CCIE written here i come!

ipSpace

Hello guys,

My CCIE journey beggins.
I will start with CCIE written of course. THe following materials will be used:
1. CCIE R&S book by Odom
2. Routing TCP/IP Vol1 and Vol2
3. Some INE videos
4. Maybe some boson Q&A.

Do you recommend something else?

My work study will be as follows:
Monday-Friday from 19:00 till 23:00
Saturday and Sunday, as much as i can. Over 8 hours.

Thanks.

Turgon

Start with Odom and the end of chapter tests. One chapter a day is my advice for starters, dont blitz the reading. Long journey.

Good luck.

jamesp1983

I liked LAN Switching by Ken Clark even though a lot of the material is outdated. I just skipped over the legacy technologies. Like Turgon said, it is a LOOOONG journey. You should read a lot of Cisco docs on the blueprint topics. There are a ton of blog sites out there with useful information as well. I recommend using the Boson practice tests not only for the quality of questions, but also the explanations of the answers. They provide links to Cisco docs on various topics.

down77

Those are great books for the written exam and combined with Turgon's recommendations you will have no problems passing. One chapter a day is aggressive but doable. Looking forward to your progress and good luck!

shodown

when I was doing it, I was like 1 chap every 3-4 days. A chapter a day is insane. I guess it could be done if you broke it down into 15 min sections. When I'm working through a book I usually try to get 2-4 10-15 min sessions at work with nobody bothering me, so when most people do there smoke break's or lunch I read. Then at home I start dinner read eat, talk with the wife read. Then late I recap what I read through notes that I get off the exam objectives.

SubnetZero

I think you will be fine and yes I recomend the Boson ExSim for 350-001. If you're interested here is my CCIE written/lab book list:

CCIE Routing and Switching Certification Guide (4th Edition)
CCIE Routing and Switching Certification Guide (3rd Edition)
Cisco LAN Switching
Routing TCP/IP, Volume 1, 2nd Edition
Routing TCP/IP, Volume II
CCIE Practical Studies, Volume I
CCIE Practical Studies, Volume II
Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture
Deploying IPv6 Networks
Developing IP Multicast Networks, Volume I
The Routing-Bits Handbook
Cisco MPLS Fundamentals

Some of these books are a little dated but very helpful as well. You do NOT need all these to pass the written exam, however they are a great collection for all CCIE candidates to have.

Good luck!

Turgon

SubnetZero wrote: »

I think you will be fine and yes I recomend the Boson ExSim for 350-001. If you're interested here is my CCIE written/lab book list:

CCIE Routing and Switching Certification Guide (4th Edition)
CCIE Routing and Switching Certification Guide (3rd Edition)
Cisco LAN Switching
Routing TCP/IP, Volume 1, 2nd Edition
Routing TCP/IP, Volume II
CCIE Practical Studies, Volume I
CCIE Practical Studies, Volume II
Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture
Deploying IPv6 Networks
Developing IP Multicast Networks, Volume I
The Routing-Bits Handbook
Cisco MPLS Fundamentals

Some of these books are a little dated but very helpful as well. You do NOT need all these to pass the written exam, however they are a great collection for all CCIE candidates to have.

Good luck!

Nice list Steve. To candidates please do not discount older books, they go for good prices used on Amazon and still contain useful information on principles. Solie/Duggan/Caslow/Clark are all good buys and reads..

ipSpace

Wow, thank you for all the hints guys and the book lists and recommendations.

I just finished Chapter 1 and 2 today. Good reminders and did took some notes.

I will also try the Boson software when i am close to taking the Written Exam. I think i am going to schedule this in May of 2012.

So i need to get more books for the whole journey.

Going to bed now, as i am tired from all the work from today.

Turgon

Good luck. We had Pavel pass his CCIE a few years ago on TE and he was from Bulgaria I think. Just keep studying! Rest well!

ipSpace

Well this was a good day. It started with a breakfast with an old friend that just came back from Germany(social life impacted the study ).

I started at about 12:00 and ended just now, almost 00:30. GmT+2 .

A total of almost 9-10 hours of reading. I will mark it as a nine.

I finished all chapters till the 6th included. Took some notes and did some Q&A(it was a nice refresher)

I still have some doubts about what should i do(i think am going too fast) as i did not get any lab hours.

For ex: I never used OER/PfR before, so i am not sure if i should lab it, or do that later when i schedule some days only for labs.

What is your approach in this ?

Mine is study hard the theory and just after the theory is pretty solid, lab the technology. With this state in mind, i will start to lab after finishing the whole CCIE R&S book .

Turgon

Dont worry about labbing in February. Just read and get through your first pass of Odom. Understand what you can and move along..you will be back But dont kill yourself with reading. One or two chapters of Odom a day is plenty. Think over what you are reading and use the CD that comes with the book to answer the end of chapter questions.

ipSpace

Well the weekend has passed. I managed to read the EIGRP and OSPF chapters. I also did the Q&A that Turgon suggested.

Today, again 9-10 hours, but count is as a Nine.

Found some technologies that i need to recap more(Frame Relay).

Also my notes are getting big, almost 66 pages of hand-written notes.

Turgon

Good progress. Keep pumping and hit 100 hours.

ipSpace

Route Summarization time !

@Turgon

You really know how to motivate ppl. You are a gold mine for this forum

Turgon

I do my best. My hours are improving and when they dont I can try and motivate a few others. I sense the next 8 weeks will be crunch time for a number within our stable of students..one or two are flagging now. Tough track.

ipSpace

Well, i finished this chapter and got a lot of notes. Redistribution is a good topic and Odom book really explains it well(the book is very well written!).
Going to bed now, but note before creating some simple scenarios for my training tomorrow.

