Who is pursuing the CCIE in 2012

It's that time again. Anyone planning on written or lab sometime in 2012? Last year was a tough one on the study front but several blogs opened up that are still going strong with candidates logging hundreds of lab hours although some have choked. I expect 2012 to be a good year.

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Sirsamon

Hello Turgon,

I am quids in for Written hopefully by end of Feb at the latest.

reaper81

Lab booked for late feb. Need to get this done before summer when the little one arrives

wirerat

Hoping to take the written by end of this year. Have to finish up CCDP in the next month or so and then CCIE studies shall commence.

jamesp1983

I'm hoping to pass the Written this month. I also would like to make a lab attempt by the end of 2012.

Turgon

jamesp1983 wrote: »

I'm hoping to pass the Written this month. I also would like to make a lab attempt by the end of 2012.

Your ready for the written. You just need to kill yourself each day for a fortnight with the Odom and Boson practice tests now. 30 hours with that stuff should put you in good stead.

Turgon

Sirsamon wrote: »

Hello Turgon,

I am quids in for Written hopefully by end of Feb at the latest.

Cool. Get it out of the way so you can take that work ethic of yours into lab prep with workbooks. You will be reading plenty of books along the way anyhow.

Turgon

reaper81 wrote: »

Lab booked for late feb. Need to get this done before summer when the little one arrives

Good plan. I know once our kids came along how difficult it all gets!

Turgon

wirerat wrote: »

Hoping to take the written by end of this year. Have to finish up CCDP in the next month or so and then CCIE studies shall commence.

Good luck wirerat. Look forward to your blog on this forum and the written study counter.

sieff

just starting the trek now ... CCIE-V written set for end of Feb.

jameshardy2012

I'm in - although it is very ambitious for a "wintel" guy....

Written by mid March
Lab by 31st Dec 2012

otherwise sign me up for the who's going for CCIE in 2013

Turgon

sieff wrote: »

just starting the trek now ... CCIE-V written set for end of Feb.

Good luck with all that sieff. Nice quote from Socrates. I agree with him on that.

Turgon

jameshardy2012 wrote: »

I'm in - although it is very ambitious for a "wintel" guy....

Written by mid March
Lab by 31st Dec 2012

otherwise sign me up for the who's going for CCIE in 2013

Welcome James. Good luck with your studies this year. The board has a range of people at different stages of their preparation. There are a few like yourself just starting out so feel at home. I look forward to progress on your blog.

vCole

Not a CCIE candidate by any means (I wish!) - but most definitely good luck to those taking the written or lab (or both) this year!

reaper81

Turgon wrote: »

Good plan. I know once our kids came along how difficult it all gets!

Yeah. I already have a son so I know

Won't be easier with two kids though.

jamesp1983

Turgon wrote: »

Your ready for the written. You just need to kill yourself each day for a fortnight with the Odom and Boson practice tests now. 30 hours with that stuff should put you in good stead.

Thanks! I feel pretty good with the material. I will continue to hammer away on the Boson tests. I've been marking the questions I wasn't 100% sure of, as well as the questions I got wrong, so that I can go back and review the explanations. Any more advice about how I can get the most out of these Boson tests?

Turgon

jamesp1983 wrote: »

Thanks! I feel pretty good with the material. I will continue to hammer away on the Boson tests. I've been marking the questions I wasn't 100% sure of, as well as the questions I got wrong, so that I can go back and review the explanations. Any more advice about how I can get the most out of these Boson tests?

Not really. You are using them well after all that reading. Just keep doing them daily. Any questions you repeatedly get wrong print them out and the explanations and put in a ringbinder. Then revise all of them carefully.

yostc

With passing my R&S finally a few months ago I prepping for the security written now.

mikearama

Pfft... pussies. Four kids and counting, here. Yep, we're breeders.

Turgon wrote: »

Your ready for the written. You just need to kill yourself each day for a fortnight with the Odom and Boson practice tests now. 30 hours with that stuff should put you in good stead.

