Why did I choose to open it this way?
Because I want to thank those who dedicated precious time to be here in the province of Lucca. In a field where skills are continuously updated, returning to the classroom means reigniting that direct dialogue that is often missing in daily work. It was a pleasure to share two intensive days with a motivated and prepared class, ready to tackle the most technical topics of the MTCRE curriculum.
What did we do in these days?
We covered the core of RouterOS: from advanced static routing to complete OSPF configuration. Many participants already master the basics, so the goal was to overcome the conceptual limits typical of practical application. We analyzed the management of more specific routes, the use of recursive next-hop, and the complexity of OSPF neighbor states. The section dedicated to routing marks and policies required particular attention, as it is the point where mangle logic intertwines with routing tables, creating scenarios that sometimes seem to escape immediate control.
When does an abstract concept become clear?
It happened during the lab on point-to-point addressing and VPNs. One participant was stuck on an IPIP configuration that did not seem to establish the session stably. Instead of continuing to try parameters, we retraced the logical flow together: verifying gateway reachability, checking routes to the remote address, and validating the underlying physical interface. The moment they saw the status change from down to up was not due to a magic command, but to understanding how RouterOS manages the dependency between physical and logical layers. That click transformed a configuration “forced through” into a conscious architectural choice.
How does this edition close?
With the awareness that the exam, scheduled in the classroom at the end of the course, is only a formal step compared to the work completed. Those who were present took home not only the answers to the doubts raised during the two days, but above all a methodology to tackle complex network scenarios. The real value lies in the ability to read the logic behind every setting, a skill that remains well beyond passing the certification.
When is the next edition of the MTCRE course?
The next edition is from February 4 to 5, 2027, in Lucca: you can find dates, times, and registration in the course page. The complete official curriculum, module by module, is in the MTCRE course guide.
