Passed ICND1, then went to Disneyland!
boredgamelad
Member Posts: 365 ■■■■□□□□□□
in CCNA & CCENT
The topic title says it all... but not really! I woke up nice and early yesterday to go to my nearest testing center (about 30 minutes away). Got there, signed in, used the restroom to clear my head (er, bladder), then sat for the test. I felt like I was breezing through it so I started to slow down around the 30 question mark, figuring that I was maybe doing something wrong. I slowed down a bit and took my time and I still ended with 25 minutes left on the clock. I was very pleased to see my score was 937 
. It's hard to resist shouting and pumping your fist when you pass but somehow I did. That doesn't mean I didn't pump my fist a few times on the way back to my car, though.
So I went home, tricked the wife into thinking I failed (gave her a little
and 
before I pulled a 
. She responded with 
), then packed up for a trip to Disneyland. They were open 24 hours on account of leap day, and it was absolutely nuts! I've never seen so many people in my life. The lines were backed up out of the park and all the way to the street when we left at 11 PM. Traffic was gridlocked, 6 blocks in all directions and it was like a parking lot. We ended up walking to our car because the buses were all stuck in traffic. It was fun until the crowd started getting crazy huge, so I think if we ever go again on a 24 hour day we're going to leave before 8.
Despite my throbbing feet and being stuck in human traffic for several hours it was a great day. Glad that I can now concentrate on ICND2 (and maybe we'll do Knotts Berry Farm once I pass that one)!
. It's hard to resist shouting and pumping your fist when you pass but somehow I did. That doesn't mean I didn't pump my fist a few times on the way back to my car, though.So I went home, tricked the wife into thinking I failed (gave her a little
and before I pulled a . She responded with ), then packed up for a trip to Disneyland. They were open 24 hours on account of leap day, and it was absolutely nuts! I've never seen so many people in my life. The lines were backed up out of the park and all the way to the street when we left at 11 PM. Traffic was gridlocked, 6 blocks in all directions and it was like a parking lot. We ended up walking to our car because the buses were all stuck in traffic. It was fun until the crowd started getting crazy huge, so I think if we ever go again on a 24 hour day we're going to leave before 8.Despite my throbbing feet and being stuck in human traffic for several hours it was a great day. Glad that I can now concentrate on ICND2 (and maybe we'll do Knotts Berry Farm once I pass that one)!
Comments
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martell1000
Member Posts: 389
congrats!
passing with a 937 sounds great fun.
going to disneyland with a billion people in line wouldnt be my way to celebrate a passed exam - but if you enjoyed it i`m ok with that And then, I started a blog ... -
boredgamelad
Member Posts: 365 ■■■■□□□□□□
When we got there (around 1 PM) it wasn't bad--my wife even made the mistake of texting her friend at the gym to tell her it wasn't very busy and that she should come out! Luckily she ended up staying home. If she had come out she'd have had a few choice words for my wife, I think.
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MAC_Addy
Member Posts: 1,740 ■■■■□□□□□□
Congrats on the pass! What did you use to study?2017 Certification Goals:
CCNP R/S -
ChickenNuggetz
Member Posts: 284
Congrats on the pass!:study: Currently Reading: Red Hat Certified Systems Administrator and Engineer by Ashgar Ghori
Certifications: CCENT; CCNA: R&S; Security+
Next up: RHCSA -
boredgamelad
Member Posts: 365 ■■■■□□□□□□
Congrats on the pass! What did you use to study?
From 2008 to 2010 I took a two year community college course emphasizing Microsoft and Cisco network management. So I had already done 4 semester length classes (Cisco Discovery and Exploration) as part of my coursework, but my last Cisco class was in spring 2010. With my Net+ and Security+ I got a job in the industry that didn't require a CCNA and I got lazy. Now that I want to advance I need my CCNA so it's back to the books. So a lot of the knowledge had since retreated to the back of my brain by the time I got serious about studying for it.
Thinking a quick brush up would be all I needed to pass, I watched Jeremy's CBT Nuggets last year (with an account through my work) and sat the exam in December, scoring a 750. Whoops. So in February I broke down and picked up the Lammle book for the 640-802. I read through the pertinent chapters that related to ICND1, about 2-3 hours a night for a week straight. I also used the practice exams from Boson. I re-read the same chapters and felt I wasn't learning anything I didn't already know so I scheduled the test. Still got tripped up on some WAN questions.