You are not wrong, Turg-baby! The Boson exam sim is very good... well worth the $99. Been at it for a few weeks and it still kicks my ass periodically.

Turgon

mikearama wrote: »

Pfft... pussies. Four kids and counting, here. Yep, we're breeders.

You are not wrong, Turg-baby! The Boson exam sim is very good... well worth the $99. Been at it for a few weeks and it still kicks my ass periodically.

I have never been called Turg baby before but once on another forum as the Turgonator! Its all good. Good luck with your studies my friend and yes the Bosens are good! When will you take the written exam?

Turgon

yostc wrote: »

With passing my R&S finally a few months ago I prepping for the security written now.

Good luck with that first time poster. Care to share with the TE members how you prepared for the CCIE in terms of:

1. Resources used
2. Time on works time to study
3. Employer covering your costs
4. Number of lab attempts

QHalo

Googled his number and found his blog.

CCIE Journey

yostc wrote: »

With passing my R&S finally a few months ago I prepping for the security written now.

Good luck to you sir and everyone else on the hunt this year.

barquera

I'm starting studies for CCIE R&S this weekend.
I will attempt the written by the end of March.
Lab by August.

I have my CCNA, CCNA Security and CCNP.
Total time for me to receive all three certs was 2 years (Dec 2009 -> Dec 2011) and a lot of reading.
Books I've read so far:
CCNA Official Exam Certification Library
CCNA Security Lab Manual & Course Booklet (I took the CCNA Security class at a local community college).
Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE) Foundation Learning Guide
Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH) Foundation Learning Guide

Occupation: Field Engineer for the past 2 years in a hospital environment. All equipment is Cisco. I work 2nd shift so I have lot's of down time which is where I get all of my studying done.

For CCIE Here's my plan so far:
Purchase INE Workbook bundle this weekend.
Use GNS3.
Purchase racktime from INE as needed.
Whatever reading material is not in the Workbook bundle I will purchase on the side.

I am open to advice as well

reaper81

Good luck. Your timeplan sounds a bit strict but it's not impossible if you have a lot of downtime. I expect around 3 passes from the people onboard here for 2012. Anything more than that would be sensational.

mikearama

Turgon wrote: »

I have never been called Turg baby before but once on another forum as the Turgonator! Its all good. Good luck with your studies my friend and yes the Bosens are good! When will you take the written exam?

I'll prolly take it in another couple or three weeks. Almost ready... just a bit more review.

I have a decent lab at home, but I'll pop for INE's stuff as soon as the written is behind me. I'm truly impressed by people who can prep for the written in a couple months... I've been at it steady since June, and the number of topics on the exam (and the level of detail that cisco always expects us to know about each) still scares me.

Did I miss it? Have you stated your intended date for the lab, Turgarama?

yostc

Turgon wrote: »

Good luck with that first time poster. Care to share with the TE members how you prepared for the CCIE in terms of:

1. Resources used
2. Time on works time to study
3. Employer covering your costs
4. Number of lab attempts

1. I have used everyone's material from start to finish but the last 8 months of my studies I used:

INE Vol II
INE ATC
INE Mock Labs
IPexpert 5 day bootcamp
Cisco 360 labs 26-35
Netmaster CIERS2 class
Netmaster online mentoring
Cisco 360 Beta TS Labs
Narbik's TS workbook

2. 4 years start to finish. Had two kids in those 4 years which obviously slows the studies down, but well worth it.

3. None

4. 2

mikearama

yostc wrote: »

1. I have used everyone's material from start to finish but the last 8 months of my studies I used:

INE ATC
IPexpert 5 day bootcamp
Netmaster CIERS2 class

YOSTC... incredible. I have looked at all three of these bootcamps, and have been torn on which to take (not immediately, but when I'm through the INE workbooks). And here you are... having taken all three. Can you please rate your experience with each? Strengths vs weaknesses of each? Would it be your opinion that any one is sufficient?

