🔧 From Field Work to Cloud Confidence: My Layer 1 to Automation Path

Lately, I’ve been investing more deeply into my networking foundation — not just in terms of installs or checklists, but in how I think about the future of network operations. As part of that, I recently completed three focused Cisco Meraki certifications:

• Meet Meraki
• Implementing Cloud Switching and Wireless
• Securing the Cloud Network

These weren’t just check-the-box courses. Each one helped me better understand Meraki’s cloud-managed approach — the same gear I work with in the field every day. I’ve spent the last few months deploying Meraki access points, core switches, MX appliances, and cellular gateways in hotels and public venues. This training helped me not just recognize what I’m touching — but understand how it's managed and secured at scale.

Outside of work, I’ve been carving out time to study network automation with Python, at my own pace. I’ve started writing scripts that automate some of the repetitive dashboard tasks I deal with during deployments. Things like bulk renaming devices, tagging APs, and pulling MAC addresses for documentation — these are now handled by my own tools. Small things, but they’ve made my process faster, cleaner, and less error-prone.

But more than that, this phase of my learning has grounded me in something important:

I’m not skipping layers. I’m not rushing to “cloud.”
I’m building upward from Layer 1 — from real installs, keying Ethernet into keystones, prepping network gear, racking and stacking equipment, and troubleshooting in the field.

Whether it’s wireless heat maps, physical AP placement, or switch uplink readiness — all of it informs the way I think about automation. Every script I write is rooted in something I’ve done with my hands first.

I’m working toward a future where I can bridge those layers — from physical installs to programmable infrastructure — with clarity, speed, and precision.

That’s the path I’m on. More to come.