David's CCIE: R+S Thread

Ahriakin

gorebrush wrote: »

Me and my wife got married on December 3rd,

Congrats! I take it you didn't tell her about this quest until the deal was sealed

mikej412

gorebrush wrote: »

got married

Congratulations!!

Has your new boss signed off on your CCIE Study Plan?

gorebrush

Ahriakin wrote: »

Congrats! I take it you didn't tell her about this quest until the deal was sealed

She is already aware of my CCIE intentions, so I think we're ok

gorebrush

After long discussions at the gorebrush household, we've decided to bin the idea of moving home for the time being until our family starts to grow.

In the meantime then, I've decided that CCIE in proper must start again ASAP. Probably start looking over things in the new year. I'll reset my reading counter, doesn't feel fair retaining 40 hours from over 3 months ago.

Plan is - as Turgon suggested above, written for 2011, lab for 2013/14.

Mid 2013 would be nice - that would be when I am 30...

Good luck to all for next year.

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

After long discussions at the gorebrush household, we've decided to bin the idea of moving home for the time being until our family starts to grow.

In the meantime then, I've decided that CCIE in proper must start again ASAP. Probably start looking over things in the new year. I'll reset my reading counter, doesn't feel fair retaining 40 hours from over 3 months ago.

Plan is - as Turgon suggested above, written for 2011, lab for 2013/14.

Mid 2013 would be nice - that would be when I am 30...

Good luck to all for next year.

Realistic planning is the best. Good luck with all of that. I would keep your reading counter at 40 hours if I was you and add to that because it all counts! Once you go back to the studies those hours you put in prior will really help you. Good luck with the dieting counter, you want to lose half your weight?

gorebrush

Noted, I'll put the 40 back

And yes, I would like to lose half my weight. Being nearly 20 stone in weight at only 5'6" is dangerous for my long term health.

I've never been "thin" in my life, so perhaps losing that much weight is unrealistic, but I can't stay this weight forever

Turgon

*bump* Hows the new job going? You working your ass off?

gorebrush

Job is going very well indeed - am now Deputy Team Lead with 4 in the team (including myself)

At the moment I am in charge of provisioning network monitoring/management tools: -

BMC BladeLogic Network Automation
WhatsUp Gold
PRTG Network Monitor
Kiwi Syslog Server
IP Address Management (researching this at the moment)

Though I may get involved in our Serevr Automation tools as well.

Job market is very interesting around here, we are recruiting heavily in my area.

Study wise - I'm learning a bit of Linux at the moment (as I know none and now I need to know stuff) though I am missing my Cisco days. I haven't picked up a CCIE book in ages, and trying to tackle at CCIE at the moment is a bit impractical.

I think I need to pick up another CCXP exam just to keep my CCNP valid in the meantime, CCIP seems the best idea as this would provide good base learning for CCIE in the longer term.

gorebrush

So this morning I've been sat in a 3 hour meeting about our BMC BladeLogic Server Automation product, and I'm thinking that it reaffirms my interest in networking.

Ultimately I will be looking after the Network Automation product in the family, but for now I do have a lot of input into the Server product.

Studying for a CCIE on the dollar will be a big no no in this post for the forseeable future. However, this doesn't rule out that I could still do it on my own time, and predominantly this is how I have been used to studying for all of my professional certification exams over time.

One of my biggest issues over the past 6 months has been the serious amount of procrastination and time wasting that I have done (in terms of studying) when I could be doing something useful.

Regarding my above comment about taking the CCIP - that's just more money and time wasting - however a useful way to establish progress.

So, instead of just sitting on my hands and doing nothing with my weekends when the wife is at work, there are many more useful ways I could be spending my time, and slowly working towards the main prize is one of them.

reaper81

If you really want to do the CCIE you should go for it. You don't have to be in a rush, baby steps will get you there. I do almost all my studying on my spare time and I have a family to take care of so it can definately be done.

aldous

gorebrush wrote: »

Regarding my above comment about taking the CCIP - that's just more money and time wasting - however a useful way to establish progress.

