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My IT Certification/Continuing Education Saga


V.T. Eric Layton

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V.T. Eric Layton

OK, I'm currently studying this book:

 

CompTIA Network+ Certification (2009 Objectives) Vol. 1

 

and I just bought these two (used) from Alibris:

 

CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide (Exam 640-802) - Richard Deal

 

CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide: Exam 640-802 - Todd Laramie

 

I'm gonna' have to study my ascii off to pass this test. If I'm a bit scarce around these parts for the next couple months or so, you'll know why. :yes:

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Eric, all SNF absences for class attendance and study time are hereby approved! Time spent eating and sleeping may be another matter though. ;)

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Time spent eating and sleeping may be another matter though. ;)

Hey, he's getting up there in age like me. We old folks need our beauty sleep or we get grumpy.

Eating is still optional though.

Edited by amenditman
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V.T. Eric Layton

I can do without the eating, but I'll definitely need my 6.5-8.0 hours of sleep per 24hr period. ;)

 

Speaking of old and Bob... how's your continuing education coming along? Are you taking any classes out in Riverview this semester? That's where I'll be Tue-Fri 1230-1630hrs from 8 Jan to 1 March. :yes:

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Speaking of old and Bob... how's your continuing education coming along? Are you taking any classes out in Riverview this semester? That's where I'll be Tue-Fri 1230-1630hrs from 8 Jan to 1 March. :yes:

I begin classes Jan 7 and will be doing the Dale Mabry campus run from Valrico every Mon and Weds evening through May 6. So, we will be trading places. I'll be driving to your house and you'll be driving to mine. So much fun.

 

The good news is I am done with the filler classes and can get down to studying what I want to know. This semester's classes are:

Unix/Linux Administration I

Shell Scripting

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V.T. Eric Layton

I hope to one day be following in your educational footsteps. Hopefully, I can get my new employer to pay for it. ;)

 

I guess we can't carpool, huh? :(

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V.T. Eric Layton

I just took THIS sample CompTIA Network+ exam. It was UGLY. Of course, I'm only 2/3s of the way through Volume 1. I ordered Volume 2 from a seller on Amazon just a few moments ago. After all this studying of the CompTIA Network+ stuff, I might just go in and take that cert exam too. :yes:

 

Hey Penguins... when you're at that test site in the link above, check out the Linux exam. Nevermind. They seem to have suspended that section of the site, temporarily.

 

The A+ sample exam is fun, though. I should probably take that cert exam, too. I pass the sample tests all the time. Actually, the assessment test given at the orientation for this grant program the other day was basically a shortened version of an A+ exam.

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V.T. Eric Layton

Yup. That alphabet soup needs to add up to $$$ for it to be worthwhile.

 

I already have A.S. (Associate of Science - Computer Engineering Technology), C.E.T. (International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians - Associate lapsed) after my name. They don't amount to much $$$ these days, though. :(

 

And of all those letters now and to come, this is the one I'm most proud of:

 

scots_diploma.png

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Ah, but you did.

 

After a quick search though Scot's dusty archives, we found your diploma...

 

scots_diploma-josh.png

Seems like they give those to all the important people. :thumbsup:
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securitybreach

Ah, but you did.

 

After a quick search through Scot's dusty archives, we found your diploma...

 

scots_diploma-josh.png

 

Thanks a lot for finding it ;)

 

Nah... just those who paid their Linux dues. ;)

 

Yeah it looks to have taken me 6 years to get the accomplishment.

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V.T. Eric Layton

About the dates on those diplomas. Mine is the date that I became a Forum MVP. Yours is the date that you became a Admin. :)

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V.T. Eric Layton

Well, I got my Welcome email from the college today. The schedule, syllabus, and directions to the campus were included.

 

Classes are from 8 January to 8 March - Tuesday though Friday from 1230hrs to 1630hrs

 

This is the campus:

 

b2s_regent072612_232300c.jpg

 

I did the test drive there earlier today. It's just under 17 miles one-way. It took me 45 minutes from my driveway to their parking lot... and about $7.50 worth of gas. My ol' truck only gets about 10mpg downhill with a tailwind. :(

 

Here' what I'll be learning...

