebody who's been doing it for awhile. Or worse, they try to fake their way around by claiming knowledge they don't have. Then they inevitably screw something up, which not only means more work for the other guys because they have to clean up the mess, but also means that hiring managers get suspicious of everybody because they don't know who's good and who isn't. The fact is, all of Cisco's cert exams, even the CCIE, can only cover a small subset of what a network engineer really needs to know. One prime example is the ability to troubleshoot layer-1 WAN problems. This topic is not covered at all in the lab, because you obviously are not going to have any layer-1 problems using back2back serial connections. But layer-1 WAN problems happen all the time in the real world. So a guy who knows all about route redistribution, but doesn't know what to do when the T-1 line goes down is not a particularly useful employee. That's just one example, but there are many others. Now, like I said, there's nothing wrong with getting a cert, as long as you are willing to admit (especially to yourself) the things you know and don't know, and that you're still willing to learn. Again, the problem comes when a guy obtains a cert and believes he is now great and doesn't need to learn more, and deserves the same stature as others with the same cert (but have been around the industry a lot longer). ""norco"" wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED].; > i agree. that 'lab rat' bullshit has been created by cisco engineers fearful > of their status/positions because nowadays anyone get reasonable proficient > at cisco routing and switching - which SHOULD be the case!! I remember > people (and they still do) cryin' the frickin' blues beacuse people were > paper certified, and that they had no hands-on experience. Well, now that > they are getting hands-on experience albeit in a lab environment (which is > in some cases presents a more convoluted routing and switching environment > because it allows them to set the level of complexity depending on the > amount and type of lab equipment...phew - long comment) - they have the > audacity to label them 'lab rats' - honestly i think these fucks expect you > to be born with this knowledge!! > > By all means get stuck into your lab - get your CCNP, go for the CCIE and > improve your standard of living - after all that's what this is all about - > don't let a bunch of narrow-minded, paranoid, tall-poppy syndrome minded > dicks dictate what you should or should not do. > > > ""B Rudy"" wrote in message > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED].; > > Hey guys, > > > > I have been looking for a job for the past 8 months. I decided to get > some > > professional Cisco training since the market was doing so badly. I have > read > > some message boards talking about CCIE lab rats, and how they are a > > disgrace.. I dont want to be looked at like that. I have purchased a > year > > of training where I can utilize all the Cisco equipment they have on their > > premises. I am going to be a lab rat for a while.. Will i be able to find > a > > job once i am a ccnp and proficcient with Cisco and their equipment?? That > > lab rat being a disgrace comment is totally absurd!!!! > > > > my bio: > > B.S in Telecommunications > > No experience in the field-but a lot in the labs!!!! > > CCDA > > CCNA > > Network+ > > MCSE 2k > > LPI 1 > > A+ Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=37204&t=37130 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
