Picking Up New Skills
Tips and Tricks to Build Your Technical Tool Chest

Who’s Chris Wahl?
VMware Certified Design Expert
(VCDX) #104
Data Center and Network
Virtualization
Writer – WahlNetwork.com
Videos – YouTube.com/WahlNetwork
Host – DatanautsPodcast.com
Author – Pluralsight.com

Networking for
VMware
Administrators
It’s a pretty good book
100% of royalties are being donated
to the Alzheimer’s Association

Technology is an escalator

Technology is an escalator

Identify Learn Teach

Reading
Every day.
I prefer RSS feeds.
Feedly is pretty good.

https://goo.gl/KSIygc

Identify Content of Interest
Use the “Saved for Later” feature to bookmark
Share with your network – see who else is interested
… or knowledgeable

Check Certification
Blueprints
See how much of it you already
know
Use the gaps to build a learning
plan

Blueprints Reveal Gaps

Events and Meetups
They’re free
See what your peers are building
If it sounds cool, try it

Identify Learn Teach

If you’re flush with
cash
Build a home lab
It’s like owning a boat, but without
the boat

Your career is a long term
investment
Don’t sell yourself short

And home labs are fun

Squeezing value from
a home lab
Meet your requirements (not
other’s)
Family investment and
understanding
Breaking things = learning things

Alternatives
VMware Hands on Labs (HOL)
Cisco Virtual Internet Routing Lab (ViRL)
Cisco CloudLab
Graphical Network Simulator 3 (GNS3)
EMC e-Learning
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition (VE)
Ravello Systems Virtual Lab
Public Cloud (AWS, GCE, Azure)

Create a Learning Path
Dans les champs de l'observation le hasard ne favorise que les esprits préparés
- (Louis Pasteur)

Create a Learning Path
Chance favors the prepared mind.
- (Louis Pasteur)

Pick gaps
Set goals
Set a
schedule
Pomodoro
Review

Study Sheets
Specific set of learning goals
Track progress
Refer to links and resources

Pomodoro Technique
Turn off your phone, email, social media, and other distractions
Focus intently for 25 minute bursts
Break for 5 – 10 minute bursts
Take a walk, grab a snack, check social, stretch
Focus
(25m)
Break
(5m)
Focus
(25m)
Break
(5m)
Focus
(25m)
Break
(10m)

http://tomato-timer.com/

Identify Learn Teach

Fresh eyes bring fresh questions

If you can’t teach it, you
don’t really know it
Hold a Lunch and Learn
Contribute to a VMUG session
Present on a vBrownBag session
Create a YouTube video
Record a Camtasia video
Set up a vBeers with colleagues
Submit a TechTalk

Imagine how much knowledge
you have gained because of
someone else’s wisdom
Now, be that someone else

My NSX instructor, Elver Sena Sosa

Visit WahlNetwork.com for Deep Dives,
Home Lab Tips, Reviews, and More!
Check out “Networking for VMware
Administrators” by VMware Press
Over 30 hours of my video training
content is on Pluralsight.com
Subscribe to the Datanauts via iTunes or
RSS at DatanautsPodcast.com
Thank you
slideshare.net/christopherwahl