Moving onto the written

I'm prepared to sit the ONT exam to complete my CCNP. The only thing I'm waiting for is a test voucher to become available so that I don't have to pay the full price. I got laid off a month ago so getting exams comped is out the window.

That being said, I don't really need to hark on the ONT studies any further than I have so I've moved to the CCIE Written.

Here is my plan of attack:

I've printed out the latest exam blueprint from Cisco's site and pasted it to my wall. I'm going down the list, first briefly reading up on the technology for a review then next going into further detail through RFC's, IEEE standards, and books. Once I have a firm understanding of the material I go over it again and take semi-detailed notes by hand.

So far I've gone through the General Networking Theory section and I'm most of the way through Bridging and LAN Switching. I'm spending between 6-10 hours a day studying since I don't have a job at the moment. It's hard to stop myself from over-studying and over-running my buffers, so to speak. None the less, I hope to get through this quickly and with a good plan of attack.

I've read most of the threads here regarding the written (did so before reading the blueprint actually) so I feel relatively confident that I'm tackling this correctly, but if any of you have some parting advice that may help me please share.

Thanks brothers!

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Comments

Paul Boz

Over the last three days I haven't gotten in quite as much studying as I'd hoped for but unfortunately a friend of mine tracked fleas into my house via his mangy dog, so I've had to deal with that problem. I have them under control so now I'm back to lovely OSPF. I got through EIGRP but there really isn't a heck of a lot of substance there.

Currently I'm reading Rahul Hachalia's OSPF essay (he's now a Cisco employee I believe) and going through the docCD's command reference, command by command.

liquid6

What CCBootcamp material are you using? And if you have the time, how do you like it? I have been toying with the idea of getting the written study guide as it is only 99 dollars.

Made a sweet purchase today of Routing TCP/IP, Volume 1 and 2 and Inside Cisco IOS Software Architecture...

Note to self: I need to buy another bookshelf

L6

Turgon

Paul Boz wrote:

Over the last three days I haven't gotten in quite as much studying as I'd hoped for but unfortunately a friend of mine tracked fleas into my house via his mangy dog, so I've had to deal with that problem. I have them under control so now I'm back to lovely OSPF. I got through EIGRP but there really isn't a heck of a lot of substance there.

Currently I'm reading Rahul Hachalia's OSPF essay (he's now a Cisco employee I believe) and going through the docCD's command reference, command by command.

Don't forget EIGRP stub routing!

Paul Boz

Got it in my notes

I'm going to revisit EIGRP. I just really enjoy OSPF. I've spent most of my studying today simply working through SPF calculations manually to ensure I have the mechanism down. I want to be an expert (isn't that the goal? CCI-Expert?) of OSPF so I'm going to really sit down and work through the protocol. I've also joined the IETF OSPF working group to listen in on updates and also printed out the latest v2 RFC.

Paul Boz

I spent the evening going over OSPF authentication, priority establishment, cost manipulation, area formation, and the gamut of OSPF show commands. I'm going to spend some more time working on area configuration later tomorrow. For now, sleep.

batista

I started my ccie .
here is my plan.

ccie written - by 2008 JULY

devil Lab - by 2009 March

hope it work according to the plan

Turgon

batista wrote:

I started my ccie .
here is my plan.

ccie written - by 2008 JULY

devil Lab - by 2009 March

hope it work according to the plan

Realistic enough. You can take the lab soon after a written pass. The main thing is to be prepared for the lab. Good luck!

Turgon

Paul Boz wrote:

Got it in my notes I'm going to revisit EIGRP. I just really enjoy OSPF. I've spent most of my studying today simply working through SPF calculations manually to ensure I have the mechanism down. I want to be an expert (isn't that the goal? CCI-Expert?) of OSPF so I'm going to really sit down and work through the protocol. I've also joined the IETF OSPF working group to listen in on updates and also printed out the latest v2 RFC.

IETF nanog is a good thing. You might try the certificationzone subscription. The white papers are not CCIE lab centric although sold that way, but offer many real world insights. Hot Potato routing et al. I still have those papers filed!

Paul Boz

I've subscribed to the NANOG list for years now. I also subscribe to the OUTAGES list also. I actually had to be subscribe to the NANOG list due to my previous job at a service provider.

Paul Boz

Just a quick update to let you guys know I'm not slacking

I went to Mississippi over the weekend to my buddy's summer house. It was a great chance to get away. I came back full of vigor. Right now I'm going through my BSCI config guide working on redistribution into OSPF. I'm spending a good bit of time on redistribution due to the complexity and sheer number of options available.

Turgon

Paul Boz wrote:

Just a quick update to let you guys know I'm not slacking I went to Mississippi over the weekend to my buddy's summer house. It was a great chance to get away. I came back full of vigor. Right now I'm going through my BSCI config guide working on redistribution into OSPF. I'm spending a good bit of time on redistribution due to the complexity and sheer number of options available.

