Re-cert time...

scheistermeister

Been a long while since I had been here... But it is coming down to the wire on my NP expiring so while having a late night cram session I decided to post up. Basically my NP expires 8/18 and to have to go through 3 new tests would suck bad so I decided to pick the test I did the best on my last time through and give the new version a whirl. SWITCH it is!

When I went through the NP my first go around I took BCMSN as the first test and knocked it out of the park on the first try. Since then I have gotten an awesome job as a LAN Net Eng as well, but I mainly work with Alcatel gear (with the local ISP) instead of Cisco (although there is still plenty of Cisco).

I have been watching the new CBT Nuggets and reading the OCG. Figure I will take the new test sometime today and hope for a pass. If not I figure I will have some time to study what I was lacking and take another go at it. My last ditch will be going for TSHOOT if something goes horribly wrong...

PS No offense to to the people who have sent me 48 PMs from 08... But I doubt I will answer them :P

Chris_

Good luck. Although, having recently done all three, I woul recommend TSHOOT as the quickest and easiest recertifying option. Have a look at my post on it from a few weeks ago - especially if you have a bit of experience. The switch exam has a really ba rep for being a terrible exam, for all the wron reasons (ambiguity and poor language in the questions and answers)
Good luck whichever you choose, nothing like cutting it fine

esswok

WoW,,, you have mighty big ones to wait this long!

I second Tshoot as choice

scheistermeister

Didn't do it yesterday... Decided that 24 hours with no sleep and a cert exam wouldn't make for a good time... So I took it today.

Passed, NP for another 3 years.

Interesting sims, wasn't quite expecting those or as many as I got. Most of the questions didn't seem too rough and pretty much from the blueprint, although it seemed a lot heavier in some than others. Feels good being able to brush-up for 2 days and then go in and pass the test

Next on the list will probably be the CCIP since work is trying to get a company to come in and give a bunch of us a boot camp on it. Who knows though, after passing this on the first go around I feel pretty confident and may go for some of the lower hanging fruit like the CCNA: Security/CCDA/CCNA: Voice after a few days of study since I found out that I am able to go take the certs on company time... Not to mention I get a bonus for each one I pick up

esswok

Dam! 2 days study wow!

I'm not worthy

congrats!

DID you do the ccnp switch exam?

wow!

yeah me doing ccna security now and it is not so hard.

I am looking at the ccip and ccnp security exams as a good way to easily keep my ccnp cert status current.

I am just not sure which way to go I love all of it, but i know I need to make a choice and follow that path.
I sure would like to be able to do a CCIE in a few years.

down77

Congrats on the pass! Can't wait to see your posts in the CCIP forums.

You should take TShoot cold just to see how well you do! I've been debating the same as a "prep" for the CCIE Written exam.

Again, great job!

scheistermeister

Thanks guys!

down77 wrote: »

Congrats on the pass! Can't wait to see your posts in the CCIP forums.

You should take TShoot cold just to see how well you do! I've been debating the same as a "prep" for the CCIE Written exam.

Again, great job!

Actually, TSHOOT was my backup plan. One guy I work with recently went through getting his NP and said I should have gone with the TSHOOT since it is similar to what we do while on call. I would love to do the IE (only one where I work), but I don't feel I have the time with all my other hobbies and I feel I need a lot more BGP and MPLS know how before I would attempt it. I might after I go through the IP cert.