I’ve been active in the Cisco Certification track for four years, working my way from the CCNA to the coveted Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert title, and during that time I’ve conducted job interviews and casual conversations with hundreds of CCNAs and CCNA candidates.
The CCNA is an exciting beginning to your Cisco career, but just having the certification simply isn’t enough. A recruiter or interviewer isn’t going to be impressed just with the cert; you’ve got to have some real-world knowledge to back it up.
I’ve been down that road myself, and sat on both sides of the CCNA job interview table. With that in mind, I’d like to offer to you some tips on becoming a truly valuable and employable CCNA.
Get some hands-on experience. I know the trap well; you can’t get experience until you get a CCNA, and you can’t get a CCNA without real experience. Well, actually, you can, but do you want to? Working on simulators is fine to a certain extent, but don’t make the classic mistake of depending on them. I’ve seen plenty of CCNAs who were put in front of a set of routers and really didn’t know what to do or how to put together a simple configuration, and had NO idea how to begin troubleshooting.
There are CCNA classes that offer you the chance to work with industry experts on real Cisco equipment. Beyond that, you can put together your own CCNA rack for less than $1000 by buying used routers. Some people think that’s a lot of money, but this is the foundation of your career. Treat it that way. The work you do now is the most important work you’ll ever do. Do it on real Cisco equipment. The skills I learned as a CCNA helped me all the way up to the CCIE.
Besides, after you get your CCNA (and after that, hopefully you’ll choose to pursue the CCNP), you can always get some of your money back by selling the equipment. The hands-on experience you gain this way is invaluable.
Know binary math. Do NOT go the easy route of memorizing a subnet mask chart for the CCNA exam. I know some people brag about being able to pass the CCNA exam without really understanding binary math. I’ve seen those people on the other side of the interview table, and they’re not laughing when I ask them to do a subnetting question. They’re not laughing when they can’t explain or create a VLSM scheme. That chart does nothing to help you understand what’s going on.
If you can add and know the difference between a one and a zero, you can do binary math. Don’t let the name intimidate you. Become a REAL CCNA — learn binary math !
Run “show” and “debug” commands. No commands help you truly understand how things work in a Cisco network than show and debug commands. As you progress through the Cisco certification ranks, you’ll be glad you started using these at the CCNA level.
Do you need to know these commands for the exam? Probably not. Do you need them to be successul in the real world? Absolutely.
The Cisco certification track has been great to me, and it can boost your career as well, whether you stop at the CCNA, CCNP, or go all the way to the CCIE. It’s the skills you develop today that will truly make you a networking engineer. Don’t take shortcuts or get the attitude of “just passing the exam”.
It’s what you achieve after the exam that counts, and it’s the work you put in before passing the exam that makes those achievements possible.
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (http://www.thebryantadvantage.com), home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. Video courses and training, binary and subnetting help, and corporate training are also available. Pass the CCNA exam with Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933!
For my FREE “How To Pass The CCNA” or “How To Pass The CCNP” ebook, write to chris@thebryantadvantage.com!
supply Sino-NSH TF Turbine Oil Purification/oil purifier/oil
reclaim plant/oil recovery/waste managmTF (oil purifier,oil purification,oil filtration,oil filter,oil
treatment,oil recycling,oil regeneration,oil filtering, oil
reclaim plant,oil recovery,waste managment,oil disposal,oil
reclamation.oil restoration )series is particularly suitable for
purifying turbine lubricating oil. It also applys to treat
hydraulic, coolant oil and other lubrication in which contain
large of water, vapor, impurities, sludge, dielectric and
colloid. It can eliminate them effectively and efficiently. TF
series will result in the improvement of the properties of
turbine oil, other lubrication and extend the maintenance period
of turbine or other equipment which has lubrication system and
keep them operate in good condition.
To pass the CCNP exams, you’ve got to master Quality of Service, and the first step in doing so is knowing the differences between the different QoS types.
Now this being Cisco, we can’t just have one kind of QoS! We’ve got best-effort delivery, Integrated Services, and Differentiated Services. Let’s take a quick look at all three.
Best-effort is just what it sounds like – routers and switches making their “best effort” to deliver data. This is considered QoS, but it’s kind of a “default QoS”. Best effort is strictly “first in, first out” (FIFO).
An entire path from Point A to Point B will be defined in advance when Integrated Services are in effect. Integrated Services is much like the High-Occupancy Vehicle lanes found in many larger cities. If your car has three or more people in it, you’re considered a “priority vehicle” and you can drive in a special lane with much less congestion than regular lanes. Integrated Services will create this lane in advance for “priority traffic”, and when that traffic comes along, the path already exists. Integrated Services uses the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP) to create these paths. RSVP guarantees a quality rate of service, since this “priority path” is created in advance.