Im off on vacation myself before long for a two week break. Work has been hell the last six weeks and Im very tired. I expect I will feel better after some time off and it should help the studying department.

A few weeks fully immersed in redistribution will be time well spent my friend.

Paul Boz

In taking a brief departure from routing protocols, I've moved on to QoS. I took the ONT exam just a few weeks ago so many of the concepts are still very fresh in my mind. I'm going through the QoS exam CBT nuggets, reading the QoS exam cert guide, and I've got about ten other books to go through after that.

I really want to get QoS while the subject is still hot in my mind.

Slowhand

Paul Boz wrote:

In taking a brief departure from routing protocols, I've moved on to QoS. I took the ONT exam just a few weeks ago so many of the concepts are still very fresh in my mind. I'm going through the QoS exam CBT Nuggets, reading the QoS exam cert guide, and I've got about ten other books to go through after that.

I really want to get QoS while the subject is still hot in my mind.

You know what they say about QoS, it's all about priorities. (Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad of a joke.

)

nullrouter

The written blueprint subjects are really a rehash of what you should have covered while doing the CCNP, so if you did your homework for the CCNP then the written part of the CCIE shouldn't be too much of a worry.

EDIT: changed should to shouldn't

Paul Boz

nullrouter wrote:

The written blueprint subjects are really a rehash of what you should have covered while doing the CCNP, so if you did your homework for the CCNP then the written part of the CCIE should be too much of a worry.

Well, in defense of the written, the CCNP is very vague about many subjects, such as multicast, mpls, BGP, QoS, and IPv6. I'm going to complete the CCIP as a part of my studies towards the CCIE because it goes into greater detail in three of the five above-mentioned subjects.

I need to spend some time on IPv6 but that will be the last thing I cover.

nullrouter

the CCIP is a good method of preperation, especially for BGP - I did the same thing.

mikej412

nullrouter wrote:

the CCIP is a good method of preperation

I agree. And studying for the ARCH exam was also a good review for the CCIE R&S Written.

GT-Rob

I don't see why you would put off doing the written once you are ready. I mean, you get a year and a half before you have to take the lab, so unless you have pretty loose study habits it should not take 18 months to go from the written to the lab. I would say go for it as soon as you are ready.

Anyway, I have mine booked for the end of July myself. A colleague just took 350-001 a couple weeks back and said it was pretty straight forward, especially coming from NP.

Paul Boz

Why put it off?

For one, I'd rather start working for an employer that will foot at least part of the bill. $400+ for a written exam and $1200 for the lab out of pocket is pretty steep no mater what tax bracket you're in.

For two, I would hope that if I'm prepared to the sit the lab I can also pass the written at the drop of a hat. I'm not in the business of preparing for the written then promptly losing my ability to pass it a little later on down the road.

To each his own though. Everyone has their own strategy and at this level most of them are typically valid

ITdude

Besides the process of studying really helps keep you sharp.

dtlokee

Paul Boz wrote:

For one, I'd rather start working for an employer that will foot at least part of the bill. $400+ for a written exam and $1200 for the lab out of pocket is pretty steep no mater what tax bracket you're in.

That's a catch 22 there, most employers will want you to sign an agreement if you leave you need to pay it back, but won't pay you market rates after you pass so you end up paying for it anyhow.

nullrouter

I think you're in a better position in deciding where you want to go if you have funded your own certification. Yes the CCIE is expensive, especially if you end up having to take the lab a few times, but you really do not want workplace politics dictating when and when you can't take your certification exams, as it will be on their terms, such as only being able to do an exam one every six months, or the always 'next quater' response.
I don't know what the attitude/work culture in the United States is like regarding this.

I learnt early after having a previous employer, more so a new manager in my group, where i was employed insist on me paying back the exams costs* and interest for my CCNA 12 months after the fact of getting the cert. Nevermind the fact my previous manager okayed it, and this one was blowing the team's training budgets on project management courses every other month.

I didn't end up having to pay for it in the end, as it was company policy of supporting education, and this manager was shortly found out to be a big pile of fail, by the higher ups, but I didn't stick around much longer after that, and have funded my own certifications since.

So regardless if an organisation states they will contribute to your costs - there can still be catches to it, or the decision could be left to the whim of a manager who doesnt quite get it.

*All my study material and books etc where my own cost.

GT-Rob

Well, I work for a company that is happy to pay for any Cisco related testing.

Except the lab :P

There is also a couple of things on the written, that are not on the lab (yet), so there is no need to keep them fresh in your mind for months.

For me, its more of a psychological thing. If I have the written passed and a date booked for the lab, its easy to organize my studies and keep motivated, instead of just some imaginary date of "when I feel ready". (obviously if I am not ready when that date comes around I will be pushing it back lol)

Also, FWIW, written is $315 and lab is now $1400 (plus travel)