The CCIE Journey

ITIL Advantages and Disadvantages

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:11:00 +0000

Note: The points are taken from articles all over the Internet. I decided to talk a little about ITIL because it seems to be a topic of interest of conversation between me and my IT peers these days.

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a set of concepts developed by the UK government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA) to standardize IT management practices. Initially published in 1989, it has gone through a few iterations, namely ITIL v1, ITIL v2 and ITIL v3, its most recent version released in 2007. The current version is comprised of five volumes that focus on Service Management.

As with any type of guidelines, there are proponents and opponents who constantly argue about ITIL. The proponents argue that ITIL offers many cost saving measures, which in the current context of the recession makes enormous economic sense. It also helps to organize and manage IT departments. The biggest factor in its favor is that ITIL has been implemented in various parts of the world and has been proved to work.

That being said, it also has its own disadvantages. While ITIL does start to get everyone speaking the same language, its language/terminology is far from complete because it only handles a very small area of IT.

Parts of its language/terminology conflict with other parts of IT's understanding of that language, such as how software developers view "Release Management" and "Configuration Management". This means implementing ITIL to the letter will cause instant conflict with other teams that already have such solutions in place, as part of their own best practice frameworks.

Most people overcomplicate the implementation of ITIL. People and enterprises that lack experience in ITIL tend to implement it one discipline at a time, trying to "scope" its implementation and make it simple. Anyone that has experience in implementing ITIL will tell you that this will lead to far more problems than it will solve. Expenses will be high. Disciplines will be incomplete and in many cases not implemented. Rollouts will take many years. Rollouts will take a great level of time, money, and energy. Tools will be incompatible to each other. Tools will naturally be antiquated as you move from the 1st discipline you rollout to the Nth, which might be years later.

Nevertheless, even with all these disadvantages, to quite a number of people, ITIL remains an excellent management tool. The regular updates, worldwide acceptance and the sheer longevity of the concept are enough to outweigh all its disadvantages.

What do you think?

Whoa. Not Bloomington Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:32:00 +0000

Sometimes in recruiting you can sit on the sidelines predict and watch a train wreck happen. Then follow the steam to its origin and ask the source, “Why?” Why there were over a dozen different firms chasing the same role and no one able to fill it? Why in the same forums on LinkedIn were these same agencies stepping all over each other trying to beat each other to the same pool of talent and still unable to fill the positions? There must have been dozens of capable candidates out there in this rush to turn every stone that were left in the lurch.

Sanity?

In the past few months while this Three Stooges like rush to no good end, was taking place some good candidates were disused. The red flag has been waved and still some of the madness continues. I guess a few have not even gotten the word that this search was called off for a bit. While this craziness was going on I followed the mayhem up stream and spoke with the companies that sent the flotsam of requirements downstream to the waiting hands of all the sub agencies, creating the turbulence. I was asked to throw in and at first I gave it some consideration but decided that throwing in would only cast my team among the lot already thrashing about. So I took a seat once again on the sideline and answered calls for my help with a, “Désolé No Habla Englez”. A smart move was made by Cisco to call off the hounds and start fresh. Wow that was a good call.

Green Flag

So here we are starting again. I was asked to play a role now because my team has earned some credibility by saying “het” when called on so many times before to help the agencies spinning their wheels. Now I can say, yes these roles are for Cisco and yes if you were mishandled before my team will help you get thru the dizziness you might have been treated to. Provide a professional dose of Dramamine to help you regain your composure and queue back up for real this time.

Here’s the scoop on the roles:

In Illinois;

PM: Contract to perm (red badge to blue) We need three of these.

Project Management experience in the deployment of leading edge technologies in a complex commercial environment.
Has completed significant part of formal Project Management training program. (Translation-PM Best Practices or PMI Training)
Has basic knowledge of routing, routing protocols, switching, internet and general network architecture.
Has leadership skills and experience working with large project teams and strategic account teams.
Has a working knowledge of the sales process including risk assessment and scoping.
Has a good understanding of the legal issues with contracts and has advanced negotiation and presentation skills.
Typically requires BS/BA degree or equivalent plus 4-5 years related experience in networking / telecommunications industry or min 4-5 years managing LAN and/or WAN network implementation and support PLUS 2-3 years in a Clearly defined Project Management role. Project plan and schedule creation, ability to balance multiple critical tasks.
Advanced Negotiation, Communication and presentation skills.
Ability to work independently in remote customer sites.

Responsibilities:

Manages medium to large or multiple small customer facing projects.
Creation of a project schedule and plan with financial, resource and material requirements.
Participates in the preparation of proposals and agreements.
Oversees project staff including project engineers, vendors, partners and subcontractors.
Manages the project from start to completion including the resolution of project issues.

NCE: Contract to perm (red badge to blue) We need 14 of these.

Expertise in Cisco UCC Technology (UCCE, CVP, IPIVR) and UC Platform required.
* CCIE Voice (LOL-Preferred but not required)
* Knowledgeable of Advanced Services Program model deliverables (we can explain this) and expectations. Be able to articulate value-add to Customer.
* Leading edge technology design assistance for primary accounts.
* Cross-functional contribution and impact with development engineering on product development and serviceability design.
* Excellent consulting and communication skills.
* Excellent Multi-Vertical Market Industry Education, Exposure and Experience. Leverages Vertical Market Industry analysis documentation.
* Continuously pursuing an accomplished expertise level for selected technology.
* Excellent understanding of customer network infrastructure business goals and objectives and apply this knowledge to influence customer and Cisco success.
* Excellent understanding of the customer Change Mgmt process and positive or negative impact towards achieving desired goals.
* Excellent understanding of customer overarching Governance, Standards, Policies and Practices.
* Excellent understanding of the customer formal/informal culture.
* Excellent time management skills. Able to manage required workload schedule, actively offer assistance to other team members or groups on selected emerging technologies.
* Strong understanding of all chosen current technologies and good understanding of emerging technologies.
* Excellent technical account management skills.
* Advanced technical project management skills.
* Strong technical presentation skills to all levels, especially to Cisco and customer senior management.
* Strong communications skills that must be both verbal and media based.
* Demonstrated team leadership.
* Travel Required

So welcome back to sanity and if you would like to work for a world class organization that has helped many geeks build their careers with some great enterprise expertise, you really need to put you trust in our team at CCIE Agent, Limited.

Send resume to eman@ccieflyer.com and lets talk!

Narbik Kocharians CCIE R&S v4.0 Bootcamp, Singapore is CONFIRMED!

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:06:00 +0000

You asked for it. Now you got it! After receiving so many mails from people asking for the bootcamp in Singapore (sorry people that I did not reply to all of you due to the amount of time I have) we are finally going to have his awesomeness Narbik conducting a bootcamp in Singapore in 2012! This is seriously exciting and superb news!

Here are the details:

Date : 9 April 2012 to 13 April 2012 so MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

Here's a secret that I just got fresh from the oven, whoever attends this Singapore bootcamp will get Narbik's VoD (Video on Demand) classes for FREE. That's right folks. Absolutely NO extra costs. Apart from the excellent VoDs, you will also get Narbik's TS (troubleshooting) 4.0 workbook as well as two fully graded mock labs where one of them emulates the real TS portion of the lab with a gazillion routers. During this bootcamp, you will receive two sets of racks (one from Narbik and the other from Cisco).You will also receive a few other excellent stuff which is detailed in the 'a bit of information on Narbik's bootcamp' section. Read to find out what you will be getting :-).

So what are you waiting for people? This is a chance of a lifetime. It's an early magical XMas present from Narbik the man himself so open up your web browser and confirm your seats with a unbelievably cheap payment of USD 2,995.00 ONLY by clicking HERE.

A bit of information on Narbik's bootcamp:

CIERS-I + Narbik’s Boot Camp:

This program offers Narbik’s Routing and Switching as well as Cisco 360 CCIE R&S Advanced Workshop

This program offers 5-day Instructor Led lessons, a lab guide and hands-on labs on specific topics, as well as Assessment labs, including instructor time and feedback to provide student mentoring and support.

This Boot Camp is one of the BEST boot camps in the world that teaches learners how to use an expert-level problem-solving process that includes options analysis to support complex network technologies and topologies. This course is part of a blended learning curriculum that supports expert-level preparation in routing and switching.

Prerequisite Knowledge:

CCNP + or equivalent knowledge
Review of Micronics’ “The Foundation 4.0” Workbook
The students should also have CCNP level knowledge of Switching, frame-relay, RIPv2, Eigrp, OSPF, BGP, QoS, IPv6 and Multicasting

Who Should Attend

Candidates that need to acquire their CCIE Routing and Switching certificate.
Network engineers/designers that need to raise their knowledge to an expert-level.

