I have been making a living working in the field of computer network engineering for the past 14 years. Although I have two bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Texas and a master’s in chemistry from Johns Hopkins, none of those degrees was relevant to this field. In fact, not only is college not a prerequisite for working in this field; one cannot go to college to learn about this field. This is because network engineering technology changes far too fast for colleges to be able to teach it within the confines of a four-year degree. By the time you get the degree, half of the courses you took would already be out of date.
Before I explain how you go about entering this field, I want to comment on the discussion that has occurred in the Where What When concerning a college liberal arts education. Some have opined in these pages that a bachelor’s degree earned by combining seminary and yeshiva credits and filling in with courses in vocational topics, such as special ed and occupational therapy, are sufficient to get a good job. Others have championed the standard liberal arts education as one that teaches people to communicate, broadens one’s appreciation of the world by exposing him or her to important facts in history, science, and literature, and better qualifies one to compete in today’s cutthroat job market.
I put myself solidly on the latter camp. My college degrees were no waste of time, and actually provided the foundation for my success in network engineering. Learning how to think, read, and write analytically are skills called for in most careers. I guess my message is this: college degrees are valuable. If you want one or need one, get a real one. But, they are neither appropriate nor necessary for everyone. And if you are looking for a way to make a living without attending any sort of college or university, read on. I am about to tell you about computer network engineering.
A major plus for someone from a seminary or yeshiva background is that Torah learning requires that a person be able to assimilate complex ideas independently. Gemara learning, in particular, develops the ability to sit and learn complex material for long periods of time. This is exactly the skill needed to be able to keep up with the field of computer networking, and in my opinion gives a person with this background a leg up in the field.
What Is a Computer Network?
In the beginning, back when computers filled an entire floor of a building and were used for Census Bureau calculations and Department of Defense ballistics charts, they were standalone affairs. The data was all on site, and the results were generated on site and sent out to whoever needed them. Soon enough, people realized that it would be useful to be able to use the computer without being in the same room or even the same building. Remote terminal services were born, where a teletype machine could talk to the computer through a phone line. Soon after that, it became obvious, once there were more than five or 10 computers in the world, that it would be quite useful if they could talk (send data) to each other, and people started working on the problem.
One of the first teams to solve this problem was DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Because all data in computers is expressed in binary – that is, written in streams of 0s and 1s (each individual 0 and 1 is a bit) – they figured out how to take the information from a computer, encode it in a way that could be put on a wire, and send that encoded information to a second computer, which would be able to decode the information and use it. The way it was done was to break up the information into manageable, standardized chunks known as “packets.” Each packet would have a “payload” of data and would be surrounded by “headers,” special fields that contained information about which computer needed to receive this packet, the type of payload, and how to reassemble the payloads into the original data.
The earliest packet-based network created by DARPA was called ARPANET. The first message was placed on ARPANET at 10:30 p.m., on October 29, 1969. ARPANET was based on the idea of an Interface Message Processor (IMP), intermediate systems that read the address of these packets, and forward (route) them in an appropriate direction. These IMPs would later be known as routers. Today’s internet is the descendant of ARPANET and is based on “routers.”
If there are more than two computers in the same building, however, they don’t need a router to talk to each other. Instead, all the computers can listen to a common “wire.” This led to multiport devices that connected computers in the same building, ending up with the “switches” of today. Therefore, all modern networks, whether a wireless router in a private home, a private network of a multinational corporation, or the internet itself, are based on routers and switches.
Standardization
In the early days, the internet was only connected to universities, such as UCLA and Stanford. But, after the advent of microcomputers and the personal computer, it became obvious that it would be useful to have computers communicate with each other in the private sector as well. Several different technologies were invented to do this, each with its own. Apple had Appletalk, and then there was Decnet from DEC, Tokenring from IBM, Lantastic, Novell, and others. Over time, it became apparent that if everyone used the same technologies, according to agreed upon standards, equipment from different companies could talk to each other. Currently, the network world revolves around a nucleus of standards, like Ethernet and TCP/IP, as well as several major network players, like Cisco, Juniper, Foundry, and others.
In the 90s, Novell starting certifying people on its technology. This certification program was the first vendor-sponsored certification that gained wide acceptance. It soon became a recognized standard with employers due to the dominance of Novell’s products. After a while, Novell’s fortunes started to wane, and Cisco became the major player in networking. Now that about 80 percent of all routers and switches come from Cisco, including large parts of the internet core, Cisco certifications have become important to employers.
