1st CCIE lab attempt blog and help for candidates.

Turgon

Another very busy day on the work front and another booked online session down the drain. It's practically impossible to do lab work even at lunch time these days. That's the last time I book a session 9-5 as work deadlines just leave me wasting slots. When it *is* quiet for an hour at work I will be turning on the home rack in future. All online sessions will be weekends and evenings only. Anything else wastes my money. On that note I have an online session booked for tonight but I feel tired after this weeks output.

dynamik

Do you use dynamips/dynagen at all? It seems like that would come in handy when you want to lab something during some down-time. Are you not able to use it to do anything relevant to what you're working on?

Turgon

dynamik wrote:

Do you use dynamips/dynagen at all? It seems like that would come in handy when you want to lab something during some down-time. Are you not able to use it to do anything relevant to what you're working on?

That would be handy dynamik although I use the home rack more and more now for snatched hourly study sessions during the day. When it is quiet at work (rarely) I can use that.

I just finished an hour on the remote rack this evening and Im calling it a night. Really tired and need to unwind with some TV. I completed the switching tasks in lab no 4 in IWEB Vol II. Im really please with my progress on dedicated switching practice the last couple of evenings. Im much faster at configuring these things and I think I have the whole root port thing down now when I want to prefer one link over another using cost or port priority. Good. Some useful work on pruning done also and some switching QoS.

This weekend I will be using the home rack to revise some OSPF topics in detail. I expect to be working on things covered in the books by Solie and Doyle as well as configurations I identified as worth returning to when I did previous labs. Those things are in my notes so I need to pull those together a bit.

apd123

I agree that IE babies you a little much, however they do focus on the technologies and not tricks or outlandish scenarios. The DOIT labs on the other hand are way on the other extreme I would rate their lowest moderate lab like a 9 over in the IE world. They are worded more like what I expect in the lab and really make you think. Downside is sometimes they just get out there, lab 4 which is "moderate" has a 30 line route-map in the solution guide for redistribution at one router.

I have not ever used a Ipexpert product except for sample they seem decent and you get a wealth of content that is very interactive from what I hear. My problem with them is I just don't know who the instructors are they seem to market the company only and the guys just aren't out there in the non ipexpert only communities. Where as I am more comfortable for some reason knowing who the Brians, Scott and Anthony are.

Turgon

apd123 wrote:

I agree that IE babies you a little much, however they do focus on the technologies and not tricks or outlandish scenarios. The DOIT labs on the other hand are way on the other extreme I would rate their lowest moderate lab like a 9 over in the IE world. They are worded more like what I expect in the lab and really make you think. Downside is sometimes they just get out there, lab 4 which is "moderate" has a 30 line route-map in the solution guide for redistribution at one router.

I have not ever used a Ipexpert product except for sample they seem decent and you get a wealth of content that is very interactive from what I hear. My problem with them is I just don't know who the instructors are they seem to market the company only and the guys just aren't out there in the non ipexpert only communities. Where as I am more comfortable for some reason knowing who the Brians, Scott and Anthony are.

Scott Morris was a technical approver for the IPexpert labs and produced many of them himself. Im not hung up on the presence of people who produce learning material. I have never met Welcher, Doyle, Caslow or Derek Small who produced the fatkid labs but that hasn't put me off using their material at all. A number of IPExpert instructors contribute to groupstudy.

A busy day at home today. Hopefully I can get on the rack and do some OSPF exercises later today.

apd123

Fatkid labs now that is a little old school. Maybe its that they are just more reserved which I would actually really respect I just have not seen too much. Either way I don't know why it affects my judgement cause it should really be about the material, it just does for some reason. Its all about how you use the stuff anyway really I think all the companies enable you too pass if you put in the time.

If you haven't already looked at it the Parkhurst Command and Configuration Handbook has a lot of little scenarios I found useful. Also Troubleshooting Ip Routing Protocols has some good stuff on neighbor relationships and routing issues between OSPF areas and other protocols. I find OSPF to be very challenging any other resources you have found useful would be appreciated.

