Not new year’s resolutions because they are so last year, and I think they are tainted with a stigma which means that no-one really expects you to follow through with them. But I do have targets. I’m thinking that if I list them here where they can be viewed forever, and if I publish an update every month as to my progress, I might actually think about trying to achieve them. Probably rubbish, but it’s worth a punt. Here goes:

• Finish repair and decoration of the house
• Move house
• Achieve CCIP (Cisco Certified Internetworks Expert) certification
• Become an accomplished CCNA (CC Network Associate) instructor
• Stay fit
• Stop biting my nails
• Run two 5k races and another 10k race (hopefully with my pal Chris)
• See 6 London shows (at least one every couple of months)

I’m not going to beat myself up if I don’t meet them or things change, so let’s see how I get on with it. I might also update the list too, as I’m sure there are more things I want to do than that.

I passed!

Last week I took the CCNA Voice course with CommSupport in London, a Cisco course designed to bridge the gap for network folks looking to get into voice over IP, without plunging them into the relatively deep end of the CCVP world.  I’d never really looked too far into the voice world before but have always been interested, so it was a good opportunity to step into it.

I’d also never trained with CommSupport before, so that was pretty daunting too, I had no idea what to expect.  Why they would be any different from any company might have you thinking, which is a reasonable thing to be thinking.   There is one fairly major distinction that CommSupport has from other training companies – price.   I was paying for this course myself, so was desperate to find the best value I could.   CommSupport seemed to fit the bill, offering a real-world instructor, a dedicated stack of Cisco kit per student and a very competitive price.

I have to admit that I was wondering “how can they be offering this for so little, where’s the catch?”  Other training providers offer the CCNA at anything from £1500 upwards.  CommSupport are currently offering it for £295 (plus VAT of 15%).   The CCNA Voice I liked the sound of was being advertised for £495.  Again this course is offered by other providers from at least £1000 upwards, typically at least £1200.  In fact CommSupport were offering any of the CCNA specialisms (Voice, Wireless, Security) for £495, or two for £595.   This was too good to miss for me, so I took the plunge and signed up, having done a little research on the company and spoken to them on the phone.

And I don’t regret it at all.   It was exactly as it said on the tin.   Joe Spoto, founder of CommSupport and our instructor on this course, has clearly been out in the real world.  He can relate the course material to all manner of real world scenarios to make it easier to swallow.   He knows his stuff and he’s built a great thing with CommSupport.   If I’m honest, having watched the CBT nuggets videos, Joe’s course structure did seem to closely match this, but then hey – it is the same material, so that isn’t a huge surprise.

Day one of the course was entirely theory, with the history of voice communications, how PBX and Key systems work, how VoIP interacts with the PSTN, encoding theory, quantization and all that jazz.   Even though all theory based, I found it interesting (but then I am a massive nerd).

Day two we got our hands on the kit and started making phones ring.   Day two into day three was all about different configurations, learning the different elements of setting up the Unified Communications Manager Express function of the router, digit manipulation, call routing, remote site connectivity, all good stuff.

The last day is a look at Unity Express – the voicemail (and a fair bit more) system.   You look at how this works, the various flavours, configuring and making it work.  After that there is a little mop up review and you are all done.

During the course Joe does little break/fix sessions.   If you’ve finished a lab, he’ll come and break your setup and then you have to work out what he did and put it right again, which was different from anything else I’ve experienced before and a nice addition.

The goal of the CCNA Voice course is to equip students to be able to install and manage a small VoIP deployment of up to 240 users and connect it to the PSTN.   I definitely now feel that this is well within my grasp so I am grateful for the course, and it comes highly recommended from me.

I’ve also booked my exam for this course for Saturday, so fingers crossed I know it as well as I think I do!

About the company and their pricing….   Joe told us that he grew fed up with the notion that IT training has to be expensive, and so decided to do something about it.  He founded CommSupport in his garden shed which he fitted out with all the kit he needed, and as soon as he grew big enough moved into offices in London.   He now also has offices in Birmingham and Manchester.   The format has been so successful that other companies are sprouting up copying it trying to compete with CommSupport.   The full story is on the CommSupport website. Hopefully this will lead to the major players in the training world lowering their prices, and create a competitive market.   There are thousands of willing trainees out there who just can’t afford to get trained.  Maybe that will start to change.

