CCIE in the Witness Protection Program

Will the real CCIE #11841 Please Stand Up?

I guess we could be blowing this CCIE’s cover if we share with you the details of what he told his employer.  He said he was in the federal witness protection program and had to change his name.  There are many stories CCIEs share with us here at the CCIE Flyer and all of them are unique.  Here is a great tale of a CCIE on the run and seeking protection from his reputation and certification.   The story began in the hallowed halls of MIT a place he received a PHD in his youth.  He then selected to pursue a career in network engineering.  Along the way he got into trouble and was given protection by the FBI.  Normally about now in my story, I would be warning all you neophytes about the dangers of drugs and associating with nefarious types when not studying for the lab.  Not this time though, because it was all a lie.  Yup the CCDE, CCIE and PHD were all lies told in the interview and the plaques hanging in this guy’s cubicle. 

It started five years ago when a pharmaceutical company was seeking a CCIE for their team.  They were happy to find a CCIE who was willing to join their IT department.  This pharmaceutical giant had no requirement for a CCIE cert, but it is considered the gold standard and anyone with the cert makes recruiting the right skills easier.   So it was with much joy that the holder of the CCIE, CCDE and PHD was welcomed into the team.  After decorating his cubicle with his certifications and degrees he began working as a trusted resource.  But one day five years later in a casual conversation Kevin was asked about his CCDE.  “Where did you take the test?” a fellow CCIE inquired.  To this he responded RTP.  The questioning CCIE was surprised because as a CCIE he knew the CCDE exam is given in Chicago.  So Kevin’s CCIE number and name were finally reviewed using the Cisco certification verification tool.  To the surprise of all, he was not listed as a CCIE or CCDE.  Called into the office to discuss this find he confessed that his real name was Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841.  That name and number were confirmed and he went on to explain he had been working under his new name because he was under the protection of the FBI and in the federal witness protection program.

Liar FIRED!

Now that’s a story I want to hear myself!  It was not long ago that I had written about a fake CCIE in Africa.   Since then the fake CCIEs have remained at bay, at least from my requirements, but this one was brought to my attention by the recent hiring manager and Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841 himself.  After five years of successfully hoodwinking his employers this fake Kevin Hunt really blew their minds with the last story he told them.  The FBI witness protection program was a real doozy.  Making up that one was harder than passing the lab!  It might not be the easiest of certifications to earn but it is one of the easiest to verify.  Cisco has a verification tool people!  There are a lot of fakes in this world but the highest paid fakes in IT, follow the highest paid certification they can.  Sure they get interviewed and some can do a fare job of technical questions.  So my question is this, “Why?”  A pharmaceutical does not need to register a CCIE’s number, yet they give CCIEs good homes and pay.

So he is on the run now from the law in real life.  Identity theft is a felony fake Kevin and real Kevin has provided me with the actual filing and report to the authorities.  Now comes the cool part, the fake CCIE will end up in jail right?  Wrong!  He has not stopped, fake Kevin is still out there I just looked on LinkedIn and Facebook where he still claims to be CCIE #11841.  He also claims to be a PHD from MIT and I have a copy of his resume where it clearly states he graduated from The College of Charleston in South Carolina with a BS degree.  Maybe that’s where he learned how to BS?  I think he needs to get his money back because his BS is so thick it is painfully obvious.  The storm over the fake Kevin is so heavy now that three past employers and one co-worker all CCIEs are up in arms.  As I began this piece I had just two complainers now there are five knocking on my door.

The Fugitive

Is there no justice?  Maybe a raging mob storming the cube the liar is lying from would be a cool scene for a movie but the fact is he got his information from the Wall of Fame where he located a person with the same first name, Kevin, then began his job search as a CCIE.  The real Kevin Hunt was contacted by two of the fake Kevin’s …err ahh… fake CCIE’s past employers as they were trying to verify his CCIE number using the verification tool.  Funny thing is the LinkedIn profile does not list the previous employers that smoked him out and he still claims he has a Top Secret clearance and has been a successful CCIE and Senior Network engineer on many Department of Defense projects.  Oh it also states he has a degree from MIT.  Why would you hang that kind of achievement in an office cubicle anyway?