Integrated Services is defined in RFC 1613. Use your favorite search engine to locate a copy online and read more about this topic. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of reading RFCs!
Of course, if you’ve got a lot of different dedicated paths being created that may or not be used very often, that’s a lot of wasted bandwidth. That leads us to the third QoS model, the Differentiated Services model. Generally referred to as DiffServ, there are no advance path reservations and there’s no RSVP. The QoS policies are written on the routers and switches, and they take action dynamically as needed. Since each router and switch can have a different QoS policy, DiffServ takes effect on a per-hop basis rather than the per-flow basis of Integrated Services. A packet can be considered “high priority” by one router and “normal priority” by the next.
Believe me, this is just the beginning when it comes to Quality of Service. It’s a huge topic on your exams and in the real world’s production networks, and as with all other Cisco topics, just master the fundamentals and build from there – and you’re on your way to CCNP exam success!
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.
You can also join his RSS feed and visit his blog, which is updated several times daily with new Cisco certification articles, free tutorials, and daily CCNA / CCNP exam questions! Details are on the website.
For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, “How To Pass The CCNA” and “How To Pass The CCNP”, visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Get your CCNA study guide from The Bryant Advantage!
When it comes to compressed gases, there is often confusion over the difference between industrial gases (sometimes referred to as commodity or bulk gases) and specialty gases (sometimes referred to as cylinder gases, although industrial gases can also be supplied in cylinders). The Compressed Gas Association (CGA), who sets standards to which suppliers of all types of compressed gases conform, defines its mission as being “dedicated to the development and promotion of safety standards and safe practices in the industrial gas industry.” In a broad sense, in that most compressed gases are used for some sort of industrial application, all could be considered to be industrial gases. So to define the true difference between industrial gases and specialty gases, one must look beyond the application to other factors such as complexity, level of purity and certainty of composition. According to the CGA compressed gases are often grouped into five loosely defined families: atmospheric; fuel; refrigerant; poisonous; and those having no obvious ties to any of the other families. Assignment to these families is somewhat arbitrary and typically based on the origin, use or chemical structure of a gas. Specialty gases can belong to any of these five families. Essentially, they are industrial gases taken to a higher level. The dictionary describes one of the definitions of the word specialty as: an unusual, distinctive, or superior mark or quality. Specialty gases then, can be defined as high-quality gases for specific applications that are prepared using laboratory analysis and other preparation methods in order to quantify, minimize or eliminate unknown or undesirable characteristics within the gas. Regarding specialty gas mixtures, precise blending is also necessary to achieve very specific concentration values for the components contained within the mixture. Specialty pure gases Pure gases are considered to be specialty gases when they are used as support gases for laboratory instruments such as chromatographs, mass spectrometers and other various types of analyzers and detectors. Manufacturers of these types of highly sensitive instruments normally specify the purity level of pure gases to be used with their instruments. For example, high-purity, moisture-free helium is often used as a carrier gas in these instruments. When unwanted impurities are present, performance of a laboratory instrument may be compromised, or the instrument itself may be damaged. A good rule of thumb is, when purity (sometimes as high as 99.9999%) and/or quantification of trace impurities is an issue, a pure gas is considered to be a specialty pure. Specialty pure gases are used in the manufacturing of semiconductors and other closely controlled applications as well. They may also be used to assess and monitor the integrity of a bulk pure gas. Carbon dioxide is a good example. Beverage-quality CO2, as used in the manufacture of soft drinks, can be classified as being more of a bulk-type gas because it is used in large quantities. However, because purity is a health concern, a specialty pure CO2, in which all trace impurities have been carefully quantified, is needed to calibrate instruments used to monitor the purity of the bulk CO2. Specialty gas mixtures Many specialty gases are actually gas mixtures that contain individual components. They are frequently used with various types of analyzers for process control and regulatory compliance. Some specialty mixtures are somewhat “standard” and may contain only three or four components, such as nitric oxide and sulfur dioxide mixtures that are used by utility companies to calibrate Continuous Emissions Monitors (CEMs). Others may be quite complex, containing as many as 30 or more components. Usually, a specialty gas mixture is prepared using a Standard Reference Material (SRM) in order to validate accurate measurement of the mixture’s components. This provides what is known as traceability to a known measurement standard from a recognized metrology institution such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Specialty mixtures typically have components measured in percentages, parts-per-million and parts-per-billion. Laboratory analysis to quantify all components and impurities in a specialty mixture is nearly always critical. A formal document known as a Certificate of Accuracy or Certificate of Analysis is provided for each cylinder containing a specialty mixture, and also for some specialty pure gases. This certificate specifies the concentration values for all contents, as well as other important information such the method