bcmsn PASSED 814

keenon

i think i'mma make a run at this in a 3 weeks.. going to cram down cbt nug, condense book to cram guide and test sims.. any other pointers from any others that have passed it?

wildfire

know 802.1Q inside out and backwards! dont worry to much about ISL

I was caught out with questions on QOS wasnt expecting that at all!

Test itself I found fairly easy, even though I find switching the hardest bit as I dont use Cisco Cats at work, we use Nortel Junk instead.

I wasnt sure on a couple of the IP multicast Q's either, and I had to do some trunking which cos at the time didnt have decent switches hadnt really practiced.

If you have boson netsim it only does limited bits.

Good luck Im sure youll breeze it

keenon

it has taken me a while longer than i orginally planned but i have schdeuled the test for wednsday, prepping doing some review over qos,stp,vlans, vtp, trunking .. the whole 9 any last min thoughts for previous test takers?

mikej412

I just glanced at the blueprint -- talk about flashbacks!

Your highlight list looks good, but don't forget router redundancy.

The one item in the blueprint that made me break out in a cold sweat was Configure and verify router redundancy using HSRP, VRRP, GLBP, SRM, and SLB - though the verify could easily be replaced with troubleshoot. I got the expected simple questions, but then they seemed to keep coming, and then they weren't simple anymore. And they wouldn't stop asking questions on this item.

The other blueprint item that I remember getting hit pretty hard with was Tune and troubleshoot spanning-tree protocol on a multilayer switched network to enhance network performance, prevent network loops, and minimize downtime. This was expected.... annoying, but expected.

It was probably just luck of the draw, but my QoS questions seemed lightweight. But with all the QoS studying I did for this test, I'm planning to take the QoS exam after I finish the CCSP (I had all the Cisco Press books for the old CCSP tests, so I registered before Dec 19th for the old tests and I've got until Feb 2 to take the 3 tests that are being discontinued).

I can't even remember my sims, other than they were straight forward and easy -- ah, and I just remembered one - easy easy easy.

Probably the best advice -- some last minute hand-on practice with both switches and routers so you are familiar with the output of the various show and debug commands for the various topics from the blueprint.

If you are as well prepared for this exam as you were for BSCI, you shouldn't have a problem.

keenon

well i left early to the test center, sat in car to review a few things then i went in the building where they were located at only to find out that they were no longer there! and with only 15 min till test time in a panic i went to calling information to get their number and they told me that they couldn't find a listing for them! so i call my wife to look up vue and then the company where i was scheduled to take the test. i get on phone with vue and explain what the situation is the rep goes to looking them up. at that time my wife tells me she has the new address and the rep tells me she has the number but i only have 7 min till start time. its only 2 exits down so i'm speeding to the test center and the rep calls ahead to let them know and i will be their shortly. i managed to find the place its start time now. i've been needing to use the restroom for a while now to add to the situation i sit down after being processed going thru the (this is this and that is that ) before test and i can hear the people at the front desk talking loudly i let them know that i can hear them and they need to be quite! so i sit down and start taking test and get to the second question i feel i'm so screwed



getting to the last question and just going f*** it !


PASSED 814

mikej412

Congratulations -- that wasn't just an exam, it was an adventure.

What did you do to them last test that made them move and not tell you?

So this puts you 1/2 CCNP and still 1/4 CCIP, right?

wildfire

well done good score! how did you find the exam? You did well especially in a stressfull situation like that one

keenon

after looking over everyone elses experience it was a b@#%h,

i need to update my pro


i started with routing but turned toward the switching test first, now its back to routing again. after looking over some stuff i'm thinking on adding the DA and DP on the way to IP.. going to take some of the stuff i learned this time around and apply it to the next tests i study for so hopefully i can hit it in about 6 weeks and not 4 months ( but its hard to say when you have other responsiblities to deal with) but i know how to study better if anything....

Alien

Congratulations!!! . I am still stuck with studying for BSCI. Goodluck on the next one.

fondue

Congrats!

It sounds like you passed the adversity test also. Performance under pressure is a good trait.

TonyATL

Congratulations, I going to take the BCRAN test one more time Monday.