Longer Run on Cisco Track : CCent > CCNA > Pro > IE

Cisco currently has the hottest certification track in the market, and that is exactly why they have decided to make a few changes to the way things work. Cisco has had a very simple track:

The Old Track –

the Associate Level -> Professional Level -> Expert Level

for each specific major such as security(CCSP), networking(CCNP), VoIP(CCVP), starting with a CCNA and for the design(CCDP), there is a different pre-req of the CCDA. All the Professional level certifications have always had some sort of specialist mini certification within it after every few exams, and now they have just decided to give that advantage to an entry-level technician entering the networking field with the CCent which rightly stands for Cisco Certified Entry Level Network Technician after the first ICND exam from the CCNA certification. Certifications aren’t very easy, and can take lots of time, so for the while you work on your second exam to complete your CCNA, and you can have a CCent to give you some value when you go out looking for jobs.

All in all, you still have the option of jumping right to your one exam solution right to your CCNA, however this is for those who like to do it in two exams. Other speculations tell us they want to create more Incentives, so people do two exams for the CCNA which increases the value of the CCNA much more and also rakes in more moolah. CCNA to be very honest is a bit much for the first certification on the track as it really has a lot of value on its own as it proves a point because being a CCNA is not a joke.

CCent clicks very well for those who want recognition half way into the certification and gives more value and respect to the CCNA certification which it clearly does!

Cisco Routers can act like DNS Servers?!?!

Wow! Technology really does evolve with a blink of an eye … I mean who really knew the same box that has a Router functionality will also serve as a DNS server. With time, as a specific technology progresses and matures, there comes a point that its beyond excelled; however another dimension is created and then it goes through the same process to be worked on, in this case and in most cases it has become the multi-functional ability of a product.

Yes, Cisco Routers can now act like DNS Servers and that might sound like such a bonus. I talked to many of my friends at school taking the same Cisco based course as me about this feature, and jeez … the loyal Cisco geeks that they are, many of them seem to be blinded about this feature. So much hype for what?!

Let me cut straight to the point, it isn’t such a godly feature, it causes a billion complications in the long term compared to the short-term all-in-one solution or the cost optimization that it provides. For any device that promise to offer more than it’s original functionality, the add-on is never really top-notch.The DNS Server ability on the router has its advantages as well, however it has more disadvantages.

The biggest advantage that a router based DNS server provides is that its very close to its users which means the speed is rapid and the load put on the server is massively reduced.
However the disadvantages play out the advantage, just like bugs tend to plague servers very fast, if it hits a router based dns server, oh boy, you better be ready for the chaos. That would mean pretty much shutting the network down as that could corrupt your local cache, and cause problems in the IOS registry.There is a major security threat as well because the router based dns server is generally much open to public and this would increase the exploitability factor of the router as well, calling for some real pandemonium.

All in all … it is a waste, overdoing technology and causing unnecessary complications, I wouldn’t want to risk my entire network for some add-on function. That was my view guys … look forward to hearing from you about it. We will also be teaching you how to configure this DNS server in our consulting section.

The Cexpert’s – We love the Human Network, Literally.

“We Love the Human Network, Literally” – Much can be made out of this statement citing the name “Cexperts” . The Human Nature is of the sort that can never survive without a network; people tend to share and communicate their lives, information and much more in many different forms.

For centuries on, networks have existed, evolved, and advanced and today the exist in their most superior forms. Technology has become incisive in our lives for the past few decades, and now it has slowly crept into reforming ways of communication, data sharing, and relationships. The networks now exist in electronic forms, I mean for anyone who doesn’t live under the rock, we all know the importance of these and that was a rather “already-known” introduction.

Lets cut straight to the point of this introductory post. Cisco rules roster when it comes to Networking today. We believe they play a major part in our lives while the common man just doesn’t know. The Internet, these massive data-networks that support all your information – yes, most of them run on Cisco equipment. They believe in the Human Network without taking much away, and so do we.

The Cexpert’s team will be reviewing Cisco products namely switches, routers, and much more. To spice things up we are also going to be reviewing Cisco competition and the smaller league of house routers. We will be reviewing other tech gadgets such as Cell Phones, portable MP3 players, workstations, and anything and everything hot in the market.

Keep watching for more … for now signing off

The Cexpert’s – We love the Human Network, Literally.