Boot Camp Hours:

The duration of this boot camp is 5 days
Monday – Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM or later
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 AM
Friday 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Instructor:

Narbik Kocharians CCSI, CCIE #12410 (R&S, Security, SP)

Narbik a Triple CCIE has over 33 years of experience in the industry. He has designed, implemented and supported numerous enterprise networks. Some of the companies that Narbik has worked/Consulted for are IBM, Carlton United Breweries, Australian Cable and Wireless, BP, AMOCO and in US, 20th Century Ins., Home Saving of America, Verizon, TTI, Trinet Inc, Anderson Networking and Consulting and many more. Narbik has been a dedicated CCIE instructor for over 12 years.

What the Students Get:

Upon registration, the students will receive an E-COPY of “The Foundation 4.0” Work Book; this workbook prepares the students for the Boot Camp. Written by Narbik Kocharians
A Secured PDF file of the “Advanced CCIE Routing and Switching 4.0” Work Book. This book is written by Narbik Kocharians. Valued at $350.
A Secure PDF file of the “Advanced Boot Camp 4.0”. This workbook is written by Narbik Kocharians values at $499 USD.
Cisco’s 360 Program Courseware, web portal, and Lab Guide

Payment Policy / Options: Prepayment is required on all courses and packages. All prices are based on USD currency. Pricing, registration terms, and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Payment can be made using one of the following methods:

PayPal
Credit Card: American Express, MasterCard, Visa.
CISCO Learning Credits.
Bank Wire.

Cancellation Policy:

There are no refunds. We need a minimum of two weeks notice for postponing the class. You will be issued a credit. You can take the class at a different date or location. There is no expiration for the credit.

Retake Policy

Students can retake this class as many times as they need based upon availability. If the student(s) want to practice the labs, they must have access to their own pod of hardware. This hardware can be rented from Micronics or a vendor of their choice.

CCIE as CEO How Does it Work?

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:02:00 +0000

As the CCIE Agent to the world I have been asked by a lot of CCIEs to help them find career alternatives to their current situations. Some are employed in what appear to be great jobs because the companies are multi-national or just really big. Often CCIEs working for the really big companies are only interested in moves to other really big companies. What many CCIEs have learned though is this. Big does not mean stable or equal to job security. In the past four years I have been in the Cisco SRS program I have also been an accidental traveler on the economic tsunami that has surged over every shore and border. Yet starting out the new adventure with Cisco during this harsh period has taught me a few things. One lesson is, Big or Really Big Company does not equal Job Security, another lesson is the average Cisco Channel reseller between 35 and 100 employees has survived and many have actually thrived. The phenomenon has kept CCIE Agent, Limited growing. So I decided to take one of my clients to task in a very public way. Yeah I know it’s risky because the competition will try and call and candidates will go direct, all the things most recruiters are afraid of. BUT I am not a recruiter, remember? I am a career agent. This client is managed and owned by a CCIE and he serves in many capacities for his company as it grows.

http://ccieflyer.com/2011-11-Harry_Haramis.php

CCIE Flyer

O………O……..

Eman - CCIE Agent

302-438-1681

CCIE Flyer, CCIE Jobs, CCIE Network

Cisco SRS Program Member

www.ccieflyer.com

Has the global search found you?

Narbik Kocharians CCIE Routing and Switching v4.0 Bootcamp 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 06:10:00 +0000

Hello readers of my blog, some good news for those who are interested in a CCIE Routing and Switching bootcamp in South East Asia. I just had a chat with Narbik on him possibly coming over to Malaysia or somewhere nearby and I am glad to say he agreed. If we can get SEVEN new participants to this bootcamp, rest assured Narbik himself will pack his own er ... clothes and come teach us! :-) Please find the following details for your planning.

CCIE Routing and Switching v4.0 Bootcamp

You will have two options for this bootcamp.

1st option : 5-days bootcamp costing ONLY USD $2,800.00
2nd option : 12-days bootcamp costing ONLY USD $4,000.00

Venue : Cisco office in SINGAPORE
Tentative date : First quarter 2012 (the faster we have SEVEN confirmed participants the better)

Instructor : Narbik Kocharians (none other than the Cisco sensei himself)

Materials include: Bootcamp, light refreshments, workbooks/learning materials from BOTH Narbik's and the Cisco 360 ones, non-boring classes and occasional jokes so that you won't be bored :-).

I have done a five-days review on his bootcamp which can be found here if you are interested in getting a glimpse of what to expect from this bootcamp. Believe me on one thing, when Narbik teaches you, he REALLY teaches you.

So for those interested and wants to tentatively confirm their attendance, please send me a mail here with the subject "NARBIK KOCHARIANS SINGAPORE BOOTCAMP 2012" in capital letters and if possible mark the mail as "high importance".

I really want us who are dead serious to get their CCIEs or to just upgrade their knowledge to a CCIE-level take this rare opportunity so what are you waiting for? CCIE #3xxxx is for grabs :-)

Brain Sald Surgery : Cisco Laying Off. What!?

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:57:00 +0000

So what do you think? :-)

What is the difference between an IP base image and an IP services image

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:20:00 +0000

Now you know why an IPBase 3560 can do inter-vlan routing when there are people who tells you that an IPBase image does not do layer 3 routing ...

What is the difference between an IP base image and an IP services image

VERSION 3

Resolution

The IP base is for the Standard Multilayer Software Image (SMI) switches, and the IP services image is for the Enhanced Standard Multilayer Software Image (EMI) switches in Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)SEB and later.

For the Catalyst 3750 and 3560 switches, Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)SEA and earlier referred to the image that provides Layer 2+ (L2) features and basic Layer 3 routing as the Standard Multilayer Image (SMI). The image that provides full Layer 3 routing and advanced services was referred to as the EMI.

The inter VLAN routing feature is supported on both IP base or SMI and IP services or EMI image Layer 3 switches. For Layer 2-only switches, you require a Layer 3 routing device with any of the previous images.

The IP Base feature set includes advanced quality of service (QoS), rate limiting, access control lists (ACLs), and basic static and Routing Information Protocol (RIP) functions. Dynamic IP routing protocols (Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), BGPv4, Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)) are available only on the IP services image.

The IP Services image provides a richer set of enterprise-class features, which includes advanced hardware-based IP unicast and IP Multicast routing. Support for IPv6 Layer 3 switching in hardware is also available with the addition of the Advanced IP Services license to either the IP Base or the IP Services images. Both the IP base Image and the IP services image allow for Layer 3 and Layer 4 lookups for QoS and security.

10 IT positions ranked by prestige

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:49:00 +0000

Being a network engineer is fun at times when the network is up and running. But when the network fails for whatever reason or doesn't follow your every will and starts to bite at you for no reason, you tend to think otherwise. However in a world where you are able to do cool tricks like packet sniffing, packet analyzing, creating countless of loops here and there, there's so much fun to just not do networking!

This is what I have been doing a good 5 years of my life. Playing around with them cables, tying myself with them and also at times hanging myself with them trying to think I am some kick-ass Ninja with 9 lives or maybe trying to emulate Criss Angel or David Copperfield.

Believe it or not, some places that I have worked before were 1/4 of this picture. If my network rack at work were to be like this and I was the one who originally started the cabling, I will shoot myself to dead...

##### ##### ##### ##### ##### #####

This was taken from TechRepublic. They have some really kick-ass documents to learn and reflect on. Useful for fresh IT school grads and experienced professionals alike. By the way I am located at number 7. I think I need to start looking at non-IT careers in the near future haha ;-). FYI, I did had experience in most of those listed and frankly IT Manager should be no.1.

Takeaway: People often judge you by your job title — as unfair as that may be. Alan Norton ranks 10 IT job roles based on the degree of respect they command.

Humans have an innate desire to categorize everything from animals to social status. We do so because it is how our brains simplify and understand a complex world. People may categorize or stereotype you based solely on your job title — your prestige, or respect if you prefer, is determined by your position.
This class structure within IT is largely unspoken but real nonetheless

1: Systems analyst

The systems analyst is admired for his or her expertise in the multiple roles needed to build a successful system. They’re self-supervised and independent, and managers get out of their way and let them do their job. They are envied for their autonomy, high pay, and challenging work. They earn admiration for their high level of education, knowledge, and accomplishments. This unique combination puts the systems analyst at the top of the list.

2: Programmer

The programmer enters the room and a hush falls across the crowd. One person with awe and reverence showing on his face whispers in a respectful hush, “That’s the programmer who wrote the AI code!” Okay, programmers may not receive this amount of aggrandizement, but they are typically held in a special place of esteem. To the average person, programmers do nothing short of magic. They make the Web come to life with a multitude of useful applications. They create new and strange virtual worlds. They enable computers to do everything from gaming to running essential functions of business. And they do so with mysterious and enigmatic languages known to only those select few who are the keepers of the code.

