1st CCIE lab attempt blog and help for candidates.

Turgon

Well it looks like I will be signing off for a while. Im switching to a rented apartment tomorrow and there is no internet connection there. I wont be posting on works time either, far too much going on at work. I may only be at this new place for a few weeks and until I can get something more longer term sorted out there will be no residency papers I can use for ADSL. Its the same for USB wireless as far as I can tell. You need residency papers for both and they all involve 12 month contracts. Im looking at wifi options as there are monthly cards you can buy from a provider, but if there is no signal I can pick up its no dice. That just leaves dial up, but using a hotel phone line isn't cool. They charge you the earth even if the ISP is free dial up (well cheapish anyway). Will have to look into the options carefully I see if I can work something out. So no internet until that's resolved which means no rack time. Still I have the command memoriser on the and many Vol 1 labs to at least read over.

Should see Earth rise again once we have come around the dark side of moon and some internet access of one description or another is sorted out. Meanwhile, good luck with your studies.

laidbackfreak

Turgon wrote: »

Yeah theres a real tendency to clatter through a lot of material to pass tests. The approach has uses but lately Im finding a slow down to look at just something small in depth and reflect on it is reaping dividends.

Yep totally agree, I'm using the exams as a bench mark\high level overview to let me know I have a reasonable understanding of the subject. Once I've passed the rest of the exams I intend to start from scratch (almost) and drill down into the details to get a thorough understanding of it all

laidbackfreak

Turgon wrote: »

The end of the first week in the contract. The guy is on leave now and Im holding the fort in his absence. I think it went well and I made decent impressions. Been informed that a Network Architect is leaving so I will be inheriting his dual DC project with failover and MPLS thrown in. Voice transport work. Another 7206VXR arrived today. Cool. Need to get it finished before handing over to the support team. Working with people all over the world. Lots going on, lots to do. Busy, busy.

Sounds like a great role, lets hope you get a longer gig out of it How you getting on with the language side of things??


ps just seen your gonna be off line for a while so look forward to catching up on your return.

Turgon

Ok well aside from a few hours studying BGP command syntax in the evenings after work during my second week there has been absolutley no time, energy or inclination left over when the working day is done to progress CCIE studies. In fact what freetime I have after work goes on catching up with family matters back home, planning my network designs for the next day and then getting some rest. Im now covering for two people and in the thick of designing, implementing and supporting urgent network migrations at various locations. At the same time Im fielding changes required worldwide as they come in. Given the unfamilarity with the way the sites hang together, the project requirements and the urgent need to build effective working relationships with people I dont know to meet aggressive deadlines my hands have been pretty full. I have so far done well at work though and long may it continue. But until things settle down and I meet some of these urgent deadlines CCIE studies will remain for the birds for the moment. Im also acclimatising to being in a strange country. But work and all that goes well. At the end of the day if I took the lab tommorow and passed it (which I wouldn´t), I wouldn´t be anymore capable of delivering here as I am today. Just more qualified. Work pays the bills and that the priority. It always is.

Interestingly I spoke to someone who once worked for Cisco Advanced Services who said that in the first year working there you don´t do much and after 2 years if you haven´t passed your CCIE you are seen as low hanging fruit for the axe because you clearly lack ambition. Somehow I think many folks working for Cisco have both time, encouragement and access to non public domain resources that may well make the CCIE ride just a little easier.

A busy week ahead at work. Lets hope I get some bandwidth on the studyfront in due course!

ncsugrad2002

Turgon wrote: »

Somehow I think many folks working for Cisco have both time, encouragement and access to non public domain resources that may well make the CCIE ride just a little easier.

There is def some encouragement for them to get that cert before they are able to move up. it's not required, yet, but it wouldn't surprise me if they eventually start basing pay raises/promotions strongly on what certs you have. they also want to be able to say that x% of their TAC team is a CCIE as a marketing point. I have a few friends that work there, one of which is CCIE and the other is trying to get there but with working 10-12 hour days already dealing with cisco stuff he says it isn't exactly easy to go home and do it for a few more hours. He's extremely qualified with real world situations but simply hasn't had the time to put into learning the crazy ways of the CCIE. one friend actually proctors for it though and did some of the 'beta' tests with the OEQ in another country.. people failed left and right entirely because of the OEQ. even some people were getting near perfect on the lab but failing bc of OEQ--I have to wonder if the language barrier was partially to blame in that case, though.

Ahriakin

Also Cisco employees get 3 free attempts at the lab. Their attitude to taking it is to throw yourself at it at least the first time around regardless of how ready you are.

Forsaken_GA

ncsugrad2002 wrote: »

one friend actually proctors for it though and did some of the 'beta' tests with the OEQ in another country.. people failed left and right entirely because of the OEQ. even some people were getting near perfect on the lab but failing bc of OEQ--I have to wonder if the language barrier was partially to blame in that case, though.

I don't know, if someone can score near perfect on the configuration portion, but fail the open ended questions, I don't think you can blame the language barrier, unless the OEQ's were presented in english and the lab scenario was presented in their native language.

Mrock4

Turgon wrote: »

CCIE studies will remain for the birds for the moment.

You'll get it. We're all still pulling for ya'. It will be a long time coming when you get your number! Either way, you're in a very cool place, with a unique opportunity, doing what sounds like good work...I wouldn't do too much studying either

Ahriakin

It's a spammer.

Turgon

The Network Architect contract has kept me pretty busy, but with the datacentres designed and our first major site migration to MPLS done things go well. More site data and voice migrations ahead but I should get back on the study horse this coming week in the evenings.

laidbackfreak

Turgon wrote: »

but I should get back on the study horse this coming week in the evenings.

about time, slacker

How finding the lifestyle side of things?

