My CCIE Journey Has Officially Begun.

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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I just did all of our taxes and I will be getting back enough to buy the rest of my lab equipment. I'm pleased because I don't have to incur any debt, nor sign any type of commitment to an employer for the equipment. My last employer wanted me to sign a 3 year contract in order for them to pay for INE and my own lab.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    jamesp1983 wrote: »
    I just did all of our taxes and I will be getting back enough to buy the rest of my lab equipment. I'm pleased because I don't have to incur any debt, nor sign any type of commitment to an employer for the equipment. My last employer wanted me to sign a 3 year contract in order for them to pay for INE and my own lab.

    Its all good. But there's nothing to stop you doing all INE Vol II exercises on switching right now with what you already have. The weekend is over, get some labtime in at the weekends.
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I've been getting my lab together and my wife hit me with some news that has really inspired me to double my efforts. We have our first Dr's appt tomorrow to hopefully hear our baby's heart beat! I will be a dad in early October if all goes well. I don't want to get too excited yet, but I figured I'd share this with you guys. I did some reading of IRA vol2 this past week and started pulling my lab together. I have been taking care of my wife as much as possible due to the morning sickness and her exhaustion, but I am going to start hammering away on L2 Vol II labs starting tomorrow. I've also had to pay attention to my own health (blood work, weight loss, etc) so I'm hoping for a clean bill of health tomorrow. Hopefully at the end of the 2 Dr appt's tomorrow we'll have a lot of good news.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    jamesp1983 wrote: »
    I've been getting my lab together and my wife hit me with some news that has really inspired me to double my efforts. We have our first Dr's appt tomorrow to hopefully hear our baby's heart beat! I will be a dad in early October if all goes well. I don't want to get too excited yet, but I figured I'd share this with you guys. I did some reading of IRA vol2 this past week and started pulling my lab together. I have been taking care of my wife as much as possible due to the morning sickness and her exhaustion, but I am going to start hammering away on L2 Vol II labs starting tomorrow. I've also had to pay attention to my own health (blood work, weight loss, etc) so I'm hoping for a clean bill of health tomorrow. Hopefully at the end of the 2 Dr appt's tomorrow we'll have a lot of good news.

    Congratulations. When the baby is born, your life will change. Your CCIE plans will be in ruins. Im speaking from experience. You can forget CCIE plans for 6 months.

    So. You need to bust your balls studying for the CCIE right now, so that when that 6 month break opens up, you do it, as you must do, but can then pick up with the studies in due course! But that is only possible, if you study real hard now, before she gets close to full term. A break is only ok, if you studied really hard before the break! If you dont study hard now, and then you have a 6 month break, your screwed. Its one of the reason why people pay for **** real labs.

    I should add, a second baby came along in my case, and three job changes! No wonder it's taken me so long! hehehe
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  • reaper81reaper81 Member Posts: 631
    Congrats on the great news! Study hard now while you have the time but don't forget to take care of your wife, family comes first.
    Daniel Dib
    CCIE #37149
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I've just got done buying 3x1841s with the correct memory and 6xback to back cables (had 6 already). I only need the 9xWIC-1t's, 1x2610xm, and 1x2611xm. I want to sell my 2x2524, 1x1912c, 2x2950's, 1x3550, 2x3640's. Any takers? I can provide more information upon request.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    The full ine lab has been ordered in between Dr appts today. I can't wait to get it all put together.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    jamesp1983 wrote: »
    The full ine lab has been ordered in between Dr appts today. I can't wait to get it all put together.

    Fantastic news. You will be busy assembling all that but Im sure it will help you.
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    reaper81 wrote: »
    Congrats on the great news! Study hard now while you have the time but don't forget to take care of your wife, family comes first.

    Thanks a lot! We had 3 dr's appointments today and all of them had good news for us. We are both really excited now. We were given print outs of the ultrasound and they are amazing. I also ordered my INE lab today so its been great day. I'm thinking the equipment will arrive some time next week. I found my octal cable for my 2509 so I set up all of my switches so that I can lab on that. I'm debating whether or not I should purchase a 2511 and another octal cable so that I can connect all of my devices through it. (not just 8.)
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Turgon wrote: »
    Fantastic news. You will be busy assembling all that but Im sure it will help you.