3: DBA

If you have done any database work at all and are fortunate enough to have a database administrator, you will appreciate the workload that the DBA removes from your plate. A smart developer learns early on that a good, experienced DBA is critical to the successful completion of the project. Part art and part science, DBAs’ skills can have a significant impact on the performance of the systems they help develop and support.

4: Project lead

Project leads who get their hands dirty and help with all phases of the project lifecycle are respected for their technical as well as their management skills. The role is not given to newcomers. Only those with years of experience make it to project lead. This alone is enough to earn the high esteem of the other project team members.

5: System admin

Access rights granted by sysadmins are just a hurdle in the completion their peers’ tasks. Sadly, the other good work they do goes unnoticed, primarily because even IT professionals have no clue what else they are responsible for. And all it takes is one bad experience trying to get system access for a user to lose any admiration for all system administrators.

6: IT manager

Unlike other professions, where manager would be at the top of the list, IT managers are hurt by the perception that they don’t do the “real work.” IT managers earn respect for their advancement up the career ladder, but this is offset by their perceived lack of technical skills. It may be unfair ,but managers lack IT cred. In addition, employees believe that their managers may have a general idea of their work but lack a detailed understanding of exactly what they do.

7: Network admin

Mention the words network admin to most, and these are the thoughts that are likely running through their head: “Isn’t he the reason I can’t see Facebook and Twitter? Sure, I get a blazing fast connection to the Internet, but what good is that if I can’t get to Youtube? He’s probably reading my email too!” No love there, and the network admin gets no love for the network being up, either — only grief when it goes down.

8: Reporting specialist

When you get right down to it, the reporting specialist is nothing more than a glorified cleric, pulling data from the system, putting numbers into charts, and spitting out reams of paper in the process. If you have to deliver charts with bad numbers to your manager, you may need to use this time-honored phrase: “Don’t shoot me. I’m Just the messenger!”

9: Technician

Never appreciated until a hardware or system emergency occurs, the lowly technician becomes associated with bad circumstances. You know there’s trouble if the tech shows up. He or she may be given the moniker “hero for the day,” but more often than not, users just want technicians to fix their system and be on their way. The uninformed may compare the technician’s skills to the auto mechanic or the Maytag repairman. Usually in crisis mode, the high stress, low pay, and difficult hours typical of the technician do not garner much prestige.

10: Help desk analyst

Help desk analysts are the Rodney Dangerfields of the IT world. The people answering the phone on the help desk get no respect from clients or other IT professionals. They are expected to solve as many problems as possible at tier one but are not paid the wages befitting that level of technical expertise. When the phone rings, there is almost always an unhappy customer on the line. Help desk analysts take unwarranted verbal abuse for circumstances beyond their control and are rarely recognized for their efforts. Their performance is typically measured by the number of calls they take and complete per hour — not exactly a formula for friendly verbal banter, low stress, and thoughtful problem resolution. Respect? Even Rodney Dangerfield got more respect without the added stress.

The bottom line

Much of what I have written is totally unfair to the IT professional. Unfortunately, I believe it’s how many people perceive the IT roles I have listed — and perceptions can be difficult to overcome. While it is true that stereotypes and perceptions often predetermine prestige, it is equally true that prestige can be earned in the most mundane of jobs as well as lost by those in the most respected of jobs. Unlike the social classes of Victorian England, where right of birth was the sole determinant of one’s class, the working classes of IT are open to all who are talented enough and industrious enough to achieve them. The reporting specialist, or any other IT role for that matter, can be a stepping stone to a better paying position with higher prestige. For example, I turned my reporting position into a developer’s role by automating the weekly charts. If you are looking to climb the prestige ladder, you can do the same. You only need to be clever enough and wise enough to recognize and seize the opportunities that present themselves.
I am reminded of the old joke where the body parts get together to decide which is most important and therefore should lead. One of the morals of the story is that all of the body parts are important. If you have a job that is low on the prestige ladder, you should walk proudly with your head held high. You know how hard you work. You know the unique skills required to do your job. You know how important you are to the overall success of the company. Never let anyone, including me, tell you otherwise.

The Great CCIE Sale 2011!

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Tue, 03 May 2011 05:50:00 +0000

At CCIE Agent, Limited we believe that employers are paying too much for recruiting CCIEs. So the reason we have been charging the lowest fees in the industry is to help CCIEs with their careers. We have been very fortunate to have developed the largest network of CCIEs outside of Cisco Systems. How this was done is simple. Some good people doing good things for the CCIE community have been the key to our success. There have been countless instances of support of CCIEs in times of trouble or in need of help who have turned the name Eman into a name synonymous with CCIE careers. There has been CCIE Number association help, CCIE hostage support, CCIE mixers, Cisco Network Academy presentations, Cisco HR Talent Program presentations (where educating the hiring companies on the care and feeding of CCIEs is discussed), even the weird CCIE stuff and of course this CCIE sale!

No hiring manager should ever pay more than $10,000 as a fee for recruiting CCIEs. As part of the Cisco SRS program our fees have been advertised through the Cisco Partner Talent Portal at 18%. This reduced rate has been in place as part of the program that presents the best in class recruiting agencies to the Cisco resellers. Still whenever they call we have been offering much better pricing options. Since we find our services in great demand we have been offering better rates for over two years. So we start offering our fees at 12% for general placement and CCIE recruitment and for those clients looking for a better price we have a $10k cap. So do the math 20% from the competition or $10k? An average CCIE salary is just over $120k per year so the question is, why pay $24,000 when $10k is better? The network of CCIE we have developed now exceeds 12,000 globally and growing every day. We have already done the work of attracting the best in the industry and specialize in the, “Passive Candidate” not found on the boards or job sites and we have a, “No Poaching” commitment with Cisco Systems as part of the SRS program agreement. This is why a hiring manager should care about who they work with but why should a CCIE care?

Why should you care if you are a CCIE? Well some employers will take the cost of the recruitment fee right out of your first year salary. It’s true when you get contacted by a recruiter that has found you on the ether and they are trying to sell you on their great recruiting skills ask them what they charge their clients. Nothing is off limits today so make sure you take this into consideration when allowing anyone to have access to your resume. Beware of automated sites where you blindly submit your resume for a posting this is a good way of losing control of your resume and you could bump into it where you least expect to, like your current employer! Since everyone is trying now to recruit CCIEs it is hard to distinguish the good guys from the bad. “Eman is still the only global CCIE Recruiter promoted by the Worldwide Channels of Cisco Systems and the SRS Program.”

Eman is personally responsible for many Cisco resellers achieving Solver and Gold reseller status through the placement of the key resources they need, CCIEs. So if you are a CCIE, future CCIE or hiring manager interested in finding a CCIE with a free CCIE number give Eman a call 302-438-1681 or email me eman@ccieflyer.com.

If you are a CCIE and want to spend some time discussing that career you have spent so much money and time on call Eman at 302-438-1681 or email me eman@ccieflyer.com. Don’t be fooled by imitators there is only one CCIE Agent and that is Eman!

CCIE in the Witness Protection Program

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 15:53:00 +0000

Will the real CCIE #11841 Please Stand Up?

I guess we could be blowing this CCIE’s cover if we share with you the details of what he told his employer. He said he was in the federal witness protection program and had to change his name. There are many stories CCIEs share with us here at the CCIE Flyer and all of them are unique. Here is a great tale of a CCIE on the run and seeking protection from his reputation and certification. The story began in the hallowed halls of MIT a place he received a PHD in his youth. He then selected to pursue a career in network engineering. Along the way he got into trouble and was given protection by the FBI. Normally about now in my story, I would be warning all you neophytes about the dangers of drugs and associating with nefarious types when not studying for the lab. Not this time though, because it was all a lie. Yup the CCDE, CCIE and PHD were all lies told in the interview and the plaques hanging in this guy’s cubicle.

It started five years ago when a pharmaceutical company was seeking a CCIE for their team. They were happy to find a CCIE who was willing to join their IT department. This pharmaceutical giant had no requirement for a CCIE cert, but it is considered the gold standard and anyone with the cert makes recruiting the right skills easier. So it was with much joy that the holder of the CCIE, CCDE and PHD was welcomed into the team. After decorating his cubicle with his certifications and degrees he began working as a trusted resource. But one day five years later in a casual conversation Kevin was asked about his CCDE. “Where did you take the test?” a fellow CCIE inquired. To this he responded RTP. The questioning CCIE was surprised because as a CCIE he knew the CCDE exam is given in Chicago. So Kevin’s CCIE number and name were finally reviewed using the Cisco certification verification tool. To the surprise of all, he was not listed as a CCIE or CCDE. Called into the office to discuss this find he confessed that his real name was Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841. That name and number were confirmed and he went on to explain he had been working under his new name because he was under the protection of the FBI and in the federal witness protection program.

Liar FIRED!

