3 months to go!

GT-Rob

Well, I leave for San Jose in a week. Just finished up a lab tonight, just trying to keep the motions fresh. There is a lot of stuff I feel strong on and would love to see in the lab, but time will tell.

BennyLava

Good luck

GT-Rob

Finished my last practice lab yesterday. I think that is it for me for studying, other than going over my own notes. I feel pretty good about where I stand, but who knows. I think I have a pretty good shot next week, but I also know what the pass rate for this on first attempt is like. I have read too many stories of people 100% sure they passed, and find out the failed miserably.

Pass or fail I am looking forward to this date not looming over my head anymore. For the past year its been "I should be studying" or "I can't, I have a lab tomorrow".

Ahriakin

When do you fly out?
You're right to relax, a lot of the Lab is down to first mastering stress and then during it your time.

R&S is a bit different in it's approach (aswell as content obviously) to Security, I believe there are more tasks but they are more granular and less involved than individual Sec tasks. The best thing you can do is make sure to read the whole thing first, dont watch the clock just read. You don't need to get the fine details but in particular look for tasks on devices that affect connectivity to other devices, the tasks may actually tell you to complete another later one first, this will save you a lot of frustration early on. Don't be intimidated if it seems daunting on your first read, make a start and if you hit a complicated topic don't worry about the endgame as much as getting going on it, often the tougher tasks make a lot more sense when you have your foundations down.
Keep a score sheet on the side. I list : Task Number / Point value / 1st Try (running total, my surety rating out of 5) / 2nd try (out of 5)
What I mean by 1st and 2nd out of 5 is my surety it's right. If I'm sure on the first pass it's correct I mark it 4/5, if verified at the end it's 5/5, 3/5 means it's probably right but I couldn't verify, anything less and I coun't those as definitely failed and need heavy review at the end (I leave these to last). So I add my points to my total for anything that makes a 4/5 or 5/5 .
You need to aim to make an absolute min. of 12 points an hour, ideally closer to 16 to give you time at the end for review. But bear in mind the points won't necessarily be evenly distributed vs. the time it takes per task. What I mean is I had a number of very complex time-exhaustive tasks that had the same points as others that took 2 minutes. You always have to calculate your point gain vs. time lost that might give you more points on other tasks.

I know you know all this already, just reinforcing the main things I knew but the simple stress of the day made harder to focus on. The advice my wife gave me, and it did help, was to stop thinking of it as a test and more as another day at work to play with a lot of tech-toys.

GT-Rob

Thanks for the advice. I fly out Tuesday morning (write wednesday).

I watched the lab strategy video from IE last night, and they mention a lot of the same things. Keep track of your time, score, etc. They also made a point about how the fact you are in a new environment, have to fly out, on a new rack, for me a new country, is all working against you. If they would come to my house and do the lab on my home rack, a lot more people would pass, and I think its very true. I tried to switch it up a bit using my work's rack and such, but who knows.

My plan is to write down each task number I feel I need to come back to, either to double check or finish, and wait until I get through the whole thing once over (assuming the tasks don't effect others). Then go back, and spend more time on each of those 'missed' tasks, and not worry about the time as much since the rest of the lab is done. Then once I am done all of that, spend whatever time I have left 'grading' my lab. Using show commands and debugs to see if I am meeting the requirements of the task (as opposed to looking at just the configs).

mamono

Wish you the best of luck, GT-Rob. Looking forward to reading about your experience, at least what is allowable under Cisco's NDA. I really liked staying at Comfort Suites when I was in San Jose on business, but not sure where you're staying when you're in San Jose. Very nice rooms, free breakfast, and WiFi. Just a straight drive up First Street to get to Cisco, its not that far.

Comfort Suites hotel near San Jose International Airport - San Jose California hotels

Ahriakin

Gah, meant to post earlier but best of luck tomorrow.

mikej412

Good Luck!

Turgon

GT-Rob wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I fly out Tuesday morning (write wednesday).

I watched the lab strategy video from IE last night, and they mention a lot of the same things. Keep track of your time, score, etc. They also made a point about how the fact you are in a new environment, have to fly out, on a new rack, for me a new country, is all working against you. If they would come to my house and do the lab on my home rack, a lot more people would pass, and I think its very true. I tried to switch it up a bit using my work's rack and such, but who knows.