    It will be good experience.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I started on INE's VolII Config Lab 1 last night. The start wasn't that bad, but I do feel a sense of uncertainty around whether or not I am using their DESIRED method of achieving the goal. The rest of my lab equipment should be arriving over the next 2 weeks.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    jamesp1983 wrote: »
    I started on INE's VolII Config Lab 1 last night. The start wasn't that bad, but I do feel a sense of uncertainty around whether or not I am using their DESIRED method of achieving the goal. The rest of my lab equipment should be arriving over the next 2 weeks.

    If I was you I would forget lab II for the moment. Those labs are gruelling. It's just too much stuff and it will take you ages to get through them well at this stage because there is too much you dont know well enough to execute as a lab candidate that can:

    A. Understand the requirement
    B. Spot the constraint
    C. Filter the options to choose the correct one
    D. Configure right first time and verify properly
    E. Make a mental note on impact on prior on subsequent topics

    My advice is to do the Vol III labs first. Those are doable and will get your core foundation working well. Do that, then do Vol II for the 'good stuff', the none core topics. The Vol II labs are good, but they keep INE candidates busy on rack tokens. $$$$. Be ready for them before you do them!
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    It looks like a lot of my equipment should be here by this weekend. My boss has expressed an interest in reimbursing my expenses for all of the CCIE textbooks, the Written exam, and the INE course. He can't pay me for the equipment, but is trying to reimburse me for everything else. He already told me he'll pay for the lab. He has been assigning me more work off of his plate so I think he trusts me. This has been a good week.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Turgon wrote: »
    If I was you I would forget lab II for the moment. Those labs are gruelling. It's just too much stuff and it will take you ages to get through them well at this stage because there is too much you dont know well enough to execute as a lab candidate that can:

    A. Understand the requirement
    B. Spot the constraint
    C. Filter the options to choose the correct one
    D. Configure right first time and verify properly
    E. Make a mental note on impact on prior on subsequent topics

    My advice is to do the Vol III labs first. Those are doable and will get your core foundation working well. Do that, then do Vol II for the 'good stuff', the none core topics. The Vol II labs are good, but they keep INE candidates busy on rack tokens. $$$$. Be ready for them before you do them!

    I wasn't going too deep into Vol II. I was only attempting the L2 exercises since I have the switches already. Petr from INE has a structure that interleaves Vol I and II that supposedly helps you gain a really in-depth understanding of the material and I'm thinking about following that.

    http://blog.ine.com/2010/10/09/how-to-pass-the-ccie-rs-with-ines-4-0-training-program/
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    The 3x1841s, 1x2610xm (which the seller made a mistake and really sent a 2620xm that I'm going to keep), 1xwic-1t (waiting on 8 more), and the flash upgrades arrived last night. I installed the flash in the 1841s, installed the 1xwic-1t, and upgraded the IOS on 2x2600s (I ordered one of these a couple of months ago) and 3x1841s. They all tested fine. I need to find a better rack and want to get a 2511 to replace my 2509 so I don't have to keep swapping around console cables. I have a wireless connection to the lab so that's pretty convenient. I'm still waiting on 3xtransceivers, 6xback to back cables (had 6 already), 1x2611xm, 3x256MB for the 1841s, 8xwic-1t's, and another octal cable.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I racked up all of the switches, the 2509, bb1 and 2, and r3 after a trip to the hardware store. I ordered mounts for the 1841s, 2610s, and bb3. I got the switches all cabled up and power ran for all of the devices. I'm going to try to rig something up so that I can really get labbing this coming week. I have to upgrade the IOS on a few of the devices before I get started. My wife and I decided we need a new car since we have a baby on the way and both of our cars are older so that has burnt some time this weekend. I've been reviewing my notes in an attempt to keep the theory fresh in my mind.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    jamesp1983 wrote: »
    I racked up all of the switches, the 2509, bb1 and 2, and r3 after a trip to the hardware store. I ordered mounts for the 1841s, 2610s, and bb3. I got the switches all cabled up and power ran for all of the devices. I'm going to try to rig something up so that I can really get labbing this coming week. I have to upgrade the IOS on a few of the devices before I get started. My wife and I decided we need a new car since we have a baby on the way and both of our cars are older so that has burnt some time this weekend. I've been reviewing my notes in an attempt to keep the theory fresh in my mind.

    You will be fine. Once you get that lot up and running and cross the 100 hour lab mark you will be motoring along, finding a groove for daily lab practice.
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Turgon wrote: »
    You will be fine. Once you get that lot up and running and cross the 100 hour lab mark you will be motoring along, finding a groove for daily lab practice.

