CCIE Hopeful

ewehbe

Hello to everyone at TechExams.Net,

I just wanted to tell everyone my story because I have been reading many CCIE testimonies and they have really inspired me.

I just currently graduated with a B. Comm degree majoring in Networking and Telecommuications.

Some of the networking courses I took at my university include:

Intro To Network Technology
Intro to Nework Admin
Telecom Technologies & Apps
Mgng Emerging Telecom Networks
Advanced Data Communications
Managing Info Sys and Telecomm
Data Comm Network Design

Currently I have opened my own IT consulting company and signed a 3 year contract with a hospital to be their network administrator. While I worked there, I met many CCIEs and I learned to troubleshoot many aspects such as QoS (VoIP), Multicast, trunking, bridging, EIGRP, OSPF, VTP, etc. etc. (Don't want to bore you all. )

I have no Cisco certs but over my time I have gained a lot from the courses I have taken as well as the experience I've gained from work. I believe with hard work, determination, the right mindset (and a lil bit of luck) and some money you can achieve anything.

I will be studying for the written exam from:

Jeff Doyle's CCIE Professional Development Routing TCP/IP Volume I, Second Edition
CCIE Professional Development Routing TCP/IP Volume II
CCIE Routing and Switching Exam Certification Guide, Third Edition
& CCBootcamp CCIE Routing & Switching Written Exam Study Guide

I also have some CBT Videos, some flashcards, and some other more detailed books to look at.

As for the Lab, I have some CCIE RS labs but I will get my own rack.

I am here for any help that is needed from the community and to learn from everyone's successes and failures (you learn the most from failing).

I know this will be a long process and could take years to complete but I will move forward even if I will have to move jobs, get married, have kids, watch football games, etc. The CCIE is certainly my goal and I know I will get it over time but I will not sacrifice my family or life (completely ) because without my family or life, there is no reason to live lol

I will try my best to keep active in the forum, best of luck to everyone. Let me know if any1 needs some help and hopefully I can ask for the same.

ewehbe

Oh, btw, why are some words "3rd party" words censored?

dynamik

It's either a **** resource or they've spammed here.

ewehbe

dynamik wrote:

It's either a **** resource or they've spammed here.

Thanks, I was hoping I didn't say anything wrong to offend TechExams.Net

dynamik

Well, using an illegitimate resource isn't going to be looked upon favorably. It seems like it was an accident in your case, but use something like www.certguard.com/search.asp to verify your resources.

ewehbe

dynamik wrote:

Well, using an illegitimate resource isn't going to be looked upon favorably. It seems like it was an accident in your case, but use something like www.certguard.com/search.asp to verify your resources.

Thanks for the resource, one of my main prorities for getting this cert is to do it in a way where I actually become a CCIE and not a "paper" CCIE. I know way too many people who try to shortcut life and it kinda pisses me off but then I realize that those people will get what's coming to them (their employers might see that they are not that educated or sufficient for the job.).

I am definitly not expecting to get my CCIE in a few months; it will take some time. Just like some people on this board mentioned, this is not a sprint but a marathon. (I was always better at long distance running anyways.)

I edited my post above because I do not want people to think that I am trying to get this cert as quickly as possible but the thing I really like about this cert is because of the lab, you can't just expect to pay a lot of money and buy yourself the cert.

kryolla

Can you be a paper CCIE?

tiersten

kryolla wrote:

Can you be a paper CCIE?

Yeah. That'd be pretty hard to do.

snadam

tiersten wrote:

kryolla wrote:

Can you be a paper CCIE?

Yeah. That'd be pretty hard to do.

i guess you could be a 'paper' on at least the written portion.

ewehbe

snadam wrote:

tiersten wrote:

kryolla wrote:

Can you be a paper CCIE?

Yeah. That'd be pretty hard to do.

i guess you could be a 'paper' on at least the written portion.

I think the CCIE is probably the hardest cert to get as a "paper" cert but the written can be passed with many "****" books; but the lab would need to be brute forced with a lot of money spent on bootcamps, lab exams, etc.