Now that’s a story I want to hear myself! It was not long ago that I had written about a fake CCIE in Africa. Since then the fake CCIEs have remained at bay, at least from my requirements, but this one was brought to my attention by the recent hiring manager and Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841 himself. After five years of successfully hoodwinking his employers this fake Kevin Hunt really blew their minds with the last story he told them. The FBI witness protection program was a real doozy. Making up that one was harder than passing the lab! It might not be the easiest of certifications to earn but it is one of the easiest to verify. Cisco has a verification tool people! There are a lot of fakes in this world but the highest paid fakes in IT, follow the highest paid certification they can. Sure they get interviewed and some can do a fare job of technical questions. So my question is this, “Why?” A pharmaceutical does not need to register a CCIE’s number, yet they give CCIEs good homes and pay.

So he is on the run now from the law in real life. Identity theft is a felony fake Kevin and real Kevin has provided me with the actual filing and report to the authorities. Now comes the cool part, the fake CCIE will end up in jail right? Wrong! He has not stopped, fake Kevin is still out there I just looked on LinkedIn and Facebook where he still claims to be CCIE #11841. He also claims to be a PHD from MIT and I have a copy of his resume where it clearly states he graduated from The College of Charleston in South Carolina with a BS degree. Maybe that’s where he learned how to BS? I think he needs to get his money back because his BS is so thick it is painfully obvious. The storm over the fake Kevin is so heavy now that three past employers and one co-worker all CCIEs are up in arms. As I began this piece I had just two complainers now there are five knocking on my door.

The Fugitive

Is there no justice? Maybe a raging mob storming the cube the liar is lying from would be a cool scene for a movie but the fact is he got his information from the Wall of Fame where he located a person with the same first name, Kevin, then began his job search as a CCIE. The real Kevin Hunt was contacted by two of the fake Kevin’s …err ahh… fake CCIE’s past employers as they were trying to verify his CCIE number using the verification tool. Funny thing is the LinkedIn profile does not list the previous employers that smoked him out and he still claims he has a Top Secret clearance and has been a successful CCIE and Senior Network engineer on many Department of Defense projects. Oh it also states he has a degree from MIT. Why would you hang that kind of achievement in an office cubicle anyway?

This from the real Kevin Hunt;

“Below are 3 folks that have come across Mr. Kimbrell's shenanigans. At least one of them works for a company that actually hired him. If either of you know Mr. Feeny, you'll know he's as angered by this as any of us.

Following this email you will get an email with attached email communications with the below, as well as the police report I filed in February of 2008.

Of particular interest is that he told NWN that he dropped the name Hunt from his name legally because his father was put in prison for beating his mother and didn't want to carry his father's last name anymore. The kindest thing I can say about this guy is that he's a damn poor use of carbon.

Regarding the article, I'd humbly ask that you state that you've been in contact with the "real Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841" and that I actually do exist and am not Kimbrell. I own several successful companies, but a few bad decisions can cause any business owner to need to look for employment. If I were a head hunter I'd have all resumes w/ #11841 sent to the bit bucket immediately...”

His real name kind of sounds like Richard Kimball the victim of the movie and TV show, “The Fugitive”.

This from LinkedIn:

Education and certification
• Masters of Science in Computer Science – MIT
• Project Management Professional – PMI
• CCIE – Cisco Certified Internetwork Engineer
• CCNA – CCNP – CCDA – CCDP - Cisco
• MTCS – Microsoft certified technology specialist
• MCM – Microsoft Certified Master
• MCA – Microsoft Certified Architect
• CCDP – Cisco Certified Design Professional
• RHCE – Red Hat Certified Engineer
• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

US Department of Homeland Security

Government Agency; Government Administration industry

January 2009 – Present (2 years 2 months)

Ops and support for DIA.
Manage team of 268 with 26 heads.
NACLC - Current
(TS) Top Secret clearance current 2010
(SCI) Sensitive Compartmented Information
(SCI) Single Scope Background Investigation

If you are going to lie about a certification at least get it right, “Cisco Certified Internetwork Engineer” (?) So here we tell the tale of a person living a lie and steeling another’s identity.

As Rod Serling might say, venture with me if you will into the Twilight Zone…….Du Du Da Dahhh

Well at the department of homeland security they were able to find Cat Stevens when searching for Osama Bin Laden, (don’t get me wrong I for one was really happy we found Cat Stevens, I mean I really did buy all his albums back in the 70s!) so it does not surprise me that they found the fake CCIE #11841 while looking for the real one. It says on the fake’s LinkedIn profile that he works there now and has for the past year.

Resume still says, “Kevin Kimbrell – Hunt”

Everywhere else his name is minus the hyphenated Hunt. That’s funny; Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841 has the same last name! I’m confused….

Scott Morris, Hiding in a Crowd

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 06:41:00 +0000

It was a few years ago when I first met Scott Morris. He was instrumental in helping me have the courage to pursue CCIE recruitment as a mainstay. I had selected for my vehicle the CCIE Flyer which he found to be a great idea. So we communicated a couple of times by phone in the beginning. I was soon on my way to Cisco Live in Orlando where I was really not too sure what I would do. I was going to Networkers to network, go figure. The year leading up to this event had me excited about the Talent Program from Cisco called SRS. Then the work I did with Cisco in freeing a pair of CCIEs’ numbers was followed by a couple of more noteworthy efforts I was a part of in helping a few other CCIEs were published in the CCIE Flyer. Well Scott told me I should go to Cisco Live and meet more of the CCIEs who were reading the CCIE Flyer in person.

On my long journey there he texted me several times about a party being held off the Cisco Live premise. It turns out this would be his last event for his employer at the time but I was able to meet a large group of CCIEs there. The event was very cool and Scott was right, a bunch of the CCIEs did already know me or about me. I was extremely flattered. Then Scott left for another training company and in his wake things seemed to go quiet. It was like he dropped out of site. After being the poster child for CCIE training for a while it was odd that he basically dropped off the radar. So I am very pleased to be interviewing him about life!

Q: Scott you have been busy lately. I was at the open house to witness firsthand the next phase of your journey. The training facilities looked spiffy and the team of Marvin Greenlee and Keith Barker looks like winning combination. Tell how long have you known these two?

A: Wow, it seems like eons! I’ve known Marvin longer as I had worked with him at more than one vendor previously. But even Keith, I knew “of” him before meeting him personally and working with him at our last employer. Good thing is that we have several years collectively of working together as a team, and knowing how each other functions so that we can easily bring out the best!

Q: These guys are triple and dual CCIEs respectively. Are they underachievers?

A: Hmmmm… I was thinking more like they have a better grasp on sanity than I do! Never underestimate anyone’s desire for learning though! Remember that my CCIE number is a bit lower than theirs, so they still have a few years to dazzle the world with their accomplishments, which may yet be significantly different than mine or even overshadow mine! Besides, even if they had a single CCIE, as I’m sure you have come to appreciate in your working with talent all over the world… it’s not JUST a certification (or even a plethora of them) that truly makes a person great. I have a great team, or a team of great people no matter the specifics of certifications.

Q: While I was there Keith showed me the online training developed for the iPad. It was cool in a few ways. The dialogue was engaging and the graphics were pretty sharp. Is online learning going to change the way network engineers prepare for certifications?

A: Just a few ways? J Clearly you weren’t watching for long enough! The thing about what we are doing is that it’s not a limit of ‘online’ learning. It is an evolution in learning methods. There are similarities to what others have done, in that it’s a recorded medium. And yet there are several distinct differences that make it excel well beyond where others are at. And, not just in the specifics of any given course, but in the idea of the entire curriculum. But I think you are baiting me a little bit here. That’s enough of a teaser for the moment. I’m not quite ready to conquer the world via that mechanism yet, but stay tuned for some exciting developments in the world of self-paced learning!

Q: In the past you worked for two grey market training companies. They function differently than Cisco authorized learning partners. Since they are acting as unauthorized training companies do they have different kinds of business meetings? Do they wear robes and hoods to remain incognito while reciting chants and interpreting runes?

A: Well, you know that there are blood oaths of secrecy, so I’m really not at liberty to discuss those kinds of details even though I’m no longer part of either Guild! :-) They have different business models, and different things they need to do in order to keep in business.

Q: Ok I understand these things are like secret rituals, which are partially expected to impart knowledge to those with wallets out. I am cool you don’t have to put yourself in harm’s way. But tell me which company had the coolest looking costumes?

A: Ahhhh… You should know by now, it’s not the costume but the person wearing it! I promise you that no matter how hard we may try, Marvin, Keith or myself will not look NEARLY as good as your typical runway model no matter which outfit you choose! Likewise, no matter which “outfit” the three of us are wearing, in the end, it is our specific knowledge, our specific style, and our specific methods of imparting knowledge and clicking with the students that sets us apart from the packs. But we do indeed have some neat new outfits now that we are within the Cisco authorized channel, and some promising fashion statements and trends yet to come to public view!