Turgon

apd123 wrote:

Fatkid labs now that is a little old school. Maybe its that they are just more reserved which I would actually really respect I just have not seen too much. Either way I don't know why it affects my judgement cause it should really be about the material, it just does for some reason. Its all about how you use the stuff anyway really I think all the companies enable you too pass if you put in the time.

If you haven't already looked at it the Parkhurst Command and Configuration Handbook has a lot of little scenarios I found useful. Also Troubleshooting Ip Routing Protocols has some good stuff on neighbor relationships and routing issues between OSPF areas and other protocols. I find OSPF to be very challenging any other resources you have found useful would be appreciated.

Ipexpert rock give them a whirl. I managed without the proctor guide and got a lot of practice in there with their material. Each lab is a tutorial in itself when you are forced to make some sense of the solutions provided. I looked at Dr Parkhurst's BGP reference book in 2001 he's a good author. Caslow has good material on OSPF and frame relay. Pick that one up used on Amazon for the price of a happy meal. I still have my old copy from 2001 although it's falling apart. Doyle doesn't cover OSPF and network types very deeply. Other than that it's a fine book for IGPs. To be honest with so much vendor material on offer these days many candidates bypass the older established method such as these books. I think that's a mistake as written prep and labprep are probably the only opportunity most people get to do so much reading and if you don't do it you miss out, not only during CCIE but post CCIE.

Duggan and Solie are decent books too.

apd123

Thanks for the timely response as I am about to head off to IE's bootcamp, I will try and do a couple posts let everyone know how it is. I grabbed Caslow which is physically heavy and Duggan of the bookshelf and will be taking those with me. Gone through most of the others except finishing off Doyle V2 and you keep mentioning Solie which is on my coffee table I can just never seem to find (make) the time.

Btw if anyone is having trouble with Multicast Beau Williamson's Developing IP Multicast Networks is the book, also IE has a free v-seminar that troubleshoots step by step and IPX has a more high level which covers some of the glitter the others miss. I feel stronger about that Multicast book than I do about any other for any topic, Beau is very detailed and every time I had what if he would get to it a few pages later.

Turgon

Sometimes best laid plans go awry. Busy at home this weekend with shopping, cleaning and spending time with the family. Was also rather tired from work last week! I had intended to have a big weekend on the rack on OSPF but that will run into next week now. I have however managed to get a couple of useful hours in on Multicasting building the solutions to IWEB Vol II labs no 14,15,16, and 17. I think I understand the solutions but it's going to take more practice before configurations like these spring readily to mind. I think I follow the logic of the given configurations though and the exercise has improved my understanding of the options somewhat. I come away with a better feel for what kind of solutions meet particular multicasting requirements in practice labs anyway.

Next week it's OSPF, specifically IWEB Vol III Lab no 3 which covers ways to inject loopbacks into OSPF. Exercises from Doyle Volume I, and the exercise in Solie Vol I from p763 onwards. NSSA, route filtering, redistribution, summarization and default routing.

Turgon

Done with lab 3 from Vol III on OSPF loopbacks (finished this morning). Looked over a Solie exercise before work. A long day at the office so no labs for me tonight. Hope to continue tommorow on racks sometime.

GT-Rob

If I recall that is the lab where you have to redist. the loopbacks like 5 different ways lol? Its an interesting one, I enjoy silly tasks like that sometimes.

Turgon

That's the one. This week is proving too busy at work. If I get a chance I may do a Solie OSPF scenario tonight.

Turgon

OSPF Solie p764 - 775 Multiple Area Network - DONE

A couple of hours working the multiple area network example in Solie Vol I p764. Intention is to work through the remaining practical examples for route filtering and redistribution p786 and Summarization p792, default routing p796 and Authentication p798. This takes me up to the OSPF Multiple Area Routing, Authentication, Path Manipulation and Default Routing Lab on p804. I will skip this lab as I did it end of Febuary this year.

Quite a tramp on a single topic then but that's the long and short of my preparation lately. I intend now to do some crop rotation on topics. Once OSPF is done I would like to cover at least one hour each day on a different topic. The routine will be one topic per day in this order..

