Networking Diaries #001

Hello Network!🌸

One of the best things you can do for yourself is document your journey. It’s a way to track progress, reflect on lessons learned, remain accountable to your goals, and above all, put yourself out there. That’s precisely why I’m starting my Networking Diaries series—to share my experiences, challenges, and successes as I navigate the realm of Network Security.

While setting my intentions for the year, I found myself envisioning my future self in a high-tech security operations centre, confidently monitoring network traffic and ensuring organisations stay secure in the ever-evolving digital world.

This vision isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s my roadmap. It reminds me why I’m investing my time in learning the fundamentals of network security, practicing networking device configurations, and understanding protocols. Every step I take now brings me closer to that reality.

To turn this vision into reality, I know I need a solid foundation. That’s where the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification comes in.

The CCNA is more than a credential—it’s a gateway into the world of networking. It covers everything from IP addressing and routing to security fundamentals, troubleshooting, and automation. Mastering these concepts will give me the confidence to navigate complex networks and strengthen my cybersecurity skills.

For me, passing the CCNA is about proving to myself that I can build, secure, and optimise networks and I can become the Network Security professional I aspire to be.

To kickstart my #RoadToCCNA journey, I started The NetClan Ladies in Networking Engineering (LiNE) program in January, 2025.

For those that don’t know, The NetClan is a community-driven organisation dedicated to training and empowering aspiring network and infrastructure engineers.

Through their LiNE program, I’ve been diving deep into networking fundamentals thanks to their well-structured CCNA curriculum, weekly instructor-led overview, revision and quiz sessions, and mentorship & career transition discussions. The LiNE program will give me the opportunity to attain the CCNA for free! The program structure makes this journey even more rewarding. It will take consistency and determination, however, I’m ready for the challenge.

Six weeks in, and I can say, being a LiNEr has been an awesome experience so far. The support, structure, and guidance I’ve received are already shaping my understanding of networking and what it takes to become a Network Security professional.

One of the things that makes The NetClan so impactful is the people behind it.

Founded by Abigail Jefia and Chukwudi Theodore , Net Clan has built a strong, supportive community dedicated to training the next generation of network and infrastructure engineers.

The impact of this program goes beyond just learning—it's about growth, mentorship, and giving back. Some LiNErs from LiNE Cohort 1, who successfully earned their CCNA are now assistant mentors in LiNE Cohort 2, paying it forward by guiding and supporting us on our journeys.

What makes #LiNE even more special to me is the direct mentorship from industry professionals who generously dedicate their time to helping us grow. I’m grateful to be learning from Olúmáyòwá Akinkuehinmi , Emmanuel Sam , Emmanuel Ujeh Mayaki , Temitayo Olaiya , Kenechukwu Nduka , Oghenemarho Karieren , Daniel Bayode whose expertise and insights are shaping my understanding of networking and security. I can’t wait to see how much I’ll grow.

As I dive deeper into networking, these past few weeks have been packed with intense learning! I’ll be sharing a recap of my journey so far.

In my first week, I explored key networking concepts, laying the foundation for everything to come. Here are a few of the topics I covered:

• How the Internet works.
• Network components.
• Network topology diagrams & architectures.
• Network trends like Bring Your Own Device a.k.a BYOD & Cloud computing.
• Configuration of an Ethernet Switch via Cisco Packet Tracer.
• Network Protocols.
• Protocol Model (TCP/IP) & Reference Model (OSI).

One topic that stood out to me in the first week was Network Architecture.

Network Architecture is the framework that defines how networks are designed, built, and operated. It includes the technologies, infrastructure, and protocols that allow data to move efficiently and securely between devices.

I found it fascinating how a reliable network is built on four principles:

• Fault tolerance: A reliable network remains operational even when failures occur. It creates room for redundancy. Redundancy is basically the provision of a backup, and packet switching in networking helps achieve this.
• Scalability: A reliable network can expand to support new users and applications without performance issues.
• Quality of Service (QoS): A reliable network prioritises time-sensitive traffic for better performance. It also prevents network congestion, which happens when the demand for bandwidth exceeds what’s available.
• Security: A network cannot be termed reliable without being secure. To achieve maximum security, confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) must be prioritised.

These principles guiding a network’s reliability aren’t just theoretical—they’re what make the internet and enterprise networks function smoothly every day!

That’s all from me for now! But there’s so much more to share. In my next Networking Diaries entry, I’ll be diving into more exciting lessons from my journey!

Till next time,

Chinwendu.