{"id":1424,"date":"2023-06-27T11:55:44","date_gmt":"2023-06-27T15:55:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/?p=1424"},"modified":"2025-11-26T11:32:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T16:32:07","slug":"cisco-live-2023-recap-ive-headed-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/?p=1424","title":{"rendered":"Cisco Live 2023 Recap &#8211; &#8220;I&#8217;ve headed west&#8230;&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>So, I attended my first Cisco Live conference this year in Las Vegas, NV and overall it was a great experience. I was able to hang out with a good friend and mentor of mine, after roughly a 10 year hiatus. Of course I ended up walking right by him as I didn&#8217;t even see him; even as he was calling my name out &#x1f923;. In addition, I was also able to meet up &#8220;in person&#8221; with a few other engineers both from work (including a fellow &#8216;Black OPs&#8217; engineer\/homie &#8220;El Duderino&#8221;) as well as some other conference-goers (yep, I just made that up). We also got to meet some vendors, and people who work at Cisco. Oh right, and a few of us even got to bring COVID back home with us; so that was exciting. And that&#8217;s also the reason I waited to write this article up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being a <code>\"not quite fully recovered\"<\/code> glutton for punishment, I started my Monday off  bright and early at the Testing Center&#8230;  And before you get way too excited, I did not end up passing the exam.  Which was 100% fine, as I wanted to see what this &#8220;DevNet Thing&#8221; was all about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-testing-1024x857.jpg\" alt=\"Pruebas\" class=\"wp-image-1430\" style=\"width:512px;height:429px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So, after the exam it was off to the breakout sessions.  I did attend the following sessions (listed below in no particular order), and I&#8217;m probably forgetting a couple, pero bueno&#8230; Asi soy yo&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>BRKSEC-2347 &#8211; <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKSEC-2347.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">ISE Deployment Staging and Planning<\/a> &lt;&#8211; Dear Uncle Cisco, I still can&#8217;t download this presentation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKSEC-2091 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKSEC-2091.pdf\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKSEC-2091.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ISE Design, Deploy &amp; Best Practices<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKEWN-2087 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKEWN-2087.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">High Density Wi-Fi Design, Deployment, and Optimization<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKXAR-2016 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKXAR-2016.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reimagining secure and reliable network architectures to power Hybrid Work<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKSEC-1240 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKSEC-1240.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">If you don&#8217;t have a Security Reference Architecture, you must get one!<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKENS-2092 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKENS-2092.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">BGP EVPN in Enterprise Campus \/ Building Scalable Fabrics with Catalyst 9000 Switches<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKSEC-3320 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKSEC-3320.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Demystifying TLS Decryption and Encrypted Visibility Engine on Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKSEC-1138 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKSEC-1138.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cisco Defense Orchestrator Manage Your Cisco Firewalls Anywhere<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKCRT-3001 &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKCRT-3001.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FirePower Threat Defense Automation using API&#8217;s<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BRKNWT-2201 &#8211; <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/c\/dam\/r\/ciscolive\/global-event\/docs\/2023\/pdf\/BRKNWT-2201.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">How Carrier Neutral Facilities (CNF) are Transforming Enterprises to Digitally Converged Architecture <\/a>&lt;&#8211; I missed this session b\/c of my flight timing on Thursday.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I think all of the sessions are now available on the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ciscolive.com\/on-demand\/on-demand-library.html?&amp;currentTab=session\" target=\"_blank\">Cisco Live Website<\/a>, so feel free to browse\/pa-roose around the interwebs and the site for other stuff that may tickle your fancy&#8230;  I also heard a rumor that I would be getting some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisco.com\/c\/en\/us\/training-events\/training-certifications\/training\/continuing-education-program.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Continuing Education Credits<\/a> for most of the sessions I attended. <em>&#8220;Go on&#8230;&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I did get to swing by the Certifications Lounge\/area, on one of my many walks of the floor, and I picked up some CCIE Swag.  Sorry Dr. Banner &#x1f9ea;, I wasn&#8217;t able to grab another shirt for you, lmao.  