CCNP route on Friday!

f0rgiv3n

Wooohooo! My CCNP route exam is this Friday and I'm stoked. Here's what I've used for study materials:

- Chris Bryant CCNP Route
- Cisco's FLG Route
- GNS3vault labs
- GNS3-labs labs
- Keith Barker's (CCIE) Youtube videos on IPv6 and OSPF LSA types
- iCert phone app for pop-quiz questions when I had free time with no computer
- Good ol' paper flash cards to memorize things like BGP route tie breakers and OSPF LSA types

Here goes nothin'!

drkat

good luck

NetworkVeteran

The Cisco Press ROUTE FLG is really good, so if you have that down, and got in enough practice, you should be well on your way to passing.

For BGP: We love oranges as oranges mean pure refreshment!

(The CCNP covers BGP lightly, primarily eBGP.)

Zartanasaurus

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

The Cisco Press ROUTE FLG is really good, so if you have that down, and got in enough practice, you should be well on your way to passing.

For BGP: I love oranges as oranges mean pure refreshment!

(The CCNP covers BGP lightly, primarily eBGP.)

I added Instant between pure and refreshment for the best IGP metric to the next-hop.

NetworkVeteran

Cisco Website, modified wrote:

1. Prefer the path with the highest WEIGHT.
2. Prefer the path with the highest LOCAL_PREF.
3. Prefer the path that was locally originated via a network or aggregate BGP subcommand or through redistribution from an IGP.
4. Prefer the path with the shortest AS_PATH.
5. Prefer the path with the lowest origin type.
6. Prefer the path with the lowest multi-exit discriminator (MED).
7. Prefer eBGP over iBGP paths
8. Prefer the path with the lowest IGP metric to the BGP next hop
9. Prefer the route that comes from the BGP router with the lowest router ID.

Zartan, nice!

We Love Oranges As Oranges Mean Pure Instant Refreshment.

f0rgiv3n

Dang! I didn't even know there was a saying that I could memorize.... I just did it by repetition LOL... I'll have to remember that one, however I don't see oldest path after #8 nor lowest BGP next-hop IP address after #9. Maybe those aren't official?

NetworkVeteran

f0rgiv3n wrote: »

Dang! I didn't even know there was a saying that I could memorize.... I just did it by repetition LOL... I'll have to remember that one, however I don't see oldest path after #8 nor lowest BGP next-hop IP address after #9. Maybe those aren't official?

This is the full, official Cisco BGP Decision-Making Process--
BGP Best Path Selection Algorithm* [IP Routing] - Cisco Systems

It's open to debate how many steps to memorize. Mnemonics are great! Even if you know it today, will you know it in six months, when you really need it?

(Making up totally goofy memorable phrases is best!)

f0rgiv3n

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

It's open to debate how many steps to memorize. Mnemonics are great! Even if you know it today, will you know it in six months, when you really need it?

(Making up totally goofy memorable phrases is best!)

Bahaha yes, so true. Thank you for the link good sir.

Roguetadhg

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

Zartan, nice!

We Love Oranges As Oranges Mean Pure Instant Refreshment.

Quoted, NetworkVetern.

Jackace

Good luck on the test. I'm just now starting my studies. I'm hoping to take the test in a couple months.

f0rgiv3n

Passed!! Wow, that has definitely got to be one of the hardest cert exams i've taken so far. I rarely worry about time but with this one, I actually had to skip a couple big questions at the end in order to finish!!!

Jackace

Congrats on the pass. Which topics would you say you were not as prepared for as you thought you were?

f0rgiv3n

Thanks Jackace! I seriously have to say it was quite an experience. I'd have to say that with my studying, I actually didn't run across anything I hadn't already studied. Yes, that sounds obvious that it should be that way but with all my other cert exams it's almost expected to get something thrown in there that wasn't even in the exam topics. I ran into two things though, I could have practiced up on path control a little more. The second thing is that I actually had a bug in one of my questions. This caused me to hang up on that question for a long time and since you can't go back, i had to really focus hard on it. I know it was a bug because I came home and did the same exact thing on my lab and it worked. I had to actually SKIP a lab-sim altogether, i was feeling pretty puny right about then. I was glad that I passed though because that meant that I did well on the rest of the exam in order to be able to take a hit like that.

My worst enemy on this test was time... I've never run out of time before, but I did on this test! It's a tough one, and no joke.

Jackace

Did you use any practice tests to help you gauge whether you were ready for the actual test?

MickQ

Congrats!
I'll have to remember oranges in future. I just went with the old priest chanting in age of empires.WLOAO...

f0rgiv3n

Jackace wrote: »

Did you use any practice tests to help you gauge whether you were ready for the actual test?

I approached this certification differently than I usually do. I didn't focus on practice tests as much as the topics as a whole. I looked at this with the big picture point of view and just really covered the topics and did lots of labs. The only practice test I did was the iCert app on my phone which i really don't know how much it helped me but it at least kept my mind thinking about the topics.

I really feel like by the way I studied this exam I learned a lot more than if I had just read the books and studied the details. Also, by taking my time (3+ months) it allowed the information to "settle" in my brain so I feel like I won't just lose this information after a month of not studying like I have.

Anyways, feel free to ask any other questions if you have them. I'll do my best to answer them if I can.

Next week I'll be ordering my materials/switches for the switch&tshoot. Yeehaw :P

Jackace

I hear switch is tough like route, but then tshoot is supposed to be pretty easy. Most people recommend taking tshoot very quickly after taking switch and route.

I too plan to take my time studying for this test. I crammed the CCNA and CCNA Security stuff just to get it done. I want to make sure I have this stuff down well and it sticks for the long haul.

Edit - Which switches are you planning on using?

f0rgiv3n

Yeah, I'm not too afraid of switch after looking at the topics. For me, I have a good amount of experience with most of the topics (with the exception of a few). I plan on taking tshoot the same week as switch.

As far as switches, I'm not sure yet as I haven't done much research yet but I will know soon. I'll let you know what I end up ordering. From what I hear the 3550's or 3560's I think have most of the capabilities that you need.

Jackace

3560s seem to be the best if you can afford them, but $400+ each is a lot of money.

MickQ

3550s did the job for me. I took the extra saved from not getting 3560s and spent it on the learning materials.

f0rgiv3n

Perfect, thanks for the info MickQ. Out of curiosity, how many did you buy for your switch lab?

Jackace

According to the lab manual you need 4 total switches 2 of which have to be layer 3 capable. They recommend 3560s for the layer 3 switches, but many people get by with 3550s which are much cheaper.