So after a few weeks of messing around with my lab and getting my CCNP study materials ordered, I started prepping for my CCNP this weekend.  My plan was to knock down my CCNP by the January 2011 and then jump right into my CCIE R/S Studies and take my written no later than January of 2012 followed by the Lab no later than July 2012.  While this is all still very doable I ran into an annoying little hangup today.  I do not have my CCNA.  For me this was not a problem considering until a few months ago I had planned on just jumping into my CCIE R/S and it does not require that I pass my CCNA for go for it.  But today as I was looking up some CCNP info I noticed the annoying pre-req of CCNA to achieve my CCNP.  Cisco this is BS.  No other way to cut it.  Really you’ll let me take a run at your largest cert without jumping through knowledge hoop I passed years ago but you won’t let me go for the CCNP (which is the arguably my current point in my career).

I know I know this should not be an issues.  If I can pass the CCNP then the CCNA should be a scheduled test and 30 min later walk away with a shiny new cert #.  Simple fact is I have twice now had to go for the CCNA cold due to piss pore planning of my previous employers to maintain their status with Cisco (after I was told there were not cert requirements for the jobs.)  Both times were go take the test now we booked it for you situations.  Both times I missed by 4 points.  So for me it is just a bad memory and a cert I feel has no value for where I am in market.  I mean for crying out loud I am planning, designing, building and managing mulit-million dollar DCs and Enterprise Networks.  I have built more networks than many engineers will ever have the opportunity (or maybe desire) to build.  I’m not trying to be cocky, I am not the worlds best Network Engineer by a long shot but this is just stupid.

All my whining aside I am going to do my CCNA.  Primary reason I really think I need the experience of my CCNP prep, to build a solid study habit and training ethic back into my routine.  I have spent the last 6+ years pretty much at %100 in design and field work with no effort on my cert or studies.  What I have learned has been based on requirements and necessity.  So with that said I am going to pound through a couple CCNA preps over the next few weeks and take the test in about a month and move on.  I hope to have some reviews of the prep material I am going to use so look for that.  Then hopefully I can move on to what I think really matters.