Cisco Coaching Bootcamps have been on the scene for a pair years now. One of many issues that makes them so standard is their depth and real-world utility. We sat down with Topic Matter Consultants (SMEs) John Capobianco, Bootcamp Developer Advocate, Joe Rinehart, Engineering Chief, and Palmer Pattern, Software program Engineering Technical Chief, to seek out out what makes Cisco Coaching Bootcamps so particular.
Plus, we acquired a sneak peek at what they’ll cowl within the upcoming Cisco Coaching Bootcamp webinar on December 13, 2023, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
Why are Cisco Coaching Bootcamps so standard?
John: I believe it’s the best way they align with market tendencies. Enterprises around the globe are in search of methods to undertake community automation and get the utmost worth out of their Cisco investments. A Cisco Coaching Bootcamp offers a direct path towards cultural modifications, serving to organizations undertake automation and programmability.
Joe: Additionally they handle vital enterprise and technical wants like automation and sophisticated product competence. The educating methodology is well-suited to speedy studying and growing expertise that engineers can apply now, not solely sooner or later. Having two studying occasions shut collectively (the Teacher-led Coaching [ILT] courses and the deep dive labs) amplifies the training at each stage. It’s just like the expression, ‘one-two punch.’
Palmer: I believe folks like our bootcamps as a result of they reply the query, “Now what?” Right this moment’s aggressive enterprise atmosphere requires agile networks that may adapt to mission aims with out impacting stakeholders. As our prospects deploy trendy infrastructure, they discover that the issue shouldn’t be that the know-how is simply too advanced however that it’s totally different from what we’ve all labored with for thus many a long time.
We’ve heard:
- “We’ve deployed Software program-Outlined Entry…”
- “We’re working ACI however haven’t moved to an application-centric mannequin…”
- “Our workforce must embrace NetDevOps ideas and be taught automation…”
Now what?
Cisco Coaching Bootcamps take away complexity and concentrate on what’s necessary. Whether or not it’s an Operations and Troubleshooting Bootcamp for Software program-Outlined Campus and Information Heart Options, or an Automation Bootcamp, our prospects go away with the boldness they should rework community operations and contribute to their workforce’s success.
You guys are within the good place to know what prospects want. What are you listening to from the entrance strains? What automation wants do prospects consider these Coaching Bootcamps may remedy?
Joe: Prospects want to resolve issues now, which is why the hands-on element of the expertise is so important. The Bootcamps not solely encourage college students to be taught ideas and configuration, however additionally they present the crucial for college kids to use them instantly of their environments.
Palmer: Whereas prospects are wanting to automate, they face frequent challenges, reminiscent of guaranteeing their groups can converse a standard language, which automation know-how they need to select, and maybe most significantly, what they’ll truly do with automation. A Cisco Coaching Bootcamp addresses these challenges with a singular educating format. The 5-day coaching covers a broad vary of prerequisite data to make sure college students achieve a standard skillset. The actual-world use instances and deep-dive labs present what prospects can do with community automation. These labs are designed to progress from the fundamentals, reminiscent of studying Git, to standard instruments, together with REST API Purchasers and Python. Lastly, most studying tracks culminate with a CI/CD pipeline. After the Bootcamp, prospects preserve entry to code they’ll instantly use once they return to the workplace. The general expertise requires focus and teamwork, however the buyer response has been overwhelmingly optimistic.
John: A few of our former college students keep in contact with us for over a 12 months after their Automation Coaching Bootcamp! The dimensions and complexity of the trendy community can now not be operated manually. Automation isn’t just about pace and shifting quick; it’s about safety, repeatability, testing and validation, and growing CI/CD pipelines as full options. Finally, most prospects are in search of a spot to begin with confidence. Cisco Coaching Bootcamps present them these preliminary stepping stones towards success.
What are the weather of a Bootcamp that make it so intense?
