Curtis Schongalla

Cisco CCNP Certificate Renewal – CE Credits

techblog — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:32:31 +0000

Woohoo! I completed renewing the Cisco CCNA and CCNP certifications with Continuing Education credits. I needed 40 for CCNA and 80 for CCNP. I just finished the Cisco AI Training today to get the last few credits.

Course Name	Status	Type	# of Credits	Completion Date	Expiration Date
Cisco AI Technical Practitioner (AITECH) 1.0	Earned	Learning Path	8	23-Mar-2026	23-Mar-2029
Cisco AI Business Practitioner (AIBIZ) 1.0	Earned	Learning Path	8	27-Feb-2026	27-Feb-2029
Introduction to Network Simulations with Cisco Modeling Labs (CMLLAB) 1.0	Earned	Learning Path	6	25-Feb-2026	25-Feb-2029
Understanding Cisco Network Automation Essentials (DEVNAE) 1.0	Earned	Learning Path	16	25-Feb-2026	25-Feb-2029
Automate AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure (DCAIAA) 1.0	Earned	Learning Path	8	07-Aug-2025	07-Aug-2028
Managing Cisco Network Operating Systems (CNIOS) 1.0	Earned	Learning Path	37	06-Aug-2025	06-Aug-2028

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
Cisco Certified Network Professional - Enterprise (CCNP)
Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Core
Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure

Windows Deployment Services

Curtis Schongalla — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 22:13:51 +0000

This weekend I setup Windows Deployment Service on my test lab environment and started learning more about it. It is similar in some ways to other deployment software I have worked with like LanDesk using ImageX and WinPE and Dell KACE's similar WinPE environment and their image format. So far I setup the service and set the DHCP options for booting via PXE and loaded some images. I tested it with both Windows 7 and Windows 8 and it works pretty well for both and images quickly.

One thing I really like about it is that it supports multicast, which would be really useful for deploying a large number of computers without too large of an impact on network traffic. I will have to spend some more time working on it soon. I have not had a change yet to work on setting up an unattended install file and have only used it so far with a sysprep unattended config file. I would like to create some new unattended install and sysprep files for Windows 8 when I get a chance.

Server Monitoring with Munin & Nagios

Curtis Schongalla — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 21:20:16 +0000

I setup Munin to monitor the web server hosting this site recently. The server has been running 24/7 for almost 3 years now, on relatively inexpensive hardware. so I wanted to start monitoring it, from time to time, to make sure it continues to run smoothly. You can view the web interface at www.schongalla.com/monitoring

I also installed Nagios this weekend on the server, which can monitor the local web server, but can also be used for remote monitoring. I had heard of Nagios before, it is considered by many to be the standard in server monitoring software, but had not had a chance to work with it yet. There are a large number of plugins available which can monitor local and remote servers using snmp, ping, etc. I have only just scratched the surface with it so far, but wanted to install it for and have a look so I can learn more about it.

ESXi 5 Virtual Host/Lab

Curtis Schongalla — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 01:55:24 +0000

This past weekend I took down the OSX Lion hackintosh PC and rebuilt it as an ESXi 5 host which I will be using as my new lab environment for studying for the MCITP:SA. I installed 4GB of additonal DDR2 1066 ram and also bought a new SSD, which I put into my current rig, and moved an older 60 GB Sata II SSD into the ESXi box.

The SSD is hosting the vSwap space for the ESXi host, which should allow me to over-provision the amount of RAM without effecting performance too much. It is also running OpenFiler, a free linux based NAS, which I have setup currently with a software Raid 0 array connected via iSCSI to the host. It was a fun experiment to setup, and not something you would normally ever see or do in a production environment, but it will allow me to get the most out of the hardware I currently have without having to buy new equipment.

The guides I used to get it setup are below.