What you get with other training providers is a little bit of polish, which you won’t get with CommSupport – you bring your own laptop and buy your own lunch, provide your own notebook and materials etc.  But really that’s about it.  I think most people would sacrifice a free lunch and the use of the training company’s PC is if saved them a few hundred quid, especially if like me they were paying for it themselves.

Most of the new network equipment has turned up at work, and so I’ve been working on getting it all configured.  Sadly the main core switch has not turned up so we’ve had to improvise, using an old 3550 L3 switch to pretend to be the core switch for the time being.  VTP allows a little bit of the work to be automated, as when we turn on the new core switch, we can configure VTP and all our VLANs will magically appear.  For the rest of the work, such as the L3 SVIs, ACLs and any other config work we’ve done on the “core switch,” this can be copied/pasted from what we’ve done so far so nothing should be wasted.

Essentially the network (in very basic form!) looks a little like this:

We have the KPSN CPE router which also hosts the wireless LAN controller, an add-in module for the 3825 router (and all modular ISR routers).  Connected to this we have the core switch, which will eventually be a Cisco 4506, and assorted workgroup switches which will be 2960s and 3560s.

Getting the wireless piece working was a challenge.  Having not configured a wireless LAN controller before, this was an excercise fraught with Google searching and reading articles from the Cisco website.  As the WLC had previously been deployed we wanted to factory reset it.  Most of the articles were along the lines of “once you’ve done the incredibly trivial task of getting your access points associated with your controller all this is child’s play.”  Having reset the WLC, configured it, set the clock on it (important for access point association), configured DHCP option 42 (and another that escapes me at the moment) we still couldn’t get the access points associated.  Eventually we found that because the APs has also previously been deployed and had self signed certificates (SSCs) we had to sit on the debug of the WLC, capture the SSC and add it into the configuration of the WLC.  Once we had done this the APs associated and joined the WLC fine.  This took care of 5 out of the 6 APs, but one was still in “autonomous” mode.

A Cisco autonomous AP is an independent (as you might imagine) access point which you individually configure, and has a standalone image.  You can “upgrade” an autonomous AP to remove its intelligence and make it a Lightweight Access Point (LWAP), and that’s what we had to do with the final AP.  Having discovered that Cisco meant what they said about running the update tool on Windows XP (and not Vista / Windows 7 like I was initially trying) we eventually had the final AP all joined on as an LWAP.

Having done the heavy lifting with the wireless network, we now just need to spend some time tidying a few things up, deploying a RADIUS server to authenticate the wireless network against, configure some NAT to allow us to talk to head office, a bit of port security and the basic network is in place.  Following that we need to revisit the connection to our remote office to make things a little more efficient and secure there, and just continue to evolve, improve and secure the new LAN infrastructure.

Hopefully soon afterwards our server infrastructure will arrive and we’ll really see a big difference in performance.

Here at EIS towers things have moved a little bit.  I realise that I’ve not updated for a while so I thought I’d throw this out there to keep things ticking over!

We have been given the go-ahead to implement a new Cisco based network here at work and the kit has been ordered.  Next phase will be configuration and implementation, and this may take a while as there are debates over how we should implement things.

It’s still exciting though, in terms of the opportunity to implement what is a greenfield network, and also for the unit to have a network which works how it should and meets our business needs (which we don’t really have now, if we’re honest).

There is also some slight forward motion in the service which we have been touting for schools too.  A school is desperate to move ahead with things but we haven’t yet got contractual stuff sorted out.  Ho hum, hopefully we’ll get there.

In other news, I passed my CCNA Security test this weekend.  I think I’m going to concentrate on the BGP aspect of obtaining the CCIP next, then the MPLS.

During the CCNP course which I took back in February, myself and a colleague got excited about all the things we were learning and how we should be applying these concepts back at work.  Things like 802.1x authentication and proper wireless security, voice over IP, even things as basic as VLANs – we didn’t (and still currently don’t) do any of it.

