My Trek up Mount Net

  

Networking is ...

        Let me hold off on that. Expect a definition later. First, let's set the scene. 

      This is a new platform, new field, new everything for me. You might or might not ask yourself - how?  If you are part of the "might not", I get it. I am currently a college student just trying to make sense at staring at the daunting Mount Net - one of many peaks among the IT Mountain Range that grows not centimeters every year, but centimeters every second it seems like. Yet this is a trek I know I want to take step by step. 

      Let me just say, my journey to networking started a few years ago. When I graduated high school, I had different interests - psychology, math, animal science, just to name a few. I had a brief stint of interest in electrical engineering that sparked from a fascination with electricity. My mother also told me that my grandfather used to be in electrical engineering. It seemed perfect to me. While in high school, however, I have found that it went against the time I wanted to stay in school for.

      I switched careers, but never really went off track. At the time, I was interested in wiring, but essentially I was fond of the idea of being connected. What else can be transferred? Other than electricity, you got data, YouTube videos, and a Wi-Fi signal. At the same time, I always enjoyed solving network connectivity issues in my house, even if I felt like I had no idea what to do. I knew passwords. I was always around the computer. What was missing?

      I did dual enrollment and that is when I decided what I wanted to do - enter the IT field. It looked promising but it allowed me to achieve my goals - to supplement my volunteer activity to help people study the Bible.  That is most important to me. In my senior year, I only took one true course relating to the IT field. In hindsight, it prepared me a lot for the A+ exam, but I was a babe then. I never gave thought to certifications. 

    As I went to community college, it offered a cheaper option and less stressful alternative than pursuing a four-year degree in a higher institution. I was still local and able to put first my spiritual life. I took an introductory course to hardware, software, networking, security, and Microsoft Office applications - almost like an A+ course. This one honestly felt like I was preparing for that exam. As time went on, I gained knowledge into Python and really loved the idea of creating GUI applications.  Later, my math brains meets logic in discrete math. Honestly, I was confused on this course on its practicality; but now I see it as a foundation of the Internet. 

    I transferred from my community college, and now I am in the thick of it. I have taken courses in cybersecurity, networking, web development, and information policy. I am trying to graduate next year. I hope I can document my journey, even though the trek has long been on its way. I am majoring in IT but specializing in networking by separate endeavors. That is my ongoing journey to IT. What is the next stop on this journey? 

What to Expect?

Tune in for the ride. 

• Terminology explained  I am CompTIA A+ certified. I am currently taking a course in computer networking for my degree with other related classes before I graduate. Also, I am studying for networking certifications - Network+, CCNA, and JNCIA. 
• Virtualization This was one of the latest topics that have really gripped on to me. I do not have the physical equipment, but I have used VMware and Virtual Box to create virtual machines. This has helped me to get used to Linux distributions and create sandbox environments. FYI, I see why Linux is all the rage.
• Certification notes I have so many notebooks that have prepared me for my certifications exams and courses. Having them on a digital platform allows me to share what I have learned and keep it updated without the constant, messy erase marks.
• Lessons learned This will be a platform of the times I have come short and the times I learned something new. I did not want to use successes and failures, because there will always be lessons meaning nothing final. Those terms, at least to me, bring a sense of finality. I want to grow!

Peak in sight?

Is this a tall mountain? For sure. I am not asking for anything. Ethan Banks mentioned this in a post that really touched me. 

 If you’re a college student, you can write about not only the latest thing you figured out in, say, a routing lab, but also how tough your schedule is, the pressure you feel to get a research paper done on time, juggling coursework, a job and a social life, the exam you bombed, and so on.

One of the reasons I started this blog was to really see if I understand what I think I understand. Networking for some reasons just connects. There will be times I do terribly on an exam or not even meet expectations. I think that is it - expectations. I really enjoy it, so not getting a certain score can make you question things. This blog won't be out there, but every post I write will have the mentality of reaching out to someone. If I can explain topics in my "whole-another-world" style and it makes sense, I am happy with that.

So... More or less, I have my climbing gear. Will you follow me up on Mount Net?

Oh and I forgot. Networking is more than just a collection of devices that receive and transmit data amongst each other. To me, it's all about connections. That is my perspective.