My plan is to write down each task number I feel I need to come back to, either to double check or finish, and wait until I get through the whole thing once over (assuming the tasks don't effect others). Then go back, and spend more time on each of those 'missed' tasks, and not worry about the time as much since the rest of the lab is done. Then once I am done all of that, spend whatever time I have left 'grading' my lab. Using show commands and debugs to see if I am meeting the requirements of the task (as opposed to looking at just the configs).

Good luck Rob

mamono

Good luck!!!

ITdude

GT-Rob wrote: »

Finished my last practice lab yesterday. I think that is it for me for studying, other than going over my own notes. I feel pretty good about where I stand, but who knows. I think I have a pretty good shot next week, but I also know what the pass rate for this on first attempt is like. I have read too many stories of people 100% sure they passed, and find out the failed miserably.

Pass or fail I am looking forward to this date not looming over my head anymore. For the past year its been "I should be studying" or "I can't, I have a lab tomorrow".

Look at the bright side the weather is nice in San Jose.:)

Seriously, good luck man!

nel

Good luck rob!!!!

a543047

Good luck sir!

GT-Rob

Sitting in the hotel now. Pretty decent place for the price. LOVE the weather here, almost 20 degrees C warmer than what I work up to. I could get used to this!


Flights were awful. US security is a nightmare, I sometimes imagine it would be easier to get into Berlin in 1942 than getting into the US these days. One of the security checks actually knew what I was talking about when he asked why I was coming here.

"business"
"what kind of business?"
"I have to take an exam at a company here"
"what company"
"Cisco"
"oh. So is this for CCNA, CCNP?"
"ummm CCIE"
"oh ok. *proceeds with interrogation"

I was surprised he knew the certifications lol. Most people haven't even heard of Cisco.

Went to the BK and was pretty hungry, so I decided to get large fries. I was mistaken because I thought I was ordering for a human. The American medium is bigger than the Canadian large - no wonder you yanks are so fat! :P I've got enough Pepsi to last until Thursday at least.


Oh well, nap time.

dynamik

GT-Rob wrote: »

"oh. So is this for CCNA, CCNP?"

It seems like CCIE should have been his first guess. I don't see a lot of people crossing the border for the CCNA...

GT-Rob wrote: »

I've got enough Pepsi to last until Thursday at least.


Oh well, nap time.

Enjoy your sugar-induced coma, and good luck tomorrow!

jbaello

GT-Rob wrote: »

Sitting in the hotel now. Pretty decent place for the price. LOVE the weather here, almost 20 degrees C warmer than what I work up to. I could get used to this!


Flights were awful. US security is a nightmare, I sometimes imagine it would be easier to get into Berlin in 1942 than getting into the US these days. One of the security checks actually knew what I was talking about when he asked why I was coming here.

"business"
"what kind of business?"
"I have to take an exam at a company here"
"what company"
"Cisco"
"oh. So is this for CCNA, CCNP?"
"ummm CCIE"
"oh ok. *proceeds with interrogation"

I was surprised he knew the certifications lol. Most people haven't even heard of Cisco.

Went to the BK and was pretty hungry, so I decided to get large fries. I was mistaken because I thought I was ordering for a human. The American medium is bigger than the Canadian large - no wonder you yanks are so fat! :P I've got enough Pepsi to last until Thursday at least.


Oh well, nap time.

Lol that's a funny interview, I remember being interrogated by those inspectors back in 2001, my suitcase has motherboard and all kinds of computer equipments, and when they scan it they really got so suspicious maybe they thought I had a bomb, I had to go the secondary inspection, it's pretty surprising that they know about CCIE too I wonder if you ever answered CCNP then you would have gone into the secondary inspection lol...

Anywa Goodluck to you Sir!!!

skrpune

GT-Rob wrote: »

Sitting in the hotel now. Pretty decent place for the price. LOVE the weather here, almost 20 degrees C warmer than what I work up to. I could get used to this!


Flights were awful. US security is a nightmare, I sometimes imagine it would be easier to get into Berlin in 1942 than getting into the US these days. One of the security checks actually knew what I was talking about when he asked why I was coming here.

"business"
"what kind of business?"
"I have to take an exam at a company here"
"what company"
"Cisco"
"oh. So is this for CCNA, CCNP?"
"ummm CCIE"
"oh ok. *proceeds with interrogation"

I was surprised he knew the certifications lol. Most people haven't even heard of Cisco.

