16 hours 30 minutes until ...

CVIOCE v6!!!!!!!!!!!!

Analog and digital voice ports, H323, MGCP, Gateways, Gatekeepers, translation profiles, dial peers, RAS, digit manipulation, ...

Setbacks with lab equipment, sample configs that did not perform as stated, integration with CCM, ...

Endless hours chasing my tail ... needlessly ... looking for answers in Cisco's docs/whitepapers, ...

Study beginning @ 5AM and often going until 1AM the next morning, only taking breaks for ... you know ...

Study materials:

CVOICE v6 Official Study Guide
CCNA:Voice Official Study Guide
CCNA:Voice LAB Portfolio

Lab Equip:
2821 w/ NM-HD-2VE VWIC-1MFT-T1, WIC-1T
2811 w/ NM-HD-2V (VIC2-4FXO/2FXS) VWIC-1MFT-T1, WIC-1T, HWIC-D-9ESW-PWR
2611 w/ NM-2V (VIC-2FXO/2FXS), WIC-1T, WIC-1DSU-T1
1760V - VIC-1MFT-T1, WIC-1T, VIC-2FXO, VIC-2FXS
1 x 3550-48-SMI
1 x 3550-24-SMI-PWR
3 x 3024-XL- PWR
3745 - NM-HD-2VE (2 x VWIC-2MFT-T1), NM-8A/S, NM-16A, 3 x WIC-
1DSU-T1-V2, NM-2V (VIc-2FXO/2FXS)
2 x 2620XM as Gatekeepers
CUCM7 on HP DL380-G4
2 x 7960
1 x 7940
3 x 7910

Started reading CVOICE book on 27 Jan.
Reading hours (combined) = ~260
Lab hours = 300+

I actually wanted to sit the test last week but the setbacks with equipment and labs not working cost me.

Hopefully, I am not in for any unexpected surprises!

Test time is 2:45PM with an hour drive to get there. The center I have used for CCNA or the other local centers did not have a test time available!

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Comments

mikej412

Good Luck!!

hermeszdata

mikej412 wrote: »

Good Luck!!

Thanks Mike!

All things being equal, I do have one question (This actually plagued me concerning CCNA)! By and large, is the CP material I listed enough?

Dakinggamer87

Good luck!!

pitviper

Best of luck!!

hermeszdata wrote: »

Setbacks with lab equipment, sample configs that did not perform as stated, integration with CCM, ...

hehehe, now that you mention it, I do recall finding examples in the book that just flat out did not work! Just a couple though and I think that you learn more by troubleshooting them

mikej412

hermeszdata wrote: »

By and large, is the CP material I listed enough?

Absolutely!! Definitely!!

Of course I wouldn't say anything else in case you haven't left for the exam yet

hermeszdata

mikej412 wrote: »

Absolutely!! Definitely!!

Of course I wouldn't say anything else in case you haven't left for the exam yet

Haven't left yet! 9AM local ... 4 hours until departure gives 45 min for delays and relaxation/review before exam time @ 2:45PM local!

Really would not make any difference regarding your answer above to my question concerning study material! Prepared or not, Additional reference material or not, teh exam is scheduled and paid for ... AND ... I have only one chance to pass this exam! EXAM LOCKED AFTER TODAY!

Now, I am just doing a bit of last minute sh, debug, dial-peer, translation rule/profile, gateway/gatekeeper, (CM) CLI work while having my morning POT of coffee. I have my study notes, typed labs w/configs, results and issues encountered, and my books prepared for departure.

Hopefully, when I return, I will return as CCNA:Voice (Ent)!

chmorin

Good luck buddy. I'll be sitting CVOICEv8 after I pass CIPT2 in the next month or so. Best of luck!

hermeszdata

pitviper wrote: »

Best of luck!!

hehehe, now that you mention it, I do recall finding examples in the book that just flat out did not work! Just a couple though and I think that you learn more by troubleshooting them

Part of where I ran into a problem first was MGCP and CUCM 7! I could not get the gateways to register with Call Manager using the host name (IP addy was fine) I finally added CM as a host on each router. Then I had issues with getting T1 trunks to register without consuming all the DSPs available (limiting to 12 time slots). After, I decided to enable domain name lookup, putting all the devices into DNS on my domain controller. Again, I could not get the gateways to register with the CM using the hostname as suggested. Finally, burried deep in some obscure CM document I came across after hours (days) of looking I found out I needed the FQDN (yes, I have been using the domain name ******.local on all my equipment)!

Then there was SIP... I did manage to get a 7960 and 7940 set up and working with a sip image and one 3rd party SIP Softphone (IP communicator will not work on my i7 machine!) to ring and talk with all the other phones! ... Still confused but I think that is covered elsewhere.

