Network Automation Skill-builder: Skill no 2.

The gift of the plan - 007 style. Admittedly we don't all have a team like Bond, building personalized gadgets and planning our next mission in minute detail. But we all know that without thorough preparation and planning we are not getting the most out of our time and efforts. Once we have the plan we also need the tools to execute our plan. When I set out on my journey to learn Network Automation skills I decided the best idea was to go to the source. I signed up for the Cisco DevNet Study Group. This was a great idea because a study plan is set out for you over 8 weeks. It broke the study plan up into the exam topics and each week we had a 2 hour class session with our mentor Matt De Napoli. Matt was also there every weekday for 'office hours' if we had any questions. I would highly recommend this as an option as you also get an exam voucher with the course. Personally I think this is a great way to get stuck in if you have the funds or support from your company to leverage this kind of training. If you don't have access to this option I would recommend the content and study plan set out by Nick Russo. In fact I wish I had this when I started as it makes an excellent companion to either the Cisco Press book or any other format you may be using. Here is a link to his website and here is a link to his Youtube which has a link to the study plan. Nick is a trainer on Pluralsight which is an affordable video training platform. His course does have a link to the Cisco DevNet Pluralsight video training content. You can also sign up for a free 10 day trial which you could use for those topics that you struggle with. I have to mention CBT Nuggets Cisco Devnet Program too. If you are a visual learner like I am, this is a great learning tool. The passion and enthusiasm of the trainers; Knox Hutchinson, Ben Finkel and Keith Barker is prime. I was able to grasp hard topics in many of the tutorials. Plus, Knox sings like an angel, so what's not to like?

Because Cisco Certs are so in demand, there is always someone that has some tips and has walked the road before you. Utilize the skills and advice of others! The road to success cannot be walked alone and definitely not without planning! In Summary: - Plan and Tool: Cisco DevNet Study Group - Tool: CBT Nuggets Cisco Devnet - Plan and Tool: Nick Russo's website & Cisco DevNet Pluralsight - Tool: Cisco Press book