"the higher you get the less they test you on technically"

this is probably right though. a technical team leader should be as technical as his team, but higher up the down-and-dirty technical ability is less of a requirement, surely?

your PM wants to know you've coded and tested the interest rate swap. his manager wants to know how the project is going against time/budget. the IT director wants to know derivatives is up and running for the salesmen to take out.

 

Funny this thread is here, My company have offered to send me on a CCNA course and the like yesterday. Although I have no idea where to look to do the course etc. Im based near Nottingham so anyone have an idea? Night class/Day release, mad 2 week course?

 

The CCNA course is called Interconnecing Cisco Network Devices. (ICND).

Its a 5 day course and it instructor lead. I've used Azlan for my Cisco training, they have offices throughout the UK.

Darren

 

Yeah Azlans closest to me is Coventry but I may aswell go to Manchester and stay up there for the 5 days, you also need to cover the INTRO course for the CCNA from what Ive read, suppose it depends on your starting knowledge, Im still basic. the INTRO course is 4 days too so basically a 9 day course then an exam for the CCNA?

 

Lets not forget one thing here,

A good Tech, is a lazy tech!

Automate tasks, so your not reliant on human error. How basic is it to have backup software email Job Logs? Yet how many dont?

And I rate a tech that is capable of using google to fix a problem.. If they dont know they either 'ask' or look.. Basically what I mean is they work it out for themselves..

I've been pissing around with 2K3 server at home this afternoon and couldnt for the life of me remember how I had configured user isolation before... so been on google, searching for some info.. Anyway got it working eventually thanks to google.. (edited to add.. as to not make me look thick, Im not actually using the user isolation, just making it so when users login there is a corresponding virtual directory.. anyway off to set some 'share level permissions' - just kidding)

But as for my router passing the packets..

Think im off to ebay to look for a cisco to replace this piece of **** netgear rt311.

And as for microsoft's old saying 'UGLP' we all know that in the industry it doesnt quite work like that!

David

 

You can either do the entry course, which covers the basics of TCP/IP and networking etc.

I was not given the option of the entry course, I just got the CD that covers all the basics and looked it in in my own time. Its not the same as having an instructor though.

You can't take the exam for 2 weeks after the course, then you can arrange a date etc.

I've not bothered to take the exam, as I'd probally fail and I don't get to use it all the time so some of my knowledge has been pushed out by other things

A mate at work passed his CCNA first time (which is rare). He did the 5 day course, crammed solidly for 2 weeks and then sat the exam. Passed with just 2% over the pass grade.

Darren

 

I just hammer the books and practice tests, day in day out, failed one once and dont intend to repeat it, nothing worse being in that little room with the cctv on and you havent got the answers !

Yep, use Google, thats what its there for, nick scripts and pass them off as your own work, use spare time to learn stuff rather than wasting it, Wikipedia is great, pick a random networking term, type it in and read up on it, invaluable, then you get to look clever in meetings (sometimes)

 

True to a point, but it depends exactly what you're doing. Every technical consultant that joins our firm will go through a 3 hour technical assualt course, where they are expected to show they have the knowledge to do the job - this is tougher than CESG's Check Assault Course (CESG is part of GCHQ and the Check scheme is an independent assessment for IT security professionals). You'd be amazed at the number of people who don't turn up for this part of the interview or walk out! We demand extremley high technical skills from all of our senior technical staff.

In my firm, the technical director, who is also full main board member is probably one of the most technically competent people we have (although I'd admit, this is unusual).

There is a definite shift towards technical comptetance combined with business expertise. Barclays Capital have just appointed a new MD, who is also the CIO - the first time I've seen that. It shows there is a shift and finally recognition of the value of IT to businesses. The most successful IT professionals over the next decade will be those that can show as much understanding of the business they work in as well as demonstrating their technical skills. Easy to say, not so easy to do!

 

So true - whats worse is a lot can't demo the tech skills to start with!

 

LOL - let's not go there

 

I need to know my investment instruments to recreate systems to buy and sell them.

yes, very true, you do need to know your business.

 

im off on that soon, whats it like for work load? Doing into then since there free!

Done BSc Hon so dont expect to cover that much new material!

S

 

Si,

From what I've seen of your posts on here (OSI model, basic networking etc.) you should not have a problem.

The 5 day course as quite evenly paced, however subnetting is all day 3 and after than, the course went a bit to quick for me personally.

Darren

 

Covered subetting on the degree right down to the binary level but id still like to be more proficient at it before I went for the qualification. Did have an exam question on the degree which was fairly easy to do.

I’m reading through the Cisco CCNA books as well so i'm hoping the course will just cement what I know already. The only issue I can foresee is relying too much on tabbing Cisco commands

How much further study did you need to do on a night after the days lectures