Q: You have been at this training thing and CCIE thing for a while now. You have been in a few scrapes but like the Energizer Bunny you keep on pounding your drum. What happened to you? It seemed like there was a period of time when you were completely off the radar. Did you seek enlightenment from the Dali Lama or wander the desert in search of answers? What happened? You were basically hiding in a crowd out here weren’t you?

A: I never truly disappeared. I kept an eye on things, and kept watching. Even those who take time to meditate will come back, and be amazingly cognizant of the things that happened while they were gone! Or perhaps it was just sitting back and plotting my methods to take over the world! Every OverLord needs to have a plan! Either way, there was a lot that transpired in the last year, and a lot of good things that are coming (and going to keep coming) out of it. And besides, I emerged with another JNCIE out of it, didn’t I? I know it’s not a Cisco thing, but it’s still an evil lab exam! Gotta give me some credit for lurking and working in the underworld! Four CCIEs, two JNCIEs and a CCDE makes me a whole new kind of crazy! :-)

Q: We met at GITEX this past October and had a good time meeting the CCIEs that came by the booth and hitting the tourist spots like the Burj Khalifa and indoor skiing at the Mall of the Emirates. This was the first time back on skis for you in a while. What happened to make you stop skiing?

A: Oh, I love snow skiing! Work definitely gets in the way of being able to jaunt off every time there is fresh powder though, as much as I’d love to! Also, having kids tends to change things a bit, but on the bright side, they are old enough now that we’ll start introducing them to the wonderful world of downhill skiing! (Or at least tubing!) On the other hand, snow skiing in the middle of the desert was an awesome time (while being wrong on so many levels), and it was great to have shared that experience with you! And better yet to have had both of us emerge without any broken bones!

Q: CCIEs still come up to you all gushy sometimes. I know I have seen it firsthand. Like at the CCIE party young guns would come to me and ask me to introduce them to you and Terry and Narbik. It seems like it was ok for them to interrupt me which makes me feel both good and bad. Does that kind of reaction from other CCIEs or future CCIEs make you feel good? It has to add some pressure to you to behave properly or look sharp or something!

A: Have I ever struck you as someone concerned about looking sharp? I’m just me, and I’m just a normal guy! :-) It is great to meet people all over the world, and better yet to know that somehow I have managed to make an impact on their lives. As a trainer, that is really the best payback, to know that you were able to help other succeed. On the flip side, I have come to realize that I need to stay away from any major criminal activities, because clearly the Witness Protection Program is not something I will qualify for! Too many people know my face or even my voice. But it’s all in good fun!

Q: You were at Cisco Live in the UK this past month. How was that compared to the Las Vegas version?

A: It was a little colder. But it was London in January, so it’s as expected! Obviously that event is not as large as the flagship version that will be held in Las Vegas again this year, but it was still a good-sized event with lots of people and lots of vendors and lot of fun! And it was great to have been over there! Keith Barker and I were both there as part of the newly created Cisco Designated VIP program. And we both were able to meet lots of great people over there. I’ve been told that the CCIE’s from Europe are a bit smarter and more coordinated than their North American counterparts though. At the CCIE party, there was a “human chess” game that ensued with CCIEs. We missed that part, hopping between gatherings, but I hear it was quite a feat!

Q: The folks at the Nova Datacom open house seemed keenly interested in the content you folks were previewing. I was happy to learn that most of the folks actually knew about the CCIE Flyer and me. That was cool, I keep getting a rush every time it happens. What do you suggest I do to improve the CCIE Flyer?

A: As I had told you years ago (which apparently you not only remember, but actually listened to me!), it’s a matter of being there for people. When you help people out, they will always appreciate it and always remember it, no matter how small the interaction. With the CCIE Flyer, there is so much you are doing in various parts of the world trying to focus on helping CCIEs and CCIE Candidates out. Just keep at it, do what you enjoy doing and people will see that! Oh yeah, and throw a really big party at Cisco Live! :-) In addition, I remember early on (seems like years ago now) you had some CCIE Meet & Greets around the world that many people enjoyed. Perhaps it is time to kick that up a notch again!

Q: There are many CCIE training companies suffering these days from the economic down turn and some for simply having bad product. What will set your effort apart from the rest of the pack?

A: The instructors and the passion. With the people, and the experience, that makes a huge difference. We can enhance our consulting capabilities because of our educational background and likewise supplement our teaching capabilities because of our extensive consulting backgrounds!

Q: Welcome to the approved Cisco learning partner ranks. The best instructors seem to end up in the CLP team. What have you had to do differently for this inclusion to the club?

A: The inclusion isn’t anything new. One of the interesting things as you look around the ranks of instructors (not just CCIE, but the CCSIs of the world) is that you’ll find many who have been around a while and merely changed what and where they were working. Keith and I have both been CCSIs for over 11 years now. Marvin has been for over 5 years. So despite a “hiatus” to have worked at some non-authorized places, being a part of the CLP team has never really been something that we ever actually left. We are merely rearranging our lives and our focus and working within the current Learning@Cisco, and Cisco360 structures. But we have long been part of that club!

Q: Good luck with the new endeavor and thank you for the honor of working with you and your team as we plan venues globally together!

Scott Morris, CCIEx4, CCDE, JNCIEx2, CISSP to Launch Nova Datacom Education Services Offering

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:31:00 +0000

Scott Morris, CCIEx4, CCDE, JNCIEx2, CISSP to Launch Nova Datacom Education Services Offering

Complementary Open House to Include Training Sessions by Morris and other Noted Instructors

Chantilly, VA – February 1, 2011: Nova Datacom, LLC, a provider of information technology services to the public and private sectors and a CompTIA Authorized Partner, a Cisco Learning Partner and a Cisco360 (CCIE) Learning Partner, today announced the upcoming launch of their Education Services offering, spearheaded by Scott Morris, Nova Datacom’s Chief Technologist, and partner Learning Tree International. Scheduled for February 16^th, in Chantilly, VA, this one day event will allow attendees to meet with Morris and his team, attend sample training sessions, and familiarize themselves with the offered curriculum.

A well-known figure in the IT industry for over 25 years, Scott Morris, CCIEx4, CCDE, JNCIEx2, CISSP and Cisco Designated VIP, has fulfilled a number of roles within both the public and private sectors. As a Certified Cisco Systems Instructor (CCSI) and Juniper Networks Certified Instructor (JNCI), Scott has provided world-renowned CCIE training since 2002. He has delivered courses to a wide variety of audiences including internal training at Cisco Systems.

Offering formal classroom instruction with full lab and NOC, or on-site worldwide, Nova Datacom, under the direction of Morris, will offer a variety of training curriculums to satisfy a broad range of requirements. Additionally, Morris concentrated on recruiting top level instructors to provide unparalleled course delivery.

“I’ve selected instructors who maintain a wide area of consulting and training experience to best present information as it relates to specific customer environments,” noted Morris. “Combining this deep knowledge with the ability to operate in both classified and unclassified environments allows our team to be even more effective at conducting training sessions that address specific security concerns, current vulnerability gaps, and pressing mission critical requirements- conveniently located where our customers need it most.”

Additional instructors include Marvin Greenlee (CCIEx3, CCDP, JNCISx3, CISSP) and Keith Barker (CCIEx2, CISSP, and Cisco Designated VIP).

With 15+ years experience in the IT industry, Greenlee has been instrumental in the development and delivery of high-level technical training courses for live and online classes. Likewise, Barker, with 25+ years in the IT industry, has been involved with the creation and delivery of training in classroom and large audiences since 1995.

Sample training courses to be presented at the Open House were designed by Morris and his team specifically to showcase their ability to target courseware to specific topics of interest. Sessions include:

Subnetting and Binary Math for IPv4 and IPv6: A review of subnetting techniques and how to best identify appropriate configurations in both IPv4 and IPv6 networks. Practical and designed examples given.

Multifactor Authentication: Maintaining confidentiality is critical for a secure network. In this lesson we will learn about multi-factor authentication, as well the strengths, weaknesses and best practice for each.

BGP Attributes and Path Selection: When using BGP for Inter-Autonomous System routing, it is important to know the features and attributes that allow for manipulation of path selection. If studying for certifications, this will also help in choosing the right solution for abstract problems given to you in practical labs.

Understanding MPLS for the Routing & Switching Engineer (CCIE Focus): A new method of thinking and moving information around the network, as largely adopted by service providers around the world. Session breaks down the concepts and demonstrates network effects. Includes demonstrating how a CCIE candidate identify, implement and work through any scenario in a short period of time.

If you would like to attend the Open House, please register at http://www.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=44cafd86-3e34-4bab-963a-3fc35c7a77f3

Or click the link to register for the Open House from www.novadatacom.com ‘s homepage.