of blending, type of laboratory analysis and reference standard used to prepare the mixture and expiration date. Expiration date refers to the length of time the components of a mixture remain at their certified concentrations within the specified tolerances. Depending on the stability of the components, shelf life can vary from as little as six months to two years or more. Special cylinder preparation processes, such as Scott’s Aculife cylinder inerting treatments, can be used to condition cylinder interior walls in order to extend a mixture’s shelf life. Specialty gases are typically not used in nearly as large a quantity as industrial gases and are supplied in steel or aluminum high-pressure cylinders containing up to 3000 pounds of pressure per square inch/gauge (psig). Hence, they are sometimes referred to as cylinder gases or bottled gases. The cylinder itself is typically not included in the price of the specialty gas it contains and must be returned to the gas supplier when the gas has been depleted. A nominal monthly cylinder rental is usually charged until the cylinder is returned. Many specialty gases are also available in small, portable and non-returnable cylinders such as Scott’s SCOTTY Transportables. Other specialized containers include lecture bottles that are often used in laboratories and floating piston-type cylinders that are used to contain volatile liquid phase mixtures. The cost of specialization Due to blending technology, cylinder preparation, laboratory analysis and statistical quality control necessary to produce specialty gases, cost is much higher than for lower grade industrial gases. An A-size cylinder containing 218 cubic feet of a low grade of helium suitable for filling party balloons might cost little more than $50. The same cylinder containing 99.9999% pure research grade helium, with a total impurity of less than one part-per-million (1 ppm), would cost about $500. That’s still a bargain considering 144 cubic feet of a three-component EPA Protocol mixture having an analytical accuracy of 1% may cost as much as $1,500. As with any other specialized product, the end cost of a particular specialty pure or gas mixture is largely determined by the degree of difficulty and complexity involved in its preparation. Considerations when purchasing specialty gases Purchasing specialty gases can be a daunting task. Because of today’s bottom line-oriented business climate, one might consider selecting a specialty gas product based strictly on price. Be careful! While in some cases organizations such as the EPA may dictate minimum accuracy and manufacturing processes for certain gas mixtures, there are few industry-wide standards for specialty gas quality. Blending, analytical and cylinder preparation procedures vary between suppliers of specialty gases. Moreover, suppliers do not always use common nomenclature when describing their products. Even when product names are the same, the characteristics of the gases can be quite different. The best advice is to carefully evaluate your application needs before purchasing. Then talk with a specialty gas expert to be sure you fully understand how the characteristics of a particular pure gas or gas mixture will either meet or possibly compromise your application. Remember also that most specialty gases require the use of specialized delivery equipment that is constructed of materials that will protect gas purity and integrity.
This article is copyrighted by Scott Gases (http://www.scottgas.com). It may not be reproduced in whole or in part and may not be posted on other websites, without the express written permission of the author who may be contacted via email at scottgas@digitalbrandexpressions.com
In March 2005, the University of Minnesota-Morris became the first public American university to install a large-scale wind turbine to help meet the school’s electrical needs. Since it was installed, the generator has supplied some 60 percent of the university’s power. The rest of the school’s power needs are purchased from Otter Tail Power Company’s Tailwinds Program.
Those figures mean that whether the electricity is generated on site or purchased off the grid, 100 percent of UMM’s electrical power needs are supplied by wind power, but the school’s commitment to energy independence doesn’t stop there. The university’s students have helped the school reach toward its energy goals by reducing electricity, water, and waste needs. The faculty has also gotten into the spirit, as well, placing considerable emphasis on green power and conservation in their classrooms.
The UMM 1.65 megawatt Vestas generator is an impressive sight, with 135-foot blades and a 230-foot tower, making the massive machine stand some 365 feet tall, but its impact on the community and the state of Minnesota goes far greater than that. The generator has become a major tourist and field trip destination in central Minnesota, and has helped raise the awareness of thousands of people, especially school children, since its construction in 2005.
The generator is a model of efficiency, and only takes a breeze of 7-9 mph to begin generating electricity. It takes a 26 mph wind to generate the unit’s full 1.65 megawatts. There’s a dedicated power line to the UMM campus, and if the University needs more power, the local utility lines provide it automatically, so no one on campus knows if the power is coming from the generator or the grid at any given time. On the other side of the coin, whenever UMM’s power needs are less than what the generator is producing, the excess electric energy is directed back into the local utility grid.
All this is impressive, but the university has even more extensive plans for increasing its energy independence. There are plans for the construction of a biomass gasification plant at UMM in 2006, which will be capable of meeting 80 percent of the campus’ heating and cooling needs. The plant will use stover (stalk residue) from cornfields in the area, as well as waste wood, other crop residues and various organic stocks as its fuel base.
The United States as a whole is second only to Germany in total production of wind-generated electricity, with California, Texas, and Minnesota leading the way.
