Today I become a 10-year CCIE.
I passed CCIE lab in Routing and Switching track exactly 10 years ago. Now I can use the special Ten Years CCIE logo anywhere I like.
Looking back the past 10 years, I would say it's been a roller coaster journey. Even before I passed CCIE, the attempt to take the lab exam already brought me some interesting memories: how I switched from mechanical engineering to computer networking when I was jobless, how I was able to join Schlumberger the company that I thought was my dream company, how I then moved to IBM and felt like working as part of the family, how they sent me to CCIE Lab in Brussels with business class, and finally how I became a CCIE after the second attempt in Tokyo.
Having CCIE landed me a job with a gold partner company in Dubai. Got the second CCIE in Security track self funded. Involved in multiple projects with different roles, from solutions architect to project manager to technical lead to design consultant to field engineer who mounted the devices. The experiences and the certifications made me able to work as a contractor several years later. Until finally I joined Cisco Advanced Services in Singapore 5 years ago. And got my third CCIE in Service Provider track a year later with them.
I've been traveling to 26 countries since I started working as CCIE. I'm blessed with chances to visit many fascinating places: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Bratislava, Budapest, Hanoi, Hongkong, Istanbul, London, Mexico City, Munich, Paris, Prague, San Francisco, Taipei, Venice, Vienna and many more.
Travel. Meet new people. Meet new customers. Become friends with some.
I remember several difficult projects that I used to handle and lead: from Data center project in Malaysia, Migrating Vietnam Internet, CRS proof of concept in Sydney and San Jose, first full fledge IPv6 on IOS XR in Czech, Flat L2 to VPLS migration in Slovakia, Fixed Mobile Convergence in UAE, to impossible project in Saudi.
To celebrate my 10-year CCIE I'm thinking to release the story of the challenging situation from each project above. Just like what I did already with Project Malaysia. Let's see if I have time to do so.
Passing CCIE lab exam will not automatically make us entitled to be called as an expert. But it can open doors of opportunity to work in more complex projects, to assume higher responsibilities, to get into challenging situations, to get more exposures. And to work and get surrounded by another senior level engineers and the experts. Until someday we can become like one of them. Perhaps even better.
CCIE was really the beginning for me.
I passed CCIE lab in Routing and Switching track exactly 10 years ago. Now I can use the special Ten Years CCIE logo anywhere I like.
Looking back the past 10 years, I would say it's been a roller coaster journey. Even before I passed CCIE, the attempt to take the lab exam already brought me some interesting memories: how I switched from mechanical engineering to computer networking when I was jobless, how I was able to join Schlumberger the company that I thought was my dream company, how I then moved to IBM and felt like working as part of the family, how they sent me to CCIE Lab in Brussels with business class, and finally how I became a CCIE after the second attempt in Tokyo.
Having CCIE landed me a job with a gold partner company in Dubai. Got the second CCIE in Security track self funded. Involved in multiple projects with different roles, from solutions architect to project manager to technical lead to design consultant to field engineer who mounted the devices. The experiences and the certifications made me able to work as a contractor several years later. Until finally I joined Cisco Advanced Services in Singapore 5 years ago. And got my third CCIE in Service Provider track a year later with them.
I've been traveling to 26 countries since I started working as CCIE. I'm blessed with chances to visit many fascinating places: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Bratislava, Budapest, Hanoi, Hongkong, Istanbul, London, Mexico City, Munich, Paris, Prague, San Francisco, Taipei, Venice, Vienna and many more.
Travel. Meet new people. Meet new customers. Become friends with some.
I remember several difficult projects that I used to handle and lead: from Data center project in Malaysia, Migrating Vietnam Internet, CRS proof of concept in Sydney and San Jose, first full fledge IPv6 on IOS XR in Czech, Flat L2 to VPLS migration in Slovakia, Fixed Mobile Convergence in UAE, to impossible project in Saudi.
To celebrate my 10-year CCIE I'm thinking to release the story of the challenging situation from each project above. Just like what I did already with Project Malaysia. Let's see if I have time to do so.
Passing CCIE lab exam will not automatically make us entitled to be called as an expert. But it can open doors of opportunity to work in more complex projects, to assume higher responsibilities, to get into challenging situations, to get more exposures. And to work and get surrounded by another senior level engineers and the experts. Until someday we can become like one of them. Perhaps even better.
CCIE was really the beginning for me.
14 comments:
two thumbs up..
Congratulations from London.
Contrast! From CCIE 5022. Where did you take the lab?
Hi Billy, thanks. It was in Brussels and Tokyo for R&S, then Brussels, Brussels for Security, and Brussels for SP :)
Tahniah... From malaysia
Congratulations!
You are a CCDE also no ?:)
You inspire me
congrats from Bratislava
Congrats Mr. 10yrs CCIE!
congratz from Kazakhstan
Have you also passed the CCDA?
Sazaki, Fiji
Thanks, all. No, I haven't passed CCDE. And I'm not planning to take another attempt unless Yusuf the program manager, modified the exam as he told me a while ago.
When i finished my two hours CCIE R&S written exam, i feel really happy.It was not very hard for me.Its just covered with some networking and equipment concept.So, i say every one don't worry!
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