    You're almost over 1000 hours!
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Yeah it's a nice feeling. Took a few years, but you cant get 1000 lab hours done in a few months either. People try and fail miserably ;) You can do it in a year if you are labbing everyday for 3 hours straight. I could never find that kind of regularity with the demands on my time, and staying up all night to do it would have affected my performance at work and at home.
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Turgon wrote: »
    Yeah it's a nice feeling. Took a few years, but you cant get 1000 lab hours done in a few months either. People try and fail miserably ;) You can do it in a year if you are labbing everyday for 3 hours straight. I could never find that kind of regularity with the demands on my time, and staying up all night to do it would have affected my performance at work and at home.

    You're an inspiration to us all. I can't wait to get started on my labbing.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Hard times ahead my friend. Long hours. Character building ;)
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  • MrBrianMrBrian Member Posts: 520
    jamesp1983 wrote: »
    I've just got done buying 3x1841s with the correct memory and 6xback to back cables (had 6 already). I only need the 9xWIC-1t's, 1x2610xm, and 1x2611xm. I want to sell my 2x2524, 1x1912c, 2x2950's, 1x3550, 2x3640's. Any takers? I can provide more information upon request.

    Hi, I'd be interested in the 3550 as I'm looking to add one for my SWITCH studies (emi I'm assuming?). I was going to pick one up off ebay pretty soon here. You can pm me if you're still looking to sell and maybe we can work something out. But if not, no worries! -Brian
    Currently reading: Internet Routing Architectures by Halabi
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Turgon wrote: »
    Hard times ahead my friend. Long hours. Character building ;)

    Exactly! I'm excited and anxious at the same time.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • TurgonTurgon Banned Posts: 6,308 ■■■■■■■■■□
    You wont pass the lab this year. Look at 2012 as your foundation year. Mine was 2007/2008. I put a lot of time in on lab work during that period. It stands me in good stead to this day. You will spend a lot of time configuring a lot of stuff you dont understand deeply. That's ok. Elapsed time, experience, repetition and reflection makes sense of things.
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I updated the IOS on all of my 2500s. I discovered that my 2522 has an issue that can be bypassed if you tap lightly on the device. I reseated the memory inside the device 3 times, and tightened up all of the screws that mount the board to the case. It isn't perfect, but everything seems to work once you get it booted.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I received the memory upgrades today for the 1841s so I installed them and they tested fine. I'm waiting on mounts for the 1841s, 2500s, and 2610s. I think I am going to purchase a 2511 as well since that will make labbing easier. I sold one of the 3550s today so I'm half way there.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Good morning everyone. I racked up everything last night with the exception of one of my 2500s. I'm still waiting on the mounting brackets. I went on ebay today and found a 2511 for a pretty good price so I purchased it. I'm hoping to receive it by Monday. My lab will be pretty much complete at that point. I've been using GNS3 to lab up some scenarios from gns3vault to just keep the knowledge fresh.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Wow, just started waking up. Last night was a long one. All I can say is BE CAREFUL WITH REDISTRIBUTION! Our security team placed a static route to our core on an ASA that sits between a vendor router and our core. He also had redistribute static under the EIGRP process on the ASA. He placed a default static route on the ASA pointing to an SVI of our core switch (so it would have a return path for device mgmt in case EIGRP went down (enter the routing loop, core sees route through asa, asa has a static back to core). Around 5 pm we lost Internet connectivity. The network team doesn't have creds for security devices and vise versa so we can't see their configs. Some packets would make it out, but some wouldn't. We were seeing a lot of drops. I went to the core (we don't have a distro layer, but working on this) and noticed that we had two default routes that were both redistributed in from 2 different ASAs. Only 1 should exist. The metrics were EXACTLY the same. I quickly powered down the ASA, so that removed the ext eigrp path from the core devices' routing tables through the vendor's router and service returned to normal. The company does a lot of failover in situations like this so it took an additional 2-3 hours to get everything cleaned up. I had a discussion with the security team this morning and the problem will be handled on their end, but what a night! I am going to be implementing a lot of procedures/changes in order to prevent this type of situation from occuring.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • reaper81reaper81 Member Posts: 631
    Fun stuff. Redistribution is serious business.
    Daniel Dib
    CCIE #37149
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    reaper81 wrote: »
    Fun stuff. Redistribution is serious business.

    Indeed.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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