Many manufacturers have certification programs now, and many of these have real value both for employers and for people wanting to get into the field. Cisco is probably the most valuable certification to have. I personally have built a career out of Cisco. From what I can see from within the networking field, Cisco will be a major player for at least the next decade, and probably beyond that. Moreover, Cisco products are “standards based,” meaning that when you have Cisco certifications, you also have a good grasp of standard protocols that can be used with other manufacturers’ equipment. Cisco has also done a good job of making the certifications require considerable work to obtain, keeping them relevant and up-to-date, and developing new ones to match emerging technology. For all these reasons, the rest of this article will be about obtaining Cisco certification.
Cisco Certification
The basis for a career in computer network engineering is in obtaining Cisco certifications. The value of the certification is in forcing you to learn topics which are most pertinent to doing actual work in designing, installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting computer networks.
The main place to go to get the latest information on Cisco certifications is at http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/learning_career_certifications_and_learning_paths_home.html. There, you will find a chart that shows you the progression of the certifications, from lower to higher level. The names of the certifications are:
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT): This entry level certification requires passing one of the two tests needed for CCNA. This is bare minimum knowledge for someone who does not do networking full time.
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)® requires two tests. This is your basic foundation certification for working on networks. It provides a solid foundation for entry level jobs in the field. People at this level perform basic maintenance and configuration tasks under the direction of people with a CCNP. People at this level can expect to earn between $15 and 25 per hour, depending on experience.
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)® requires three to five tests. This is the journeyman level, which imparts an advanced knowledge of the networking field. People with this certification are professionals who can work independently to design and configure small networks, or work with higher level engineers to design and deploy larger networks. People at this level can earn between $25 and $45 per hour and higher.
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) requires a three-hour, 100-question written test and an eight-hour lab exam. The lab exam has over a 90 percent failure rate. There are only around 20,000 CCIE holders worldwide. CCIE holders have the skill level to design very large networks, and to provide advanced knowledge for more dificult scenarios. This type of person would be in charge of a department and should be earning at least $50 per hour, entry level. It goes up from there.
All the certifications require passing tests. However the CCIE is in a class by itself. CCIE holders are considered the elite in the networking world. It takes people several years to train for these tests, and usually several attempts. This test would be the equivalent of a college master’s degree.
Different Paths
On the chart, you will also see the various “Certification Paths.” The pertinent ones are Routing and Switching, Wireless, Storage, Voice, Security, and Service Provider. Each one of these is an important field in its own right. However, I advise that a person start with CCNA in Route/Switch. Routing and switching is the foundation for all the other topics. Earning the CCNA could take up to six months, maybe more or less, depending on the amount of effort and time you put into it.
After the CCNA, I advise obtaining the CCNP in Route/Switch. That is likely to take close to a year, but you do it while you are working at the job you got from having your CCNA.
After that, you should take on at least one other networking technology field by obtaining the CCNA in that field. These fields are:
Route/switch is the basis for all networking; all of the other technologies run on top of it. One should always be certified in route/switch.
Wireless is provisioning wireless networks, based on wifi, for larger installations, such as a corporate campus.
Storage is the technology that allows massive amounts of hard drive space to be attached to a network, and to allow the stored data to flow to different locations.
Voice is phone systems that run over data networks, based on the Cisco product line.
Security is the deployment of firewalls, instrusion detection, and methodology to secure computer networks.
Service provider is the technology needed by large internet providers, like Verizon and Comcast, to attach to the internet backbone and provide internet services to multiple customers.
Which one you choose should be determined solely by which one you find interesting, or at least most interesting. If you find it boring you will not be good at it.
How to Do It
So, how does one go about getting these certifications? There are many options. I will detail these, from most common to the least:
Self study: This is the most common, and the least expensive. It also takes the most discipline. I have developed a system that works for me, which I will share. Let’s take CCNA as an example. If I want to obtain the CCNA, the first thing I will do is go to www.cisco.com. I will click on “Training and Events.” In the dropdown menu, I will click on “All Certifications.” On the resulting chart (reproduced above), I will click on CCNA in the “Routing and Switching” track. This shows me I can take either two separate tests, 640-822 and 640-816, or one combined test, 640-802.
For each test I want to take, I will buy the Ciscopress official book for that test, by going to Amazon and just putting in the test number. I then read this book cover to cover, do all the included exercises, and go through all the material on the included CD. This book also comes with practice test questions. These practice questions are crucial to passing the test. There is also an hour of video training.
