A few years ago, you could be forgiven for not worrying about cloud computing and cloud providers, especially at the enterprise level. In fact, in your daily life, you might have only known \u201cthe c\u2026 Read more on Cisco Blogs<\/a><\/p>\n

\u200b<\/p>\n

A few years ago, you could be forgiven for not worrying about cloud computing and cloud providers, especially at the enterprise level. In fact, in your daily life, you might have only known \u201cthe cloud\u201d as something that allowed you to binge-watch your favorite streaming series or enabled speedy response times on your mobile apps, whether you\u2019re in Los Angeles, London, Lima, or Lagos.<\/p>\n

Nowadays\u2013whether you know it or not\u2013your enterprise is probably in the cloud. It\u2019ll be up to you to make sure that apps, data, and services can move seamlessly between your local data centers and whichever cloud provider(s) your company is using. Sounds like a pretty big job, but don\u2019t worry: We\u2019re here to help. Read on for an overview of learning and certification offers built to guide you on your cloud connectivity journey\u2014regardless of Wide-Area Network (WAN) technology or cloud provider. We\u2019ve been the leader in connectivity for decades, and the cloud isn\u2019t any different for us.<\/p>\n

Helping connect you to the clouds<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As part of the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise certification<\/a>, we\u2019ve released the new ENCC concentration exam<\/a>, which focuses on Designing and Implementing Cloud Connectivity. You can look at the blueprint, but it\u2019s a pretty comprehensive exam, focusing on design, multiple types of implementations (IP Security [IPSec] and Software-Defined WAN [SDWAN]), and troubleshooting of these implementations.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re unfamiliar with cloud networking concepts<\/strong> in general, you can get started with cloud networking and connectivity tutorials<\/a> (created by us, your technical advocates). They are available on Cisco U. today, for free and for everyone.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re already cloud-aware<\/strong> and want to jump into connecting them using cloud-native resources, we\u2019ve got tutorials for instantiating IPsec VPNs between a Cisco router and AWS<\/a>, Azure<\/a>, and Google Cloud Platform<\/a> (GCP).<\/a><\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like something a bit more comprehensive<\/strong>, we\u2019re releasing a complete ENCC Learning Path covering the entire certification blueprint<\/a>. The first track of this learning path is live now for those with a Cisco U. subscription, with the rest following in short order over the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

Designing and Implementing Cloud Connectivity |\u00a0ENCC | Track 1<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Available now in Cisco U. Free. <\/strong>Get started<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

Additionally, there are several Snack Minute<\/em> resources if you prefer your learning in video format rather than written words. In Episode 113<\/a>, Patrick Gargano teases the thought process behind the Multicloud Specialist certifications, as well as reviews the blueprint and exam topics that are included in the ENCC Certification. Finally, he teases some of the resources available on Cisco U.<\/p>\n

In Episode 121<\/a>, I dive deep into the Azure cloud control panel and the required steps to create an IPSec-based Virtual Private Network (VPN) between an on-prem router and native cloud VPN constructs.<\/p>\n

If you couldn\u2019t tell\u2013we\u2019re excited about this new certification and want to see you succeed in your certification journey!<\/p>\n

New Snack Minute<\/em> episodes premiere every Tuesday at noon Pacific Time.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Available only on @CiscoUtube. <\/strong>View Snack Minute episodes<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Enhancing our own cloud<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Having a unified platform for a variety of different learning components (tutorials, courses, and learning paths) is great. But like with any investment, especially at the enterprise level, being able to track users, licenses, start and end dates, and license consumption, is important. Because of this, we\u2019ve added an \u201cAdmin portal\u201d within Cisco U. to ensure that customer administrators are provided an in-platform experience to manage learner accounts. This way, you can be sure the right learners are enabled to their heart\u2019s content!<\/p>\n

Creating enticing cloud offers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Finally, rumor has it that we\u2019ll be offering a special Cisco U. Black Friday deal (November 20\u201324, 2023). The downside is that those dates are a few weeks away. However, the upside is that they are<\/em> a few weeks away; giving you a chance to explore all that Cisco U. has to offer<\/a> (if you haven\u2019t already).<\/p>\n

Dive into the tutorials, explore the available courses and Learning Paths, and see just how much there is for you to learn. I\u2019m sure that you\u2019ll be setting your alarm for first thing on the 20th to make sure that you don\u2019t miss out.<\/p>\n

I know I wrote a lot of words. The TL;DR<\/em> of it all is: Using the power of Cisco and our new learning platform, the cloud has never looked\u2026brighter? (Well, maybe that doesn\u2019t work since clouds usually block the sun\u2013but you know what I mean.)<\/p>\n

As always, if this wasn\u2019t enough information, click the video below to get a complete recap of everything new in Cisco U., and check out the Cisco Learning Network for some cloudy discussions about it all afterward. I mean\u2014well\u2026 the discussions aren\u2019t cloudy\u2014<\/em>they are pretty clear and easy to understand, actually. I\u2019ve really carried this joke too far, haven\u2019t I?<\/p>\n