I have been neglecting my fellow readers, but there is a good reason behind it. After my horrid experience in RTP in May, I took a long look at where I see my professional life going. After mulling it over for a long time, I have decided not to pursue my CCIE R&S. It was a tough decision after all the money I threw into it. Still, the deck I was handed has made me an all-around better networking professional.
Once I made the decision, it was time for some scheduled surgery. The surgery was a success, and I am still in the healing phase. It was more complex than they had initially thought, but I am glad I got it done.
Back to my professional career. I will focus much of my time now on Cisco’s Data Center track starting from the bottom. To start with CCIE DC, I work with 65% of the track daily. My lack of knowledge of storage and UCS made me wonder if it is a good idea to try to cram it all in like I did with Route/Switch. I talked to a good friend on Twitter about the track, and his recommendations made sense. Staring at the bottom to become an expert, and hopefully, when I get to the IE, it will be easier. I will not do what I did throughout my Route/Switch studying, which was a study to pass the test, not an expert. I think this is where I fell short every time in the lab. It is a mistake I will not make with the Data Center track.