Jahsoul vs CCIE: Official TE Blog

Turgon

jahsoul wrote: »

Started my new job today as a Jr. Network Engineer and I think that this is what I was looking for as far as a position. I handle everything on the LAN and it's awesome. I was going to dive into voice but for the first time, I can say that the job requires me to focus my studies on other things. I will focus more on the routing, switching, and design aspect so I can contribute more to the shop.(it is only me and the Sr. Engineer doing everything on the network admin side and I split time with the wiring/infrastructure engineer). I will get a lab environment on my desk (Dynamips on my work laptop with a 3560 breakout switch and 4 3560s. ). I'm going to soak in as much as I can. I have finally found the job to give me the experience I was looking for.

Good news. Knuckle down on the real work requirements for a while and return to your studies once you are on top of your job.

jahsoul

I know, I know...I've been out of the loop for a while but I've been going through some things. I just considered dropping all things Cisco. When I came into IT, I told myself that I never wanted be a jack of all trades. Why? Because you will never be able to specialize at 1 thing (which is what I ultimately want to do.) I want to be able to say that I've mastered something (other than not mastering anything..lol). Well, I've been burnt out here because I really had to have my hand in everything and that is not bad, but I'm stagnant on my focus. I have not really learned anything new regarding networking. And because I had so much going on at work, studying took a dive. After a few talks with someone, who will remain anonymoush, telling me to stay with it for a little while, I have decided to pick back on my studies with a new type of focus and it is really going smoothly. I spent 2 months hating to pick up a book, not I have a huge stack of them on my desk. I'm ready to attack the beast. Therefore, I will be back on my thread. That is all...:D

reaper81

Good to hear, baby steps... We have one passing this year hopefully we will have a few more at least next year.

jahsoul

"What's the purpose of creating a plan of action if you don't have plans to keep it?"

This is what I was asking myself while I was coming up with a plan of attack. It's hard with 3 kids (including a newborn), crazy work environment and depth of study. So, I have to plan accordingly. My plan is to read Routing TCP/IP vol 1 & 2 and BCMSN Study Guide before I crack open the CCIE Written text book. (really wish I would have invested in an Ipad and PDFs. Books are huge..lol) Also, if I'm able to pass the written, I'm going spend 2 months each studying BGP, MPLS, and QoS while still focusing on the labbing portion. I know that it is one thing to say it and another to do so I'm putting a little pressure on myself to get it done.

Turgon

jahsoul wrote: »

"What's the purpose of creating a plan of action if you don't have plans to keep it?"

This is what I was asking myself while I was coming up with a plan of attack. It's hard with 3 kids (including a newborn), crazy work environment and depth of study. So, I have to plan accordingly. My plan is to read Routing TCP/IP vol 1 & 2 and BCMSN Study Guide before I crack open the CCIE Written text book. (really wish I would have invested in an Ipad and PDFs. Books are huge..lol) Also, if I'm able to pass the written, I'm going spend 2 months each studying BGP, MPLS, and QoS while still focusing on the labbing portion. I know that it is one thing to say it and another to do so I'm putting a little pressure on myself to get it done.

Happy New Year! How are your studies going?

jahsoul

Happy New Year to your Turgon!

It's going. Right now, I'm studying the CCDA now and I'm taking that at the end of the month. I'm really enjoying the design track and will probably take ROUTE (Using Routing TCP/IP and Quick Reference Guide)/SWITCH/ARCH and then crack open the CCIE Written exam guide. I think I should have the written done before the end of the summer. Just gotta see how life treats me..

Turgon

jahsoul wrote: »

Happy New Year to your Turgon!

It's going. Right now, I'm studying the CCDA now and I'm taking that at the end of the month. I'm really enjoying the design track and will probably take ROUTE (Using Routing TCP/IP and Quick Reference Guide)/SWITCH/ARCH and then crack open the CCIE Written exam guide. I think I should have the written done before the end of the summer. Just gotta see how life treats me..

How are things going on the CCIE trek?

jahsoul

It's going. Work is sidetracking me. We are about to roll out voice and I'm taking that project on head on (like I just did with this wireless and 802.1x rollout). I finally have the money for the CCDA so I'm going to get that going buckle down on studying that and then it's back to Routing TCP/IP. I wanted to set up a dynamips lab but I have 2 things that are stopping me: the nics I bought last year MTU is stuck at 1496 and that's an issue when passing dot1q traffic so I have to buy some more but the prices jumped on me and I'm missing hardware. I'm probably just going to rent rack time until I finally have everything in order. I just bought a 3725 for $100 and a NME-16ES-1G-P for $177 (FTW) so I'm trying to buy another 3550 and another etherswitch service module and then trying to set my lab up.

jahsoul

I should call this back on the train...lol.

I have been pretty quiet but life has been wild this past month so it has given a chance to really buckle down. I am putting all of my focus on passing the CCIE R&S in the next few months.

I am going to clock around 250 hrs theory and try to get at least 100 hr labbing for the written portion and see how that goes. Unlike most, if you read through this thread at anytime, know that I'm skipping the CCNP so a lot of this is professional level supplementation. But it is going better than I thought. I'm reading TCP/IP Vol 1 and if you could see all of the highlights that I have in this book. lol. I am also in the process of getting my lab up. Because I live in an apartment, space isn't the greatest so I'm going the hybrid Dynamips/Real Hardware route.

My wife has been super supportive and she encourages me more than myself it seems..lol. Well, it's about time for me to lay down. Spent time tonight studying and looking for the last of this equipment. Honestly, I just might have to take a leap of faith and put some of this on the AMEX...lol...

jahsoul

Who would have thought that a 12U Skeletek rack would be the hardest thing to find...lol. I swear, I spending an hour before I start studying to look for a few last minute parts that I need (NICs, Cat5e, RJ45 ends, etc) and the rack is the hardest thing for me to find. I am going to wait until I get my refund check to purchase another NME-16ES and a server chassis for my white box (which I'm running dynamips out of).

I'm going to study tonight for about 8hrs brushing up on things that I didn't even really have to think about at my last job (sadly IP addressing, which I looked at subnetting examples and probably got around 70% and IPv6...my achilles). Next week, I will hit Routing TCP/IP Vol1 hard next week.

I also realize that I prefer having the books instead of ebooks because ebooks cost about as much as the physical book and I'm looking at the notes I've taken in the book on the fly.

*looking at my little setup*

Come to think about...I think I don't need that rack, just somewhere to put a dry erase board...lol