We started planning what we could do with our office network if let loose on it, and even began to draw up some plans.  Then a thought struck – this could be a service we offer to schools.  Schools in Kent (typically, not in all cases) have some fairly shocking networks.  There is a lot of cheap kit flying about, networks built from switches from a dozen different vendors, basic configuration out of whack, really quite bad stuff.

So, a service for schools….  We knew that we would need to put a fairly convincing case together to swing the idea by the management team, so with the office network in mind, we started building a service specification document in the mould of something that we could use when presenting to schools.  Two birds with one stone (is that a phrase used outside the UK?) – we would like the opportunity to overhaul our creaking office LAN, and this would give us the opportunity to present a case for renovation of our own environment, and offer a proof of concept for a service to schools.

I should point out that neither I or my colleague are currently involved in roles within our organisation where this sort of service would be part of our work.  We support the broadband service for schools, and this, although linked, is in a somewhat different direction.  There is an issue as to whether we are “available” to support such a service, but hopefully this case fairly simply be overcome.

I’m pleased to report that following a meeting with most of the management team our idea was accepted as a good one with some managers quite excited by the idea of bringing it to life.  What’s more, they were unified in their agreement that our LAN needs investment and agreement was made for us to lead its renovation.  A very successful meeting!

The head of unit suggested that we commission a couple of pilot school installations so that we may get an idea of whether the service will work, so a couple of lucky schools will get bought and paid for brand new networks in exchange for kind words and praise when we inevitably give them a lovely shiny new network (hopefully!).

Hopefully the start of something new and exciting, and something that my employers can be proud of for years to come.  Watch this space….

A colleague has alerted me to a useful TechRepublic article which details how to transfer your Cisco PIX configs to the ASA platform.  You can read about it here.

With the PIX now end of sale and due to be end of support in 2013, those looking at hardware refresh programmes might find this tool useful.  Another angle for those of you who don’t necessarily run a watertight ship would be to start from scratch and eliminate what you no longer need from your rule base.

From the same article, it seems Cisco will stop software maintenance on the PIX in July this year, so whilst support may continue to 2013, that isn’t much use if you have a bug that needs fixing.

I’ve just returned from completing my Cisco CCNP training at Firebrand’s flagship training centre in Wybotson Lakes, Bedfordshire.  Thankfully I have emerged from the experience unscathed, and with the CCNP qualification as a tremendous bonus.

As I mentioned in my previous post the course was structured intensively, aiming to get through what would traditionally be four one-week courses in just thirteen days.  A rather ambitious task you might feel, and you would be correct.

Wyboston Lakes is a dedicated training and conference centre in Bedfordshire.  The accommodation and training suites are all in one site and provide an immersing experience, ideal to provide the setting for intensive training.  There was no worry about transport or organising meals, just turn up and learn.  The facilities were great – modern equipment, clean, well decorated classrooms, nice lounge areas, a bar, a great looking golf course, a restaurant, free coffee/tea/soft drinks/biscuits/fruit – all good stuff.  Not that there would be any time to enjoy these lovely surroundings….

The four courses involved in CCNP are BSCI, BCMSN, ONT and ISCW, and we tackled them in that order, beginning with BSCI on Monday February 16th.  BSCI is the routing course – OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS, RIP, BGP and all that jazz, with a bit of IPv6 thrown in for good measure.  The pace of this was extremely intense, non-stop from the morning of day one until the morning of the exam on Thursday three days later.  BGP is an enormous topic and highly complex, but incredibly powerful.  The others are all fairly straightforward once you’ve looked at them for long enough.  For the first three nights I don’t think I was in bed before midnight once, staying up to complete labs or review the day’s activities or do practice tests.  Thankfully I was fortunate enough to make it through the exam.  Tests were scheduled for 5pm, so after dinner at 7 we had a night off from studying.

BCMSN is the switching course – spanning tree, VLANs, gateway redundancy, multicast etc.  This was two full days of lecture with the exam scheduled for Sunday, and again very highly paced.  The content was harder to swallow in some places as you have to learn about deprecated protocols just because it is still on the test, but it was very interesting with lots of labs.  Having passed BSCI there was a little pressure to pass the BCMSN.  Some others were due to be taking the composite exam in the morning anyway having missed out on the first test (you can either sit BSCI and BCMSN separately or take the composite – Firebrand recommend taking the separate tests initially so that you have another chance if you fail either of the first two), so in a way the BCMSN result didn’t matter a great deal, although of course everyone wanted to do their best.