Turgon

laidbackfreak wrote: »

about time, slacker

How finding the lifestyle side of things?

It's been an intense couple of months, both on the work front, and being here. Certainly a culturally rich city. My wife and son were over for five weeks and I just saw them off at the airport. I have three weeks left here then will fly home to join them.

This frees up my evenings and weekends for the first time this year so Im returning to the studies. I will start with the command memoriser again just to get some momentum up on the configurations. Then its Vol I technology labs again. It will be a sequence of a mock exam followed up by mock exam solution study, more Vol I work, command memoriser and Doc CD reading before trying the next mock. Once the mock exam experience is comfortable I can schedule a date. It wont be for a while as I will most likely blank some sections until my topics are brushed up properly but I think a lab in October is doable.

bertieb

Hey Turgon, I'm still finding your efforts inspirational - it shows how much effort is needed to fit CCIE study with every day life (and whilst working in another country as well!) I'll make you a promise mate, WHEN you knock the CCIE out I'll be there with a beer or ten. Now that must be motivational Keep it up sir.

veritas_libertas

Good luck with all this Turgon! You have been an inspiration for me to work harder at my career for the benefit of my family!

I should mention that I met my first CCIE last week. I just joined a church in my area, and while meeting some people I noticed the CCIE logo on his jacket! Imagine my surprise!

Turgon

Thank you both previous posters!

Well I contacted David Mumbai today at configureterminal.com and he kindly sent me the links I needed to reinstall the command memoriser. Necessary as I had to wipe the laptop.

Thanks David.

Work offers a big energy sap the next three weeks as I have site migrations to figure out for both voice and data (going from PBX to VOIP) and datacentre routing to configure with EEM as a feature.

To overcome a potential IP address overlap issue with new customers in the future im considering a RIPE advertisement (unique) into a VRF to advertise a service that can be NATTed back at base. Ran it past the MPLS service provider architect and providing its owned he had no issues with that.

Will try and get into the CCIE prep in the evenings!

Turgon

This weekend will take a punt to see what my next assignment will be in the UK or Europe and start on command memoriser work again. Hellishly busy at work this week but the VoIP services are working. Result.

Turgon

I downloaded the R&S CM and the MPLS CM now but I can only activate the R&S one at the moment for some reason. I would actually work MPLS today but no matter I can use the R&S CM this afternoon. Will probably pick off a subject I havent gone near for a while like QoS and put sometime in. Jobsearch on the boards pending too. Find that next contract!

Turgon

In the end I got the MPLS CM working. Another hour of reading now added to the log. Its interesting how implementations actually vary in the field as opposed to the vanilla configurations one sees in test preps and books. I will be doing some 'C' - 'CE' IGP work soon enough.

Turgon

Some more time with MPLS CM today. I basically get it I think, just need to spend some more time configuring it.

Turgon

Tommorow, some experimental work on IP SLA and tracking for static routes at work. If the far end responds, it exists, if it doesn't it goes.

Then redistribute that route into the IGP (OSPF) on the platform. The MPLS CE routers are part of OSPF so will learn it and redistribute the route into the VRF.

Turgon

Well the IP SLA and static route tracking worked beautifully today. If the other side is up, the route is in. In not, it's not in the RIB. Tested by blocking the ping replies with ACL.

Dont know what the other side made of the continuous pings. No comments received. Tommorow, IGP config and static route redistribution into OSPF time permitting.

Turgon

EEM today, OSPF config, NAT, SNMP

Turgon

A busy day configuring at work ahead, then command memoriser in the evening. Switching probably.

Turgon

No studies tonight. A busy day in the field securing a new datacenter and preparing for a major expansion the other side of the world. ASA config and test early in the morning.

Contract renewed, work from home and rate increase. Cool.

Turgon

A 20 hour day and a major migration complete at 3AM. It worked. No studies obviously.

Ahriakin

Turgon wrote: »

A 20 hour day and a major migration complete at 3AM. It worked. No studies obviously.

Slacker

Turgon

One of the most stressful weeks I can remember over. We accomplished our migration objectives with a struggle. Not being a very time served ASA man (Im Checkpoint various versions the last 10 years) I pulled in our best guy to help with some fine tuning. That helped with the tunnel but there were other non firewall issues we really had to wrestle with i.e DNS to get everything working. But a result nontheless.

Saturday evening. A malt whiskey and some command memoriser practice lies ahead. The switching drills. Tommorow I will do some more IGP config for my new datacentre at work.

Turgon

A useful hour with switching topics in the command memoriser. Now Im off to Scotland for a short break with the family. The Highlands.

Turgon

Halfway through switching topics on command memoriser. It's useful. I clearly forgot somethings especially syntax but as a refresher it's helpful. I expect to be going over all the switching topics a second time before moving on to another topic. I imagine it will be another week before Im done with it. Then its many weeks of going through the Vol I technologies. First read the material for a subject and make some cursory notes. Then configure things in a rack hire session. Most likely 100 hours of activity right there.

Beyond that it's time to hit the mock exams again. I will get bashed for a couple of months on these, most likely losing entire sections of marks until my topics are back on track. But I think a lab attempt this year is doable.

Meanwhile, time to return to matters at home this evening. The working day is over, we just got the groceries in. Gotta get the little one in the bath and ready for bed and then socialise with my brother in law who has travelled a *long* way to visit us.

A busy week at work ahead with network changes to do across multiple sites. Will try to do more CM revision lunchtime.

Turgon

Another busy day at work over and quite intense. A meeting about a forthcoming internet pipe migration for a site. Lots to consider there. An assessment of the impact of moving a couple of firewalls out of another office. A firewall rule change elsewhere. Various emails about some failover testing tomorrow night.

Will force myself to clear through the remaining switching questions in the CM now before Im overrun with duties at home.