The Dallas / Fort Worth Cisco Users Group is a non-profit independent users group which meets on the first Wednesday of every month for the open exchange of technical information regarding the networking industry and Cisco products for the benefit of Cisco users.

Our meetings are free to attend - all we ask is that you register as a member and work directly with Cisco equipment. If you can not read this email for some reason - see us at http://dfw.cisco-users.org

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March Meeting

meeting sponsor


Date:	Wednesday March 7, 2012

Topic:	Zero to CCNA in 90 Days! Obtaining Cisco certifications is key to getting your foot in the door to your next job and/or to land that promotion and raise. Whether you are obtaining your initial CCNA certification or your CCIE certification (or higher), the process to acquiring the certification tends to follow similar steps in the written test preparation process. This presentation will explore the test preparation process and while its focus is primarily on the CCNA certification, it is applicable to almost all Cisco certifications. We will explore what is covered on the CCNA exam(s) and how to “get your head straight” when it comes to allocating your precious time and money resources towards your goal of obtaining your CCNA certification. The process presented will help provide you with key resources, strategies and philosophies that, if followed, should allow you to start with a very limited networking background and progress to where you are ready to successfully pass your CCNA test(s). If you are planning on going for a Cisco CCNA certification (or any other Cisco certification) in the near future, you don’t want to miss this presentation.

Speaker:	Beau Williamson, CCIE Emeritus #1346, Senior Network Engineer, MetroPCS. - Beau was the second person to earn his CCIE in the DFW area. He has been working in the field of computers and networks for over 30 years. Prior to working for MetroPCS, he worked for Cisco Systems for nearly 14 years. While at Cisco he traveled around the world lecturing and consulting with customers on IP Routing with a special emphasis on IP Multicast. In addition to being an award-winning lecturer and doing network consulting while at Cisco, he served on the Cisco CCIE Test development team where he helped write the Multicast questions on the CCIE Routing/Switching exam as well as reviewing all CCIE Routing/Switching questions for correctness and applicability.

Time:	6:00-6:30 PM - Pizza provided 6:30-9:00 PM - Presentations 9:00-9:30 PM - Networking with your fellow packet-heads

Place:	Cisco's Richardson Campus 2200 E President George Bush Building 6 - Larissa Conference Room Richardson, TX (214) 575-3192 Enter on the South side to sign in Google map

Meeting Sponsor for March 2012 - DFWCUG Welcomes: GDH

It’s our pleasure to announce that GDH Consulting will proudly sponsor the March meeting of the DFWCUG.

The GDH Consulting Information Technology Division provides resource solutions for the top software and hardware Information Technology professionals with clients across the United States.

Our client list ranges from Fortune 500 companies to new organizations looking to build an Information Technology department from the ground up. We offer flexible resource solutions such as contract, contract- to- hire, and direct hire opportunities, as well as project based services that allow each engagement to be successful.

Due to our high quality of service and our ability to meet Cisco Advanced Services qualifications, GDH has been selected as one of only two Global Partner organizations to be utilized in providing contract resources for their entire organization.

Local Contacts:

Ashton Ayres, Technical Recruiter, aayres@gdhconsulting.com 972-535-2400 ext. 115
Ginny Baker, Technical Recruiter, gbaker@gdhconsulting.com 972-535-2400 ext. 109

President's Queue

Cisco still dragging feet on OpenFlow

Cisco's software defined networking strategy is still vague after the company stated last fall that it planned to add the OpenFlow protocol and API to its Nexus switches, and with this week's much anticipated debut of network virtualization start-up Nicira.

And last week, Network Computing ran a story that said Cisco's SDN strategy and implementation may be proprietary and not based on OpenFlow, the open source network programmability technique developed at Stanford and UC Berkeley.

The pervading belief is that this would commoditize routing and switching hardware and leave it with little more than the ability to perform basic routing and switching. It would not be in Cisco's proprietary interest to allow this to happen to its hardware. Especially when the company is reporting bang up quarters in which it beats Wall Street estimates and jacks its stock price based on its status quo approach in which network configurability is a highly specialized and Cisco-specific - vendor-specific -- undertaking.

Reprinted from Network World - By Jim Duffy on Thu, 02/09/12

Education and Certs

Here Yee, Here Yee, Cisco has announced another certification update….Updated Cisco CCNA Wireless and CCNP Wireless Certification Exams and Training Courses. The Cisco CCNA Wireless and CCNP Wireless certification programs have been updated with more relevant materials that include an update to the current version of software including Autonomous, WLC, and Clients. In addition, the program refresh expands the content based on new 802.11n support and places more emphasis on rich media deployments such as Voice over WLAN and Video over WLAN. Visit the CCNA Wireless Certification or CCNP Wireless Certification program for more information on the latest updates. Availability of the revised exams are offered through Pearson VUE.

