BGP cleared

Today I have passed the BGP exam.

It took me arround one month and a half to prepare.

I have used these materials:

- Routing TCP/IP Vol2 (only BGP chapters of course) ==> Very well written, comprehensive and concise! It's a must!

- Internet Routing Architecture ==> Very good but really needs an update. A new updated edition will make it the best Internet routing book ever!

- BGP Labs from Narbik's "the Gap" workbook

- Practice questions from Boson and Transcender

- Cisco's BGP case studies

- Cisco.com

How the exam went:

- I almost run out of time

(even with the extra 20 min (or 30) additional time for non native english speakers. I have never been in this situation before. You just cannot focus when the time is nearly up.

- As always. I have got my portion of the "weirdly asked" questions

.

- As NOT always. I got some questions where I asked myself "Are these topics on the blueprint?" ==> Solution: tried to eliminate the weird choices then followed (sheepishly) my feelings for the ones left

. I still have no clue if my answers were correct or not.

- At the end, I said that I will not be surprized if I do not pass as I did not feel in control of this exam as previous ones, but the result was good. A very good score! Relying on feelings helped maybe... Or just some luck points I had left from a previous challenge lol

Next. MPLS!

I have already ordered MPLS Fundamentals and will maybe start next week.

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Comments

networker050184

Congrats!

mikej412

Congratulations!!

The questions with exhibits and configurations can really suck down the time. Plus I think BGP was the first Cisco exam I took where the SIMs were more than just a few commands.

The BGP blueprint exam description mentions some things that aren't repeated in the topic list -- but can still be on the exam. If you don't research those then you could have a few questions that are a "surprise."

instant000

Congratulations!

jadouking

jadouking wrote: »

Today I have passed the BGP exam.

...

... MPLS done!

Today I have passed the exam.

I have used these materials:

- MPLS Fundamentals ==> Everybody seems to be happy with it. I just was not.
True. It is the most complete book for the exam. it is also newer than other good books (Ivan's book...). But, I just did not like the author's lengthy way of explaining things (and re-explaining them). Sometimes I get lost between the lines and engage in daylight dreams

... Well... It is a strictly personal opinion.
Anyways... it did its job!

- MPLS and VPN Architectures ==> Used it only to re-read some specific topics. especially, the ones that I did not grasp well from MPLS Fundamentals book.

- Cisco website.

- Labbing and Labbing!!! I did not look for fancy big labs. I just made small and concise labs with minimum routers possible to validate my knowledge on most of the "Labbable" topics.

- did also some wiresharking. It is really fun to see stuff happening in action (ttl propagation, ldp operations, ext-communities & vpnv4 NLRIs being carried by bgp updates).

- Practice questions from Transcender

How was the exam:

- The questions were not difficult compared to what you would have learned from MPLS Fundamentals and other MPLS books.

Next. QOS!
I hope I will manage to get it quickly. I am fairly familiar with the topics.
I had already studied for the exam last year (stopped at FRTS

) but had to stop because of some personal reasons. QOS was also in the ONT blueprint.

shecool

Congrats! Can I ask, how long did you spend on studying for MPLS?

Good luck with QoS!!!

jadouking

Thanks!

I spent about a month and a half. studied most days. Including the weekends.
I do 2x 45min train journey to and back from the office every working day. I always try to do some reading in it.

If I'm not mistaken. I see (from your signature) that you would start CCIP or CCNP track.
Just a small advice. In case you have chosen CCIP, do BGP before MPLS.

QHalo

What's your previous overall neworking experience level?

whatthehell

Congratz and thanks for posting the resources used!

SteveO86

Congrats!

nel

congrats man! well done.

I see you studied around 1 and a half months for each exam. how much experiance do you have with these technologies? im thinking of doing them after NP but have little experiance in bgp and no experiance in mpls.

Thanks

jadouking

I've been working as Network Engineer for almost 7 years now.
Oh yeah! I still remember my first job like it was just yesterday

... Time flies.

I worked in different places using different Technologies, vendors...

For MPLS. I did not have that much contact. It was mainly self study (when I was studying for ISCW or MPLS exam).

But, you know. You do not need working experience to answer 60 questions correctly as you do not need a "piece of paper" to be a good engineer and to do your job correctly. Not knowing where the B/S bit located in a label does not mean that you cannot operate an MPLS network! However, for an exam, it counts...

And... One and half months are long enough to know where that B/S bit is located

jadouking

QOS done yesterday. Kinda dry topic (but good anyways

)

CCIP completed

Fairly easy exam.

Now the real stuff is about about to begin

down77

Congrats!

Time to join in the hunt for your 5 digit #?

jadouking

down77 wrote: »

Congrats!

Time to join in the hunt for your 5 digit #?

Thanks

Yes it is time!
I´m starting this week with routing TCP/IP vol1.
I bought the INE ATC vids.

I´m fully aware that it´s gonna be PAINFUL but fun also.

gaby_978

Congratulations!!!!

I just started studying for the MPLS exam. I know you said to go for the BGP first but for work reasons I need to learn or become familiar with MPLS fairly quicly. So far I have been reading MPLS Fundamentals and plan on doing some labs in GNS. Hopefully I will be able to know out this test by the end of january.

Again Congratulations on your CCIP.

nel

congrats man!

jadouking

Thanks Gaby!

Good luck for the MPLS exam.
I used the same book for MPLS preparation.
Indeed. It is suitable to start with BGP but itś not impossible to go straight to MPLS.
Basic BGP knowledge is still highly recommended if not mandatory.

You will still need to figure out how to:
- Configure PE-CE EBGP
- MBGP to IGP redistrib
- BGP SOO
-...

Do not hesitate to read/review any BGP topic when you feel that not knowing/understanding it makes grasping an MPLS related topic more difficult.

jamesp1983

Congrats man and good luck on the IE.

tomaifauchai

Congrats on the pass!

MrBrian

Late congrats on the CCIP!! Nice to see your progress. Good luck on your trip up Mt. Everest!! (ccie) I'm sure with the same work ethic it will be no problem

jadouking

A late Thank you for the nice words

Good luck on the Route exam! It's full of fun!