John: The labs! Within the 4-day, deep-dive lab portion, 80 % of the category is lab work based mostly on actual conditions and eventualities. College students truly apply what they’ve realized in the course of the 5-day ILT with precise tools and actual issues to resolve. There are a number of ‘spice ranges’ (problem ranges) to problem even probably the most superior scholar. As an example, they be taught issues like version and supply management with Git and Ansible playbooks and tips on how to automate options with Ansible, Python and Cisco pyATS, and CI/CD pipelines.
Joe: The Deep Dive Labs (DDLs) are all about utilizing the instruments, writing code, and making issues occur. The labs are action-oriented, and the ratio of lecture versus lab within the DDL is about 20 % lecture, leaving 80 % for labs.
Palmer: I believe the depth lies in the quantity of content material we cowl in such a brief time frame. Coupled with the labs, which get progressively more difficult, it’s quite a bit to be taught—particularly for college kids who’re comparatively new to the know-how observe they’ve chosen. The excellent news is that they have a devoted workforce of instructors to assist their studying expertise. In flip, we’ve observed our courses usually embrace a workforce mindset, serving to one another succeed. Sure, the expertise is intense, but it surely’s not unimaginable! On the finish of the deep-dive lab week, college students are exhausted however impressed to proceed their journey.
Between the 2 kinds of Cisco Coaching Bootcamps, automation and product (operations and troubleshooting), what are you discovering hottest and helpful?
John: Each tracks are extremely popular and handle totally different wants. Some prospects discover the Ops and Troubleshooting Bootcamps extra sensible for his or her present day-to-day wants, whereas others are forward-looking, making an attempt to remodel these operations into absolutely automated options.
Joe: Every has their area of interest, with automation and product Bootcamps usually working across the similar variety of instances. Whereas we launched the DevNet Automation Bootcamps first, the Operations & Troubleshooting tracks got here alongside later and stay wildly standard.
Palmer: It relies upon. Some prospects have a devoted workforce managing infrastructure, whereas one other focuses on automation. Some prospects are simply deploying a know-how reminiscent of Software program-Outlined Entry. In the meantime, others have realized that automation is right here to remain, so they should upskill.
The Bootcamps additionally complement one another and supply a path for our prospects to evolve as their necessities change. For instance, a buyer new to ACI would profit from the Operations and Troubleshooting Bootcamp. Then, they’ll increase their data by taking the Cisco DevNet Automation for ACI once they transfer to a NetDevOps mannequin.
Might you inform us extra in regards to the new Cisco Coaching Bootcamp for Enterprise Networking (EN)?
John: I’m actually enthusiastic about this bootcamp! Whereas we do have an SDA Bootcamp for these with Catalyst Heart and a controller-based strategy, the EN Bootcamp will allow these prospects with out SDN to completely embrace automation and programmability. We discover applied sciences like Ansible and Cisco pyATS, and construct towards a full CI/CD pipeline answer that college students construct over the course of the DDL. And did I point out the lab is IPv6-based round OSPFv3?!
Palmer: The Cisco DevNet Automation Bootcamp for Enterprise Networking, or as we name it, ‘EN-A,’ is within the last phases of testing. It’s based mostly on Cisco IOS XE software program, which is current in switches, routers, and wi-fi gadgets and is the spine of our prospects’ enterprise networks.
After the 5-day instructor-led coaching, college students start the Deep-Dive Lab (DDL) with a topology consisting of Cisco Catalyst 8000V Edge gadgets, that are solely configured with administration interface connectivity. After being launched to NetDevOps and Git, college students will use quite a lot of trendy strategies to incrementally configure the simulated department topology. They achieve hands-on expertise with test-driven automation, Ansible, Python, Cisco’s pyATS automation framework, REST API shoppers, YANG fashions, model-driven programmability, streaming telemetry, and CI/CD pipelines. On the finish of the Bootcamp, the simulated department might be absolutely configured and IPv6-enabled, with OSPFv3 and BGP within the combine for added pleasure. We are able to’t wait to share the expertise!
What’s the most well-liked Coaching Bootcamp thus far? Why?
