Bruce Caslow the CCIE Flyer Interview
by Eman
I have met many CCIEs and some of the CCIEs responsible for guiding, mentoring and training the next generation of CCIEs. What I have pleasantly discovered from some of these trainers is that they have a real passion for what they do each day influencing the next generation. Bruce has had the passion for years now and he proved it to me several times. When I first reached out to him by email he quickly responded by phone. In our first conversation while he was on vacation we spent over thirty minutes talking while I could hear in the background his kids calling him away to go to the beach. I had a second call from him the next day and this call was over 1 ½ hours long. In this call he took me back through his journey and many of the other groundbreaking CCIEs he has known through the years. Bruce is an encyclopedia of information and knowledge about the CCIE journey through time. So when we spoke I wrangled an invite to join him in Reston, VA and sit in on one of his CCIE boot camps. Along with Val Pavlichenko, Bruce is a founder of NetMasterClass a Cisco Learning Partner and 360 Learning Program provider. After our discussions I was given a chance to interview him for the CCIE Flyer readers.
Q: Bruce the opportunity to meet with you was a real treat for me. I appreciate you taking the time to share with us who you are and what you have done in the CCIE arena. To start why don’t you tell me when and how you got your start in IT.?
A: Back in 1983, I began my career in IT performing database development and working with IBM PC and IBM PC clones.
Q: When did you shift to Networking as your focus and why?
A: In 1988, I worked on a project to interconnect a set of Sun Workstations for an organization within the US. Government . From that point forward, I encountered many additional projects that involved networking. In 1992, I wrote my first TCP/IP course.
Q: CCIE certification is a big commitment for anyone but when you chose to make this your goal the availability of training was scarce and mentors were the only real source of support. Who was your mentor?
A: When I studied for my CCIE , I worked for a company called ARS in Alexandria, Virginia. ARS was a Cisco Training Partner. At that time, my mentor for all topics related to networking was Val Pavlichenko. Val still is my mentor for these topics! I also had two excellent study partners: Rajah Chowbay and Kevin McClintock.
Q: You participated in the Cisco 360 learning program at an early stage and I think you were a heavy influence on its development. What preceded the 360 program and why do you think it was not as successful or not continued?
A: Many CCIE learning programs existed before Cisco 360; however, none of them were authorized by Cisco. Cisco 360 is the first authorized CCIE Learning program. I think this is the major distinguishing feature of the Cisco 360 program when compared with any other CCIE Learning programs that existed before the Cisco 360 program was launched. Many of these non-authorized CCIE Learning programs still exist.
Q: What is different about the 360 program?
A: There are many, many distinguishing characteristics of the Cisco 360 program. The most significant distinguishing feature of Cisco 360 is what is called “the ongoing trended assessment” feature. Let me take a minute to explain:
The Cisco 360 program is a “blended” learning program. While many training companies consider “blended” learning as a mixture of classroom based training, distance learning and self-paced learning using VoD’s and workbooks, Cisco 360 incorporates all of these elements plus one more – ongoing graded assessment labs that reflect a trend of development of each and every CCIE candidate. In fact, this feature of Cisco 360 – the ongoing graded assessment labs that establish a trend of development for each CCIE candidate – is the center piece of the Cisco 360 Learning Program. It actually directs the CCIE candidates learning effort. It tells the CCIE candidate when to advance in the Cisco 360 Learning program. It tells the candidates when to stop and review other elements of the Cisco 360 Learning program. It is truly a revolutionary form of technology. Furthermore, it must be stressed that the Cisco 360 “ongoing graded assessment labs” provide maximum feedback to maximize the learning activity for each assessment performed. This is a very powerful learning tool for both the CCIE candidate and the CCIE instructor or mentor.
Q: You were instrumental in building the assessment tool to help anyone planning to take the CCIE lab. What do you feel the average CCIE candidate has to gain by taking the assessment test?
A: There are many benefits for taking as many Cisco 360 graded assessment labs as possible. As mentioned in my previous answer, the Cisco 360 graded assessment labs establish a trend of performance that will help determine a CCIE candidate’s level of development. The Cisco 360 graded assessment labs provide a tremendous amount of feedback to help maximize the learning experience of each and every graded assessment performed. In particular, each graded assessment contains content from what is called the “Mentor Guide”. The Mentor Guide is quite simply amazing! It contains a complete state of a CCIE candidate’s pod at the end of his or her lab. It allows the candidate to enter in over 1,500 IOS verification commands such as show and ping commands as if they were still on a rack of Cisco equipment. When the CCIE candidate queries the Mentor Guide, he or she will also receive a side-by-side comparison of the master configuration as well. The Mentor Guide is all web-based. It provides the learning experience of querying two identical racks of Cisco equipment without ever accessing any physical equipment at all. It is amazing!
Finally, another major benefit of performing graded assessment labs is to gain experience to work under time pressure. In the actual CCIE lab, CCIE candidates will need to work under the exact same pressure. Performing multiple graded assessments provides the valuable experience of performing a graded assessment lab under time pressure.
Q: This tool must have taken a long time to develop. Who led this effort?