###

About Nova Datacom:

Nova Datacom (NDC) M/WBE 8(a) provides solutions that expand, improve, and strengthen client capabilities to satisfy mission assurance objectives. Focused on four practice areas, Business Continuity (BCEP); Information Assurance; Governance, Risk, and Compliance; and Enterprise Networking, NDC provides expert-level expertise and proven past performance across multiple technology segments to the public and private sectors.

NDC’s approach combines operational planning, budget optimization and cutting-edge security measures to provide a solid framework for daily operations that withstand disruption. We accomplish this through continual training and vendor agnostic technology expertise resulting in a team of the best minds in the IT community.

SBA-Certified 8(a), SBD, Minority Woman-Owned | Nova Datacom: Security is in our DNA

About Learning Tree International

Learning Tree International sets the world standard for hands-on management and IT training. Since 1974, over 2 million Learning Tree Course participants from over 65,000 organizations around the world have enhanced their skills through intensive hands-on exercises under the guidance of expert instructors with real-world experience.

A CCIE’s Last Will and Testament

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 23:38:00 +0000

I Scott Morris, a resident of Wayward, Virginia, being of sound mind and memory and being at least eighteen (18) years of age, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, hereby revoking all prior Wills and Codicils at any time heretofore made by me.

I am currently married to Mrs. Morris who will be referred to herein as “my spouse”. I currently have two children. All references to “my children” shall include any biological children born to me before or after the execution of this Last Will or children legally adopted by me after the date of execution of this Last Will.

Article I

Personal Representative

I hereby name, constitute and appoint Eman Conde as Personal Representative to administer my estate. The term “Personal Representative” has the same meaning as the term “executor” herein.

Should the laws of the state in which my Last Will and Testament is probate allow it, then my Personal Representative shall not require to furnish a bond for the faithful performance of his or her duties as Personal Representative.

In the event the laws of the state in which my Last Will and Testament is probate allow it, I authorize my Personal Representative to administer my estate independently without adjunction, order or direction of any court. The decision to administer my estate independently or under court supervision shall rest solely with my Personal Representative.

My Personal Representative shall be paid reasonable compensation for serving in this office.

Article II

Burial/Payment of Debts

A. I direct my Personal Representative to pay all of the expenses of my last illness, burial and funeral expenses as soon as practicable after my death. Should I fail to dispose of my body by anatomical gift, such funeral expenses shall include the cost of any casket, burial marker and funeral service. My Personal Representative is further authorized to pay honorarium to any clergymen in conjunction with my funeral and the travel costs of any beneficiaries of this Will who have traveled from their residence to attend my funeral.

B. As soon as practical after my death, I direct my Personal Representative to pay any debt or claim which he/she or a court determines to be legally enforceable against my estate. In the absence of a court order, my Personal Representative shall have absolute discretion to determine that a debt is legally enforceable against my estate. However, if at the time of my death any of the real property herein devised is subject to a mortgage, I direct that the devisee taking said mortgage property shall take it subject to such mortgage and that the devisee shall not be entitled to have the mortgage paid of my general estate.

C. All expenses of administration of my estate shall first be paid out of the residuary of my estate until exhausted.

Article III

Specific Bequest

I hereby give and bequeath the following below-described sums of money or items of personal or real property, as the case may be, to the following:

NAME	Description of Gift
Mrs. Morris	Bank Account contents both US and Swiss
Darby Weaver	Cisco Equipment from my home lab
John Chambers	Four CCIE Medallions
Eman Conde	My CCIE Number

What? I get a CCIE Number! WoooHoo!!!

Yes even stranger than Scott leaving his lab to Darby or his legendary four CCIE medallions to John Chambers, is putting his CCIE number in his will. It might not be as farfetched as some might think. The use of a CCIE number after the CCIE’s death has been tried. In a recent discussion with one of the folks in my network I was made aware of a rumor that recently a pair of CCIEs had very tragically and suddenly passed away. Their company was faced with closing their doors when the company was purchased by another aspiring Gold partner. The CCIE numbers associated with that company were now part of the new company’s assets, or so the buyer thought. The addition of the two CCIE numbers to the existing company’s previous associations was used in an attempt to pass their audit.

How Morbid!

The audit might have gone through if not for Cisco’s thorough scrutiny. So even over the claims of the company in question’s representatives, that the CCIEs were actually on the payroll the truth was brought out. The value of the CCIE number in this case reached out from the grave enticing one creative thinking organization to try something new. I have heard some stories about creative ways companies try to pass audits, but this one takes the cake.

CCIE Recruitment and Placement

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 06:41:00 +0000

The CCIE community for years before the beginning of the CCIE Agent’s efforts was treated with little regards or respect. In fact back in 2007 and 2008 the salary surveys were underreporting CCIE salaries because little contact was actually being made with most of them. There was a demand for them which had been building, yet wages, quality of life, training and incentives were treated as if the CCIE was no different than a Microsoft professional.

Why?

There was a healthier economy for one thing and recruiters could focus on harvesting whatever low hanging fruit was out there. So they chose to recruit what was easiest to place in IT, developers, database and server admins and any flavor the client asked for in any given week. Like some lowland gorillas lulling in the sun they got lazy. Then the economy started to change and the job of recruitment became hard work. The IT jobs began to dry up and with this change came the knowledge that some companies like Cisco were still making a profit. As many of the small and large shops began to die CCIE Agent™, Ltd experienced a time of growth.

Sourcing and recruiting CCIEs seems to have become a fad these days and with that fad comes a string of companies trying to shift their focus to the requirement that existed all along right under their noses. Yet knowing how to spell CCIE and knowing CCIEs are two very different things. The need for help in educating the highest demand sector for networking professionals became a priority for the CCIE Agent™ team. This is why the journey began for Eman the CCIE Agent™.

The history is fun and has been quite a ride for the best known recruiter in the world.

Back in 2007 when the first CCIE Agent™ initiatives began they followed on the heels of the single minded focus Eman brought to his newly found profession, recruiting. Recruiting was an incidental need in previous management roles so he had learned the ins and outs of IT recruiting as the demand fluctuated from season to season. But there was a reoccurring discussion coming from his clients about network engineers and the need to provide these professionals to them for projects and to join their staffs. As the TAC manager for Bell Atlantic Eman had helped develop and hire one of the largest pools of CCIEs in the early days of the program. Since there was no organized training easily available he helped his team develop a lab and a mentoring program. This became a very successful program within the organization and many of the company’s network and telecomm engineers were lining up to use the lab and to connect with a mentor.

It was no stretch to return to that CCIE focus.

With a history that started with the Top Gun program and the new CCIE program back in the 1990s it was a simple task to see that the CCIE community was under-represented and poorly regarded. So Eman began to help the CCIE community with the first CCIE salary survey that was responded to directly by CCIEs from around the world. His suspicion was that wages were under reported and might be depressing the offers CCIEs were receiving. Previous surveys at the time claimed $108k as the average salary. Yet offers in the Eastern USA were commonly much higher. So after the CCIE Agent™ survey was completed Eman published the figures and discovered that in the USA the average was $120k, a vast difference from the surveys that used hiring managers and HR representatives for the details.

The CCIE Flyer was launched in 2008 and grew to become the largest single effort to provide CCIE information to the community and those interested in retaining CCIEs. The new focus and announcement that an agent was available to the CCIE, one who did not function as a recruiter stirred interest from many sectors. It was about this time that Cisco started an effort to provide the Channel Partner resellers with sources for hiring talent to assist in their growth. There are many companies that do recruitment and the typical tactics included poaching and bait-and-switch techniques which left many resellers in need of help. The Strategic Recruitment Program (SRS) was developed by a new team at Cisco.

The SRS program rules were simple; provide the best in-class recruiting firms to the Channel Partners while ensuring quality and integrity. The highest demand for CCIEs come from the Cisco Channel Partners so it was logical to try and secure the services of the best known and only recruiter solely focused on CCIE staffing. The CCIE Agent™ was asked to consider the new initiative. Eman was asked to do two things to begin with;

1-start recruiting CCIEs for the Cisco reseller community only

2-no more poaching CCIEs from one channel to another

What this meant was Eman had to give up clients that were not supporting the sales of Cisco solutions and that he would not Actively Recruit out of the channels.

No Brainer!

The salary survey taught the CCIE Agent™ a couple of things and the most significant was that the Channel Partners paid the best average wages of all companies interested in hiring CCIEs. It was not a hard decision and the CCIE Agent™ became one of the first to be inducted into the SRS program. It became evident that the Channels also needed help to understand the unique requirements of CCIEs professionally and educationally. The CCIE Agent™ presentations began in locations such as Atlanta, Dubai, Cape Town, London, San Jose, Zurich, Brussels, Cairo, Athens, NYC, Johannesburg and Toronto. The Channel Partners needed help and it soon became apparent that CCIEs also needed support beyond the typical body shop mentality. The fact that anyone would risk focusing so keenly on the careers of CCIEs was registered as a bold step and accepted broadly by the reseller community. The CCIE now had a voice to help them by educating the highest demand sector seeking them out.