How to Configure LUN Masking with Openfiler 2.99 and ESXi 4.1

RDM mapping of local SATA storage for ESXi

Specs: E8400 @ 4 Ghz, 8 GB DDR2 1066 RAM, 60 GB Agility 2 SSD, 2x80 GB Raid 0 iSCSI LUN for Datastore

CCNA Certified

Curtis Schongalla — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:27:43 +0000

Today I passed the CCNA exam. It was a lot of work and required more studying and practice than any of the previous exams I have taken, but it was worth it and I am excited to have passed the exam. I learned a lot of new things along the way and I hope to be able to apply them in my new position as the Network Systems Administrator at WAMU. Up until now most of my studies and experience have focused on Systems Administration tasks so this is my first real networking certification. The Network+ is really more of an entry level certification.

Next I will be setting up another ESXi lab and working on upgrading my MCSA to MCITP:SA, which hopefully will not take too long as I only would need to take a single exam upgrade the certification. The MCITP:SA covers Windows Server 2008, whereas the MCSA focuses mainly on Server 2003. After that I plan on venturing back into the networking world and working on a CCNA specialization like security.

Drupal Upgrade

Curtis Schongalla — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:18:33 +0000

I recently upgraded the BroadwayBoundMeetup site from Druapl 6 to Drupal 7. It is currently not a very active site, but still generates some traffic for the group. I thought it would be a fun project and found out that it is indeed possible to upgrade from Druapl 6 directly to Drupal 7. Unfortunately, the theme was not compatible, but that gave me a chance to re-design the site slightly and use a new theme. It only took about two hours, which was awesome. Check out the new site www.broadwayboundmeetup.com.

CCNA Lab Update

Curtis Schongalla — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:50:12 +0000

Got 2 new 1721 routers in the mail this weekend. So far I have learned how to configure interfaces, enable telnet access, set passwords, create banners, enable ssh and generate ssh keys and connect routers together using the WIC-1DSU-T1 cards and a T1 crossover cable.

I have also learned how to flash the IOS images onto the routers and have backed up all of the original images that came with each device before upgrading them all to IOS 12.4. A lot of the labs/studying could be completed using a router simulator like Packet Tracer or GNS3, but I find having the equipment sitting in front of me next to my desk is motivating and a constant reminder to study. I will probably use the Cisco Packet Tracer to do some of the studying.

CCNA Lab

Curtis Schongalla — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 02:36:28 +0000

Just got the equipment in for the CCNA lab I am setting up. I have a Cisco 2610xm router, a Cisco 1760 router and two 2950 switches. I will need to buy one or two more routers to complete all the exercisces and labs, most likely one or two Cisco 1721 routers.

I am hoping to take the CCNA exam withint 2-3 months, afterward I will begin working on upgrading my MCSA certification to MCITP:SA. Check back later for updated photos of the home lab.

Folding@Home

Curtis Schongalla — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:21:27 +0000

I got into Folding this fall after upgrading my computer. With all the processing power of a Quad Core with Hyper threading that comes in the Intel Sandy Bridge 2600k I decided to put it to use. I am also using my GPU for folding as well, together they are generating about 40,000-50,000 points per day.

Folding@Home is one of the largest and fastest distributed computing systems in the world operating at approximately seven petaFLOPS. It uses the spare computing cycles on volunteer computers to perform protein folding computations which contribute to research in the fields of molecular dynamics and disease research. You can check out my stats here.

O.S. .21TM Engine

Curtis Schongalla — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 23:35:46 +0000

Below are some shots of the Revo from this Fall. The the O.S. .21TM in the first picture replaced the the Traxxas engine which exploded this Summer. You can see from the second picture where the Traxxas engine blew up; the connecting rod cracked and shot up through the piston. At top speed these little engines spin at 30,000 RPM, which is incredibly fast considering their size. It is not surprising that they usually only last a year or two before they break. Ive also included a 2 shots of me holding the car outside, which give a general idea of the car's size. I am getting ready to put it away for the Winter, just need to clean off all the dirt and dust and make a list of what parts I need to order to get it working for next Spring.