Preciate it.
Mike

yostc

mikearama wrote: »

YOSTC... incredible. I have looked at all three of these bootcamps, and have been torn on which to take (not immediately, but when I'm through the INE workbooks). And here you are... having taken all three. Can you please rate your experience with each? Strengths vs weaknesses of each? Would it be your opinion that any one is sufficient?

Preciate it.
Mike

It is going to depend on where you are with your studies. The IPX 5 day regular bootcamp I would do in the beginning after doing some full labs. The CIERS2 class I would do towards the end when you are thinking of scheduling the lab.

You can actually read my postings on my blog CCIE Journey for the IPexpert and CIERS2 bootcamps. The CIER2 write ups are actually on the first page still and the IPexpert ones are on the second page.

I also sat Narbik's bootcamp a couple of years ago and his was excellent. If you use the search term "Narbik Day" they should come up as well. I am sure his class has changed a bit since I took it last.

I didn't really see a weakness in any of the bootcamps honestly. One of the strengths of IPexpert's was you got a lot of lecture out of Marko on advanced topics. The CIERS2 class was great at showing me where my mistakes were happening. You could get the same out of INE's graded mock lab workshop as well too I would venture.

I don't think that a bootcamp is a necessity. They do help though and might save you an extra attempt

If I had to pick only one bootcamp to sit it would be a graded mock lab one. As long as the labs are fully graded with reports and there is lecture on them I think you would get the best out of it. That is just MHO though...

NOC-Ninja

yostc wrote: »

It is going to depend on where you are with your studies. The IPX 5 day regular bootcamp I would do in the beginning after doing some full labs. The CIERS2 class I would do towards the end when you are thinking of scheduling the lab.

You can actually read my postings on my blog CCIE Journey for the IPexpert and CIERS2 bootcamps. The CIER2 write ups are actually on the first page still and the IPexpert ones are on the second page.

I also sat Narbik's bootcamp a couple of years ago and his was excellent. If you use the search term "Narbik Day" they should come up as well. I am sure his class has changed a bit since I took it last.

I didn't really see a weakness in any of the bootcamps honestly. One of the strengths of IPexpert's was you got a lot of lecture out of Marko on advanced topics. The CIERS2 class was great at showing me where my mistakes were happening. You could get the same out of INE's graded mock lab workshop as well too I would venture.

I don't think that a bootcamp is a necessity. They do help though and might save you an extra attempt

If I had to pick only one bootcamp to sit it would be a graded mock lab one. As long as the labs are fully graded with reports and there is lecture on them I think you would get the best out of it. That is just MHO though...

How many graded Mock labs did you take?
I have a narbik bootcamp this year. Im still debating when I should take it. I might take it on March.

yostc

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

How many graded Mock labs did you take?
I have a narbik bootcamp this year. Im still debating when I should take it. I might take it on March.

There were 5 mock labs in my CIERS2 class and 2 TS labs

I did 2 more 360 mock labs and 1 more TS lab after the class

Two from INE.

So 9 mock labs and 3 360 beta TS labs total

Narbik's class is great. He also lets you resit the class anytime you want if there is space even after you passed the lab. I am actually thinking of sitting his class this summer just to keep fresh on the material.

NOC-Ninja

yostc wrote: »

There were 5 mock labs in my CIERS2 class and 2 TS labs

I did 2 more 360 mock labs and 1 more TS lab after the class

Two from INE.

So 9 mock labs and 3 360 beta TS labs total

Narbik's class is great. He also lets you resit the class anytime you want if there is space even after you passed the lab. I am actually thinking of sitting his class this summer just to keep fresh on the material.

That's the main reason I picked Narbik is because of the unlimited bootcamp.
You didn't add Narbik's mock lab on your count?
Ill probably stick with 1 bootcamp since I cant afford spending more vacation time due to the bootcamp...

How much total lab hours did you spend into your CCIE lab?
How much money have you spend on your ccie journey ?

Thank you!