Looking for a career change, over to the IT field.

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Your comments were quite derogatory, you really need to stop getting so angry and upset. You don’t personally own the J2EE space or whatever you’re involved in, so stop taking my comments as an attack on yourself, when they are my justifications for my success and continued level of success at the many organisations where I’ve successfully delivered what was required of me, time and time again.

Scale to 250,000 users?

First you carry out the functional tests, to ensure what's delivered in dev is what was required, and if that it works as expected by the people using the system (seen projects where they let the techies do this... Big fail!). This will iron out the development bugs. You could also do some form of security testing, like client side and server side validation checks. I tested a system for a government department once, I crashed the whole system in a few seconds because the developer hadn't done any validation checks. My weakness here is functional test tools, not really used WinRunner or QTP in anger but hey ho, it’s not something I need to know in detail.

The next stage is to recreate what was in dev into a test environment where the the non functional testing where we start with performance testing the environment to optimise it and to make sure it is stable. Then you load test to see if the environment can work with multiple components, that is the load balancing works for example, you then stress test the components to see what level they can operate at before failure and then you volume test to see how it will cope with a larger volume of users, transactions etc.

Many test teams I work with use LoadRunner, I used to be able to write my own transaction based test scripts years back, but that knowledge has long gone. However, because I understood how to test using transactions as well as create test strategy, test plans and test cases, it added to my knowledge on understanding what a system has to deliver.

The final stages revolve around acceptance testing, you do your operational acceptance, production acceptance and DR test. The final acceptance test is the pretty UAT test, so the business can pat itself on the back for a job well done. Positive testing at its best.

You'd be surprised at how many people don't understand the difference between the different types of testing. That's why I created a course about it – Quality Assurance vs Quality Control.

My course on testing, where testing aka Quality Control and Quality Assurance (the latter is often confused as testing when it's not) are explained in easy layman terms. There's quite a few analogies in there too, to explain testing. I've written it simplistically, so anyone can understand. I use it as a reference to show potential employers that I practise what I preach and to let newbies understand what testing really is and how it's not a mystical complex area.

I've also documented test tool choices, so you can choose the right test tool, otherwise you end up with the wrong test tool and more problems later on when the system you expected to get to 250,000 users fails because the test tool results were inaccurate.

I don't need to understand what's in the Black box for testing, same for development. I'm the interface between the business and the techies. I need to make sure the 'to be' architecture meets the needs required and the business gets a usable system.

I get paid to make it happen as expected by the business. I get paid to work with various stakeholders, non techie to techie. I simplify things, from the architecture, to resilience, to protection of corporate assets like data.

I work with test teams, database teams to security teams. Security is important and I need to make sure the system meets the security requirements, so from sql injection, xss, to personal identifiable info to customer data to PCI. Most developers code is poorly and lazily written and open to hacking, so I generally have to ask the project to get the pen testers in, to satisfy the requirements around integrity.

I like to simplify things so more people can understand, this is my mission in life, to impart knowledge so as many people can understand it. When I first came across the concept of data warehousing, I asked a few techies what it was and I was overwhelmed. Wow, I just couldn't get my head round it. Then I asked an architect, and he said, its just getting data from multiple sources into a single repository and then being able to use it, for say reporting. How simple an explanation is that? He didn't harp on about Business Objects and universes and loads of other technical tosh, as all the techies did. This is why I’ve created my courses to simplify things for people, to make sure they don’t get overwhelmed. This is what I do at work and this is what I’ve done in my courses.

 

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I've worked on systems with 8 million users (not concurrent, maybe 250,000-1 million concurrent), I understand the process.
I currently work on PCI compliant systems. I've taken penetration testing courses. I can write shellcode.

Developing secure code is difficult, often there are competing pressures, and typically time/money win out, its easy to call a developer lazy when you've never written code.

Developing systems is HARD, that is why 80% the 'technical tosh' exists.

Its easy to say something is easy when you don't do it, but you merely talk about it.

I'm triple MCPD, I know multiple technologies and stacks, not just J2EE.
I don't claim to be Mr J2EE, 50% of the original J2EE spec was pretty poor to be honest, but then how would you know that if you never really looked at it?
I would advise listening to people that probably have more knowledge than you in an area.

Clearly you already know everything so I won't bother to mention anything else.

 

I'll be going outside and using the brick wall soon.

Won't comment any further as there seems to be no point.