I will create a training for some 'almost' CCNA from the company i work for. It will be a nice training session and i hope they learn a lot(a training ppt is already created, i will create some tricky scenarios for them)

Offtopic: I stand corrected, Turgon = gold mine. Do not believe me ? Look here http://www.ipspace.eu/turgon.jpg . I was wondering where my thread went )

Ontopic: 4 hours done today. Updated . 26 hours now.

Turgon

Looks good. Progress is solid. Suggest you schedule the written for Easter at this pace, but keep reading and avoid ****. Im making no judgements about you, this is for the wider audience...Im sorry to say that most CCIE written takers I meet these days just use tk. 100 hours with that doesn't count, my mother could pass with that.

ipSpace

In my opinion **** are really stupid. They cannot get you anywhere except embarrassed at an interview with a real CCIE. The real ones will smell a CCIE that has dumped everything from a mile away.
I know **** exists, but for me they are for the stupid and weaker people.
I am planning to get up to 300 hours before taking this.

Turgon

200 is enough for written. There are **** for the lab too. Gotta love it. I feel for the v3 people who really studied for their exam during a period when there was a plague of numbers given to people who purchased 'reallabs'.

The issue for the dumpers today is they are up against real world requirements anyway. A CCIE earned well gives them a chance in interview and in live network engagement. A dumped CCIE really doesn't and a CCIE who doesn't have the goods is an epic fail these days. News travels.

ipSpace

Well today was a bad day for science!
Only managed to get 2 hours of BGP. I had some other chores along the house . Did not even got to half of the BGP chapter and tomorrow i have to go to the doctor for some routine things.

Tomorrow i will just read all my notes, but i will still add that to my counters.

Turgon

That is because you have a life and life gets in the way sometimes. Make time for the non CCIE things and the studies will follow. People do bad maths assuming 3 hours of study a day multiplied 365 days a year. It doesn't work like that.

Keep studying. On the 7th February 2013 you will have come a long way, if you make it that far.

ipSpace

Well came late from the doctor. Everything is fine, i am healthy to go for the CCIE .

I had to create some hosting packages for some new clients(i am a hosting reseller) so it took me 30 minutes more.

Too tired to learn anything else. I will relax today and tomorrow i will be back on track.

@ Turgon
I will definitely make it!


A word of wisdom for all the CCIE wannabes like me that i heard a long time ago:
"Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better."

Turgon

Get rest! Remember when you are resting you are training. You will be studying for this lab exam for two years. Pace yourself.

jamesp1983

inSecure.ro wrote: »

A word of wisdom for all the CCIE wannabes like me that i heard a long time ago:
"Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better."

Glad to hear you're healthy! That is an excellent quote.

ipSpace

Thanks guys. Btw, good luck on Saturday James!!

Do you know which videos are good for the CCIE written ? (i only need it for this, so it has to be full of theory and less labbing).

Tghanks

jamesp1983

ipSpace wrote: »

Thanks guys. Btw, good luck on Saturday James!!

Do you know which videos are good for the CCIE written ? (i only need it for this, so it has to be full of theory and less labbing).

Tghanks

Thank you! I'll need it. I've been really enjoying the ATCoD videos from INE.com. They are detailed and interesting. They also have updated their Written CoD. The old Written material didn't go that in depth so I was happy to see that they updated the videos. I'll know if they helped come Saturday.

ipSpace

jamesp1983 wrote: »

Thank you! I'll need it. I've been really enjoying the ATCoD videos from INE.com. They are detailed and interesting. They also have updated their Written CoD. The old Written material didn't go that in depth so I was happy to see that they updated the videos. I'll know if they helped come Saturday.

Thanks James for the info!

Today i managed to squizz 1 more hours. Have 14 pages till i finish the BGP chapter 10. Now i have to make some modifications for some clients at my company...and then of to bed.

Tomorrow i will also find out if i managed to get the Senior Network position that is available in my company(took a test). If i get that, i have to learn a little of voice and more ASA. But i think that is going to take me about a week or 2 and i am going to put that between my CCIE studies.

We'll see tomorrow.

Turgon

ipSpace wrote: »

Thanks James for the info!

Today i managed to squizz 1 more hours. Have 14 pages till i finish the BGP chapter 10. Now i have to make some modifications for some clients at my company...and then of to bed.

Tomorrow i will also find out if i managed to get the Senior Network position that is available in my company(took a test). If i get that, i have to learn a little of voice and more ASA. But i think that is going to take me about a week or 2 and i am going to put that between my CCIE studies.

We'll see tomorrow.

Keep studying for the CCIE everyday. Even half an hour of reading helps. The important thing is still to be studying in 6 months time..

ipSpace

Well did not get the position, because i do not have the 'experience' yet. It is true i have 2 years of experience, but...
Doesn't really matter, nobody got the position and i will get stuck with all the attributes of the Experienced Engineer(this is how they save money, pay me the same but with more attributes).
How is the saying: "A kick in the ass is a step towards another company" j/k.
Well of to BGP now. Will come back later.

ipSpace

Finished with BGP. Still i have to take another look on my notes, a LOT of information there. I will do this after the 1st pass over the Odom book.

Going to QoS now, but that should be easier since i already passed through the QoS once.

ipSpace

Well, managed to get 5 hours of studying today. I finished chapter 12, and it was pretty ok.

Tomorrow i am not going to learn anything since it's my birthday. I'm turning 25 i am getting old.

Congrats to James for the pass!!