This from the real Kevin Hunt;

“Below are 3 folks that have come across Mr. Kimbrell's shenanigans.  At least one of them works for a company that actually hired him.  If either of you know Mr. Feeny, you'll know he's as angered by this as any of us.

Following this email you will get an email with attached email communications with the below, as well as the police report I filed in February of 2008.

Of particular interest is that he told NWN that he dropped the name Hunt from his name legally because his father was put in prison for beating his mother and didn't want to carry his father's last name anymore.  The kindest thing I can say about this guy is that he's a damn poor use of carbon.

Regarding the article, I'd humbly ask that you state that you've been in contact with the "real Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841" and that I actually do exist and am not Kimbrell.  I own several successful companies, but a few bad decisions can cause any business owner to need to look for employment.  If I were a head hunter I'd have all resumes w/ #11841 sent to the bit bucket immediately...”

His real name kind of sounds like Richard Kimball the victim of the movie and TV show, “The Fugitive”.

This from LinkedIn:

Education and certification
• Masters of Science in Computer Science – MIT
• Project Management Professional – PMI
• CCIE – Cisco Certified Internetwork Engineer
• CCNA – CCNP – CCDA – CCDP - Cisco
• MTCS – Microsoft certified technology specialist
• MCM – Microsoft Certified Master
• MCA – Microsoft Certified Architect
• CCDP – Cisco Certified Design Professional
• RHCE – Red Hat Certified Engineer
• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

US Department of Homeland Security

Government Agency; Government Administration industry

January 2009 – Present (2 years 2 months)

Ops and support for DIA.
Manage team of 268 with 26 heads.
NACLC - Current
(TS) Top Secret clearance current 2010
(SCI) Sensitive Compartmented Information
(SCI) Single Scope Background Investigation

If you are going to lie about a certification at least get it right, “Cisco Certified Internetwork Engineer” (?) So here we tell the tale of a person living a lie and steeling another’s identity.

As Rod Serling might say, venture with me if you will into the Twilight Zone…….Du Du Da Dahhh

Well at the department of homeland security they were able to find Cat Stevens when searching for Osama Bin Laden, (don’t get me wrong I for one was really happy we found Cat Stevens, I mean I really did buy all his albums back in the 70s!) so it does not surprise me that they found the fake CCIE #11841 while looking for the real one.  It says on the fake’s LinkedIn profile that he works there now and has for the past year.

Resume still says, “Kevin Kimbrell – Hunt”

Everywhere else his name is minus the hyphenated Hunt.  That’s funny; Kevin Hunt CCIE #11841 has the same last name!  I’m confused….

Scott Morris, Hiding in a Crowd

It was a few years ago when I first met Scott Morris.  He was instrumental in helping me have the courage to pursue CCIE recruitment as a mainstay.  I had selected for my vehicle the CCIE Flyer which he found to be a great idea.  So we communicated a couple of times by phone in the beginning.  I was soon on my way to Cisco Live in Orlando where I was really not too sure what I would do.  I was going to Networkers to network, go figure.  The year leading up to this event had me excited about the Talent Program from Cisco called SRS.  Then the work I did with Cisco in freeing a pair of CCIEs’ numbers was followed by a couple of more noteworthy efforts I was a part of in helping a few other CCIEs were published in the CCIE Flyer.  Well Scott told me I should go to Cisco Live and meet more of the CCIEs who were reading the CCIE Flyer in person. 

 On my long journey there he texted me several times about a party being held off the Cisco Live premise.  It turns out this would be his last event for his employer at the time but I was able to meet a large group of CCIEs there.  The event was very cool and Scott was right, a bunch of the CCIEs did already know me or about me.  I was extremely flattered.  Then Scott left for another training company and in his wake things seemed to go quiet.  It was like he dropped out of site.  After being the poster child for CCIE training for a while it was odd that he basically dropped off the radar.  So I am very pleased to be interviewing him about life!

Q: Scott you have been busy lately.  I was at the open house to witness firsthand the next phase of your journey.  The training facilities looked spiffy and the team of Marvin Greenlee and Keith Barker looks like winning combination.  Tell how long have you known these two?

A:  Wow, it seems like eons!  I’ve known Marvin longer as I had worked with him at more than one vendor previously.  But even Keith, I knew “of” him before meeting him personally and working with him at our last employer.  Good thing is that we have several years collectively of working together as a team, and knowing how each other functions so that we can easily bring out the best!

