MPLS Study Material + SPEDGE

warriorfan808

Hey guys,

I alreay have my BGP and QOS finished. Now I'm trying to finish up the MPLS exam before it's too late. I already have a CCNP, but I got the older one that required the BSCI, ONT, ISCW and BCMSN, so it looks like I need to take the Route again. I was wondering if anyone here has taken the SPEDGE and the MPLS Exams. If so, how did they compare? I want to pass the MPLS, but I want to sort of kill two birds with one stone. A lot of the material seems to be the same and I figure that I might as well get the both out of the way. I wish they actually had an SPEDGE book.

As far as MPLS study guides. I got my old ISCW CBT that covers MPLS, my old ISCW book, and a CBT that I picked up off of ebay a while back. I'd like to throw another book into the mix for good measure, especially if it come some how come with some labs. If not, it's not a big deal. I can always take some of my old labs and tweak them.

networker050184

The old ISCW material is no where near enough information to tackle the MPLS exam. It barely scratches the surface.

I'd recommend getting the MPLS Fundamentals book for starters and fill in any of the blanks with other sources or free online material.

warriorfan808

I got this Knowledgenet CBT that covers:
MPLS Concepts
Label Assignment and Distribution
Frame-Mode and Cell-Mode MPLS Implementation on Cisco IOS Platforms
MPLS Virtual Private Neworks Technology
MPLS VPN Implementation
Complex MPLS VPNs
Internet Access from an MPLS VPN

It also comes with 10 Hands on Labs
Creating the Core IGP, Intial MPLS VPN Setup, Overlapping VPNs, Separate Interface for Internet Connectivity, Creating the Core - Enabling MPLS, Running EIGRP between PE and CE Routers, Merging Service Providers, Multisite Internet Access, Running OSPF between PE and CE Routers, Common Services VPN and Runing BGP Between PE and CE Routers.

Is this the MPLS book you mentioned? Amazon.com: MPLS Fundamentals (9781587051975): Luc De Ghein: Books

Also, which labs listed would you consider the most important? I don't know if I'll have time to do them all. I'm looking at my schedule and with the limited time, MPLS test expiring, I gotta do the most important first.

networker050184

Yes that is the book! As far as labs, obviously the more you can fit in the better, but I'd probably concentrate on L3VPNs if I was short on time. Some AToM would be good also but that's not overly complicated and can be learned fairly quickly once you have the basics of MPLS down.

warriorfan808

Thanks Networker,

Do you know if MPLS will be importan for the CCIE as well? I'm doing the CCIP to kind of get me back into the grove of studying. I'm not much of a GNS3 guy, but I have it set up on my laptop. Do you know if I'll be able to do these labs with GNS3? Also, were you able to work the Olive? If I can, I wouldn't mind seeing if I can do some sort of mix-mode configuration.

networker050184

There is some MPLS listed on the R&S blue print so I assume the preparation will be beneficial.

I used GNS3 for all of my MPLS+BGP studies and I didn't have any issues. I have also used olives tide in to get some Juniper in the mix though olives seem to have quite a bit more limitations than GNS3 for Cisco.

warriorfan808

Just picked up the book networker, damn I love my Kindle! I know I could have gotten it for free, but my company will reimburse me as long as I pass the test. While I was at it, I picked up the Cisco QOS book. I used my buddy's to study and figured it was a good book to have to use as a reference.

the_examiner

Do we have a CBT or other training videos for this exam?

srg

the_examiner wrote: »

Do we have a CBT or other training videos for this exam?

MPLS Fundamentals will cover the most of it, might want to add some MPLS and VPN Architectures in there aswell as the XR configuration guide for L3- and L2-VPN.

So no, no direct training videos. The old CCIP MPLS videos will get you some way but they're not enough.

lrb

If you can flip the bill for it, get the SPv3 advanced technologies class videos from INE. Specifically for SPEDGE, the videoes you will want to check out are any of hte AToM ones and VPLS.

But as others have said, the best resource is MPLS Fundamentals (especially for the theory) and IOS XR Fundametentals (implementation) should get you through. These PDFs are good resources for ME implementations too:
http://metroethernetforum.org/PDF_Documents/technical-specifications/MEF4.pdf
http://metroethernetforum.org/PDF_Documents/technical-specifications/MEF6-1.pdf

hope that helps

srg

Thanks. SPEDGE booked on tuesday, gonna have a look at those PDFs

lrb

How'd you go??

srg

942p, I was done after about 35 minutes. Really fun exam . Now I'm heading to the SPCORE course in London in a few weeks, that will be the last exam for SP.

lrb

Awesome work! I can't wait to sit this exam, I've been doing a few INE labs SP labs here and there to get some more hands on with XR. After using Junos for years, XR is a real treat to use!

lrb

Crap I just checked the exam objectives and I realized there was an item on PBB. Other than looking at the ASR9K docs, anyone have any good material or books I could grab on safari? Luckily this is only a 'Describe...' topic

srg

Used the course material for PBB.. but as you say its a Describe topic, so whatever youll find in the 9K docs or online should suffice.

lrb

851p! That exam was really a lot of fun and was a nice break from CCIE studies. Lots and lots of MPLS and BGP. Might start looking at SPCORE to finish the CCNP SP before my ROUTE expires!

srg

Congrats! . T'was fun wasnt it? . Im sitting SPCORE tomorrow, pass and I'll be done with SP.