Automation Engineer
Mukul Manikandan
"Be ready to be curious to learn new things and adapt to a changing environment."
Automation Engineer
Mukul Manikandan
"Be ready to be curious to learn new things and adapt to a changing environment."
Automation Engineer
Mukul Manikandan
"Be ready to be curious to learn new things and adapt to a changing environment."
About Mukul
Certifications
CCNA
CCNP Enterprise
CCNA Security
DevNet Associate
Location
San Francisco, CA
Hobbies
Cooking
Running
Working out at the gym
Playing the guitar
How it all began
I was in my final year of college working towards my bachelor's degree in electronics and communication engineering when Cisco offered me an internship in Technical Consulting. During that internship, I went through CCNA, starting from the very basics, including basic consulting and switching concepts. Then I did the CCNP Enterprise (routing and switching) certification. After a knowledge check session to help identify my strengths, I was chosen to be in network security. I was able to specialize my knowledge and area of technology strength by also earning my CCNA Security certification. I did well in that internship and was offered a full-time role in July, 2017.
Springboard from a solid foundation
That first job built a good foundation for me. It was a place I could pick up and grow from. In 2019, I decided to quit my job with Cisco to pursue a master’s degree in computer networking at North Carolina State University. After I completed my master’s, I started applying for internships again. That’s when I got a call from Meraki and accepted an internship. My summer internship was back in 2020, and now I work here full time.
This was a complete transition to my software side of things. I joined the wireless software automation team and worked on a project building out some frameworks for their location analytics feature. I also managed to clear my DevNet Associate in that internship. I've been trying to do as much I can in the certification field. I'm always thinking about what's next, and how I can continue to challenge myself.
What does having a Cisco Certification mean to you?
“The certification experience gave me a lot of the knowledge that I needed for the fundamentals that I didn’t get from my undergrad. The certifications took over and gave me all the necessary background I needed.”
Having a Cisco certification gives you more confidence when talking to customers. When a customer is talking to you, they expect that you’re a professional and a specialist who knows everything about the product. If you have a CCNA or CCNP, you have a customer’s trust.
The knowledge gained is also all transferable from paper to the product. If you know the fundamentals, you can figure your way around to help customers with integrating non-Cisco devices, like a Juniper router or whatever it might be. It boosts the value of Cisco.
“The certification experience gave me a lot of the knowledge that I needed for the fundamentals that I didn’t get from my undergrad. The certifications took over and gave me all the necessary background I needed.”
Having a Cisco certification gives you more confidence when talking to customers. When a customer is talking to you, they expect that you’re a professional and a specialist who knows everything about the product. If you have a CCNA or CCNP, you have a customer’s trust.
The knowledge gained is also all transferable from paper to the product. If you know the fundamentals, you can figure your way around to help customers with integrating non-Cisco devices, like a Juniper router or whatever it might be. It boosts the value of Cisco.
What would you tell your younger self?
“I should have completed my CCIE lab exam before I left for my masters. I feel like it would have given me a lot more credibility in terms of boosting my professional experience to another level.”
What would you tell a friend?
“You need to be passionate about what you’re doing to begin with. Become certified because it boosts your credibility. It gives you opportunities to apply for jobs.”
Mukul's career path
CURRENT ROLE
Automation Engineer
Automation Engineers automate solutions for software processes to improve efficiency, boost performance, and maintain systems. Automation Engineers work closely with other teams, like development and testing, to help discover and eliminate potential problems.
PREVIOUS ROLES
TAC Engineer, Network Security
Mukul’s certification path
MOST RECENT CERTIFICATION
DevNet Associate
The Cisco Certified DevNet Associate certification opens the door to a career in network automation. It covers implementation of basic network applications using Cisco platforms as a base, and automation across network, security, collaboration, and computing infrastructure.
OTHER CISCO CERTIFICATION
CCNA
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is the first step toward a career in IT Networking. The CCNA exam covers networking fundamentals, IP services, security fundamentals, automation and programmability.
CCNP Enterprise
CCNA Security
Read more certification success stories
Kevin Brown
"People always want to know who they're talking to. They want to know if you’re qualified. Certifications give you instant credibility."
CyberOps Analyst
CCNA, CyberOps Associate
Jenny Guay
"The guidance I gained from earning the certification helped— in near real time—to determine what was happening on the job, when I became an SOC operator."
Network Security Analyst
CyberOps Associate
Ben Harting
"I’ve gained more knowledge and different skill sets. I’ve opened myself up for more opportunities. And it’s a validation of me and what I’ve learned."
CloudOps Engineer
CCNA
Streamline certification prep
Cisco U. certification Learning Paths walk you through courses and labs to prepare for your next exam, with assessments to check your learning.