Can someone explain CCIE lab?

itdaddy

Hi guys, just wondering about CCIE lab exam. I envision a lab instructor who gives me a book with drawings and says set this up
wire for wire and then config your rack and reset up your hardware to another set of devices. Do you have wire your own labs in CCIE lab exam or do you run from POD to POD configuring the drawing on command line until done done and tested..????where would I find out more about this? thanks

shodown

On the INE forums you can find out a lot about it.

but to answer your short questions, you get a lab book, some paper, and a computer. You don't cable your lab anymore, I'm sure the equipment is in another room.

itdaddy

thanks shodown, I appreciate your help. Cool....maybe some day I might take it hahhaha looks like you are getting close...thank you bud. I have long way but now I have a job where I might use those skills some day.

reaper81

There is no lab book these days, at least not for RS. Basically this is what happens, at least in Brussels:

Go to the Cisco building where the lab is located, sign in and get a name badge. Sit and wait until the proctor fetches the candidates.

Take the elevator up to where the testing room is located. The proctor checks his list that everyone is there and goes through the rules regarding toilet breaks and lunch and so on. You are assigned a number which tells you which seat you have been assigned. You need to bring identification, such as passport, drivers license etc. You put your personal belongings in a locker and take your seat. The proctor checks the identification of the now seated candidates.

Everyone gets two sheets of papers with your name on them. These can be used to scribble on, you can have more paper later if you ask for it. All papers must be returned at the end of the lab or you will fail. The whole lab, such as scenarios are digital so it will only be on screen, not paper. These days, the entire lab is virtualized.

After the proctor gives the OK, you can start the lab. The lab is 8h, divided into three sections (new format) and there is a lunch break in between.

If you have a bad day, you have the most expensive lunch of your life. If you have a good day, your career will take a leap upwards

inscom.brigade

I had the expensive lunch, I did not see any racks at the location that I took lab. I think that the proctor can remote to your desktop to watch if he wants to.

itdaddy

reaper81
wow thank you so much. are the labs like visio or are they live? I guess I am trying to visualize the labs. so the on screen instructions walk you through your labs like the simlets on the cisco exams or like GNS3? are the sections step by step like a giant word problem and you log into yoursims?

reaper81

You have a big topology with the routers and switches that looks like a Visio diagram. You can then click on the routers and switches to access them. You usually also get provided with other diagrams with more details of the L2 and such. The lab is divided into sections and every task says what you should accomplish and how many points it is worth. It also mentions restrictions. There are also some general restrictions such as to not use static routes unless specifically allowed.

itdaddy

wow this helps out so much...so the links are pre setup? wow great...I just might take CCIE r/s after my CCNP/CCDP like you did? any suggestions
to help me before I take CCIE Lab and written?I heard it was advisable along time ago to take CCIP as well or now it is CCNP SP ? before taking CCIE?
thank you brother!

gorebrush

Books, books and more books! Get readin'

And the DocCD too

If you are going CCIE then just head straight for it in my opinion. Do *not* be fooled though - it is a tremendous amount of work.

reaper81

Here is a thread I started 4 years ago:

View topic - CCIE now or later? • Networking Forum - A Computer Networking Community Site

The advice I got was to "Go big or go home". I would go with that unless you have other reasons for going after the other certs. It's a long journey though. For the written you need to do a lot of reading, I have written about what books I read previously. If you want to know more about the lab, Bruno Van de Werve is the CCIE program manager and he has blogged at the Cisco Learning Network and done Cisco Live presentations on the new format of CCIE RS v5.