David's CCIE: R+S Thread

silver145

Personally, i see it coming. i doubt ill be ready intime before it does, so i am concentrating on the main points currently that WILL NOT(from a it wont be canned perspective) change, BGP, MPLS, IPV6, etc etc etc

gorebrush

Up to 85 hours now, covered some Multicast (i.e. read the chapter in the OECG). Going to continue with this today and sort out the other Multicast chapter then get through IPv6 in the book. First day of work today, so day shift on a Saturday = hopefully lots of study.

gorebrush

Up to 91 hours after the weekend. Going to try and get some more done tonight and tomorrow night.

Going to start getting hunkered down ready for the exam on Aug 25th now.

gorebrush

Bahhhhh, busy shift and I'm tired so no work done tonight. Try again tomorrow

gorebrush

Another busy shift, but managed to get another 5 hours in tonight.

Started reading through the OECG again and started making very concise and very well hand written notes. This takes time, but means I learn it even better, and helps reinforce it in my brain.

I've managed to get through to halfway of Chapter 6 in one sitting. Very, very pleased with this progress. Heading towards August 28th very nicely indeed.

Mrock4

Keep up the great progress. You'll pass with flying colors at this rate.

carterw65

Keep it up. If we put in the sweat it will pay off.

gorebrush

Did about two hours light reading yesterday.

Ever so close to the 100 hour mark now, quite excited to get past that. Should get to 120 hours by the end of the weekend I believe, and into 130-140 hours by middle of next week.

gorebrush

Up to 102 hours now. Into OSPF for hopefully the final time before the exam.

silver145

did you purchase the boson test sim gore? If so have you had a chance yet?

gorebrush

Boson came with the book... Haven't tried it yet though.

silver145

give it a shot, its interesting. Quite long but i scored an AMAZING 54% on my first round :P, it did highlight some key areas that need more work though

gorebrush

Woops, I forgot to add yesterdays progress, another 5 hours-ish solid..

Just started my 1st 12 hour shift now so hopefully get some more progress today.

gorebrush

No progress in last few days. Very busy shifts at work (even at night) and tonight I'm wiped out.

Won't get anything done tomorrow/Friday, so Saturday/Sunday will be next big push. Exam in 4 weeks, hopefully I can still make it in that time! Need to get motoring through the book for pass number 2 now. Currently started the BGP stuff, which is so much longer than that first time I read it, but I put that down to my fatigue this evening.

Once BGP has been dispatched, that just leaves IPv6, Multicast, Security, MPLS, QoS to get through in the main.

While I have covered all this stuff before, I am fairly confident I can get this all down in the next 4 weeks. I hope so, I'd rather not be pushing back if I can help it.

gorebrush

All not lost, managed to get a few hours of videos in, so not a complete waste.

Just thankful that this last shift has been quiet. Last 3 have been a real killer It happens!

silver145

Ouf pressing on! have you booked the written already? i am yet to do so but i am finding multicast a real ba**ard for some reason........... + busy at work the past few days like yourself!

gorebrush

Yes it's been booked for a while - it helps get me motivated when I know there is a clear date.

Although the ability to move the exam is too tempting sometimes!

At the moment it is August 28th.

silver145

Nice, i am aiming for a similar date to be fair. Decided to leave Mcast alone for a day also as it was getting annoying!!!!!!!!!

What you covering currently?

gorebrush

Was trying to get BGP covered but as I was tired - just wasn't happening... Going to cover Security and the IP Services topics tomorrow and Sunday and look at BGP on my next night shifts

silver145

Yeh BGP is a big one! so far the one i have had most difficulty with is Multicast!!!! still avoiding it currently and cheered my self up with the IP services

gorebrush

Yeah I found multicast tricky too. Clever stuff but so many little nuances that all need learning. Will storm the easier stuff for the time being.... 4 weeks to go!

gorebrush

Clocked in about 8 hours yesterday, covered some IPv6, MPLS, and other bits and pieces.

Going to look at Multicast in depth today.

gorebrush

8 hours of Multicast goodness today.

Will finish off the rest on Wednesday night, then get on with BGP, MPLS, IPv6, QoS - they are what remain now for solid study. After this it'll be onto the practice questions.

Two day shifts Mon and Tue, so won't get much done then, however, some excellent progress this weekend.

I may try and sneak in some study in the early/late hours of each day (Most people not in the office between 7-8 and 5-7)

gorebrush

About 8 hours covered on night shifts - did some BGP, QoS, and Multicast.

Need to brush up on Multicast and QoS again before the test and I want to get on with MPLS.

Will be here for around 10 hours tomorrow and Monday before work again on Tuesday. Exam coming close now. Feeling quietly confident.

Mrock4

Keep it up man! I can't wait to hear you passed!

gorebrush

Thanks man! Looking forward to nailing it so I can get on with lab prep proper..

gorebrush

Crunched through 8 hours today, finished up the last of the Multicast sections I wanted to get through, and getting QoS straight in my head.

Concluding with a bit of a review of MPLS now, which I will pick up in the morning too.

gorebrush

Did not sleep well. Not sure why - no particular reason!

Managed to get some sleep but was going to get up early.

Never mind - out for the afternoon today so will pick up again tomorrow. A CCIE requires one to be mentally sound as well as physical and I'd rather leave work for a day than try and brute force info into my brain

Will feel better tomorrow.

gorebrush

Another 6 hours chalked up today.

General bits and pieces tidying up at the moment. Some weak areas around Multicast and some odds and ends to just cover now for the sake of the written. Nowhere near ready for a lab attempt, but that is not the point of my studying up until this point. Up until now I've basically been reading the OECG and some reading around.

gorebrush

Going to add another 6 hours to the counter for tonight. Been jumping around different bits of content. Coming to the very end of the preparation for the written now. It is on 28th August. Wish I could hurry up and get it done so I can crack on with the lab prep

Very little left to do now except take some practice questions. I've got the Boson questions, I assume these will be enough. Up until the day of the exam I'll keep reading some bits here and there and nail my final bits of reading down.

Will start doing some lab work then, GNS mainly as I can get on with most of the routing on there very easily. My only difficulty will be the switching stuff. I currently own a single 3550, which is nice, but not enough really. I could get some 3550/60's but I wonder how much I actually *need* them?

I wonder that because I do a lot of the stuff in my day job I'd try and blag it without them. Maybe there are other tools out there that can give me some of the practice I would need on the Layer2/QoS stuff.

I am aware one can do some basic STP/Layer 2 on GNS with the 16-ESW module, but just how much I can/can't do I really don't know for sure. One way to find out is just to try it - I'm sure I could just buy rack rentals if I really want to try that stuff.