Went to the BK and was pretty hungry, so I decided to get large fries. I was mistaken because I thought I was ordering for a human. The American medium is bigger than the Canadian large - no wonder you yanks are so fat! :P I've got enough Pepsi to last until Thursday at least.


Oh well, nap time.

That's too funny...and um yeah, getting into the US isn't exactly fun nowadays. Driving across the border (in either direction) is no cup of tea either. Before we moved back down here, we got grilled by the border folks one of the last times we were returning to Toronto from a trip to the US. As usual, we had to present our work permits and they peppered my husband with questions about what's his line of work & where he works & what he does...he's a geologist, so the border patrol guy started quizzing him about where to look for gold & what kind of rocks are best for that. Very strange!

What, you don't appreciate that you can take a bath in a large soda in the US? You know...I always thought those "mediums" in Canada looked a little small! I thought that maybe my size/depth perception was a little off since I've been wearing glasses instead of my contacts, but good to know it wasn't just me!

Anywho - Happy nap time, hope all goes well tomorrow!! Good luck!!

mamono

GT-Rob wrote: »

Sitting in the hotel now. Pretty decent place for the price. LOVE the weather here, almost 20 degrees C warmer than what I work up to. I could get used to this!

Went to the BK and was pretty hungry, so I decided to get large fries. I was mistaken because I thought I was ordering for a human. The American medium is bigger than the Canadian large - no wonder you yanks are so fat! :P I've got enough Pepsi to last until Thursday at least.

Oh well, nap time.

First you like the weather and you want to move here... Now you complain about the food! Hahaha... Move here already so that you can truly experience what heartburn is really like!!!! :P

jbaello wrote: »

Lol that's a funny interview, I remember being interrogated by those inspectors back in 2001, my suitcase has motherboard and all kinds of computer equipments, and when they scan it they really got so suspicious maybe they thought I had a bomb, I had to go the secondary inspection, it's pretty surprising that they know about CCIE too I wonder if you ever answered CCNP then you would have gone into the secondary inspection lol...

Same here... I had server components in my shoulder bag to take to a client that I was going to work with while in San Jose. For a second, I thought they were going to put on the rubber gloves as they pulled me aside and asked me to open the ESD bags...!

jbaello

mamono wrote: »

First you like the weather and you want to move here... Now you complain about the food! Hahaha... Move here already so that you can truly experience what heartburn is really like!!!! :P




Same here... I had server components in my shoulder bag to take to a client that I was going to work with while in San Jose. For a second, I thought they were going to put on the rubber gloves as they pulled me aside and asked me to open the ESD bags...!

Good thing they didn't pat you down naked with that rubber gloves lol jk...

mikej412

GT-Rob wrote: »

"ummm CCIE"
"oh ok. *proceeds with interrogation"

Did he ask 4-5 some open-ended questions to see if you really were qualified to go for the CCIE?

GT-Rob

^ haha maybe that was it. If you don't pass the questions, you don't even get into the country!


Fell asleep around 7pm last night, and woke up at 5 this morning. Feeling pretty good, just had a burnt waffle for breakfast and watching some full house.

Essendon

Good luck Rob. We are all barracking for you. Go and get your number!

GT-Rob

ugh, what a long day.

Will post more once the results are in.

GT-Rob

well not this time. Ended up with around 70%. Security and BGP didn't go well (and nor should they have). Ah well.

Essendon

Dang. Was really hoping you'd make it, Rob. Never mind man, keep the tail up, I am sure that in the whole buildup to the lab you must have learnt a lot. Hit it harder next time, we sure want more CCIE's here.

dynamik

Sorry man

That's still a pretty solid score though. I'm sure you'll nail it next time

Ahriakin

Like I was told before I sat mine first time around - Failing the lab is horrible but you come out of it so much more seasoned. My mindset for the 2nd attempt was so much better the 2nd time it was like night and day and it alone I think made the biggest difference between pass and fail, unfortunately it's only something you can learn by doing. Don't obsess over it, just learn from it, you did good.

nullrouter

GT-Rob wrote: »

well not this time. Ended up with around 70%. Security and BGP didn't go well (and nor should they have). Ah well.

You're close dude. At least this means your study methods are sound etc, and should be able to destroy the lab next attempt. Interested to know how you went with time etc.


I'm finally taking my lab next month, with the interview questions and all

nel

Unlucky Rob. You still done well.

Keep your head up mate. Im sure you will do it next time!!

networker050184

Sorry to hear about that.

Now that the practice run is over its time to gt ready for the next one!