FuzzyBallz - sorry this went so off topic but a few of us regulars like to ensure accurate advice goes to new members, feel free to drop me a PM / start a new post if there's anything more we can help with accurate advice on.

 

You don't specialize in one thing, you do SCCM, you also do Citrix and you also do Private Clouds, that's three specialisms. Even if you're using SCCM to create images using MDT for XenApp that's still a different skill set.

I never said with basic skills in Citrix you can become a EUS Architect straight away. I worked with Terminal Server skills, to Citrix skills and then I got to be EU Tech Architect in a number of years. In which time I was exposed to loads of technology. I got the opportunity to work with great people, who helped me expand my knowledge and skill set. If you want to carry on doing the same stuff for the rest of your life that's your choice. But things can change, like people whose tech skills are no longer needed and then need to retrain.

The statement that the 'above line summarizes that is wrong with your post', highlights the 'closed shop' mentality in IT, where people look for a 100% match in skills and experience. There are very capable people who can't get into IT as permanent staff, so why shouldn't they get in as contractors? Plus contractors do a better job generally, because they don't get bogged down with politics and appraisals and all the other useless stuff permies have to do, to satisfy their existence at work.

 

As I said repeatedly I work at High Level, I don't need to know the deep technical stuff. Likewise, I am trying to explain all the stuff I do in laymans terms in my courses, so people can get a real understanding and not be overwhelmed. Your level of J2EE is beyond me and I don't do it.

 

Jeez, I only wanted a link back to my website and now I'm being asked to justify every point I make. So I won't be responding to any more comments. Take this as a win for the big boys who can out SEO me, out PR me and out advertise me, to peddle their overpriced courses to the unitiated with false promise. Adios.

 

Why is there a need to get emotional?
It's not necessary pal so take it easy.

I'm also looking to get into IT, and I've followed this thread from the start, I've read the other threads on here and also on other forums and none have recommended the advice that your suggesting. Sorry to be blunt.

They all say to get A+ and N+, to master these two and not Cram load, and that would put you in a good position to get started with ones IT career.

Many also self study, so no one here is buying expensive courses etc.

 

Just agree to disagree... end of the day people get into IT through different methods but there have been tried and tested ways of doing so. I dont think Jax means any harm, at the end of the day it would be up to the OP to do his research and decide upon the best method.

 

Well, this thread certainly took a turn for the worst...

Some good info at the start though, can't believe I was looking at doing A+ and N+ like 4-5 years ago and never got around to it ffs.

Here I am still plodding along, considering it again though, maybe this time I will pull the trigger.

 

Going back to the OP, stick with my thread on Entry Level Certs and Beyond (I may update it shortly as it's a tad out of date but the concepts are still the same).

As a former SCCM consultant and now VMware consultant I have to say that I want my sys admin guys to be skilled and experienced with various technologies but I don't want them too varied with no real specialisation.

As an example, I am a Windows guy (desktop, servers and SCCM), I moved in to VMware virtualisation because that's where I want my career, I use my Windows skills to aid in my virtualisation role, I am now also learning more about Linux and storage as well as a smattering of networking as well, working in the Cloud space these days you need a better understanding of all the skills I previously mentioned.

Now as far as hiring people is concerned (I am\have been a hiring manager) I want to see people with a decent amount of experience and some certifications, too many certifications and not enough experience just isn't going to work because then I am going to be too worried about whether you can do the job or not. I keep trying to tell people that for the most part certification is about proving your skill set, not giving you a skill set.

Take for example the VMware VCAP (VMware Certified Advanced Professional), this is an exam that requires a certain amount of experience to pass, if I know you have the VCAP exam I am not going to waste yours or my time in asking you basic questions because you have already proven your skills to me by passing that exam (a good 2 - 3 months of hard study btw).

However if you are coming in to the industry and this is your first or second role and you have the MCSE or CCNA/P then I am not even going to waste my time talking to you because you're a paper certified person and I couldn't trust your lack of real world experience.

Get an entry level cert, gain the experience, get the appropriate cert for your career and then speak to me.

 

^ can vouch for what @SimonD said, following his thread got me a job.

 

I am in a similar situation...

 

I am now also learning more about Linux and storage as well as a smattering of networking as well, working in the Cloud space these days you need a better understanding of all the skills I previously mentioned.

 

However if you are coming in to the industry and this is your first or second role and you have the MCSE or CCNA/P then I am not even going to waste my time talking to you because you're a paper certified person and I couldn't trust your lack of real world experience.