Q: These guys are triple and dual CCIEs respectively.  Are they underachievers?

A:  Hmmmm…  I was thinking more like they have a better grasp on sanity than I do!  Never underestimate anyone’s desire for learning though!  Remember that my CCIE number is a bit lower than theirs, so they still have a few years to dazzle the world with their accomplishments, which may yet be significantly different than mine or even overshadow mine!  Besides, even if they had a single CCIE, as I’m sure you have come to appreciate in your working with talent all over the world…  it’s not JUST a certification (or even a plethora of them) that truly makes a person great.  I have a great team, or a team of great people no matter the specifics of certifications.

Q: While I was there Keith showed me the online training developed for the iPad.  It was cool in a few ways.  The dialogue was engaging and the graphics were pretty sharp.  Is online learning going to change the way network engineers prepare for certifications?

A:  Just a few ways?  J  Clearly you weren’t watching for long enough!  The thing about what we are doing is that it’s not a limit of ‘online’ learning.  It is an evolution in learning methods.  There are similarities to what others have done, in that it’s a recorded medium.  And yet there are several distinct differences that make it excel well beyond where others are at.  And, not just in the specifics of any given course, but in the idea of the entire curriculum.   But I think you are baiting me a little bit here.  That’s enough of a teaser for the moment.  I’m not quite ready to conquer the world via that mechanism yet, but stay tuned for some exciting developments in the world of self-paced learning!

Q: In the past you worked for two grey market training companies.  They function differently than Cisco authorized learning partners.  Since they are acting as unauthorized training companies do they have different kinds of business meetings?  Do they wear robes and hoods to remain incognito while reciting chants and interpreting runes?

A:  Well, you know that there are blood oaths of secrecy, so I’m really not at liberty to discuss those kinds of details even though I’m no longer part of either Guild!  :-)  They have different business models, and different things they need to do in order to keep in business. 

Q: Ok I understand these things are like secret rituals, which are partially expected to impart knowledge to those with wallets out.  I am cool you don’t have to put yourself in harm’s way.  But tell me which company had the coolest looking costumes?

A:  Ahhhh…  You should know by now, it’s not the costume but the person wearing it!   I promise you that no matter how hard we may try, Marvin, Keith or myself will not look NEARLY as good as your typical runway model no matter which outfit you choose!  Likewise, no matter which “outfit” the three of us are wearing, in the end, it is our specific knowledge, our specific style, and our specific methods of imparting knowledge and clicking with the students that sets us apart from the packs. But we do indeed have some neat new outfits now that we are within the Cisco authorized channel, and some promising fashion statements and trends yet to come to public view!

Q: You have been at this training thing and CCIE thing for a while now.  You have been in a few scrapes but like the Energizer Bunny you keep on pounding your drum.  What happened to you?  It seemed like there was a period of time when you were completely off the radar.  Did you seek enlightenment from the Dali Lama or wander the desert in search of answers?  What happened?  You were basically hiding in a crowd out here weren’t you?

A:  I never truly disappeared.  I kept an eye on things, and kept watching.  Even those who take time to meditate will come back, and be amazingly cognizant of the things that happened while they were gone!  Or perhaps it was just sitting back and plotting my methods to take over the world!  Every OverLord needs to have a plan!  Either way, there was a lot that transpired in the last year, and a lot of good things that are coming (and going to keep coming) out of it. And besides, I emerged with another JNCIE out of it, didn’t I?  I know it’s not a Cisco thing, but it’s still an evil lab exam!  Gotta give me some credit for lurking and working in the underworld!  Four CCIEs, two JNCIEs and a CCDE makes me a whole new kind of crazy!  :-)

Q: We met at GITEX this past October and had a good time meeting the CCIEs that came by the booth and hitting the tourist spots like the Burj Khalifa and indoor skiing at the Mall of the Emirates.  This was the first time back on skis for you in a while.  What happened to make you stop skiing?

A:  Oh, I love snow skiing!  Work definitely gets in the way of being able to jaunt off every time there is fresh powder though, as much as I’d love to!  Also, having kids tends to change things a bit, but on the bright side, they are old enough now that we’ll start introducing them to the wonderful world of downhill skiing!  (Or at least tubing!)  On the other hand, snow skiing in the middle of the desert was an awesome time (while being wrong on so many levels), and it was great to have shared that experience with you!  And better yet to have had both of us emerge without any broken bones!