New Ways to Study for Cisco CCNA Certification

Now available: the all-new Cisco Certification Practice Exam for CCNA 640-802, now with 270 more practice questions, and Cisco Certification Practice Exams for ICND1 and ICND2.For practice exams on the go, check out the just-released Cisco M-Learning Test and Study application on iTunes, featuring the same practice questions for your Apple mobile device. Learn more

For Cisco Partner Employees - Announcing the Cisco Advanced IP Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) Architecture Specialization
Cisco’s intelligent IP NGN architecture can help service providers create, enable, and integrate a variety of high-quality video, mobility and cloud solutions for businesses and consumers alike—all on a single IP-based network. Available February 13, the Advanced IP NGN Architecture Specialization confirms expertise in the IP NGN architecture, from sales to support. Register for webcast.

Cisco Live! Is being hosted in San Diego this year. For Exam Candidates, you can take one FREE exam! “Make an investment in your future by acquiring the skills that benefit your career and your employer — and by documenting your expertise. The popular Cisco certifications program allows you to take proof of your technical competence and skills back to your workplace. IMPORTANT: Scheduling To schedule your free exam, you must register with Cisco’s test delivery partner, Pearson VUE. All exam registrations must be completed before the conference. After June 8, 2012, candidates who wish to take an exam at Cisco Live 2012 can register onsite at a 50 percent discounted rate, depending on available space. You will not be able to register for a free exam onsite. However, if you need to move a previously scheduled free exam to a different appointment time during the conference, you may do so at no charge. The free and discounted exams can only be taken at Cisco Live and cannot be taken offsite. No-shows for previously scheduled exams will result in a $35 fee. If you cannot make it, please stop by the testing center to cancel or change your appointment to avoid that fee.”

Study Groups

Well, it’s been an amazing 2012 thus far. The interest is joining a study group has been wonderful, as our CCNA Study Group Leaders can attest. We announced a new group forming last month, and there were more than 50 packet heads that were interested in joining. As a result, there are now four CCNA study groups going on concurrently! Way to go Tripp!

If you are interested in joining or forming a study group for CCNA, CCNP, or even CCIE tracks, come see Mark Odette at the CUG meeting, or fire him an e-mail – modette@cisco-users.org. As a reminder, the DFWCUG helps facilitate getting groups started, by leveraging our Registered Users e-mail list to make announcements, just like the newsletter. The DFWCUG does not provided facilities to study at, or materials to study with. We provide guidance on how to successfully conduct a study group, and give you pointers on what not to do.

Door Prizes & Free Books

At each meeting, we give away a handful of Cisco Press books that have been donated by Cisco Press. These are typically brand new releases by leading experts in the field - thanks Jamie!

Meeting sponsors June also provide door prizes, so make sure you get your ticket and as always - you must be present to win.

Upcoming Presentations

Apr - Cisco IPTV - Ben Holder - meeting sponsored by Glow Networks
May - Topic TBD - Todd Lammle - meeting sponsored by TEKsystems
June - TBD - meeting sponsored by Experis

Let us know what you would like to see presented at our meetings! We are always looking for good speakers. We are especially interested in entry level, intermediate level and tutorial topics. If you would like to do a presentation for the group or if you know someone that would like to do a presentation, please contact us.

Eric Severson

The Dallas / Fort Worth Cisco Users Group officers:

President & founding officer in 1996, web - Ken Cooper
Vice President & Presentations Director - Eric Severson
Education/Certifications Director - Mark W. Odette II
Marketing Director - Mark Szewczul
Technical Advisor - Tom Young
Cisco Liaison and Technical Advisor - Mark Egan

You may contact any officer at `first-initial``last-name @ cisco-users.org, ie, kcooper -or- go directly to the DFWCUG officers page.

Sponsorships

The Dallas-Fort Worth Cisco Users Group is an all volunteer group that receives its support from generous companies. We encourage our members to patronize our sponsors in order that we continue to receive contributions.

So how does your company become a sponsor of the Dallas / Fort Worth Cisco Users Group? Contact us and we'll describe the benefits of Gold, Silver and Bronze level sponsorships.

Mark Szewczul


Sponsors


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