QoS/FRTS
Multicast/Switching
BGP
EIGRP/RIP
OSPF
Redistribution/NAT/Policy Based Routing
IPv6

This way my practice hours are dispersed across topics with no more than a week occuring before revisiting the topic. This has been a problem if for example I get a NAT scenario to handle and its been three weeks since I looked at NAT. I will be doing the sections for a specific topic from the IWEB Vol II labs. There are also examples in Solie, Doyle and Odom to work with which I can configure on my rack at home.

QoS - QoS sections in labs 5-10 IWEB workbook Vol II and Odom QoS book as well as revisiting IPexpert examples I made notes of earlier in the year.

Multicast - Doyle Vol II

BGP - IWEB Vol II sections for BGP. Solie Vol II page 746 onwards. Doyle Vol II.

EIGRP/RIP - rework examples take in my notes from IPexpert. Solie Vol I p693 onwards. Doyle Vol I

OSPF - rework examples taken from my notes from IPexpert. Doyle Vol I.

Redistribution - rework examples taken from my notes in IPexpert. Solie. Doyle.

IPv6 - Doyle Vol II. IWEB workbook Vol II specific IPv6 sections from labs.

With one session on each per week I should be getting through a lot of practical exercises on each technology by the time Christmas comes around. There will also be effort expended on mock exams starting end of October and running through to year end. One mock exam each week is rather optimistic but I should shoot for one a fortnight which would be 4 mock exams attempted by year end. These will be my practice sessions to bring everything together.

Frame Relay and Switching Im fairly comfortable with now, the same goes for basic configuration for all technologies. Some are stronger than others. I will need to keep practicing the core things when I can and improve on security, system management, IP features et al on the side. Mocks should help there. Goal is to come to year end much stronger on technologies. I can then concentrate in the new year on very specific remaining weak areas and do more mocks leading to the lab attempt in the spring. Meanwhile I must get stronger on the basic configuration of everything with significant improvements on the manipulation of things such as all the filtering techniques by the end of this year. It's coming along though.

Turgon

Solie Vol I OSPF redistribution, route filtering and Summarization over frame relay - DONE

Three more hours with Solie and OSPF today over frame relay.

Turgon

A couple more exercises on OSPF tonight and then on to QoS lab work.

Turgon

Solie Vol I OSPF default routing, authentication and virtual links - DONE

QoS practice tomorrow.

Turgon

Efforts made on QoS the last couple of days. Hope to get through some more IE exercises tonight. The QoS sections of labs 7 and 8. QoS section in lab 6 I already worked over carefully, investing time on the explanations and verifications. More comfortable with MQC now. Quite simple really.

Turgon

More studies ahead. Doyle IPv6 and Multicast. Solie and Doyle BGP practice. IE Vol II lab no 5 is on the cards as well. Im also considering taking a week off work to concentrate on mock exams and labs in the IE workbook. As a contractor this costs me a weeks pay but the opportunity for immersion in lab practice for a week is very tempting.

Turgon

Tramped through first half of IE Vol II lab no 5. Got as far as EIGRP. Frame, PPP, Switching and OSPF sections went very smoothly. Remote rack session has ended now so will do the rest on Monday.

Looking at IPv6 tonight. Aside from continuing with much more IE work this coming week extra ancillary technology specific practice will also encompass IPv6, Multicast and BGP on the home rack.

Turgon

Have a rack session scheduled to complete IE Vol II lab 5 tonight.

On topics I will be putting multicast to bed by completing the exercises in Doyle Vol II. I have configured the home rack with the topology required. First scenario is PIM-DM.

Turgon

Home rack configured for PIM-DM over frame. Im now playing with traffic generators to get some multicast traffic going so I can produce mroute tables like the examples in Doyle.

A rack session yesterday was abandoned as I was too busy at work. I have another one scheduled for today so hope to sneak a couple of hours in to finish the IGP/BGP section on IE lab 5. Im just glad I have the homerack. Rack rental companies make a lot of money, the workbooks keep candidates very busy and how many people who work really have the time to do 8 hour sessions on a regular basis? Not me that's for sure. I try to creep in some study early morning or lunch time so Im not completely restricted to evening sessions. The hours add up but often at the expense of wasted session time when things get too busy to use them. Still, it all helps.