Mishra

Good luck! It's always nice to see motivated people.

Do you mind sharing the story about how you got the gig with the hospital? I wouldn't mind detail.

ewehbe

Mishra wrote:

Good luck! It's always nice to see motivated people.

Do you mind sharing the story about how you got the gig with the hospital? I wouldn't mind detail.

Well, the hospital gig was a blessing because it was all about connections. I knew a friend with a consulting company that had great ties to this hospital and infinite trust from the CIO, CFO and IT director. So with the fact that I majored in networking and telecommunications and I was a positive worker; my friend believed that once I was able to jump in I would learn the enviornment in no time. (He probably made a nice cut off me too) I learned a lot in this job and I can't stress how important hands on work is compared to the great theoretical world of University. Just to watch other CCIEs at work is a great experience and when you watch them and you understand and love what they are doing then you know you should be getting into networking (plus you know your a nerd; I know I am now).

Since most of you work in I.T. and know the ways that these departments "usually" work (politics, laziness, holding back information to "protect" your job, etc.), I find it extremely gratifiying that I always have something to push for and never sit back and enjoy the simply ride. I know A LOT of people who just want to sit in their cubicle, do 8 hours a day and go home. But truly, I'm not afraid of losing my job, or holding back information and I will not get into this whole political mess especailly when it does more harm then good to the organization.

I just tell people do what you love and you will be the best at it. I love networking, even when there are times when $hit just isn't working correctly; I love solving things so that alone gives me the motivation to study an extra 3 hours a day after 8 hours of work and then study on weekends and whenever I have time.

The point of this is #1 Do what you love #2 Connections are important (Look at George W. Bush; would he really be president if his father was a nobody?, I'm sure that all of you who post on this msg board are smarter than him.)

Btw, thanks Mishra!

garry scoot

HMm nice story there..Enjoyed reading this thread Good luck!!

ewehbe

garry scoot wrote:

HMm nice story there..Enjoyed reading this thread Good luck!!

Well I'm half way through "CCIE Professional Development Routing TCP/IP, Volume I, Second Edition" By Jeff Doyle and I noticed that IS-IS is explained in the book, so I looked at the written & lab exam for routing and switching and it does not show IS-IS (It is in the service provider CCIE).

I was just wondering since this book is supposably a CCIE R&S book, will IS-IS be on any of the exams?

BTW, we are using a mixture of OSPF & EIGRP at the hospital. OSPF is running on Extreme Networks equipment and EIGRP on Cisco. (Don't ask me but I didn't make the decision to put in the purple dinosaurs.)

GT-Rob

That book is a bit dated, I believe by a few years now.

But no, IS-IS is not covered anymore in the written or lab.

ewehbe

GT-Rob wrote:

That book is a bit dated, I believe by a few years now.

But no, IS-IS is not covered anymore in the written or lab.

I also Have Volume II by Doyle (which I think is still pretty old) and the CCIE Routing and Switching Exam Cert Guide by Wendell Odom (this is much newer than the others).

GT-Rob

ya I think Vol II is actually older lol


Vol 1 and 2 are more of like, part 1 and 2. They cover completely different topics. (IGP in vol 1, BGP in vol 2 for example)


The routing a switching exam guide is great for the written exam. Those 3 books plus cisco.com reading should be enough to get you through the exam (assuming you have done CCNP)

ewehbe

GT-Rob wrote:

ya I think Vol II is actually older lol


Vol 1 and 2 are more of like, part 1 and 2. They cover completely different topics. (IGP in vol 1, BGP in vol 2 for example)


The routing a switching exam guide is great for the written exam. Those 3 books plus cisco.com reading should be enough to get you through the exam (assuming you have done CCNP)

Well I haven't done my CCNP but based on my initially message, I went to university and took like 9 networking courses from network administration to advanced switching and routing, and I've been a network admin for 3 years now.

moss12

ewehbe god bless you brother , nice story