Q: CCIEs still come up to you all gushy sometimes.  I know I have seen it firsthand.  Like at the CCIE party young guns would come to me and ask me to introduce them to you and Terry and Narbik.  It seems like it was ok for them to interrupt me which makes me feel both good and bad.  Does that kind of reaction from other CCIEs or future CCIEs make you feel good?  It has to add some pressure to you to behave properly or look sharp or something!

A:  Have I ever struck you as someone concerned about looking sharp?  I’m just me, and I’m just a normal guy!  :-)  It is great to meet people all over the world, and better yet to know that somehow I have managed to make an impact on their lives.  As a trainer, that is really the best payback, to know that you were able to help other succeed. On the flip side, I have come to realize that I need to stay away from any major criminal activities, because clearly the Witness Protection Program is not something I will qualify for!  Too many people know my face or even my voice.  But it’s all in good fun!

Q: You were at Cisco Live in the UK this past month.  How was that compared to the Las Vegas version?

A:  It was a little colder.  But it was London in January, so it’s as expected!  Obviously that event is not as large as the flagship version that will be held in Las Vegas again this year, but it was still a good-sized event with lots of people and lots of vendors and lot of fun!  And it was great to have been over there!  Keith Barker and I were both there as part of the newly created Cisco Designated VIP program.  And we both were able to meet lots of great people over there. I’ve been told that the CCIE’s from Europe are a bit smarter and more coordinated than their North American counterparts though.  At the CCIE party, there was a “human chess” game that ensued with CCIEs.  We missed that part, hopping between gatherings, but I hear it was quite a feat!

Q: The folks at the Nova Datacom open house seemed keenly interested in the content you folks were previewing.  I was happy to learn that most of the folks actually knew about the CCIE Flyer and me.  That was cool, I keep getting a rush every time it happens.  What do you suggest I do to improve the CCIE Flyer?

A:  As I had told you years ago (which apparently you not only remember, but actually listened to me!), it’s a matter of being there for people.  When you help people out, they will always appreciate it and always remember it, no matter how small the interaction. With the CCIE Flyer, there is so much you are doing in various parts of the world trying to focus on helping CCIEs and CCIE Candidates out.  Just keep at it, do what you enjoy doing and people will see that! Oh yeah, and throw a really big party at Cisco Live!  :-)  In addition, I remember early on (seems like years ago now) you had some CCIE Meet & Greets around the world that many people enjoyed.  Perhaps it is time to kick that up a notch again!

Q: There are many CCIE training companies suffering these days from the economic down turn and some for simply having bad product.  What will set your effort apart from the rest of the pack?

A:  The instructors and the passion.  With the people, and the experience, that makes a huge difference.  We can enhance our consulting capabilities because of our educational background and likewise supplement our teaching capabilities because of our extensive consulting backgrounds!

Q: Welcome to the approved Cisco learning partner ranks.  The best instructors seem to end up in the CLP team.  What have you had to do differently for this inclusion to the club?

A:  The inclusion isn’t anything new.  One of the interesting things as you look around the ranks of instructors (not just CCIE, but the CCSIs of the world) is that you’ll find many who have been around a while and merely changed what and where they were working.  Keith and I have both been CCSIs for over 11 years now.  Marvin has been for over 5 years.  So despite a “hiatus” to have worked at some non-authorized places, being a part of the CLP team has never really been something that we ever actually left. We are merely rearranging our lives and our focus and working within the current Learning@Cisco, and Cisco360 structures.  But we have long been part of that club!

Q: Good luck with the new endeavor and thank you for the honor of working with you and your team as we plan venues globally together!