At the rate I'm going with my studies, I will probably take ICND2 in three weeks. About half of what I'm reading now is review of stuff I actually remember, and the other half is slowly bringing back long-dead memories of the lab time I put in in 2010.
I don't think I mentioned the best part yet, though--my work is paying for my tests, pass or fail. I don't see myself staying here much longer than another year so I'm trying experience as much of THAT as I can. -
Roguetadhg
Member Posts: 2,489 ■■■■■■■■□□
boredgamelad wrote: »That doesn't mean I didn't pump my fist a few times on the way back to my car, though.
In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
TE Threads: How to study for the CCENT/CCNA, Introduction to Cisco Exams -
boredgamelad
Member Posts: 365 ■■■■□□□□□□
I'd be lying if I said I didn't put my fist up against my laptop screen at work just now.
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martell1000
Member Posts: 389
congrats!
did you go to disneyland again ? And then, I started a blog ... -
MAC_Addy
Member Posts: 1,740 ■■■■□□□□□□
boredgamelad wrote: »Just a quick update... passed
Congrats! Now you're a full-fledged CCNA! What's the plan from here?
EDIT: Perhaps I should actually read - I didn't see where you put in your signature about the CCSA until after I posted.2017 Certification Goals:
CCNP R/S -
beach5563
Member Posts: 344 ■■■□□□□□□□
boredgamelad wrote: »Just a quick update... passed ICND2 with an 874 today.
Congrats man, thats awesome. I'm going to be using CBT nuggets, Todd Lammle and Packet Tracer for ICND1, maybe the boson test too. -
boredgamelad
Member Posts: 365 ■■■■□□□□□□
Thanks for the congrats guys.martell1000 wrote: »did you go to disneyland again
?
No, but it just so happens that one of my coworkers has scheduled a work outing tonight... so there will be sushi and karaoke until I can't sing or drink any moreEDIT: Perhaps I should actually read - I didn't see where you put in your signature about the CCSA until after I posted.
Of the three primary technologies our company deploys (for customers, we are an MSSP), Check Point is easily the most common, followed by Juniper then Cisco. Moving out of my level 1 position (monitoring) and into a level 2 (tickets and changes) role essentially requires certification in either Juniper or Check Point. I chose Check Point because it's what I've been exposed to most between the two. I've already begun working low level tickets and changes for Check Point and I'm finding it exciting to learn a brand new technology again (new to me of course).
The CCNA was more for me personally since it's something I went to school for, just never ended up sitting the tests. I would like to eventually move into a more Cisco-centric environment. Aside from my Check Point studies I see myself possibly going for my CCNA Security. The tentative plan is to spend a year here once I move into the level 2 job and then start looking for opportunities elsewhere. Where I work now is nice, but there's unfortunately not a lot of room for advancement and I'm not really working with the technologies I want to specialize in.Congrats man, thats awesome. I'm going to be using CBT nuggets, Todd Lammle and Packet Tracer for ICND1, maybe the boson test too.
Thanks, and good luck. You'll do great as long as you're dedicated and thorough. -
beach5563
Member Posts: 344 ■■■□□□□□□□
boredgamelad wrote: »Thanks for the congrats guys.
No, but it just so happens that one of my coworkers has scheduled a work outing tonight... so there will be sushi and karaoke until I can't sing or drink any more
Of the three primary technologies our company deploys (for customers, we are an MSSP), Check Point is easily the most common, followed by Juniper then Cisco. Moving out of my level 1 position (monitoring) and into a level 2 (tickets and changes) role essentially requires certification in either Juniper or Check Point. I chose Check Point because it's what I've been exposed to most between the two. I've already begun working low level tickets and changes for Check Point and I'm finding it exciting to learn a brand new technology again (new to me of course).
The CCNA was more for me personally since it's something I went to school for, just never ended up sitting the tests. I would like to eventually move into a more Cisco-centric environment. Aside from my Check Point studies I see myself possibly going for my CCNA Security. The tentative plan is to spend a year here once I move into the level 2 job and then start looking for opportunities elsewhere. Where I work now is nice, but there's unfortunately not a lot of room for advancement and I'm not really working with the technologies I want to specialize in.
Thanks, and good luck. You'll do great as long as you're dedicated and thorough.
Thanks man, I feel good things will be happening this year. I've been in I.T. for a while, mostly Telecom and Tech support type stuff. I've also taken quite a few cisco classes up in the LA area and all years ago. In San Diego area now and I thing just getting the Cisco cert will get me back in the game. May as well use this time from being laid off to get it. Good luck with your future certs.
