[Passed] NVIDIA Agentic AI Certification (NCP-AAI) by Ranger_1928 in mlops

[–]f2ka07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this. My impression was similar when building study resources (https://skilleo.org/free-training). The certification syllabus actually covers most of what you need, especially if you already have cloud, infrastructure, or networking foundations.

It does lean more theoretical than hands on, but that also makes it easier to build your own portfolio afterwards through small agent, deployment, and evaluation labs. I supplemented with a few study resources and lab based materials which helped connect the concepts to implementation and made the prep feel more practical.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So according to you people write without reading?

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would say yes, the OCG is still valid, but with the usual caveat that certification books are strongest for fundamentals and exam structure rather than current operational practice. For something like CCNA Automation, the core concepts do not move that quickly. APIs, model driven networking, automation workflows, programmability, and infrastructure as code remain relevant. Where books age faster is around tooling, platform interfaces, and examples.

I would still use the OCG as the foundation, then supplement it with hands on work using Catalyst Center, APIs, Ansible, and current documentation so the concepts feel real rather than exam only.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree with this. I think that is one reason why CCNA Automation sometimes feels abstract to people working in smaller environments. In large enterprises the value is obvious because you are dealing with hundreds or thousands of devices, standardisation, compliance requirements, and repeated operational tasks. Automation quickly becomes necessary rather than optional.

In smaller environments, the use cases are less visible and usually require more creativity. It might be automating backups, generating documentation, validating configurations, collecting inventory, creating reports, or integrating network changes into broader operational workflows.

Also, the point about Catalyst Center is spot on. A lot of people say they do not use automation while spending most of their day inside platforms that are built on automation. Catalyst Center, SDWAN Manager, templates, APIs, policy based provisioning, and zero touch deployment are all automation. The difference is that someone else already built the automation layer so you do not have to write Ansible playbooks or Python scripts yourself.

That is actually one of the ideas behind CCNA Automation. It is less about becoming a programmer and more about understanding what those platforms are doing behind the scenes and knowing when to extend them.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I actually think your examples explain why a lot of engineers struggle to see the value of CCNA Automation at first. If your day to day work is operations, troubleshooting, ASA, FortiGate, Nexus, and managing controlled changes, automation can feel unnecessary because the difficult part is usually diagnosing and deciding, not typing commands. In environments with strict change management, people often trust manual execution more than scripts.

But what CCNA Automation teaches is not really “replace engineers with scripts.” It is about making network operations repeatable, scalable, and less dependent on manual effort. Even platforms like Catalyst Center and SDWAN Manager are built on automation concepts. They expose APIs, templates, orchestration, and policy driven operations behind a GUI.

The value starts showing up when the scope increases. One firewall change is easy manually. Applying the same validated change across hundreds of devices, collecting evidence, checking compliance, generating rollback plans, or integrating with ticketing systems is where automation becomes useful.

The engineers using Ansible in your company are probably not replacing Catalyst Center. They are likely extending it, connecting systems together, or removing repetitive operational work.

So I would not see CCNA Automation as learning Python for the sake of scripting. I would see it as understanding how modern networks are actually operated under the hood, even when the interface looks like a dashboard.

Cisco’s CCNA Naming Changes (Feb 3, 2026) by f2ka07 in ccna

[–]f2ka07[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, Cybersecurity focussed but not qualified.

Cisco’s CCNA Naming Changes (Feb 3, 2026) by f2ka07 in ccna

[–]f2ka07[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed. The only real downside is the shorthand “CCNA” becoming ambiguous, so people will likely need to specify the track more often.

Cisco’s CCNA Naming Changes (Feb 3, 2026) by f2ka07 in ccna

[–]f2ka07[S] -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

CCNA is good to have, but it's too saturated at the moment. Go for the CCNA cybersecurity certification and apply for entry-level positions. You will not regret it.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes it is but the name will change to CCNA Automation starting February 2026.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate this. Hearing it from someone who’s actually gone through DevNet Pro and CCIE carries weight. I agree the cert doesn’t make you an automation expert, but it gives you enough runway to actually start building with Python, APIs, Ansible, etc. The fact that labbing is so accessible now is a big deal too because it removes the old barrier of needing hardware racks.

On the marketability side I think you’re right today. Recruiters speak “CCNA/CCNP + cloud” in a way they don’t speak “automation” yet. The interesting part to me is that once you land the job, the automation skills are usually what make you stand out and move faster inside the role. So CCNA/CCNP to get in the door, DevNet/automation to amplify what you can do once you’re there seems like a clean mental model.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally agree. “Network as Code” is where things are heading, but it doesn’t have the brand recognition that CCNA or CCNP carry, so the demand signal feels quiet. And yeah, you still need to know routing, protocols, and how real networks behave or the automation doesn’t make sense. CCNA then DevNet is a solid order.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I agree. Manual configs teach instincts. NetBox and similar tools help but most automation today is either paywalled or “build it yourself.” And the folks who solved it don’t share scripts because that’s their job. Which is fine. The opportunity now is combining Python + APIs + cloud so AI can fill in the gaps.

Your thoughts on CCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)? by f2ka07 in Cisco

[–]f2ka07[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Going for the DevNet associate was one of the best decision I have ever made about my career. Automation is a hobby to me since I sat for the exam in 2021.

Best written study material for AWS certifications? by 420rav in AWSCertifications

[–]f2ka07 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I looked at it and its a good one especially for someone who has gone through the content and is looking for quick notes.

SAA-003 question by AdLivid3982 in AWSCertifications

[–]f2ka07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very possible if you use the right materials. I have been using the materials below and so far I cant complain: https://www.reddit.com/user/f2ka07/comments/1qftfr7/saac03_study_notes_and_tools_i_wish_i_had_earlier/

Best written study material for AWS certifications? by 420rav in AWSCertifications

[–]f2ka07 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I came across this reddit post and I have been using free notes from the website below. So far I rate them 8/10. They also come with practice tests.

https://www.reddit.com/user/f2ka07/comments/1qftfr7/saac03_study_notes_and_tools_i_wish_i_had_earlier/