I look forward to my brothers &#8220;War Machine&#8221;, &#8220;John Wick&#8221; and &#8220;Surferdude&#8221; joining me there one day <em>(despues del Lab examen)<\/em>.  Mentor sessions are in process for them and the goal of course is to make them better than I am, and for them to unlock their full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"1450\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-ccie-swag-636x1024.jpg\" alt=\"CCIE Swag\" class=\"wp-image-1450\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"1473\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-bags2-1024x726.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1473\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, I did have enough time to partake in a few &#8220;off the beaten path&#8221; items&#8230; Including some <strong><em>sightseeing<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"1433\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-not-the-rental-1024x941.jpg\" alt=\"I did not rent this truck\" class=\"wp-image-1433\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hello Lambo Truck<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"1429\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-not-the-rental2-928x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Lambo Truck\" class=\"wp-image-1429\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Take a spin?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Some <strong><em>&#8220;Stress relief excersizes&#8221;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-1424-1\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-drift.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-drift.mp4\">https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-drift.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Most people&#8217;s reaction, when finding out I attempted a DevNet Exam&#8230;<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Quite a bit of <strong><em>&#8220;Team Building&#8221; <\/em><\/strong>between all of us.  Although, I confess that I must learn the ways of &#8220;<em>El Duderino<\/em>&#8230;&#8221; Including walking into events prior to them being open with ease and &#8220;seizing&#8221; the moment as well as other stuff.  &#x1f923;&#x1f923;&#x1f923;  <em>&lt;&#8211; see what i did there?<\/em>  Then again, we were &#8220;chatted up&#8221; and sought after multiple times together after midnight while continuing to &#8220;Team Build&#8221; so maybe that charm is in fact rubbing off on me. &#x1f923;&#x1f923;&#x1f923;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-beverages-957x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1434\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Being me, I did try to sneak in a mentoring session with my mentor, however he was not interested&#8230; <strong><em>Not in the slightest<\/em><\/strong>&#8230;  Below is how hard core Network Architects avoid their mentees&#8230; &#x1f923;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-1424-2\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-track-bob4.mp4?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-track-bob4.mp4\">https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-track-bob4.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Attempting to seek guidance from my Mentor @ Cisco Live 2023&#8230;<\/strong> Hint: I&#8217;m holding the camera.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So like a good mentee, I did attempt to get his attention while trying to catch him, but I wasn&#8217;t able to&#8230; Not even in the <em>&#8220;Stark-Mobile&#8221;<\/em>&#8230;  &#x1f913;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-track.jpg\" alt=\"Stark on the Track\" class=\"wp-image-1436\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>All in all, it was a great experience <em>(see below)<\/em>, I did enjoy meeting some new people and catching up with some old friends.  The content was great and the speakers were very knowledgeable. I&#8217;m looking forward to putting some of the stuff I learned to use both at work and at home as well as returning one day to the conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-vuelta2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"la vuelta\" class=\"wp-image-1432\" style=\"width:576px;height:768px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So along with the good times, I did come home with COVID <em>(yaaaay adulting)<\/em>.  I&#8217;m finally feeling somewhat better.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/live2023-vid19-1024x894.jpg\" alt=\"The VID\" class=\"wp-image-1431\" style=\"width:512px;height:447px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep learning and keep making a better version of yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Stark out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve headed west&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2566,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[13,16,50],"class_list":["post-1424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-stuff","tag-certifications","tag-cosas","tag-study"],"rise-blocks_total_comments":0,"rise-blocks_categories":[{"term_id":3,"name":"Tech Stuff","slug":"tech-stuff","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":43,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":3,"category_count":43,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Tech Stuff","category_nicename":"tech-stuff","category_parent":0}],"rise-blocks_excerpt":"\"I've headed west...\"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2550,"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1424\/revisions\/2550"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thenetworksdown.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}