The CCIP is a useful one to get on the way to CCIE everything on it is on the IE and the extra depth of BGP and MPLS VPN's is worth it. However i got my exams paid for by work so if moneys tight you can definitely skip it

gorebrush

Well this is true - but the cost of the QoS exam and the composite would be the same as the CCIE written...

gorebrush

But i do agree lol. I have thought about it a few times

stuh84

gorebrush wrote: »

Well this is true - but the cost of the QoS exam and the composite would be the same as the CCIE written...

I'm going the CCIP then CCIE written route, I'm looking at like this. If I study BGP, QoS and MPLS to the degree I need for each exam, I've practically covered them subjects for the written. I could do that and not do the exams, but hey, why not have something to prove I have the knowledge while studying for the Written?

To me having CCIP & CCIE Written will be a little bit better than just CCIE Written on CVs and the like, even if only slightly. Plus, if a job offer comes up while I'm still studying for the Written, then its there as another thing to push through a HR department with.

gorebrush

All good reasons!!

gorebrush

OK I'm game. I've dropped the QoS textbook onto my desk for a look tonight.

Wife is working until 9:45 tomorrow night, so I shall get a few hours in.

Woo back to Cisco!

gorebrush

Scratch the above, CCIE 350-001.

The key theme here is: -

Slowly slowly, catchy monkey.

bertieb

gorebrush wrote: »

Scratch the above, CCIE 350-001.

The key theme here is: -

Slowly slowly, catchy monkey.

Excellent Back on the wagon......

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

Scratch the above, CCIE 350-001.

The key theme here is: -

Slowly slowly, catchy monkey.

Are you studying for the written now?

gorebrush

Turgon wrote: »

Are you studying for the written now?

Well I'm not sure - I'm thinking going the CCIP route for the short term: -

1. It's all knowledge for the CCIE
2. I am uncertain about my job stability (again) so at attaining CCIP would at least be another "feather in my cap" so to speak.

I don't think going the CCIP->CCIE route would do any harm.

gorebrush

OK so whatever exam I am doing, I need to do something.

I've had a few conversations at work, and it seems CCIP will help me a great deal in the short term, so seems worthwhile to do that for the time being. It's all good for the CCIE however, so no waste of time, I don't think.

QoS it is.

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

OK so whatever exam I am doing, I need to do something.

I've had a few conversations at work, and it seems CCIP will help me a great deal in the short term, so seems worthwhile to do that for the time being. It's all good for the CCIE however, so no waste of time, I don't think.

QoS it is.

I dont know if QoS is on the CCIP syllabus, but even if it is I would knockout the BGP and MPLS stuff out and leave that till last.

stuh84

QoS is an exam on the CCIP. BGP, MPLS, QoS and BSCI/ROUTE make up the qualification.

Turgon

stuh84 wrote: »

QoS is an exam on the CCIP. BGP, MPLS, QoS and BSCI/ROUTE make up the qualification.

Fine. In that case do QoS last. It's a value add.

gorebrush

Yes, QoS is indeed on CCIP.

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into BGP+MPLS instead.

PsychoFin

Just finished reading this long-ass thread! It's all looking good as far as I can see Good luck with the new job and all that!

By any luck I will be joining all you guys on the path for the ##### soon enough.

Cheers,
Fin

gorebrush

So far so good, but I need to get off my ass and do some more work

In other news, it seems Linux runs GNS about a thousand times better, so I'll build another VM at home at some point so I can start doing some work.

gorebrush

OK busy month has meant I've done no studying.

This job isn't really what I thought it was going to be, so I need to do some exams.

Bring on some study again shortly. BGP+MPLS.

Turgon

gorebrush wrote: »

OK busy month has meant I've done no studying.

This job isn't really what I thought it was going to be, so I need to do some exams.

Bring on some study again shortly. BGP+MPLS.

Very few jobs are. Slow day at work or is the work just dull? Crack on with the IE studies again, we have a few making good progress this year on TE.

gorebrush

The job itself.

I can't see myself being here long term - so screw doing the intermediate exams.

Let's get back on the real wagon.