Scott Morris, CCIEx4, CCDE, JNCIEx2, CISSP to Launch Nova Datacom Education Services Offering

Scott Morris, CCIEx4, CCDE, JNCIEx2, CISSP to Launch Nova Datacom Education Services Offering

Complementary Open House to Include Training Sessions by Morris and other Noted Instructors

Chantilly, VA – February 1, 2011:  Nova Datacom, LLC, a provider of information technology services to the public and private sectors and a CompTIA Authorized Partner, a Cisco Learning Partner and a Cisco360 (CCIE) Learning Partner, today announced the upcoming launch of their Education Services offering, spearheaded by Scott Morris, Nova Datacom’s Chief Technologist, and partner Learning Tree International.  Scheduled for February 16^th, in Chantilly, VA, this one day event will allow attendees to meet with Morris and his team, attend sample training sessions, and familiarize themselves with the offered curriculum.

A well-known figure in the IT industry for over 25 years, Scott Morris, CCIEx4, CCDE, JNCIEx2, CISSP and Cisco Designated VIP, has fulfilled a number of roles within both the public and private sectors. As a Certified Cisco Systems Instructor (CCSI) and Juniper Networks Certified Instructor (JNCI), Scott has provided world-renowned CCIE training since 2002. He has delivered courses to a wide variety of audiences including internal training at Cisco Systems.

Offering formal classroom instruction with full lab and NOC, or on-site worldwide, Nova Datacom, under the direction of Morris, will offer a variety of training curriculums to satisfy a broad range of requirements.  Additionally, Morris concentrated on recruiting top level instructors to provide unparalleled course delivery.

“I’ve selected instructors who maintain a wide area of consulting and training experience to best present information as it relates to specific customer environments,” noted Morris. “Combining this deep knowledge with the ability to operate in both classified and unclassified environments allows our team to be even more effective at conducting training sessions that address specific security concerns, current vulnerability gaps, and pressing mission critical requirements- conveniently located where our customers need it most.”

Additional instructors include Marvin Greenlee  (CCIEx3, CCDP, JNCISx3, CISSP) and Keith Barker (CCIEx2, CISSP, and Cisco Designated VIP).

With 15+ years experience in the IT industry, Greenlee has been instrumental in the development and delivery of high-level technical training courses for live and online classes. Likewise, Barker, with 25+ years in the IT industry, has been involved with the creation and delivery of training in classroom and large audiences since 1995.  

Sample training courses to be presented at the Open House were designed by Morris and his team specifically to showcase their ability to target courseware to specific topics of interest.  Sessions include:

Subnetting and Binary Math for IPv4 and IPv6: A review of subnetting techniques and how to best identify appropriate configurations in both IPv4 and IPv6 networks. Practical and designed examples given.

Multifactor Authentication: Maintaining confidentiality is critical for a secure network. In this lesson we will learn about multi-factor authentication, as well the strengths, weaknesses and best practice for each.

BGP Attributes and Path Selection: When using BGP for Inter-Autonomous System routing, it is important to know the features and attributes that allow for manipulation of path selection. If studying for certifications, this will also help in choosing the right solution for abstract problems given to you in practical labs.

Understanding MPLS for the Routing & Switching Engineer (CCIE Focus):  A new method of thinking and moving information around the network, as largely adopted by service providers around the world.  Session breaks down the concepts and demonstrates network effects. Includes demonstrating how a CCIE candidate identify, implement and work through any scenario in a short period of time.

If you would like to attend the Open House, please register at http://www.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=44cafd86-3e34-4bab-963a-3fc35c7a77f3

Or click the link to register for the Open House from www.novadatacom.com ‘s homepage.

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About Nova Datacom:

Nova Datacom (NDC) M/WBE 8(a) provides solutions that expand, improve, and strengthen client capabilities to satisfy mission assurance objectives. Focused on four practice areas, Business Continuity (BCEP); Information Assurance; Governance, Risk, and Compliance; and Enterprise Networking, NDC provides expert-level expertise and proven past performance across multiple technology segments to the public and private sectors.

NDC’s approach combines operational planning, budget optimization and cutting-edge security measures to provide a solid framework for daily operations that withstand disruption. We accomplish this through continual training and vendor agnostic technology expertise resulting in a team of the best minds in the IT community.

SBA-Certified 8(a), SBD, Minority Woman-Owned | Nova Datacom: Security is in our DNA

About Learning Tree International

Learning Tree International sets the world standard for hands-on management and IT training. Since 1974, over 2 million Learning Tree Course participants from over 65,000 organizations around the world have enhanced their skills through intensive hands-on exercises under the guidance of expert instructors with real-world experience.