I failed the BCMSN test by one point, and was a little annoyed to say the least.  What annoyed me more than failing was that having come so close to the mark I had clearly not absorbed as much of the material as I had hoped – I would have been disappointed to have passed by one point, but probably not quite as much if I’m honest.  Failing meant that I had to get up with the others and take the composite when I had had my fingers crossed for a lay in (and on my birthday too!).  Thankfully I passed the composite with a good score and was back on track to the begin the ONT course later that morning.

The ONT is the smallest course, lightest on material, but heavy on memorisation.  There are no practical elements to the exam, whereas the others all contain simulation items.  ONT concentrates on VoIP, QoS and wireless technologies.  There is some bizarre exam content with some questions asking what can be found on certain tabs on Windows wireless clients, which is quite irritating (my first thought was “I don’t know, show me and I’ll tell you”).  The tutor wasn’t very keen on these strange inclusions, but of course if they are on the test you need to know them.  I definitely found this course to be a much more relaxed pace than the first two.  I also found the content very interesting: QoS and VoIP go hand in hand and wireless is here to stay and we need to implement measures to reduce risks and secure it.

ISCW was last, and again much more gently paced than the first week.  It covers security technologies such as IPSec and IPS, and MPLS.  Again the content is very interesting and very much applicable to today’s large networks (except the stuff on Cisco homeworker links – hands up if you have a Cisco router at home to connect you to the office?).  Thankfully I managed to finish up having gotten through the last two tests ok, and so finished with my CCNP.

Overall it was a fantastic experience.  The other guys on the course (no girls – sorry girls) were all great to spend the two weeks with and the tutor was absolutely first grade, he knew the subjects in a depth that was truly impressive.  I’m not quite sure how I’d feel about the whole thing if I had not come away with the certification, but I’d hope that I would say the same.  It is very hard work, and you have to be prepared to cut yourself off from the world for two weeks and work late every single day you are there, no weekends off or early finishes (except maybe on exam days when you might get to finish at 7 after the test).  It is definitely something I would repeat, and absolutely recommend.  If you do though, you have to be prepared to work for it.

I’m now away at a training centre in Bedford, a long way from home.  I’m here to do my Cisco CCNP course, but not in the conventional manner.  I’m here on a boot camp style training course – 13 days solid training, 14 hours per day.  Usually the CCNP is done over four, one week courses.  There are four exams to pass, which here are built into the course structure, but usually are taken in your own time once you have completed your week and had time to revise.

I’m very much excited, but also quite anxious about underachieving.  I am fairly knowledgeable on the subject matter and work in a job that this is useful for, but I currently have little applied practical experience, mostly I deal in theoretical practicalities.

I completed the CCNA in April 2007 and managed that relatively comfortably (although had to re-take due to missing a whole chunk of questions on a multi-question page and failing my first attempt by 0.1%), and since then have had further exposure to different technologies, so I’m hopeful that I’m at a level where I won’t get left behind.

I’m doing the training through Firebrand and this course is based at Wyboston Lakes.  Although I’ve just arrived and haven’t really look around properly yet it would seem to be quite a nice place.  Let’s hope I still feel the same way in two weeks time when I’m finishing up…

Sadly I won’t have any real opportunity to update my blog or Twitter while I’m here as I think the 14 hours each day will take it out of me, and I’m going to need all the energy I can save to help me through the experience.  I’ll give an update though when I’m done, and give some feedback on the boot camp experience and the quality of the course so folks thinking of giving it a shot have an idea of what to expect.

See you in two weeks…..

I’m trying to get onto the Cisco website to obtain latest software for an ASA firewall I am going to deploy, but I can barely even get to the front page.  When I can see the front page, if I try to log in or get to any other pages it goes nowhere.

C’mon Cisco, sort it out, you are the bloody internet!

UPDATE:  It’s fixed now, minutes after I blogged it.