The Weight of the New World

Being a network engineer in today's world is not an easy task nor is it a light responsibility. Together this fraternity of engineers forms the backbone of the world's economy, health, survival and entertainment. Essentially, they form the core of our modern existence. In return for their invaluable service, the industry's average remuneration package has been steadily rising. Network engineers earn anywhere from $48,000 per annum to over $100,000 depending on their location and experience.

 

A network engineer is required to hook up new systems as well as keep them optimally operational. They also have to keep ahead of innovation in this area and always provide full support to the development of their networks. But before they can rake in a lucrative career, they must go through the rigorous training that gets them ready to carry the weight of the networking world. It is worth, at this juncture, to note that network engineers do not face a static industry. The technology, the challenges and the environment are constantly changing. Maybe not on a daily basis, but the changes are rapid and the engineer must keep up.

 

The CCIE certification process is just the entry point. After that the learning never stops. That is why the initial certification is not something that should be underestimated. The CCIE Routing and Switch Lab portion of the certification involves an 8 hour practical test that will test the candidate's ability to follow instructions, understanding of the system and the ability to diagnose and fix problems. Most people take the entire time allotted to get the task done; many find that the time is insufficient. The only way to beat the clock is to practice relentlessly before the day of the practical.

 

The best place to practice is off course purchasing you own system entirely and having it set up in your house or garage. It may be the best, but it is quite expensive to do it, off course once you’re done tinkering, the system can be sold, but it’s not work the hassle, especially when there are CCIE Rack Rentals available at the drop of a dime. They are not difficult to find and a simple search online will yield a long list of CCIE Service Provider options. The Cisco Racks you can get from these service providers are usually well set up and will not present any teething problems you may otherwise encounter if you purchased a system out of the box.

 

As an engineer in the real world it may just be worth your while to get your own system and think of it as an vestment rather than a cost. Having your own rack can get you intimately aware of the intricacies of the system and as you expand you can scale the system up and either sell it or rent it out to others. It would be a good start if you are going to set up your own CCIE SP.

 

Whatever it is you should penetrate this industry with both eyes fully open and with your entire heart in it. It can be exasperating to climb through the ranks but its well worth it. It is the ladder to six figure income and possibly more, in time, especially if you set up your own networking business.