PEP, not just talk but results!

What has evolved from this growth for the CCIE Agent, LTD team is a new concept to further enhance the integration and CCIE hiring efforts for Eman and his team? Partner Enablement Program (PEP) has become the product for CCIE Agent, LTD. It is now being rolled out in countries like India, Africa and the Middle East. PEP is composed of several aspects which are targeted to help emerging markets and Channel Partners that are focused on growing.

Training – Not just Network Engineer certifications but CSM and specialized training required for reseller certifications. Eman has worked to support the Cisco Authorized training providers as they distinguish themselves from the Grey Market. Now he is organizing those same training companies to offer reduced rate and specialized offerings specific to the needs of Channel Partners. While Grey Market training companies are trying to offer recruiting as they poach from the ranks of their students and clients, authorized support for channels is growing.

White Label – Not just contractors but dedicated resources that can support the Channel Partner as an integral part of their team. These dedicated resources will help the Channels achieve success in delivering solutions to clients and in supporting their efforts to gain Silver and Gold certification. Available as Consultants, Contract-to-Perm or Temp-to-Perm these CCIEs will soften the blow to the bottom line while earning their place on the team.

Staffing – Not just CCIE anymore! While Eman remains focused on the CCIE demand his team is now helping the Channel Partners with the growing demand behind the need for CCIEs. Sales, Presales, Telecomm professionals, Virtualization, Storage, Data Center, IT Professionals and the rest of the Channel Partner’s unique requirements that equip them for success.

New Offices

CCIE Agent, Ltd now has offices and representatives in the USA, UAE, India and UK with more coming soon. The virtual nature of recruitment has caused it to lose the personal touch many organizations and candidates need. Eman has traveled the world and held CCIE mixers, attends Cisco Live and GITEX as methods for remaining a real person in the lives of many of his clients and the CCIE community. The fact is many people do not trust the social media alone to support their careers. So the demand for real people to help them as they grow is now being satisfied by a real presence.

What’s next?

What do CCIEs need? You can count on Eman to grow not just with the demand but with the CCIE community’s changes. The demand of Channel Partners is driven by solutions and their changes. The demand for the CCIE Agent™ is driven by his advocacy for CCIE careers!

Narbik Kocharians Boot Camp 2.0 Workbooks Nearing Release

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:45:00 +0000

Narbik is about to finish his Boot Camp 2.0 Workbook, which is BY FAR the BEST according to him that he has ever done till todate.

This week he and his team have just finished their CCIE Security 3.0 workbooks, once again using the same method and on the same philosophy.

Narbik told me that he has NEVER been this EXCITED about books which of course refers to the Boot Camp 2.0 workbooks that he is on the verge of completing.

So what's the price for these great books? USD $ 450 for new students and USD $ 175 for old students. The Security workbooks are USD $ 350.00.

Tune in for more updates as they come ...

Narbik and Scott CIERS-12 Day Boot Camp Dates

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 00:48:00 +0000

Narbik and Scott CIERS-12 Day Boot Camp Dates

As we have been reviewing the dates and our abilities to travel to these locations we have arrived at a semi-final agreement on locations. Scott and Narbik will be traveling as follows;

Bangalore India – January 17 – 28, 2011

Milton Keynes, UK – April 11 – 22, 2011

Wilmington, DE USA – July 18 – 29, 2011

Dubai, UAE – October 17 – 28, 2011

Sydney, Australia - January 2012

What you can expect is the best CCIE R&S boot camp offered anywhere for any price. You pay $4,500 for 12 days of lectures, training, labs and mentoring from the two TOP GUNS of CCIE training. For details on the classes please send an email to promotions@ccieflyer.com

COME JOIN US AND LET’S MAKE HISTORY TOGETHER!

Narbik, Scott and Eman

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 12:21:00 +0000

A CCIE Flyer Exclusive

Today was a real busy day for me. I drove to visit with Narbik at one of his CCIE Boot Camps he was teaching in Herndon, VA. Since I was driving so far to see him I asked our mutual friend Scott Morris to join us for lunch. I am amazed at how the fifteen students in Narbik’s class responded to Scott dropping by to say hello. He is still held in awe by many neophyte CCIEs and some well established CCIEs around the world. Both Scott and Narbik have paid their dues as CCIE trainers and mentors. Both have made their mark on the CCIE community by giving freely of their time to motivate, mentor and improve the arena as a whole. For me sitting with the two of them was a treat because I have known them both for so long and only at the CCIE party this past Cisco Live have I had the pleasure of their company together.

Big Plans

As we chatted we finalized some of the preliminary planning for a series of quarterly training events. Beginning in January I am proud to announce that the CCIE Flyer has brought both Narbik and Scott together for twelve day CCIE R&S Boot Camps. It’s true they will both conduct the same classes together splitting time on the podium. Both of these guys are responsible for motivating, training and guiding so many CCIEs along their journeys and careers that this partnering of giants is big news. Twelve days of career building, life changing, inspiring CCIE training like none ever offered before is being made available to you through the CCIE Flyer.

Where?

Bangalore is our first stop for the dynamic duo. January 2011 Narbik and Scott will hold the first of these historic twelve day sessions. This will be followed by Sydney, Australia in April, Milton Keynes, UK in July and finally Wilmington, Delaware in October. These twelve day comprehensive classes will equip aspiring CCIEs for success.

How Much?

You pay only, $4,500 for both Narbik and Scott, for twelve days of learning unavailable from any other source, anywhere in the world. There may be other twelve day or longer classes offered but none have these two dynamos taking the lead. You might pay more and you might now find lower priced venues, but the CCIE Flyer has both Narbik and Scott.

More!

You want more? Well how about the chance to pay nothing for the second attempt at the lab if you fail the first attempt after taking this class? Yup, both are Cisco 360 Learning trainers. So you get the added insurance of knowing you are joined on your journey by Cisco Systems approved trainers. The two weeks of training will also have a few surprises after class activities and career networking opportunities.
COME JOIN EMAN, NARBIK AND SCOTT FOR TWELVE DAYS OF LIFE ALTERING CAREER ENHANCING TRAINING!
For more information send an email to me eman@ccieflyer.com and I will be happy to share more details as the planning is finalized!

Cisco Live – Viva Las Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:03:00 +0000

Cisco Live – Viva Las Vegas

On Wednesday June 30^,2010 the Elvis Presley commemorative Epiphone J-200 guitar will be given away at the MicroTech booth #2234. The great folks at MicroTech have invited Eman to join them at Cisco Live on the Expo floor to award the Elvis Presley guitar to one lucky CCIE. The guitar is featured in this album cover for Viva Las Vegas. This is going to be a great souvenir for one lucky CCIE. To hear the guitar click on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2RmSbrmT70 ,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk3z_uKWvsc

We are going to have some fun giving this instrument away and it is a piece of history given the significance of the legend it honors!

See you in Vegas!

USA Job Online Scam!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 03:42:00 +0000

USAJOBONLINE.COM

There is a scam on the internet perpetrated by USAJOBONLINE a company that is claiming to represent Emmanuel Conde in searching for CCIEs for his clients. This is a scam of the worst order and I am posting this to inform you all the USAJOBONLINE.COM is an unscrupulous organization that misrepresents itself as a means for people to find work in the USA. They are liars and identity thieves. If you do send them your resume you will have your identity stolen and your hopes hung on the worst kind of scam that is taking advantage of people during their most vulnerable time, when they are in need of a job! So if you really do want to contact Emmanuel Conde the CCIE Agent his email address is eman@ccieflyer.com!

BEWARE OF WWW.USAJOBONLINE.COM THEY ARE PERVEYORS OF JOB AND IDENTITY SCAMS!

BEWARE!

Dhaka CCIE Expo

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Sun, 30 May 2010 10:27:00 +0000

Dhaka CCIE Expo

Oct 25 – 29 2010

Along the banks of the Buriganga River Dhaka is a bustling hive of technology and business in Bangladesh. Described as a MegaCity it is one of the major cities of South Asia. Dhaka is the location of the CCIE Flyer’s first Asian CCIE Expo. On October 25^th – 29^th 2010 the Fantastic Four of CCIE training will arrive in Bangladesh brining three simultaneous CCIE boot camp tracks for the first Asian CCIE Expo.