Joe: Cisco ACI has emerged as one of the crucial standard subject areas. First, the automation bootcamp, adopted by the operations and troubleshooting bootcamp. Naturally, there are fluctuations about which observe is the most well-liked, however these two are practically all the time on the prime.
John: Individuals are drawn to ACI and software-defined networking normally, primarily for simplicity, scale, and automation capabilities. ACI was constructed from the bottom up with APIs and programmability in thoughts, however it’s also a departure from basic enterprise networking. There’s a little bit of a studying curve as issues are executed in another way.
What’s the benefit of Coaching Bootcamps for people?
John: I believe it’s the talents they are going to purchase with real-world examples and the brand new appreciation for a way accessible and straightforward it’s to get began with community automation. It’s additionally the Cisco Persevering with Schooling (CE) credit they are going to obtain upon profitable completion.
Joe: Many purchasers would not have 12 engineers devoted to the applied sciences coated in Cisco bootcamps. The Coaching Bootcamps for people gives the flexibleness of accommodating smaller numbers of scholars. As well as, we regularly hear that having the complete workforce out for coaching can influence enterprise productiveness, so sending the workforce in waves can mitigate that concern.
And the way is a person Bootcamp totally different from the Cisco Coaching Bootcamps for groups?
John: The workforce Bootcamps (aka closed enrollments) supply a personal setting for workforce members from organizations to take the Bootcamp collectively. One of many pure aspect advantages of those enrollments is the workforce constructing that goes on over the course of the week. Teammates from organizations change into nearer as they be taught these new expertise and applied sciences. They be taught, battle, fail, and succeed collectively.
Particular person Cisco Coaching Bootcamps have their very own allure, as a variety of people come collectively to attain the identical objectives. Individuals from around the globe be taught collectively and make mates. It’s fairly exceptional.
Joe: Bootcamps for Groups are structured on a per-class foundation, from pricing to venture administration and tailoring. These Bootcamps can have the content material and labs tailor-made particularly to a single buyer, which we don’t present for the Bootcamps for People, a.ok.a. open enrollment.
The place do you see Cisco Coaching Bootcamps going within the subsequent 12 months?
John: I’m very excited in regards to the EN providing in addition to the continued curiosity in ACI, NSO, SDA, and Meraki. I hope demand goes up. I hope our workforce grows. We’re having a tangible influence on the business, and I believe our days as Cisco’s best-kept secret are numbered.
Joe: We’re releasing a brand new observe referred to as Cisco DevNet Automation for Enterprise Networks, which can be a mouthful, but it surely addresses the biggest put in base of put in gadgets—particularly, people who run the IOS-XE working system. This has been fairly the enterprise, but it surely hits a related space of focus that nearly each buyer wants. Past that, we’re all the time taking a look at updates and enhancements to present content material and labs and increasing into new content material areas.
Palmer: It’s going to be a busy 12 months, for certain. I anticipate that the Enterprise Networking Automation Bootcamps might be extremely popular, and we’ve plenty of returning prospects seeking to increase their expertise and prepare new groups. We’ll even be reviewing our present Bootcamps to establish alternatives so as to add new content material and showcase new applied sciences and capabilities. Nothing on this business ever stands nonetheless, and we search for “power multipliers” to include into the content material so our prospects keep aggressive. Additionally, our workforce is ceaselessly accepted to current at occasions reminiscent of Cisco Stay! That’s an exquisite alternative to satisfy former and future college students in particular person.
Inform us extra about this upcoming webinar: What can prospects anticipate in the course of the occasion?
John: We’ll cowl all six Bootcamps. Prospects will get to know us as instructors in the event that they haven’t met us but. They’ll get to know our distinct ‘Edutainer’ kinds. We might be overlaying every Bootcamp for about 5 minutes every to offer you a way of the fabric coated. You’ll have an opportunity to ask us any questions alongside the best way.
Palmer: We’ll additionally cowl the Enterprise Networking Automation Bootcamp, which is within the last phases of testing. We sit up for answering questions that come up.
Observe Cisco Studying & Certifications
Twitter | Fb | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube
Use #CiscoCert to affix the dialog.
Share: