Re: The State of the CCIE Training Industry

You guys are crazy if you think Brian Dennis has been "tucked away"
for the past 8 months working on CCNP material....their (INE) CCIE
material (like ours) is their "bread and butter" - and their products
aren't even fully updated yet (as ours aren't). I highly doubt they
would have someone with his talent NOT answering email, NOT posting on
his blog, NOT working on their CCIE products but instead - working on
a CCNP boot camp product...come on people - think logically.

Also, regarding us (IPexpert) - we have been moving forward, fullspeed
ahead. We've got a great jumpstart with all of our new hardware
implemented (for CCIE Security and Voice), we've been working on - and
releasing our Workbooks, VOD / Audio, Course Content, have already
released a 4.0 R&S product and more...we've invested in, and hired, an
experienced VP (former Intense School CEO) who has 20+ years in the
boot camp / IT industry - he took Intense to 11+ MM in sales from
startup. We've already completed CCNA, CCNA, CISSP, CEH, Forensics
and MCITP course content - and have the instructors on board to teach
the classes (new website to launch in 2 weeks). So, the rumors that
Cisco 360 is hurting us is absolutely absurd. In fact, we'll flourish
now that some of our competitors are now locked in to selling the same
360 material - and we can continue to design ours so it's more
thorough, can be taken to market quicker and more cost-effective (it
will always be more proven and cost-effective regardless of how Cisco
decides to sell it).

Gesh....this is one thing about the "awesome Groupstudy community" -
half of the posts are rumors and flat out BS...I guess now that MJ
died people need a new source of rumors! ;-)

Regards,

Wayne A. Lawson II - CCIE #5244
Founder, President & CEO:
- IPexpert, Inc.
- Proctor Labs, Inc.
- Platinum Solutions Group, LLC.
Mailto: wlawson_at_ipexpert.com
Mobile: +1.810.334.1564

:: Message sent from iPhone.

On Jul 11, 2009, at 9:02 AM, Darby Weaver <ccie.weaver_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> CCNP material?
>
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 11, 2009 at 8:50 AM, Dark Fiber <darkfiber08_at_gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I think the rumors of Brian Dennis and INE were GREATLY
>> exaggerated...
>>
>> It would seem because of his post on their blog yesterday that he
>> just has
>> been tucked away working on material...
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jul 11, 2009 at 2:59 AM, Darby Weaver
>> <ccie.weaver_at_gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Well here I go again.
>>>
>>> I just came back from Cisco Live 2009. Had a great time attended
>>> some
>>> techtorials and breakout technical sessions. Met some awesome
>>> people.
>>> Lots
>>> of energy.
>>>
>>> Here's the State of the CCIE Union.
>>>
>>> It appears there is not enough to go around and pools of endless
>>> CCIE
>>> Candidates are drying up (at least of the paying variety).
>>>
>>> It seems that the Cisco CCIE 360 Program was designed to retain
>>> the value
>>> of
>>> the program and it has its merits. However a lot of very respected
>>> trainers
>>> are joining the program for one or more reasons:
>>>
>>> 1. It is better (eye of the beholder).
>>>
>>> 2. It allows the trainers to accept Cisco Learning Credits (in a
>>> very very
>>> tough market).
>>>
>>> 3. It is going to allow for a much improved product.
>>>
>>> Umm... That's a multiple choice question.
>>>
>>>
>>> So if a lot of trainers are being "corraled" by Cisco into joining
>>> the
>>> program as at least some have suggested (as in join us or die...
>>> well more
>>> like join us or decertify) isn't this a little odd way to bring
>>> some of
>>> the
>>> best trainers in the industry into the Cisco CCIE 360 Program?
>>>
>>> I think so, but hey I'm not a trainer nor a CCIE as of yet and so
>>> it's not
>>> really my concern.
>>>
>>> My concern is innovative and quality products.
>>>
>>> From what I gather I'm not sure this is going to happen from the
>>> Cisco
>>> CCIE
>>> 360 Program immediately or possibly anytime soon despite having
>>> some 30
>>> highly experienced CCIE Trainers (some of whom are content
>>> developers).
>>>
>>> Let's see....
>>>
>>> There's a mean rumor going around that are only two main games
>>> left in
>>> town: Cisco CCIE 360 Program and IPExpert. And IPExpert is
>>> diversifying
>>> into other certifications...
>>>
>>> What? Only 2!!! What about InternetworkExpert?
>>>
>>> Apparently some think InternetworkExpert may be in dire straights
>>> (Truth
>>> or
>>> Dare) and since Brian Dennis may no longer be at the head of the
>>> table
>>> (another rumor from an informed source) then InternetworkExpert as
>>> we know
>>> it may not exist much longer and may not hold a top spot either
>>> for long.
>>>
>>> In any event the CCIE Training is venue is bleeding badly. Very
>>> badly.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I saw a lot of stuff while in San Franscisco. I saw a little
>>> hustle and
>>> jive. I saw fear. I saw anger. I saw despair. And out of it all
>>> I might
>>> have seen a glint of opportunity but you'll have to shake me to
>>> see where
>>> I
>>> saw that aspect of the game.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Here's the problem as I see it:
>>>
>>> 1. The economy. Well not quite true since in times likes these
>>> trainers
>>> and education in general are safe bets... unless...
>>>
>>> 2. Every trainer sells and makes all their "intellectual property"
>>> full
>>> available "electronically.
>>>
>>> 3. Ouch! I said it. Piracy and Sharing is about to be the death
>>> of the
>>> program. Classes are still a go, but electronic revenues are
>>> getting hit
>>> hard apparently and the biggest retailers are getting hit the
>>> hardest
>>> (like
>>> say... InternetworkExpert for example).
>>>
>>> 4. One CCIE Vendor/Trainer shared with me a very sad fact...
>>> Exactly 4
>>> sales of a product in exactly 4 months. That's it guys. It is
>>> now that
>>> bad
>>> and LockLizard is not good enough to protect the family jewels.
>>>
>>>
>>> But... but... Darby... I'm from a poor country and I cannot afford a
>>> workbook a video on demand, or anything else... Yep I hear these
>>> all the
>>> time. Ouch! Apparently you won't have to worry as soon there
>>> won't be
>>> anyone left producing them and you will have to rely on Cisco
>>> Press and
>>> the
>>> Cisco CCO for your training. The CCIE Vendors/Trainers may soon be
>>> extinct.
>>>
>>> The Golden Age of CCIE Training is almost waning entirely and may
>>> soon be
>>> gone in the advent of several things:
>>>
>>> 1. Mass media - electronic media.
>>>
>>> 2. High download speeds - 30GB is downloadable quite quickly.
>>>
>>> 3. Rapidshare and others are the death of this industry - sorry it
>>> is
>>> true.
>>>
>>> 4. Sell once and a team get together for a "Group-Buy" and Share
>>> many -
>>> Unless they are waiting to get it for F-R-E-E... (see an example
>>> below).
>>>
>>> 5. Since everything "intellectually valuable" has been shared and
>>> re-shared,
>>> that leaves only classroom revenues and these dry up since many
>>> people
>>> either cheat the exam itself or refuse to buy or take classes when
>>> this
>>> stuff is readily available via video and instant download.
>>>
>>>
>>> So the guys who started the thing with Video on Demand may be
>>> among the
>>> first victims of their own success.
>>>
>>> Hell one copy sold to a country with no intellectual copyright law
>>> or no
>>> regard for it, means one copy sold to exactly 1 billion souls
>>> (well not
>>> quite - but you get the point - but you lose the buck!).
>>>
>>>
>>> Here is an example taken this week from an underground forum:
>>>
>>> 1. Any one got the NMC BGP kindly share.
>>>
>>> 2. Please share it friends.
>>> 3. yes men share it It is so important
>>>
>>> 4. Any update ??
>>>
>>> 5. need this, please share if you have or locate! BGP for me!
>>>
>>> 6. if many people are interested...we can buy it directly from
>>> NMC....anyone
>>> interested.....comes for $349...
>>>
>>> 7. JUST wait men , xxx offer them for free now. only contributors
>>> can get
>>> them now and they will available for all after 4 weeks. hope one
>>> of the
>>> contributors can share them before the month
>>>
>>> 8. no problem, we can wait 4 weeks
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> See how that works. NMC will sell 1 copy for those 100 who want
>>> this
>>> particular product and then it will sell no more.
>>>
>>> Done!
>>>
>>> And NMC/Cisco can protect it to their heart's content and it will
>>> still
>>> get
>>> raped and pillaged within 24 hours or less of the sale. It's like
>>> that.
>>>
>>>
>>> So the era of our vendors supplying electronic copies of anything
>>> just
>>> died.
>>>
>>> R.I.P. July 11th 2009.
>>>
>>> Unless some of them are still making some sort of profit - which is
>>> dwindling fast.
>>>
>>> Even Cisco Press is in trouble since most books are available for
>>> free
>>> mostly anywhere on the net.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The big question on the underground today is: Where's Narbik's 2.0
>>> Workbook?
>>>
>>>
>>> Only 1 Trainer's labs/products have survived this: That German
>>> guy... who
>>> trains in Denver.
>>>
>>>
>>> Why?
>>>
>>>
>>> Easy:
>>>
>>> Paper and Watermark. If he used the red paper then he'd be even
>>> one more
>>> layer secure from this kind of thing.
>>>
>>>
>>> However, he's pretty secure and his stuff is not everywhere. I
>>> think he
>>> only takes cash or wire transfer aka cash. But he's not worried
>>> about his
>>> stuff being pirated.
>>>
>>>
>>> Some vendor's stuff is literally everywhere and trying to stop
>>> 30-40,000
>>> determined techies is really tough for anyone or um... 20 times
>>> those
>>> numbers.
>>>
>>>
>>> Hey - Don't kill the messenger. I'm just telling you that with
>>> all the
>>> E-CCIE available nowadays - class sizes are going to continue to
>>> shrink
>>> even
>>> though demand is growing out of control.
>>>
>>> It is exponential.
>>>
>>> The lab is changing right... now.
>>>
>>> It's the only hope you guys have of maintaining your career - or
>>> at least
>>> your salary or profit margins.
>>>
>>>
>>> Hey!!!
>>>
>>> 1 lab is worth $1000.00 per student or even $2,000.00 if it is not
>>> available
>>> for free.
>>>
>>> What can I tell you that I've not already said?
>>>
>>>
>>> This may be the last year you really have an opportunity to save the
>>> full-time career as a CCIE Trainer.
>>>
>>> Who knows?
>>>
>>>
>>> Just letting you know how fast your brains are leaking all over the
>>> Internet. Pretty fast actually.
>>>
>>>
>>> By the time you've read this I can't tell you how many GB or even
>>> TB have
>>> been downloaded.... Can you say lost revenues?
>>>
>>>
>>> Honestly I even heard some producers of materials willing to sell
>>> the
>>> stuff
>>> for $20.00 a copy - imagine that - now if you pay $500 or $1000.00
>>> for a
>>> copy of a product and a vendor is in that tough a situation...
>>> Think
>>> about
>>> it. and then there is the CCIE 5x selling his own workbooks for
>>> $20-30.00
>>> each on ebay.
>>>
>>> Ouch!
>>>
>>> It is really getting bad now guys.
>>>
>>>
>>> A bright light come October 18th. The troubleshooting section of
>>> the
>>> lab.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> You'd better change your ways and your strategies... use stone
>>> carvings if
>>> you have to. It's your work or its not your work anymore - you
>>> choose.
>>>
>>>
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>>>
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Received on Sat Jul 11 2009 - 09:30:30 ART