mikej412 what is your story?

Hi Mikej412. I am going to take my CCNA next month. After falling gravely ill earlier this year I had to put all my studies on the back burner, but have now got back into the swing of things. Most of it feels like a refresher to me thank goodness. Even after months I still remember most of what I learn in the later part of 2005.

I see you have a lot of certs. Do you have any good study tips? What works best for you? I know not everyone is the same, but interested in picking up any good tidbits here and there.

- 0ptimus

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mikej412

When I was growin' up we was so poor that I had to network dirt!

Oh wait, when I was growing up the only network was the phone system.

How about....

I was raised by a french poodle... No, now if it had been a wild french poodle, then it may have been interesting.

I'm going to have to give this some thought (and possibly maybe also work today).

optimus

LOL. Well, it is insipring to see someone with your certs. Have fun at work now.

- Optimus

moss12

yeah impressive mike why not go for CCIE ?

Humper

mikej412 wrote:

When I was growin' up we was so poor that I had to network dirt!

Oh wait, when I was growing up the only network was the phone system.

How about....

I was raised by a french poodle... No, now if it had been a wild french poodle, then it may have been interesting.

I'm going to have to give this some thought (and possibly maybe also work today).

If you look at his signature,

18 month countdown on the CCIE Security Lab has begun...
18 month countdown on the CCIE R&S Lab has begun...

He's passed both written exams..working on the labs

Webmaster

mikej412 wrote:

When I was growin' up we was so poor that I had to network dirt!

Oh wait, when I was growing up the only network was the phone system.

How about....

I was raised by a french poodle... No, now if it had been a wild french poodle, then it may have been interesting.

We'll do an interview with Mike after he passes his first CCIE lab... "from poodle boy to Cisco guru". Someone should call Disney right now.

Trailerisf

Its a shame that he won't have more room on his certs list to fit CCIE on...

We'll just have to remember he has it.

mikej412

Trailerisf wrote:

Its a shame that he won't have more room on his certs list to fit CCIE on...

You forgot the "Jello Rule!" There's always room for more.

Webmaster wrote:

"from poodle boy to Cisco guru"

Heck, I'd take a night off from studying to go see that movie!

optimus wrote:

Do you have any good study tips? What works best for you? I know not everyone is the same, but interested in picking up any good tidbits here and there.

I guess I could toss out a tidbit while I'm here -- but you're right, different things work better for different people.

The most important is probably the study habit. Its a lot like working out -- lots of excuses -- I'm too tired, I'll work twice as hard tomorrow... etc. You have to get into the habit of studying. You can vary the intensity if you're having an off day, and yes -- take the day off if you're hurt (exercise) or your brain is really jello (study). It helps if you feel you are making progress -- so if you hit something hard, don't skip it, but work around it. Review material you already know, and then come back to the new hard stuff (it was all new, and maybe hard at one time). Set the study time, find your study space... and do it. And get support from those around you -- my cats love to "help" me study (and the neighbor dogs bark encouragement for hours at a time).

After that -- then there all the variations -- take notes/don't take notes -- books vs videos -- flash cards vs practice tests -- hands-on -- study groups -- etc.

The fact that you are remembering a lot means that you did a good job of learning the stuff in the first place.

Oh -- another tidbit -- the more you know, the easier it is to learn more.

optimus

Great tips. Pretty much what I have noticed to about my studying habits. You would think after getting a bachelors and then two certs, I would stop asking this question, but to be honest, it seems like the more you know, the more you find out what you don't know.

Take care now,

Optimus

DW [banned]

Forgive me for chiming in...

Olajuwon

mikej412 decides to become really good in one area instead of becoming a jack of all trade. CISCO

mikej412

Olajuwon wrote:

mikej412 decides to become really good in one area instead of becoming a jack of all trade. CISCO

Um... actually I'm really great in a lot of areas.

I just went with Cisco because of the CCIE Lab Exam.

Back in the old days (when Mainframes roamed the Earth) before the Internet and Certification Testing Centers and ****..... there were large corporations with lots of employees who would get raises for getting the vendor certifications (because it also made their bosses look good come salary review and bonus time)... and those big corporate offices had collected the 37 questions and possible answers for the vendor's exams... the first "****."

So I was the guy without the certs (working for a VAR) who had to go in and do what the certified guys/gals couldn't do (but should be able too -- since they were certified). People have been cheating to get certifications for a long long long time.... I never bothered getting any, even though I had customers offer me copies of their "**** sheets."

And then our company was bought by a larger company -- and they were a Testing Center. They had a lot of people (employees) **** to get a lot of certifications. That's where I became the Senior Network Engineer with no certifications. Most of their "Certified" Network Engineers couldn't network themselves out of a paper bag....

And that takes us to the mid 90's....

The problem with having a lot of certifications is that a lot of people assume you cheated to get them.

People who worked hard to get their certifications suspect you because getting certifications does take a lot of work and takes lots of time.

And People who do **** to get theirs just assume everyone else cheats.

Hopefully no one has ever bribed a proctor for a CCIE Lab Exam -- but the Lab Exam is why I chose to go for the Cisco Certifications. The ones I've already gotten are just milestones on the way to the CCIE.

I figure once I have a Certification like the CCIE, then I'll get my MCSE, and keep backfilling from there. My plan for the CompTIA certifications involves a bet and beer.

mikej412

optimus wrote:

it seems like the more you know, the more you find out what you don't know.

That's the corollary!

Same coin. Other side.

optimus

mikej412 wrote:

Hopefully no one has ever bribed a proctor for a CCIE Lab Exam -- but the Lab Exam is why I chose to go for the Cisco Certifications. The ones I've already gotten are just milestones on the way to the CCIE.

LOL. Yeah, you can only take it in certain countries too! Intersting which countries are allowed to give the exam/lab. I guess those are the ones Cisco trusts most.

- 0ptimus

moss12

mike should've been a doctor