CCNP Data Center Complete, but What’s Next?

A few days ago, I passed DCUFD and earned my Cisco Certified Network Professional in Data Center!  The test had some issues with it, but I think it was a fair certification to gauge if someone has been around Cisco’s Data Center product line.  As with all tests, there are a few gotchas, but I won’t go into that here.  I will, however, share what I did to get the certification.  First and foremost, I created a study plan.  To me, this was invaluable, but I need to follow it more.  Next, I went a little overboard on the books that I read for this journey;

• NX-OS and Cisco Nexus Switching:  Next-Generation Data Center Architectures, 2nd Edition
• Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals: Understanding Techniques and Designs for Highly Efficient Data Centers with Cis…
• Using TRILL, FabricPath, and VXLAN: Designing Massively Scalable Data Centers (MSDC) with Overlays
• I/O Consolidation in the Data Center
• Storage Networking Protocol Fundamentals

Also, I purchased IPExpert’s CCNP DC VoD series and read many white papers and configuration guides on storage.

The plan was:

• Go through the book once, make notes, and highlight what I found pertinent pieces of information. From here, re-read the notes I took and the highlighted sections and take notes off of them.
• Take those notes and type them, either in Word or OneNote (Sometimes both)
• Watch the IPExpert VoD series and fill in gaps that I may have had
• If all else failed and I was still stuck, read the Cisco documentation on it

My track of choice next to Implementation was Design.  I chose this because I have been doing it for the last few years, so I went with it.  I took the tests in the following order;

• Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (642-999)
• Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (642-998)
• Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (642-997)
• Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (642-996)

My background is anything Nexus, so I figured I would save that for last; all I had to learn was storage.  Why not start with something I don’t know and learn?  Maybe in hindsight, I should have flipped them and did DCUFI and DCUFD first and second, respectfully, but I can’t play Monday morning quarterback now.

So, with another certification down, what do I do now?  I can’t help but think back to the last time I was at this point in my studies…  In late 2011, at the beginning of 2012, I was at a point in my studies where I wanted to take a shot and climb that ladder people only dream of doing, the CCIE.  I went through what seemed like three years of torture and getting kicked down every chance the test could kick me down.  I took the lab 4 times between December 2012 and May 2014.  There were times when I thought it would have been better not to have taken the test, from the one where I missed getting my digits to my last attempt, which you can read all about here: What is the CCIE even worth? Still, I find myself at the same crossroads and am pretty confident about what to do next.  I will re-climb the CCIE mountain; hopefully, this new path will get me to the top!  I am, however, taking a more cautious approach though.

My main issue with Routing and Switching was that I thought I knew it all and blamed everyone.  Aside from the horrible attempt in May 2014, I got in my way.  I am going to approach this journey differently.  With the silent announcement of CCIE DC v2 a few days ago, I have had to adjust my plan, but not by much.  When there is a change to a certification track, people often go crazy and start booking lab seats like the world is ending.  For a moment, I thought, could I get this done by July 26th, 2015? The answer is no.  My first goal is to pass CCIE DC written version 1 by the July 22nd, 2015 cut-off date.  Now, what happens if I pass before the v1 lab cut-off date of July 22^nd, 2015, I will still wait to take the v2 lab.  I will not put that extra stress on an already stressful situation that I am putting myself in.  As long as I know the core of what the lab is about, any new stuff they added will not throw me off my end goal; it is just more stuff I get to learn.