North American Network Operators Group Date Prev | Date Next | Date Index | Thread Index | Author Index | Historical Re: Certification or College degrees?
Computer science does enforce critical thinking skills, which are a very necessary part of any successful engineer's toolbox. Bri On Wed, 22 May 2002, Mathew Lodge wrote: > > Nigel, > > I think you are confusing software engineers with network engineers. As a > rule of thumb, software / applications writers rarely understand how > networks really work, in the same way that network engineers rarely > understand how software / applications really work. > > IMHO, there is no mandatory reason a network engineer has to know a > programming language, in the same way there's no mandatory reason that a > top software engineer has to be able to configure a Cisco router. People > who grok both worlds are critical for companies that are writing software > that touches networks, and in general such people are versatile and > valuable. But the real trick is getting a team of all three types to > complement each other, not hiring a single skill / mindset. > > You also seem not to like Cisco for some reason. Perhaps this is why you > have never looked at the curriculum for CCIE. It does require you to know > the Cisco CLI, but that is to show you can correctly implement the > solutions you devise -- a very practical consideration for someone > purporting to be a network engineer. Knowing how to devise those solutions > is the major focus of CCIE, not memorizing the Cisco CLI. You could equally > translate the learned knowledge to, say, Juniper CLI. Finally, trying to > paint re-certification in a very fast-moving industry as some kind of > conspiracy is a real stretch. > > The title of this thread is part of the problem: "certification or > degrees", as if they are mutually exclusive. > > Cheers, > > Mathew > > > > > At 06:37 PM 5/22/2002 -0400, Nigel Clarke wrote: > > >IMO: > > > >Certifications are a waste of time. You'd be better off > >obtaining a Computer Science degree and focusing on the > >core technologies. > > > >Why would you devote your career to learning a vendor's > >command line or IOS? > > > >Cisco has done an excellent job @ brainwashing the IT > >community. The have (unfortunately) set the standard for > >"Network Engineers". > > > >What do you think is more respected, a masters degree in > >Networking Engineering or a CCIE. In most > >circles it would be the latter. > > > >Cisco's certification program has effected the entire IT > >community. Their CCIE's are required to recertify every few > >years, thus forcing them to stay true to the Cisco lifestyle. > > > >I've met some CCIE's who don't know any programming languages > >or any experience with Unix. It's clear that they are one > >dimensional and unfocused. > > > >Why study the same thing over and over? Do you really have X > >amount of years experience, or do you have 1 years experience > >X times? > > > >Think about it. If you have been in the field for over 5 > >years and someone new to the industry by way of certification > >can handle your work load, that is a serious problem. > > > >If anything certs should be used as a stepping stone or > >advancement to new technologies or areas. > > > >Then again, the question of CERTS vs. DEGREES might apply > >differently to someone without any experience. I guess it > >really depends on what your looking for. > >--- > > > >Nigel Clarke > >Network Security Engineer > >[email protected] >
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