The Dhaka CCIE Expo will feature:
Narbik Kocharians teaching his special and very successful Routing and Switching Boot Camp

Paul Negron teaching his very highly regarded Service Provider Boot Camp

Piotr Matusiak teaching his extremely successful Security Boot Camp

Eman Conde CCIE Agent™ known to many CCIEs around the world will play ring master to an historic and memorable week of training and networking

The first people to sign up for each of these three tracks will be hosted at a private dinner with the instructor for each track to discuss your professional goals and interests. The first five to sign up for each of the tracks will be hosted by Eman for dinner one evening each during this event. So hurry and get registered to enjoy this special honor.

Networking is so important for your career and this is a great way to build your network and to prepare for the most prestigious IT certification in the world. The Fantastic Four of CCIE training will help enhance your career in many ways.

If you are interested in signing up please send an email to Eman@ccieflyer.com

Prices for early sign-ups begin at $1,700 for R&S and SP and for Security $1,999!

CCIE Lab Fees Reduced

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Sat, 22 May 2010 09:08:00 +0000

CCIE Lab Fees Reduced

From Eman of CCIE Flyer :-)

There are times that news is just too important to hold off on writing about it until the next release of the CCIE Flyer. Well this is one of those times! I have been monitoring some of the on-line forums and twitter etc…and I have heard that Cisco is going to lower the fee to $1,000 from $1,400 for the lab! Wow this is great and congratulations Cisco for doing this. I saw recently that the declining numbers in the CCIE population have caused the post on these numbers te be removed. This was a shock to me because I was putting together a presentation for Western European emerging markets I am delivering in two weeks. As I searched for the details from the normal site O realized it was no longer there. So I am concerned that maybe someone decided to stop posting bad news. Well the good news is that in other emerging markets the populations numbers are still slowly growing. So there American fat cats take that! (I did take a look at my scales before making that comment by BTW and sadly yes I am a fat cat here in the USA to)

I digress

The point is that I just today received an email from an aspiring dual CCIE from Africa. This engineer had to sell his TV and entertainment systems to pay for a lab. Taking this guy’s money was like stealing candy from a baby. I urge he gets it back but the system works as it does and I have no real influence, but you do. You the CCIEs and Cisco engineers out there in the world can wag the dog. You are a mighty big dog that influences the purchasing decisions of corporations that influence commerce around the world. You the lowly Cisco network engineers. It seems some of you have been heard because I hev heard it through the grapevine that Cisco is lowering the price for the CCIE labs to $1,000. This is a great next step after the Waiver and the Core Knowledge Questions (OEQs) have passed into history.

Kudos, Props and Thanks

Really. I was so excited I had a Margarita with lunch. Kudos Learning at Cisco, Props management teams that took this challenge on and Thanks to the rest of you who made this possible. I have even read that this was going to be announced at Cisco Live in June. Wow, it’s only May and we are talking about it already.

CCIE Population Numbers

At a time when the numbers are on the decline and published and unpublished efforts have been made to keep the certifications pure this is a great move. Hello, I am a recruiter and given bodies to recruit I get all pimply and excited. So getting the numbers up using an equation that includes discounts is a recipe for success.

So let’s all look forward to the announcement in June at Cisco Live – Networkers. See you there!

Nemours CCIE Expo

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Tue, 18 May 2010 01:51:00 +0000

The price of CCIE Boot Camps is coming down and we are leading the charge with pricing that is affordable and taught by the best of the best. In Wilmington, DE just 20 minutes from the Philadelphia International Airport the CCIE Flyer CCIE Expo is drawing future CCIEs and CCIEs looking for that second or third certification. From now until June 4^th we are offering the R&S or SP course for just $1,499! If you select the Security or Voice classes they are just $1,999! Go to www.ccieagent.com and click on the training tab. We have secured incredible pricing for suites in the Nemours building for jus $70 a night. These rooms are huge and convenient to all transportation like the Amtrak just 6 blocks away. Come join us in Delaware the home of tax free shopping for an exclusive venue.

PACKET PUSHERS PODCAST

I would like to say thanks to the three tenors er CCIEs who in their first PodCast mentioned my efforts in working to push prices down. Go have a listen to Greg, Dan and Ethan as they share their views on several subjects including the price of CCIE Boot Camps.

LinkedIn Group Tops 825 CCIEs !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Wed, 05 May 2010 05:24:00 +0000

LinkedIn Group Tops 825 CCIEs

Over two Dozen Openings Posted

Technical Expert für Data Center Solutions - Deutschland

Technical Consultant/Design Expert IMS - Deutschland

Security Engineer Cisco - Schweiz

Data Center Service Provider - Schweiz

Network Engineer Cisco UC - Schweiz

Philadelphia Area - Wireless Pre-Sales Engineer

CCIE Well Rounded - Southern California IMMEDIATE START - TN1 Welcome - TN2 Possible

CCIE - Network Engineer - Boston - fulltime permanent

Technical Support Engineer - Service Provider - Deutschland

System Engineer Network Integration - Deutschland

Montreal - Consultant Systeme – Unified Communications

Boston - CCIE / CCVP Network Engineer

Washington DC/VA Area - Senior Engineer – Data Center - Delivery

Washington DC/VA Area - Senior Solutions Architect – UC Storage

Washington DC/VA Area Senior Engineer – Voice or Security

Washington DC/VA Area - Senior Engineer – UC Delivery (Unified Communications)

Washington DC/VA Area - Security Pre & Post Sales Engineer or Architect ( CISSP )

NYC - Solutions Architect

Sales Account Manager – New York

Washington DC/MD Area - Sr. Cisco Security Engineer

Wisconsin - Advanced Network Engineer – Voip Engineer

New York - Solutions Architect

Texas - Technical Sales Engineer

Chicago SE - CCIE R&S w/PreSales Experience

NYC/NJ or Long Island - NOC Engineer

CCIE - Oklahoma City - TN-1 OK - $130k - $140k Equipment will be Cisco Nexus series, 6500’s, 7200’s, ASA’s, 3500’s, 4500’s.

Come Join CCIE Jobs on LinkedIn or go to www.cciejobs.com

CCIE Agent™ Eman needs you!

CCIE Flyer Training Specials – Nigeria

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 03:10:00 +0000

This just came in from Eman Conde of CCIE Flyer

CCIE Flyer Training Specials – Nigeria

CCIE R&S Boot Camps
These days you have to watch your wallet and the lie detector when choosing CCIE Boot Camps and other related training options. Since the CCIE Flyer has been searching for and announcing lower priced training deals and even free training materials we have been exposed to many grumblings from some of the big guys out there. Take for example the training we announced in Nigeria which was immediately responded to by a gray market training company in the US. (Grey market refers to the fact that they are not Cisco Authorized) To try and steal our thunder they announced a boot camp scheduled to start a few days before Micronics was announced to be there. They did this and lowered their price to try and capitalize on the initiative they did not even consider until we began trying to help in this region. Also consider some of the lies being told by this company about the training offered by Micronics one such claims is that this training does not cover things like troubleshooting. Wow why lie? Consider the reduced rack times and trainers who have not even made a ripple in the pond, as far as training CCIEs go. Then ask about their retake policy and the frequency of their schedule to return to Nigeria. Micronics is committed to the region and will return to the area at least 3 times in the coming year.

So we received a call from Micronics and they asked us to make sure everyone knows they are lowering their prices below $1,500 for this venue in Nigeria. Yup, under $1,500 there and in the USA as well at key venues they have developed with the CCIE Flyer. Look at the announcement for Wilmington, DE. Four boot camps running simultaneously in one week at a venue easily afforded and accessible by the high speed rail corridor between Washington DC and New York City. This venue is going to be accompanied by an extravaganza of well known CCIEs and networking opportunities usually reserved for venues like Cisco Live.

The event in Nigeria is fast approaching so remember Micronics will not be undersold. One of the good things about being a company with no brick and mortar is their ability to run at the lowest overhead cost. So rest assured no matter what the competition says; Micronics Training is the home of some of the best and most successful trainers in the industry. These are people who have written the book on the topics they teach and who have a commitment to their passion not profits!

To learn more send an email to promotions@ccieflyer.com

CCIE Flyer Challenge Winners!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nickelby) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 07:43:00 +0000

CCIE Flyer Challenge

Congratulations to the winners of the CCIE Flyer Challnge!

Vladimir Michalec

Ed Tan

SavageYao

Norberto L Silva

Marco Rizzi

Nicolás Leiva

Jeferson Guardia

Thameem Maranveetil Parambath

Michael Bennett

Steve Shaw

Syed Khalid Ali

Scott Williamson

Maqsood Siddiqui

Yatin Dave

Larry (Sorry he did not provide his last name)

Tharaka Kariyawasam

Rich Collins

Poplawski, James

You might have read about the CCIE Flyer Challenge our first contest. We are delighted that these 18 people actually qualified for the give-away. Sorry for the rest of you I counted 250+ unique sessions to the moc-labs but only these few rose above the rest to win!

Congratulations!