CCIP soon

Paul Boz

I've been studying a lot for the QoS exam as a part of the CCVP track but realized that I'm only two exams away from the CCIP (Composite and QoS) so I'm going to handle that prior to the voice. I'm about 80% ready for the QoS exam and BGP/MPLS shouldn't be too bad. Hopefully I will have the CCIP by the end of the summer. I'm probably going to schedule both exams on the same day to minimize fuel consumption.... Isn't that a shame? They closed the local testing center (it was literally bike-riding distance from my house) so now I have to drive a few hours. Totally not worth it in this economy.

Hey Romain, I'm coming buddy

gojericho0

Good Luck Paul!

mikej412

Paul Boz wrote:

BGP/MPLS shouldn't be too bad

Don't under estimate these two -- both of theses exams trashed my "minute per question" average. I think the exhibit questions slowed me down and I remember finishing with 7 and 12 minutes remaining.

I also remember skipping a task in a SIM when I hit the 10 minute mark -- but partial credit and the # of tasks in the SIM seemed to minimize the impact on my score. Or, since I had twice the number of SIMs I had come to expect on Cisco Exams, it may have been an ungraded trial question.

Good Luck!

Paul Boz

I'm banking on my telco/ISP experience to at least get me most of the way through BGP. MPLS is a whole new monster but it seems relatively straight forward.

romain

Good luck Paul !

See you soon with your two silver stars

nullrouter

I wouldn't advise anyone taking the composite for BGP/MPLS unless you work with a IP/MPLS network with a telco like the OP, and have some good knowledge of it already - I did my CCIP the three exam method, and MPLS exam topics throwback to a lot of what you needed to know for BGP. So if your BGP isnt too good then you probably won't be crash hot with your MPLS topics.

macdude

good luck paul. Let us know how you do.


Mike,

I see all of the cisco certs you have but I don't see the ccent, what happen?

Paul Boz

macdude wrote:

good luck paul. Let us know how you do.


Mike,

I see all of the cisco certs you have but I don't see the ccent, what happen?

I can't speak for Mike, but for me the CCENT did not exist when I got the CCNA and I have zero reason to regress and take it when I currently hold a CCNP.

nullrouter wrote:

I wouldn't advise anyone taking the composite for BGP/MPLS unless you work with a IP/MPLS network with a telco like the OP, and have some good knowledge of it already - I did my CCIP the three exam method, and MPLS exam topics throwback to a lot of what you needed to know for BGP. So if your BGP isnt too good then you probably won't be crash hot with your MPLS topics.

That's actually very good news for me. Apparently I'm much hotter with BGP than I was giving myself credit for. I had to really lab confeds but that's no problem. It's impossible to see everything through experience so no problem

Paul Boz

I'm pretty good on the MQC and best practices so I'm going to sit the QoS in the next week or two depending on whether I can get the exam scheduled or not.

romain wrote:

Good luck Paul !

See you soon with your two silver stars

Sure thing friend I suppose you're not studying as much because you're too busy riding your bike around the countryside? Sounds nice, it's been around 100 degrees every day

romain

Paul Boz wrote:

romain wrote:

Good luck Paul !

See you soon with your two silver stars

Sure thing friend I suppose you're not studying as much because you're too busy riding your bike around the countryside? Sounds nice, it's been around 100 degrees every day

Hey Paul,

I make a break this summer and will be back in september to nail my NP

See ya!

Paul Boz

Depending on whether my wife can take off of work on Monday or Tuesday I'll be sitting the QoS exam on either of those days. I can pretty much schedule day-of so that's not an issue. It's just an all-day ordeal to get to the closest testing center so I have to work around her schedule.

Either way, I'm looking forward to the composite and another silver star, as Romain would put it

AlexMR

what happened?

Did you pass the exams and are now CCIP?

Paul Boz

In September I got a new job in an industry that I have no experience with, doing a job I have never done. My CCIP studies went to the wayside because I had to remediate my knowledge for my current job.

I'm a security engineer for a firm that does third party auditing and analysis for the financial industry. I do pen testing, social engineering (onsite and pretext), risk assessments, etc. Prior to this job I worked for a service provider as a network engineer.

Now that I have become adept at my current job I am re-dedicating myself to the CCIP. I am also studying for the SSCP and CISSP at the same time, but it is a different type of material so I can keep from getting burned out.

Thank you for asking

mikej412

And all this time I thought you were quiet because you were still busy cleaning up and recovering from the hurricane

Paul Boz

Man I didn't have power for NINE DAYS. It was miserable. The thermometer registered at 85 degrees wet heat every night until the power came back on - it sucked. I started my new job a week after I got power, so it was from one crap situation to another back to back

I bought a small generator and a window unit for the next big one though, that's for sure. I figure I can power a mini fridge, a hot plate, a few light bulbs, and an air conditioner. that is enough normalcy for me. I could probably rig up my TV and my xbox but I digress

networker050184

Paul Boz wrote:

Man I didn't have power for NINE DAYS. It was miserable. The thermometer registered at 85 degrees wet heat every night until the power came back on - it sucked. I started my new job a week after I got power, so it was from one crap situation to another back to back

I bought a small generator and a window unit for the next big one though, that's for sure. I figure I can power a mini fridge, a hot plate, a few light bulbs, and an air conditioner. that is enough normalcy for me. I could probably rig up my TV and my xbox but I digress

Hey nice to have you back Paul!


What no lab being powered off that generator? That new security job has your priorities all mixed up man

Paul Boz

Well, if my choices are "TV and Xbox 360" or "lab" you can bet which one I'm picking

JavonR

Paul Boz wrote:

Well, if my choices are "TV and Xbox 360" or "lab" you can bet which one I'm picking

Clearly you are referring to your lab here

gorebrush

JavonR wrote:

Paul Boz wrote:

Well, if my choices are "TV and Xbox 360" or "lab" you can bet which one I'm picking

Clearly you are referring to your lab here

It would be my choice, also. The 360 sucks far too much power!!

Paul Boz

Apparently you guys haven't played Left 4 Dead yet

ITdude

You mean that you guys do stuff other than studying?