 

Week

Date

Topic

Outline

1

01/08/2013

Introduction


  • Registration
     

  • Computer Networking
     

  • OSI/TCP Reference Model
     

  • LAN Principals and Configuration

2

01/15/2013

TCP/IP


  • TCP/IP Fundamentals
     

  • IP Addressing and Routing
     

  • IP Utilities

3

01/22/2013

LAN Switching


  • Ethernet Concepts
     

  • Switch Configuration
     

  • Wireless

4

01/29/2013

IP Addressing/Subnetting


  • Classful Networks
     

  • Subnetting and Supernetting
     

  • Designing Subnets
     

  • IPv4 Routing
     

  • Analyzing IP Addresses

5

02/05/2013

Review Week


  • ICND1 Preparation

6

02/12/2013

Advanced LAN Switching


  • Virtual LANs
     

  • Spanning Tree Protocol
     

  • Advanced Configuration

7

02/19/2013

Advanced IP Routing


  • Routing Principals an Theory
     

  • OSPF Configuration
     

  • EIGRP Configuration
     

  • Troubleshooting

8

02/26/2013

Open Week (no classes)


  • Test Prep and Self-Study Week

9

03/05/2013

Program Follow-up


  • IT Speakers
     

  • Revisit Vision
     

  • Tour

Oh, boy! Can't hardly wait....

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V.T. Eric Layton

Oh, I've been cramming for the last three weeks. I've definitely learned a thing or two already. I just brushed the surface of networking until recently. It's a very interesting thing how it all works... from your fingertips to the rest of the world and back to your monitor. Pretty AWESOME stuff. Oddly enough, a lot of the physical portion of the OSI model is the same stuff I learned for my electronics degree back in the late 70s/early 80s. About the only new thing since then is fiber.

 

Last night, I packed my Dell 610 laptop into its bag along with note pads, pencils, pens, calculator, flash drives, and other miscellaneous school boy stuff (slingshot, marbles, bubblegum, etc. th_wink.gif ). I'm all set. The campus offers wifi. I can take notes on my lappy and upload to my Dropbox and a flash drive for storage. I can print them out when I get home, if I want.

 

I almost feel like I did when the 1st day of school was coming up back when I was a wee lad. The major difference is that back then I hated school and would be dreading every minute that took me closer to that 1st day.

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I'd love to take a class like this. My networking knowledge is really my weak area.

 

Adam

Do they still have the section at MS-Tech where you could take a fake test? It wasn't just that they would give results but also the why the answer was correct and in many cases why others were not correct.

Then again, it was 15 years ago that I did this >_<

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V.T. Eric Layton

Another good training course, which I've been studying the past three weeks, is CompTIA Network+. Try THIS sample exam.

 

That's a good site for study guides and sample tests, by the way --> http://www.proprofs.com/certification/

 

Also, the books I mentioned above are available for cheap from most used book sellers online. You can also find .pdf versions at your local library's website. If you have a library card in good standing, you can access them. :yes:

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Well Eric, you inspired me to get ready for school in advance instead of after it starts.

 

I have my little laptop all set up with Scientific Linux. Running Windows 7, CentOS, and RHEL with KVM. Books are ordered and paid for (financial aid funds are released 14 days after classes start so I always self-fund).

All my classes from now on will be either RHEL or Fedora and the RHCSA/RHCE prep I am doing will be on the lappy.

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V.T. Eric Layton

I've been crammin'...

 

I'm learning all about the OSI layered model, physical and logical network topologies, TCP/IP, subnet masking, wiring standards, routers, hubs, switches, etc.

 

My head hurts. I'm beginning to feel like these guys...

 

bigheads.png

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I've been crammin'...

 

I'm learning all about the OSI layered model, physical and logical network topologies, TCP/IP, subnet masking, wiring standards, routers, hubs, switches, etc.

 

My head hurts. I'm beginning to feel like these guys...

 

ST-Menagerie.jpg

That's exactly how I feel when I study the OSI model and all that other stuff.
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