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Cisco Training Bootcamps have been on the scene for a pair years now. One of the issues that makes them so standard is their depth and real-world software. We sat down with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) John Capobianco, Bootcamp Developer Advocate, Joe Rinehart, Engineering Leader, and Palmer Sample, Software Engineering Technical Leader, to search out out what makes Cisco Training Bootcamps so particular.
Plus, we obtained a sneak peek at what they’ll cowl within the upcoming Cisco Training Bootcamp webinar on December 13, 2023, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
Why are Cisco Training Bootcamps so standard?
John: I believe it’s the way in which they align with market traits. Enterprises world wide are on the lookout for methods to undertake community automation and get the utmost worth out of their Cisco investments. A Cisco Training Bootcamp supplies a direct path towards cultural adjustments, serving to organizations undertake automation and programmability.
Joe: They additionally tackle vital enterprise and technical wants like automation and complicated product competence. The instructing methodology is well-suited to fast studying and creating abilities that engineers can apply now, not solely sooner or later. Having two studying occasions shut collectively (the Instructor-led Training [ILT] courses and the deep dive labs) amplifies the training at each degree. It’s just like the expression, ‘one-two punch.’
Palmer: I believe individuals like our bootcamps as a result of they reply the query, “Now what?” Today’s aggressive enterprise surroundings requires agile networks that may adapt to mission targets with out impacting stakeholders. As our prospects deploy trendy infrastructure, they discover that the issue will not be that the expertise is just 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 have deployed Software-Defined Access…”
- “We are running ACI but have not moved to an application-centric model…”
- “Our team needs to embrace NetDevOps principles and learn automation…”
Now what?
Cisco Training Bootcamps take away complexity and deal with what’s necessary. Whether it’s an Operations and Troubleshooting Bootcamp for Software-Defined Campus and Data Center Solutions, or an Automation Bootcamp, our prospects depart with the boldness they should remodel community operations and contribute to their crew’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 imagine these Training Bootcamps would possibly clear up?
Joe: Customers 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 in addition they present the crucial for college students to use them instantly of their environments.
Palmer: While prospects are wanting to automate, they face frequent challenges, corresponding to guaranteeing their groups can communicate a standard language, which automation expertise they need to select, and maybe most significantly, what they will really do with automation. A Cisco Training Bootcamp addresses these challenges with a singular instructing format. The 5-day coaching covers a broad vary of prerequisite data to make sure college students acquire a standard skillset. The real-world use instances and deep-dive labs present what prospects can do with community automation. These labs are designed to progress from the fundamentals, corresponding to studying Git, to standard instruments, together with REST API Clients and Python. Finally, most studying tracks culminate with a CI/CD pipeline. After the Bootcamp, prospects keep entry to code they will instantly use once they return to the workplace. The total expertise requires focus and teamwork, however the buyer response has been overwhelmingly optimistic.
John: Some of our former college students keep in contact with us for over a yr after their Automation Training Bootcamp! The scale and complexity of the trendy community can not be operated manually. Automation is not only about pace and transferring quick; it’s about safety, repeatability, testing and validation, and creating CI/CD pipelines as full options. Ultimately, most prospects are on the lookout for a spot to start out with confidence. Cisco Training Bootcamps present them these preliminary stepping stones towards success.
What are the weather of a Bootcamp that make it so intense?
John: The labs! In the 4-day, deep-dive lab portion, 80 % of the category is lab work primarily based on actual conditions and eventualities. Students really apply what they’ve realized through the 5-day ILT with precise gear and actual issues to resolve. There are quite a lot of ‘spice levels’ (problem ranges) to problem even probably the most superior scholar. For occasion, they be taught issues like version and supply management with Git and Ansible playbooks and how one can 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 period. Coupled with the labs, which get progressively more difficult, it’s quite a bit to be taught—particularly for college students who’re comparatively new to the expertise observe they’ve chosen. The excellent news is that they have a devoted crew of instructors to assist their studying expertise. In flip, we’ve observed our courses usually embrace a crew mindset, serving to one another succeed. Yes, the expertise is intense, nevertheless it’s not unimaginable! At the top of the deep-dive lab week, college students are exhausted however impressed to proceed their journey.
Between the 2 varieties of Cisco Training Bootcamps, automation and product (operations and troubleshooting), what are you discovering hottest and helpful?
