[cisco-voip] CCIE Security Vs Voice

[Matthew Saskin]

My .02c - as background I run the Unified Communications practice for a
Managed Service Provider.

The majority of our customers are what would be considered large enterprise
(2-5K+ employees) - the majority of our IPT clients have extremely large
Cisco IPT/UC environments and do directly employ Voice CCIE's in addition to
utilizing our services.  I've got a number of customers with 20K+ handsets
across multiple cluster globally.

Short answer - there are plenty of enterprise jobs for Voice CCIE's, albeit
fewer than enterprise jobs for R&S CCIE's.

If you're interested in staying up at the "theory" level or working on the
service provider side, security may be a slightly better route.  Voice IE is
most definitely "application first" around Cisco's own IPT/UC applications.

-matt

On Tue, Feb 3, 2009 at 1:35 AM, Mark Holloway <mh at markholloway.com> wrote:

>  1. Does Service Providers use Cisco device and so do they need CCIE
> Voice?
>
>
>
> Most of the services providers that use Cisco in their voice network (mine
> included) use either PGW, BTS, and/or AS5x00 on the core and ISR's for CPE.
> Cisco doesn't have a CCIE Service Provider Voice (boo!).  I'm studying for
> the CCIE Voice but quite honestly I'm not really enjoying the application
> side of things all that much.  I enjoy Broadworks much more than UCM
> although it is a much tougher platform to get your head around.  I guess I
> like the challenge.
>
>
>
>
>
> 2. Does Enterprises have such a big voice setup that they hire CCIE Voice
> and pay good?
>
>
>
> I honestly do not know.  To really flex your muscles, work for a vendor or
> a service provider.  I think that is true for R&S too, but obviously there
> are good Enterprise jobs in R&S.
>
>
>
>
>
> 3. If a guy with computer sciences background and having ccie r&s and voice
> can compete with people having telecom and voice background.
>
>
>
> YES!  This is why I'm working towards the CCIE Voice.  Although I primarily
> work with SIP (Acme Packet, Broadworks, Genband, Lucent), there are some
> elements from the CCIE Voice that are applicable to the service provider.
> Many service providers still use MGCP and H.323 in addition to the emergence
> of SIP. The CCIE Voice gets you in the right mindset and makes you think in
> ways that only a VoIP guy knows how to think.  I'm not saying it's the only
> way, but it doesn't hurt to have the CCIE Voice and you will be greatly
> rewarded for it. At the end of the day you need to be an incredible problem
> solver when it comes to VoIP and I believe that Service Providers offer the
> biggest challenges for VoIP Engineers.  Hang on to those R&S skills because
> in the Service Provider environment they will come in really handy - even if
> you're not the core routing/switching guy.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> *From:* cisco-voip-bounces at puck.nether.net [mailto:
> cisco-voip-bounces at puck.nether.net] *On Behalf Of *Ramiz Sardar
> *Sent:* Monday, February 02, 2009 9:56 PM
> *To:* cisco-voip
> *Subject:* [cisco-voip] CCIE Security Vs Voice
>
>
>
> Hi,
> I recently passed R&S and now want to go for either Voice or Security. I
> have CCVP but worked on both voice and security as i am working with cisco
> partner. What point discouraging me to start voice blindly is that CCIE
> voice has place only on vendor side and very limited scope. I think only
> cisco or its partner can pay good to a CCIE Voice where as all doors are
> opened for CCIE Security. Security is ever green but don't say about Voice.
>
> My Major concerns:
> 1. Does Service Providers use Cisco device and so do they need CCIE Voice?
> 2. Does Enterprises have such a big voice setup that they hire CCIE Voice
> and pay good?
> 3. If a guy with computer sciences background and having ccie r&s and voice
> can compete with people having telecom and voice background.
>
> Please add your comments and help me taking right decision.
>
> Regards
>
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>
>
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