Overall, things are going very well here. I now find that IE workbook labs run much more smoothly as I go about the sections so the practice is paying off. I intend to start mock exams as of next weekend. Weekend hours are ramping up. With a sequence of weekend mock exams and technology practice during the week I should get to the new year with a strong basis for the final two months of brushing up before the lab attempt.

cisco_trooper

Turgon wrote:

Home rack configured for PIM-DM over frame. Im now playing with traffic generators to get some multicast traffic going so I can produce mroute tables like the examples in Doyle.

A rack session yesterday was abandoned as I was too busy at work. I have another one scheduled for today so hope to sneak a couple of hours in to finish the IGP/BGP section on IE lab 5. Im just glad I have the homerack. Rack rental companies make a lot of money, the workbooks keep candidates very busy and how many people who work really have the time to do 8 hour sessions on a regular basis? Not me that's for sure. I try to creep in some study early morning or lunch time so Im not completely restricted to evening sessions. The hours add up but often at the expense of wasted session time when things get too busy to use them. Still, it all helps.

Overall, things are going very well here. I now find that IE workbook labs run much more smoothly as I go about the sections so the practice is paying off. I intend to start mock exams as of next weekend. Weekend hours are ramping up. With a sequence of weekend mock exams and technology practice during the week I should get to the new year with a strong basis for the final two months of brushing up before the lab attempt.

For traffic generation I have used one of my routers in the past to ping the multicast address. Don't know if this will fit your situation or not but it worked for what I was doing at the time.

Turgon

I may resort to that thanks. I will try with Iperf first though. More dollars lost on an abandoned rack session earlier today due to work pressure. Still I made all my deadlines there and got to the bottom of a few problems.

Multicast on homerack tonight.

Turgon

Doyle PIM-DM done on home rack last night. Today IWEB lab 5 IGPs and redistribution done.

Turgon

IE Vol II Lab 5 - BGP done tonight. Good to revisit this stuff again.

Turgon

IWEB Vol II Lab 5. Multicasting done and IPv6 upto IPv6 BGP which I will look at closely tomorrow. IWEB must have classes on again because rack sessions are booked the new two weeks. It was the same in October. A pisser. I will have to rejig the homerack to get more labwork done this coming week and have to manage with the couple of switches I have at home instead of the four required in the workbook.

Good multicasting section in this one and heavy on IPv6. Good practice and some useful things learned.

Turgon

Reading up on the IWEB Vol II lab 5 Ipv6 sections before my next lab session starts this morning. This is a very good lab covering important Multicast, IPv6 and IPv6 BGP over Frame relay tasks very well. When you do come up against questions you cant answer (and you will), be sure to study the solutions guide carefully. Im finding it's clearing a lot of details up nicely. Intend to finish this lab today and then prestage the home rack for lab 6.

Turgon

Called a halt yesterday after hacking through the IPv6 section. Lots to look at in there and I felt it best to stop once it was covered. Made notes on the protocol and multicast.

Today Im going to finish lab 5 on the home rack, the QoS, Security, System Management and IP Services tasks.

Then I will be confined to the home rack for quite a while because IWEB rack slots are scarce the next two weeks. Lab 6 will be next. I will have to skip some of the switching tasks as I only have two switches at home. I need to clatter through the IWEB Vol II labs now and get as much done before the year end. Once rack hire becomes availiable again I can look at doing some mock exams there as well as some IWEB Vol II labs. This would free up the home rack for technology specific work in the Solie and Doyle books for BGP and Multicast respectively.

Turgon

IWEB Vol II lab no.5 - DONE

Completed QoS - RTP Header Compression, Reflexive ACL, VACL, SNMP, Syslog, DNS, Authentication. On to lab no. 6 now.

Turgon

Ok I have retro fitted the home rack now to supply an environment for the IWEB Vol II labs. Compromises are two switches instead of four. Lack of 100 ethernets renders subinterface work impossible. On that note Im leaving lab 6 for remote racks and will do lab 7 in it's place. IOS version prevents some of the IPv6 tasks as well and limits my choice of protocol matches for MQC work. All in though I can get a lot done with what I have to work with here at home.

My written expires tomorrow. My assessment in August to let it lapse was spot on. I still have much to practice and a lab attempt this week would have been pointless.