John: Both tracks are very talked-about and tackle 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, attempting to rework these operations into totally automated options.
Joe: Each has their area of interest, with automation and product Bootcamps usually operating across the identical variety of instances. While 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 crew managing infrastructure, whereas one other focuses on automation. Some prospects are simply deploying a expertise corresponding to Software-Defined Access. Meanwhile, 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 will develop their data by taking the Cisco DevNet Automation for ACI once they transfer to a NetDevOps mannequin.
Could you inform us extra in regards to the new Cisco Training Bootcamp for Enterprise Networking (EN)?
John: I’m actually enthusiastic about this bootcamp! While we do have an SDA Bootcamp for these with Catalyst Center and a controller-based strategy, the EN Bootcamp will allow these prospects with out SDN to totally embrace automation and programmability. We discover applied sciences like Ansible and Cisco pyATS, and construct towards a full CI/CD pipeline resolution 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 remaining levels of testing. It’s primarily based 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 acquire 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. At the top of the Bootcamp, the simulated department will likely be totally configured and IPv6-enabled, with OSPFv3 and BGP within the combine for added pleasure. We can’t wait to share the expertise!
What’s the preferred Training Bootcamp to this point? Why?
Joe: Cisco ACI has emerged as probably the most standard matter areas. First, the automation bootcamp, adopted by the operations and troubleshooting bootcamp. Naturally, there are fluctuations about which observe is the preferred, however these two are almost all the time on the prime.
John: People are drawn to ACI and software-defined networking generally, 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 is a little bit of a studying curve as issues are achieved otherwise.
What’s the benefit of Training Bootcamps for people?
John: I believe it’s the talents they’ll purchase with real-world examples and the brand new appreciation for a way accessible and simple it’s to get began with community automation. It’s additionally the Cisco Continuing Education (CE) credit they’ll obtain upon profitable completion.
Joe: Many prospects don’t have 12 engineers devoted to the applied sciences lined in Cisco bootcamps. The Training Bootcamps for people presents the flexibleness of accommodating smaller numbers of scholars. In addition, we regularly hear that having your complete crew out for coaching can influence enterprise productiveness, so sending the crew in waves can mitigate that difficulty.
And how is a person Bootcamp totally different from the Cisco Training Bootcamps for groups?
John: The crew Bootcamps (aka closed enrollments) supply a non-public setting for crew members from organizations to take the Bootcamp collectively. One of the pure aspect advantages of those enrollments is the crew constructing that goes on over the course of the week. Teammates from organizations turn out to be nearer as they be taught these new abilities and applied sciences. They be taught, wrestle, fail, and succeed collectively.
Individual Cisco Training Bootcamps have their very own attraction, as a variety of people come collectively to realize the identical targets. People from world wide be taught collectively and make buddies. It’s fairly outstanding.
Joe: Bootcamps for Teams 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 Individuals, a.ok.a. open enrollment.
Where do you see Cisco Training Bootcamps going within the subsequent yr?
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 crew grows. We are having a tangible influence on the trade, and I believe our days as Cisco’s best-kept secret are numbered.
Joe: We are releasing a brand new observe referred to as Cisco DevNet Automation for Enterprise Networks, which can be a mouthful, nevertheless it addresses the most important put in base of put in gadgets—particularly, people who run the IOS-XE working system. This has been fairly the endeavor, nevertheless it hits a related space of focus that nearly each buyer wants. Beyond that, we’re all the time updates and enhancements to present content material and labs and increasing into new content material areas.
Palmer: It’s going to be a busy yr, for certain. I anticipate that the Enterprise Networking Automation Bootcamps will likely be very talked-about, and we now have numerous returning prospects trying to develop their abilities and practice 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 trade ever stands nonetheless, and we search for “force multipliers” to include into the content material so our prospects keep aggressive. Also, our crew is continuously accepted to current at occasions corresponding to Cisco Live! That’s a beautiful alternative to fulfill former and future college students in particular person.
Tell us extra about this upcoming webinar: What can prospects anticipate through the occasion?
John: We’ll cowl all six Bootcamps. Customers 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 will likely be protecting every Bootcamp for about 5 minutes every to offer you a way of the fabric lined. You’ll have an opportunity to ask us any questions alongside the way in which.
Palmer: We’ll additionally cowl the Enterprise Networking Automation Bootcamp, which is within the remaining levels of testing. We sit up for answering questions that come up.
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