Just a few weeks in the past, one thing exceptional occurred. The Web Engineering Activity Drive (IETF) had its first in-person assembly in over two years. Usually, the IETF meets in individual thrice per 12 months to “make the web higher” by interoperable requirements. These IETF conferences join representatives from distributors, community operators, academia, and different community nerds. Whereas fairly a bit occurs all year long on e mail lists, the IETF’s in-person conferences are an opportunity to place apart vendor variations and work collectively to realize tough consensus and working code.
These conferences of the minds give us IP, HTTP, and the real-time communications that join us. I might write an entire sequence of blogs on the IETF course of and its traditions, however I needed to deal with one thing barely totally different on this article. The rationale why having that first in-person assembly in so lengthy was so thrilling was as a result of it allowed me to get again along with a tremendous crew of engineers and do what I really like: automate community operations.
That IETF assembly gave me an opportunity to replicate alone community automation journey. Along with taking part in IETF working teams, I assist in the Community Operations Middle (NOC) spun as much as assist every assembly. As such, the IETF conferences and my time within the NOC there have performed an enormous half in how my journey continues to evolve. For one, they provide me an outlet to observe what I study round automation.
The timing of that IETF assembly was excellent. At Cisco, we had been within the strategy of ending the examination for the Cisco Licensed DevNet Knowledgeable. One of many large issues we’ve been discussing is how candidates ought to put together for the Cisco Licensed DevNet Knowledgeable certification. The trail from the DevNet Skilled certification to the DevNet Knowledgeable is non-linear. One must expertise the trials and tribulations of creating one thing work to suppose critically and creatively about options to issues.
“Discover those that need to study together with you,
problem you to be higher, and hold you motivated.”
Along with having a sensible means to train my automation chops, the IETF supplied me with a crew of like-minded people who additionally like to study and experiment. It was there I used to be launched to Ansible—nevertheless it wasn’t me that walked into it.
I used to be trying to automate the technology and deployment of configurations for our monitoring instruments (Nagios, Smokeping, and Netdisco) when somebody instructed Ansible. It was an incredible suggestion!
Inside one assembly, I had working roles and a push-button technique to spin up all our monitoring for every assembly.
Each IETF assembly gives the chance to study and experiment with one thing new; Prometheus, Grafana, CI/CD, and so forth. Nonetheless, IETF conferences are greater than probabilities to continue learning. It’s additionally about overcoming challenges and constructing expertise.
Begin your studying journey
Let’s say, for instance, that you just wish to pursue the Cisco Licensed DevNet Knowledgeable certification.
Here’s what your first steps may seem like:
- Outline your aim by studying extra in regards to the Cisco Licensed DevNet Knowledgeable certification.
- Decide how you’ll go about making ready by downloading the examination subjects.
- Compile a listing of coaching sources out there and the way you’ll study the applied sciences listed within the examination subjects. (We did the heavy lifting for you. Obtain the Cisco Licensed DevNet Knowledgeable v1.0 Studying Matrix right here.)
- It’s time to problem your self to start out studying. These free DevNet Knowledgeable Coaching Movies can familiarize you with the content material earlier than you decide to an examination subject or coaching useful resource. (You have to to know all the examination subjects to earn the certification, nevertheless it helps to start out with an space the place you’re acquainted or have a selected curiosity.)
- Discover assist that can maintain you accountable and show you how to keep motivated. You will discover and join with others on the identical studying path in a Cisco Studying Community Group, like this one on the subject of Automation and Programmability.
As you proceed your studying journey, be it in community automation, securing and connecting hybrid staff, or no matter your ardour is – discover methods to not solely study however to place these classes into observe. And as importantly, discover those that need to study together with you, problem you to be higher, and hold you motivated.
How do you study greatest? How do you keep motivated whenever you face challenges? Depart a remark and share what has labored greatest for you.
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