Also highly recommended is the Cisco Learning Network; you can sign up on the Cisco website. It contains an enormous amount of advice, practice questions, discussion board, study materials, etc. In addition, there are independent websites set up by people to help themselves and others get certified, including certification blogs. Plus, you can get practice tests from independent vendors, like TestKing, Boson, and many others. Just as an aside, you should not think of the practice tests as a means of prememorizing the questions on the test. These questions exist to point out to you areas in which you are weak. Use them as a study guide only.
Now the question comes up: How do I get hands on experience with the actual equipment before I get a job? That is a tough one, and there is no one good answer. It is pertinent to test taking, because many of the tests have you configure a simulated router or switch, so you have to have seen it beforehand. There are a few options:
- Buy used Cisco equipment on eBay, and an equipment rack, and set up a real lab in your own house. This is a definite option, and more common for the higher certifications.
- Buy an equpment simulator that will run on your PC and simulate Cisco equipment and networks. An example of this is the Cisco network simulator: http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587202166. This is actually a very good option.
- Rent time on actual equipment racks that you remote into and do labs on. This is usually done by CCIE candidates.
Once you have reached a point where you are testing high on the practice tests, you are ready to take a real test. All Cisco tests are administered by PearsonVue, and cost $150 per test. You go to the Pearson Vue website, and navigate through the menus to find the test you want. You then choose a testing center convenient to you. There are about eight in Baltimore. You set up a date and a time, then go take the test. You need a photo ID and one other form of ID. You will have to turn over all your cell phones, smart watches, backpacks, purses, etc. You will be led to a desk with a computer station, where you will take the test. During the test you can get up and go to the bathroom, as long as you tell the attendant. But, you will be under video surveillance while in the test room. Do not speak to or look at anyone else in the room. Do not reach into your pocket for any reason. Don’t give them any reason to believe you are doing something suspicious, as they can disqualify you and ban you from further testing.
Once the test has started, you will have an opportunity to take a short tutorial on what the different style questions look like. I highly recommend you do this if you have not tested before. The test is timed, and there is an on screen remaining-time clock. At the end of the test, the system will immediately display your score and whether or not you passed.
It is important to go to the test center properly rested. Don’t go hungry. I like to take the tests in the morning when I am fresh. Don’t rush, but also don’t get stuck on any one question for more than a minute or two. Read the questions carefully; sometimes they don’t say what you think they are saying. Even if you don’t know the answer to a question, you can at least eliminate some of the obviously wrong answers. Answer every question, even if you are guessing.
Once you pass the last test you need for your certification, you will be notified by email that you have received it. You will also get a certificate in the mail.
Other Learning Options
Let’s say that self-study is too daunting for you, at least at first. You want a live instructor to get started. There are three choices here:
1) Cisco partners with training facilities all over the world to provide classroom instruction. By going to the Cisco website, www.cisco.com, clicking on “Training and Events” and then “Networking Academy,” you can find information about training advisors in your area. I recommend this option, since Cisco exerts some sort of quality control. You can explore this option more thoroughly on the Cisco website. These courses will run at least $1,000 per course.
2) There are a variety of third party groups that offer to train you. The most prominent of these are Global Knowledge and Learning Tree. Both are of high quality. (For any other companies you will need to do a lot of research, including talking to alumni, etc., to find out whether they are worth spending money on.) The Global Knowledge course for one of the tests needed for the CCNA will run you $2,995 for a five-day course. Not cheap. Good, but not cheap. The fact is, the vast majority of people in these courses are there because their companies paid for them to be there. You will find that when you are working in the field of computer networking, often employers will send you to these courses because they need you to have the certification and/or knowledge, and they make far more money off of you having this knowledge than it costs them for the class. Global Knowledge also has online lab facilities that you could use in conjunction with self study.
3) Luckily, there is also an intermediate type of training. There are companies that design courses you can use to study at home. These self-study courses are much more helpful and complete than just learning from a book on your own. They also have online video lectures and practice tests for much less than classroom training. The two best of these companies are IPexpert and Internetwork Expert. Both these have excellent materials. They are best known for CCIE training but also have a variety of courses down to CCNA.
In summary, if you enjoy technology, and are interested in networks of computers or just like computer science in general, and can learn independently, this could be a field for you.
Mr. Sonnenthal’s next article will discuss actually getting a job in the field.