Finally, there were the Gatekeeper issues (which kinda goes back to the CUCM registration issue!) Ond source (KW video) used the zone local [remote] ZONEA MyDomainName.local IPaddress format. Another source, Cisco, recommended using the gateway's hostname for the zone name, zone local [remote] DenverVoIP MyDomainName.local IPaddress. Still another, zone local[remote] DenverVoIP.MyDomainName.local IPaddress. Using the actual hostname caused issues with GW/GK local zone registration. Additionally, nothing in the book (or Cisco's docs) said you could not use a WAN interface (Frame Relay, T1) as the RAS interface on the gateways! I tried using the LAN interface, F0/0.1 on the gateway in the 2nd local zone (on a different subnet) and could not get that GW to register even when I told the GK to allow that subnet! I finally went in to all my routers and switches and added loopback0 interfaces, registered them in DNS and used the loopback0 addresses as the RAS address on the GWs and in the GK config!

All of this brought in another twist regarding Call Manager Registrations (CUCM/CME) and how/where phones register! It's almost as though it would be better to have been studying CVOICE and CIPT1/2 at the same time! ccm-manager, sccp, srst!

Holy Crap!

It was easy to get side-tracked, but, all this was discussed at some level in the study guide and therefore I felt it necessary to explore and confirm integration! I know the exploration above did not hurt the study effort, but I am not sure how much it helped (or to what level it may be addressed on the exam)!

Now, back to the final prep. I am working on registering the GKs with CM and doing a final with CUBE before heading out.

mikej412

hermeszdata wrote: »

Prepared or not

Hum....

hermeszdata wrote: »

Reading hours (combined) = ~260
Lab hours = 300+

I vote for "Prepared"

hermeszdata

chmorin wrote: »

Good luck buddy. I'll be sitting CVOICEv8 after I pass CIPT2 in the next month or so. Best of luck!

Thanks. I am trying to figure out what my next step will be, pass or fail CVOICE. I was debating doing CCNA:Wireless or Security next, but I think I may jump into SWITCH first. I am inclined to wait until the new v8 Study Guides are out before continuing the CCNP:Voice track. I can always pull the Cisco docs for CUCM and play while I wait. I also need to set up another CM box, either in VM (I tried once but was not successful) of find another HP DL380-G4 that I can get for a steal (I paid $125 for the one I currently have plus another $75 for a second processor and memory upgrade).

So, I am open for suggestions.

hermeszdata

mikej412 wrote: »

Hum....

I vote for "Prepared"

ME TOOOOOOOOO!

The only variable is the Brain Fart Factor! who knows when that will kick in unexpectedly! LOL

hermeszdata

"I just wanna celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Finished test with 40 minutes to spare!

918

My office is more quiet than it has been in months.

mikej412

Congratulations!!

I think I've got a cold one

(or two or ten) in the fridge that I can open to help you CELEBRATE

Edit: I don't know why, but beer ALWAYS tastes better when someone has passed an exam.

hermeszdata

mikej412 wrote: »

Congratulations!!

I think I've got a cold one (or two or ten) in the fridge that I can open to help you CELEBRATE

Already have the Chivis, neet of course,in the glass!

The question is ... where to go from here?

Is the CIPT1/2 v8 substantially different from the previous version? (Based on the Publish date of the new guides)

There is no doubt that ROUTE, SWITCH, and TSHOOT (CCNP) are a great thing to have complete.

Then, there is the 'NA:Wireless/Security option.

Questions, questions, questions.

Here is my senerio:
I am an independent contractor. When I work, (I am currently out on Temp Total Disability as a result fo a work related auto accident) I rarely have the necessity/ability/opportunity to get into/access the cisco equipment I am on site to support ... but it does happen. I am, however, trying to leverage myself to being able to move away from the Wire Monkey (eyes and hands on site) to a situation where I am able to work remotely, in my tighty whities, from the comfort of my own office 75% of the time! (Wishful thinking! Or as my Hungarian bride would say, "Drunk Priest's Dreams!")

Because of the TTD mentioned above, I am able to dedicate the study time (evidenced by the CVOICE in ~ 30 days) but ... what I receive in TTD income is a small fraction of what I could make IF I could work as I did before the accident! Just like everyone else, I need to get the most "BANG" for the buck! This means, I need to be very careful about how I invest in study materials and test expenses. Everything I have accomplished thus far has been strictly Self Study with Official Exam Certification Guides, Cisco Docs, and Todd's CCNA Study Guide! As much as I would like to invest in CBT and similar aides, the funds are not available.

So, What is the BEST, next step recommendation?

chmorin

Major congrats! With the hours you put into it, you earned it!

tokhss

congrats!!!!!!!!

hermeszdata

chmorin wrote: »

Major congrats! With the hours you put into it, you earned it!

My wife is looking for a bit of Quality Time! For the past week, I have had the DND sign on my office door. I posted a schedule ... : (I always make coffee in the morning!)
Call me for lunch @ ...
Call me for dinner @ ...

and ...

Absolutely, DO NOT ask me when I am coming to bed!!!!!!!!! "I'll be there when I get there!" Bless her heart, She cried when I announced my/our success! I could not have accomplished this (30 days to CVOICE) without her support!

I/she knew I needed to beat the lock date. Now, with this landmark behind, I still need to plan the best course of action!

I have always been a "Jack of all trades" and the broad range of knowledge I have attained over the years has generally paid off very well. The question now is ..."What is the path which will open the greatest future potential in the most efficient manner!" If this were Electrical Engineering, I could answer in a heart beat!