This list been quiet -- hard for me to drive conversations, as at this point I'm not able to devote significant time to certifications of any kind, let alone something as arduous as CCDE. I might have started the list a couple of years ago, but this is a road I haven't walked down very far.
A couple of comments from me so list members know where I'm at and why I'm moving aside (not that I think anyone cares too much, but why not at least toss it out there...)
(1) A lot of my interest in CCDE was driven by a network architect position I accepted at a startup company to build out a national data exchange network. This network would plumb some private regional networks together, as well as leverage a large existing network infrastructure. CCDE covers a number of technologies I hadn't used in production that I would be using to build this environment. Thus, CCDE seemed like the perfect plan of attack. I could ramp up on certain network tech from a design perspective, which really appealed (and still appeals) to me. Unfortunately, the company that had hired me was "all hat and no cowboy." The venture never materialized, although it still might at some point in the future. I opted to left the venture a few months ago.
(2) I am working for myself these days as the co-owner of Packet Pushers along with Greg Ferro. We are proceeding ahead with that business, which is occupying an extraordinary amount of time. While I'm quite happy to have this particular problem, I have rarely worked more hours in a week than I've been working lately. Pushing the business ahead is quite a challenge -- one that leaves no time open for serious study, at least not right now. I'm also doing a bit of consulting, seeking out opportunities in emerging technology areas like SD-WAN.
Orhan has been active in this group, has contributed to the CCDE program, and has fostered knowledge sharing in the community. He'd been acting as the manager to handle group approvals and anything else that needed to be addressed. Thus, it made perfect sense to me for Orhan to become the owner, a role he graciously accepted. This allows me to step aside entirely and focus on those things that are uppermost in my mind right now.
My thanks again to Orhan, and all of the other contributors here. My very best wishes for success to all of you going down the CCDE road.
/Ethan