A: Without question, it was Val Pavlichenko. Val has been working on graded assessment technology for several years. He has led the development of all aspects of creating the Cisco 360 graded assessment technology. From the creation of the rules, to the labs themselves, to their answer keys as well as the development of the Mentor Guide. Val has been at the very center of it all! Val has an extremely rare set of skills. He is both an expert in internetworking and an expert in software development.
Q: This sounds great how do the CCIE Flyer readers access this tool?
A: Once a CCIE candidate has purchased any of the Cisco 360 products, they will access of the Cisco 360 resources through the Cisco 360 web portal at http://cisco360.cisco.com/.
However, before one can access this portal, one must purchase the Cisco 360 products. Cisco 360 products can be purchased individually in an a la carte manner. For example, if someone wants to purchase a single VoD lesson module or a single graded assessment lab or a single Cisco 360 course, they can do so by contacting any Cisco Learning Partner that is participating in Cisco 360. My company NetMasterClass is a participating Cisco Learning Partner in the Cisco 360 program. People are more than welcome to purchase any and all Cisco 360 products and services through NetMasterClass. Also, please note there are many other participating Cisco Learning partners in the Cisco 360 program as well. Two large, internationally recognized Cisco 360 Learning Partners are Global Knowledge and FastLane. They are represented in many regions throughout the world. There are also many regional Cisco Learning Partners such as CTT in Latin America and Synergy in the Middle East. Access www.cisco.com for more details as well as a list of all Cisco Learning Partners participating in the Cisco 360 Learning Program.
Q: You know many other trainers who are part of this program internationally. Who are the rising stars in the 360 program that our readers should look out for?
A: Currently, there are over 30 certified Cisco 360 instructors from around the world. Major Cisco training partners such as Global Knowledge and FastLane possess multiple Cisco 360 instructors. Many regional Cisco Learning Partners possess many great instructors in the world. First, I want to mention my training collegue at NetMasterClass – Mr. Bob Sinclair. It is my opinion Bob is the best CCIE intstructor in the world today. And along with Val Pavlichenko, Bob is the best learning content developer in the CCIE space in the world today, From the perspective of training and content development, Bob is far better than myself. He rocks! In the last 12 months, Bob traveled to many parts of the world to perform Train the Trainer sessions and Cisco 360 classes for select customers. He is our ace CCIE instructor! He has visited Cairo, Dubai, Singapore, Sao Paolo, England, Brussels and Tokyo.
Beyond Bob, there are many other very talented Cisco instructors from around the world that I have had the honor to work with. They include:
Harold Rodriquez of CTT in Latin America
Adel Karim of Synergy in the Middle East
Johnny Bass and David Smith of Global Knowledge in the United States
Narbik Kocharians of Skyline in the United States
Vassil Nikolov of FastLane in Europe
John Berry of Global Knowledge in Europe
Lasse Christiansen of Global Knowledge in Europe
Carlos Borteros of CTT in Latin America
Atif Khan of Synergy in the Middle East
David Clark of CCBOOTCAMP in the United States
Bill Burns of NetMasterClass in the United States
Masahiro Sasaki of Comsys in Japan
Futaoka Yusuke of FastLane in Japan
Naoaki Ban of Comsys in Japan
These are 14 world class Cisco 360 instructors that are the best CCIE instructors in the world. In his train the trainer sessions, Bob Sinclair has worked with a number of other Cisco 360 instructors from Dubai, Singapore, Tokyo and Brussels. I have not had the privilege to work with these other instructors. You need to contact Bob Sinclair to get his opinion on them. I have seen their graded assessment scores. All of these instructors have received unbelievable graded assessment scores during their CCIE Train the Trainer sessions. It is very impressive!
Q: What would you like the readers of this interview to know about your company and your current efforts?
A: NetMasterClass is a Cisco Learning Partner dedicated to delivering a full range of Routing and Switching CCIE Learning services. This includes: selling individual Cisco 360 products in an a la carte manner, selling both Cisco 360 ILT courses – the Advanced Cisco Workshop I (CIERS1) course and the Advanced Cisco Workshop II (CIERS2) course. NetMasterClass also provides Cisco 360 Mentoring services. Please contact us at www.netmasterclass.net for more information.
Q: Do you read the CCIE Flyer?
A: it is my understanding that CCIE Flyer is a publication targeted for CCIE’s that are looking for new career opportunities by investigating new job openings for CCIE’s. Since I have not been in the market for looking for a new job since for the last 11 years, I have not had a need for a publication like CCIE Flyer . However, since we have been introduced to your services at NetMasterClass, we think you provide a very useful service to the CCIE community. I will now be accessing your site and newsletter frequently.
Q: What do you think of it?
A: I think you provide a very useful service to the CCIE community. Thanks for doing this Eman! And thank you very much for giving me this interview. You have given us a great opportunity to expand the awareness of the Cisco 360 program as well as expand the awareness of participating Cisco 360 Authorized Learning Partners and their superb instructors. Once again, thank you very much for doing this Eman!!! Also, you have given my company NetMasterClass a great opportunity to gain great exposure for the products and services it sells. Once again, thank you Eman for this great opportunity! We really appreciate it!
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