Hello,
I was just wondering what everyone is doing to get certified and maybe offer up a few tips...
I work in network operations at a global automotive company, and deal with wireless all day long.. and the thing I find that helps me out on a daily basis, is not wireless at all.. its the knowledge of the wired network, and security as well..
By knowing the whole picture, you can see how everything works together and inter-relates and avoid any unpleasent side effects...think of it like a pharmacist checking your medications.. two medicines might work great alone.. but combine them and it could be trouble..
I can't tell you how many times this complete picture has saved my butt... all the time i see great wifi engineers , coming up with really good ideas only to have them go awry because of an oversight on the wired network.. for example the best wifi design in the world can easily be derailed if your port channel is configured improperly.. or maybe there's an access control list somewhere not permitting your traffic through..
its like a good recipe , with wireless as the main ingredient, throw in a dash of routing, a sprinkle of security and top it all off with a hint of BYOD just as with cooking you don't start out as a master chef, it takes time to figure out what ingredients will make that master dish. and which ones don't so before diving into that complex BYOD design, make sure your not overlooking some basic configurations on the wired / security side.
I would also say to know your RF fundamentals first, because gone are the times when knowing just wifi alone is enough, in todays fast paced BYOD environment. its time to evolve and become more of what i would call a mobility engineer.
that is to say a person that can see how everything blends together and can architect a solution, that will hold up when the rubber hits the road.
how have you evolved your skills? and what has been your experience, i find the more i know , the better off i am..
and the more i talk to others the more i realize, that its a bit of a complex world out there and you can never have to many friends who have been through the same experiences. who have helped you and in turn who you have helped..
" I get by with a little help from my friends...."