Twisted

Rich,

Well you can do what I'm doing. I started a home study course for a CCNA. My company offered to pay for it after I told them what I was going to do. You have to start somewhere and since we have all Cisco switches and routers I figured that should be the direction. I've been working on Nortel PBX's for 22 years and feel comfortable with them and technology but i must say that though i could relate to a lot of the concepts some of it I had to read and re-read and re-read before i got it. I started at the end of August and will finish the entire training course over the next week. At that point i will review it for a month or two and go take the CCNA test.
They way i see it is if you understand the concepts of a PBX and on the data side understand switches and routers and the numerous potocols you will be a value to any company. The next step is applications.
With all this new technology working together knowing how to mess different applications together will be extreemly useful.

Chas2002

Richard -

I think (just my opinion) your Son would be better off pursuing a career in Visual Basic / Visual Basic for Applications or other programming languages with a minor in Telecommunications. Communications and Computer Programming are both viable career choices, but If I were 18 again, I'd go with Computer Programming and maybe specialize in the Communications field.

My reasoning...

I recall, years ago, watching an Info Sys guy programming a port on a router - the interface was, for lack of a better word - "archaic" - kind of like Unix or Telneting today - you had to have good retention and knowledge of commands.

At the beginning of December this year our hotel installed a Hospitality Network (High Speed Internet) and I assisted on the cabling and installation. Like many applications the "archaic" programming method for the routers had been replaced with a nice GUI application - just point and click. No need to retain books and books of command language.

The point - the process of programming/administrating systems will continue to become easier and easier and just about anyone with a book can accomplish tasks. If your Son can program the GUI's for these systems - that's worth something.

A side bar: VoIP and CTI, will this replace the contemporary switch?

My opinion - not anytime soon....

VoIP is still plagued with problems. Quality is poor at times; Firewall and security issues are still a problem -
--- VoIP problems occur on phone calls that originate in the outside world -a big problem when waiting for someone to call you back. Outgoing calls, originating from the user's desktop through the firewall, are generally handled by the firewall opening a pinhole through which replies can pass. The pinhole is closed eventually (after the call ends), and no further external packets are allowed through. However, with incoming calls from an external service provider, security issues arise. Until recently, the only way to allow inbound calls was to leave a permanent hole from the outside world to the user's IP phone.

Here is a good article discussing a major pitfall of VoIP - Fail Programming. http://www.bcr.com/bcrmag/2002/09/p42.asp

Good Luck...
Chas2002

__________________
Free Preview of my fictional book: "Chaos Theorem": http://www.lulu.com/content/249842. Full PDF Download just $3.99. (Note: Portions of monies generated are donated to great causes: Feed the Children Fund and Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters).
Checkout pbxjobs.com and pbxlance.com

Twisted

Chas,

You bring up some good points but the article is from Sept 2002. That is a lifetime in this industry. VoIP isn't for every business but there is certainly a spot for it and traditional PBX's.

Every case is different.

Chas2002

Twisted -

You're absolutely right I work at a business that could save $$$ if they IP'd there communications to each other, but it's a hard sale with the Security Issues, the cost of the sets, who would maintain it (this is a big issue and really a gray area for us), etc....

Chas2002

__________________
Free Preview of my fictional book: "Chaos Theorem": http://www.lulu.com/content/249842. Full PDF Download just $3.99. (Note: Portions of monies generated are donated to great causes: Feed the Children Fund and Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters).
Checkout pbxjobs.com and pbxlance.com

dixiedogger

My 2 cents is to try to think of a job that has to be done here. Programing is largly moving to India and that is substantuly affecting salries in that area. I think computer securtiy will be a big growing thing to get into. Im not sure VOIP is going to be the greatest thing for salries. It will increase the level of knowledge needed but I think will reduce demand for more meanial tasks such as MAC work. Im sure with the right expertice you could do well though. I had been a straight telephone man for 10 years before I started learning VOIP and have gotten heavily into it for the past 2 years and have acquired several Cisco certs. To be honest it was a uphill battle for me to learn that stuff but I'm pretty sound on the concepts now. So what im getting at is start learning now. Also as weak as I am on data I still can fix that stuff mor eefficiently that those data jockey's they just dont get phones at least for the most part. I would tell the boy to go into healthcare that seems to be where the money is and they cant move it to India.