David's CCIE: R+S Thread

gorebrush

Only a week after I've got back...

Have settled back in at work nicely now, and things seem to be moving a steady (read: busy) pace. Lots of design and implementation work of software applications at the moment, little that is CCIE related.

Studies so far have been small, this needs to be rectified. However, house to myself tomorrow evening, all weekend, and for about 7 nights over the next 14 days as the wife is working night shifts.

I was halfway through the OSPF chapter before I went away, so I might drop back to the start of that and pick up where I left off. Only chapter 8 so a fair bit of reading to do yet, however I need to pick up the pace now. I have the August deadline to head for and so far I think I want to hit that.

I am still motivated and I do want this. Looking at the state of the job market, I think it is important for everyone to be as tooled up as possible for whatever may happen.

gorebrush

Yes I'm still here, still yet to add any hours sadly.

Picking up this week as the wife is working nights.

In other news, I've started picking up the pace with physical training, so far been 3 days to the swimming pool. Going well

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

Yes I'm still here, still yet to add any hours sadly.

Picking up this week as the wife is working nights.

In other news, I've started picking up the pace with physical training, so far been 3 days to the swimming pool. Going well

Did you not have some free time this weekend to crack open a book? I would do so myself today but have many meetings to attend..

Good luck with those free nights this week!

gorebrush

Turgon wrote: »

Did you not have some free time this weekend to crack open a book? I would do so myself today but have many meetings to attend..

Good luck with those free nights this week!

I did have some yes, but sadly it was not used for reading.

I know, I know, I need to get on with it. =/

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

I did have some yes, but sadly it was not used for reading.

I know, I know, I need to get on with it. =/

hehehe..I know the feeling, we are moving house so all freetime has evaporated Do as I say not as I do, you need someone to push you

gorebrush

Turgon wrote: »

hehehe..I know the feeling, we are moving house so all freetime has evaporated Do as I say not as I do, you need someone to push you

Definitely!

Good luck with moving! Me and my wife have debated long and hard about extending/moving... either way we don't have a big stack of cash to do either very comfortably - so we've agreed to stay put for the next 3-4-5 years and save up. Thankfully we can save quite a wedge between us per month, and this hopefully should go up when I change jobs in the future....

gorebrush

Looks like we might be moving too! (maybe)

Ah.

gorebrush

OK so there is a lot going on now...

Purchasing a new house is definitely on the cards now.
My manager has just taken his managers job, so potentially a job move.

I've had to put the CCIE on hold, again. Life first, i'm afraid =/

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

OK so there is a lot going on now...

Purchasing a new house is definitely on the cards now.
My manager has just taken his managers job, so potentially a job move.

I've had to put the CCIE on hold, again. Life first, i'm afraid =/

You can still keep up with some daily reading. One hour a day will help you clear the written. Focus. I will be on the racks today if I can find a slot!

gorebrush

House move looking likely. awaiting a phone call tomorrow. Could be moving in 4-6 weeks.

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

House move looking likely. awaiting a phone call tomorrow. Could be moving in 4-6 weeks.

Best put your written plans back again then. A house move plus work plus exam pressure studies is a bad mix. You will have lots to arrange and much shopping to do. A lack of enthusiasm there with a new bride could be fatal.

gorebrush

Still awaiting a decision at the minute... If this doesn't come off today then we have decided to stay put and save. We have quite some saving power, £1K a month which will increase to £1.5K a month once we've sorted out a loan that we needed

gorebrush

Yes looks like the move is happening - pending a 2nd valuation so they can make sure our house isn't about to fall down. Looks like new house could be in 4-6 weeks.

gorebrush

Looks like we're moving! Goodbye to studies! In other news, went through ITIL Foundation today - hopefully another certification to chalk up.

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

Looks like we're moving! Goodbye to studies! In other news, went through ITIL Foundation today - hopefully another certification to chalk up.

Good luck on the house move! Bump the written exam back to Christmas now. You wont have time.

gorebrush

House sale has been called off. Found out today that the house is a leasehold, not a freehold.

One very gutted wife to deal with.

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

House sale has been called off. Found out today that the house is a leasehold, not a freehold.

One very gutted wife to deal with.

Sorry to hear that if only you could have found out sooner. Studies back on again or will you look elsewhere once your wife has got over the disappointment. Is she unhappy with you about finding out the leasehold status on the house late?

gorebrush

Well the problem is that neither me nor mrs. gorebrush thought to check. It was only today when we went to sign the reservation for the house that we were informed...

This will be the first house I've ever bought so I must admit to being a complete n00b at the process. We will know for next time.

I think we've decided to stay put now and save money instead, and put that towards a house in the future.

Studies - I've been asked to look into other things for the time being, and I'm still waiting to see about this "new job"... so I think I'll just read some CCIE as and when and keep plodding away.