Copyright © Jeanette J. Fisher. Publish with live links only.
Jeanette Fisher, author of interior design and real estate books helps home owners makeover their homes with “green design.” For more home environmental issue articles, visit Environmental Psychology
“You can’t always get what you want,” sing The Rolling Stones. But
sometimes you can, and for free, even New York’s most popular toy for adults and teens–the Apple iPod. Although via a marketing website you may not have to pay for the hot gadget monetarily, but people are still paying for them with their time and energy.
At freeipods.com, an online site, you can get the latest iPod Photo, colorful iPod Minis and the new iPod Shuffle without spending the $250 it normally costs.
According to the rules, you must complete an offer from one of their sponsors and then refer three or five friends, depending on which iPod you choose. The more expensive models, like the iPod Photo and 40G require you to refer five friends, but if it is the small $99 Shuffle that you want, you only have to refer three friends. Once each of your referrals completes an online subscription offer, you will supposedly be mailed a free iPod.
Is this a gimmick? Not according to Manhattan resident and Part-Time Media Assistant, Tony Yan, 21, who gave the pink iPod Mini that he received through the program to a friend as a gift, since he already had an iPod of his own.
“I learned about the program quite some time ago but was one of the skeptics out there that didn’t believe it was true,” says Yan. “That is until one of my friends received his iPod and I saw it with my own two eyes and decided it was legit.”
The offers that you are required to complete in order to receive the mp3 player are fairly easy ones, like joining Blockbuster’s DVD membership, newspaper subscriptions and other online programs. You can cancel the program within 30 days, but the Blockbuster membership requires a credit card and could amount to a total of $10.49 for a month’s service. Thus, for only 10.49 you are a step closer to a free iPod.
Yan subscribed to ancenstry.com for his offer and declares that it was easy for him to finish the program, “With only a bit of convincing, I was able to profit on a beautiful piece of electronic.”
However, for other participants, getting friends to sign up can be difficult and take a little more finesse.
“I think it’s rewarding — but you do have to jump through a lot of hoops to get to the end,” says 24-year-old, Kate Sundy, the writer of the popular award winning blog, Barefoot Principessa. Sundy joined freeipodshuffle.com three weeks ago and is still two offers away from completion.
The mention of free iPods has been spreading among the blogging world like wildfire, with sites begging readers to join in lieu of regular news posts. Sundy, however, is doing more than just encouraging her visitors to sign up, she is bribing them. On the top left corner of her blog she is offering to design three custom-made online banners to anyone who completes an offer through her site and she even says she will help pay for whichever subscription they choose to sign up with.
“Hypothetically, yes, it would it be easier to buy an iPod,” admits Sundy. “But, if you’re strapped for cash, as I am now, then this can still be worth the effort.”
Bernie Wilt, from Oregon is also using his blog, Bernie Online at ebernie.com to advertise his iPod referral link. This technique is encouraged by Gratis Network on their “tips on referring” page.
Wilt went an extra step though by writing an article on his blog, critiquing the service, but he adds that the program is, “not too hard to do, but perhaps a little more for me because I am not aggressive or pushy.”
Wilt just finished the free iPod process and will be getting his iPod soon so he can play his music while working out at the gym. He says.
The freeipods.com service is organized by the Gratis Network, an online marketing company, based in Washington DC, which claims to ship on average about 500 free iPods each week.
Their site has sparked similar webpages designed around the same premise, including freeflatscreens.com, freevideogames.com, freedvds.com and even freecondoms.com. There are also prizes geared to those less technology minded. Now you can earn credits towards a real Prada purse and other fashionable prizes at freegiftplanet.com and freehandbags.com
Gratis’s founders, Peter Martin and Rob Jewell, both 28, of course did not come up with the idea of giving away free gifts with purchase, but instead of a mousepad or coffee mug they give out a product that is part of a cultural phenomenon.
“I think it’s an ingenious marketing program,” says Yan. “Now almost everyone in the city has one, and many of which, got it for free through freeipods.com.”
Gratis pays for the different items by charging advertisers for banners and text links on their site. For each new customer lead, Gratis is paid an average of $40-60 from their sponsors. In 2004, Gratis was named the 95th fastest growing company in America by Inc.Magazine with estimated annual revenue of $4.9 million.
For Manhattan East Side resident and Graphic Designer, Russ Yusupov, 20, it only took him four days to earn a 20G iPod. Yusupov says that the site may not be for everyone and that it could take others more time to finish the process.
“I would recommend this program to anyone who’s willing to spend a bit of time filling out web forms, dealing with non-believers and suffering through the long response time from the team who runs the program.”
About the Author
Tara is currently going for her masters degree in journalism at NYU and working in PR. She freelances articles for tri-state publications and writes a daily blog, When Tara Met Blog www.tarametblog.com
