Behind the Plug

1. Behind the Plug 1011: Careers in Networking

2. First Dimension: Component • Hardware is ubiquitous! • A single device has many components • Chips, circuit boards, cases, displays, etc. • The equipment used to build the device • Etc. Hardware Systems Software

3. First Dimension: Component • Software is ubiquitous! • Each device must have a “device driver” • Interfaces programs to the hardware • Operating Systems… • Applications… • User Interfaces… • Etc. Hardware Systems Software

4. First Dimension: Component • Systems are combinations of multiple components • Someone has to know how all the pieces fit together • Software/hardware • Multiple pieces of hardware • Multiple pieces of software Hardware Systems Software

5. Second Dimension: Function • Design • Start from pieces and build a system • Operation • Install a planned system • Maintain an existing system • Repair • Troubleshoot existing systems • Repair existing systems

6. Putting it Together • Every pairing exists! • Hardware design • Hardware maintenance • Hardware repair • Software design • Software maintenance • Software repair • System design • System maintenance • System repair

7. Second Dimension: Function • Combinations of these three are common… • Operation and Repair are often combined • Design, operation, and repair are sometimes combined • Design and repair are rarely combined without operations… • The skills often overlap • It’s hard to be a good designer unless you understand operation and repair • Better troubleshooters always understand design

8. Example Jobs (Look at example jobs here)

9. Example 1: Vendor

10. Example 2: Service Provider

11. Infrastructure Certifications • Cisco has 7 certifications • The new CCAr isn’t shown here • Most of these have specialties • CCIE Route/Switch • CCIE Voice • CCIE Service Provider • CCIE Wireless • Etc. … • The CCDE and CCAr do not have specialties

12. Infrastructure Certifications • Associate Level • Generally one written test • Smaller scope and information level • Professional Level • Generally two to four written tests • Moderate scope and information level • Expert Level • Generally one written and one practical test • Two hour written • Eight hour practical • Deep and broad • Very difficult • On the order of a 20% or less pass rate • People study for years to get an expert level certification

13. Infrastructure Certifications • Architect Level • Generally more “real life” • A problem is given • The candidate provides a possible solution (in writing) • The “board,” determines whether or not to bring the candidate in to continue the process • The “board,” acts as a customer in a one or two day evaluation process • Something between an interview and a test • Very low pass rates • Very expensive • On the order of $15,000 • Microsoft (MCA) and Cisco (CCAr) are the only two available right now

14. Certifications (Example)

15. Infrastructure Certifications • Juniper has certifications which are roughly equivalent to Cisco certifications • No design or architect at this point, though • HP has a “combined” certification, covering their network and server equipment

16. Application/Server Certifications • Microsoft • Most common • Specialist, Professional, Master • Novell • LINUX, Novell, and other certifications • http://www.novell.com/training/certinfo/ • Sun • Database administration, programming, etc. • http://education.oracle.com/pls/web_prod-plq-dad/db_pages.getpage?page_id=141&p_org_id=1001&lang=US

17. Degrees • Most degrees are in: • Electronic engineering for hardware • Computer Science for software • Graphics/Art for user interface design • Project Management • Software Systems for database management, development lifecycle, etc. • Very few degrees in… • Network design/architecture

18. Degrees (Examples)

19. Degrees (Examples)

20. Degrees (Examples)

21. Degrees (Examples)