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

Well the problem is that neither me nor mrs. gorebrush thought to check. It was only today when we went to sign the reservation for the house that we were informed...

This will be the first house I've ever bought so I must admit to being a complete n00b at the process. We will know for next time.

I think we've decided to stay put now and save money instead, and put that towards a house in the future.

Studies - I've been asked to look into other things for the time being, and I'm still waiting to see about this "new job"... so I think I'll just read some CCIE as and when and keep plodding away.

That's a shame to find out like that. Well, salt the money away and Im sure you will both find something much better in 2012.

gorebrush

This is raging on now with phone calls from the Area Manager from house company with apologies and promises.

I am deeply unhappy.

gorebrush

Ok. Calm now .

gorebrush

Soooo, I've had a few conversations with the wife. We've both seen sense and all is now well in the world once again

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

Soooo, I've had a few conversations with the wife. We've both seen sense and all is now well in the world once again

Cool. Are you back on with the CCIE plans now?

gorebrush

Had a bit of a meltdown at home a few weeks back as you saw and work has been too crazy lately what with workload and an ever changing environment.

However, it is always on my mind... I need to pick up again.

I have my wife's work schedule through to the end of September, so I can identify the days where I can get some hours in.

As for work, I'm playing the long game now, and sticking it out here until December 2012 (that will mark 2 years in my current post) so it would be nice to get the written done by about October/November time and shoot for a lab at the end of next year. Plan?

I won't go and book anything yet, but I do need to pick up and start doing... *something*

reaper81

I think you have fallen in the trap that many CCIE candidates do, study hard at spurious occasions. When you do study you study very hard and long sessions but then you are low on time/energy from work etc.

Try running a regular schedule, even if you can only read for 30 minutes a day that still mounts up to some time if you keep doing it. That would at least get you passed the written.

If you can't do that then it would be better to put it on hold for now and come back when you can dedicate the time. Don't give up studying though.

Good luck.

gorebrush

Hi reaper.

I think you are correct, I tend to study in fits and starts, and that's probably not all that good for me ultimately.

That, added to the fact that home life has been busy for the past few months then you get a combination that is not all too healthy.

However, I am through the storm now and me and my wife have sorted out what we'll do with houses etc so it's not all bad

Life happens.

Turgon

Reaper is quite right. Each day you need to do something, even if it is retreating to half an hour of theory reading or turning over you notes. In fact just reading practice labs is useful. Try and do that when time is too scarce for long lab sessions. I find it has helped me get through the blueprint several times and I certainly learned a lot of useful stuff for my work.

gorebrush

OK I need to stop a second.

I haven't done any Cisco for a while, but that is not a problem.

I need a serious reality check before I get back on this pony and carry on. I've been dabbling with Windows Server 2008 because there was some hints at a job I could get if I went for the MCITP.

However, this has merely been a dabble, and I'm thinking that ultimately I probably don't want to be at the company I am at.

I know some of you guys in the UK are contractors, anyone got any experience of working in the South Wales area?

Looking at 5-10 years ahead, I'm still not convinced that I'm doing myself any favours trying to be "dual talented" when I have the potential to go hit this CCIE in the face.

I suppose the recession doesn't help when you are trying to think about what you can aim for - i.e. the jobs just aren't there.

Though, am I right in saying the CCIE badge is something that finds you a job? As opposed to you going out and finding it?

Could someone reality check this for me while I dig out my CCIE R&S book out?

Turgon

I think you need to make strategic choices when it comes to your career options and that includes the investment you make both financial and on personal time to tool up by studying things. I wouldn't invest either because there might be an opening in a current job. Think 5 years hence, it's what I have done and it's served me well. In terms of 'potential to go hit this CCIE in the face', only you can answer if that is the case. To make CCIE you have to face down the 'wall' of study which usually means one year of unremitting hardwork, most of it on your own time.

I caveat this statement by confessing I haven't passed myself, but at the same time I have faced down the wall and put the work in to the point where if I can find the gap to pull it all together Im convinced I can pass the exam. The gap hasn't emerged yet, far too much on at work. But when it does I believe I can do it and Im slowly creating that study space by excelling at work. But you have to get to a point where you believe that is the case and I can tell you that getting to that point is about 1000 hours of study time and it needs to be almost a daily thing. Put 50 written passers in a room and one walks out with a number. There are many reasons. Lack of time, lack of commitment, lack of intellect, lack of ability, lack of realistic expectation of what it takes in terms of study output to make the grade. I have seen a lot of good engineers get CCIE and a lot of good engineers choke on it. You need time to do it and you need to spend a lot of time doing it regularly.

gorebrush

That confirms what I was thinking, re: strategy.

Pardon my very colloquial interpretation of "studying" btw

Thank you for your post though, it helps massively.