Into the testing center I go...

Deathmage

Round 2, ICDN2.

Except I'm an hour early. Misread the clock on the appointment in the email..

/facepalm

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JoJoCal19

volfkhat wrote: »

Hmmm... at this point, i think that
Re-using the same study material... is going to yield you the same result.

You need new material.

I agree with this. I would utilize new sources of material (different publisher's books, different lab/practice, practice tests, etc).

One source that is wholly overlooked here, but I've viewed the demos of, is Cisco's actual material. Their online exam prep (at least for CCENT, CCNA, CCNA Security) looks really really good. I will make one attempt at the CCENT with reading a book and labbing but if that doesn't work I would definitely go for their online course.

Deathmage

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

I agree with this. I would utilize new sources of material (different publisher's books, different lab/practice, practice tests, etc).

One source that is wholly overlooked here, but I've viewed the demos of, is Cisco's actual material. Their online exam prep (at least for CCENT, CCNA, CCNA Security) looks really really good. I will make one attempt at the CCENT with reading a book and labbing but if that doesn't work I would definitely go for their online course.

Ya I'm using a different video series this time and using Boson much more heavily aswell as keeping my labs within the constraints of packet tracer, basically small, or keep-it-simple-stupid!

Deathmage

/facepalm.....

45 questions into Boson and I got 94% so far, but I am spending like 3 or 4 minutes per question reading them, why can't these be this straight forward to read in the actual exam. On my lunch break and I'm labbing

why can't this be this simple on the exam 1.jpg

why can't this be this simple on the exam 2.jpg

why can't this be this simple on the exam 3.jpg

why can't this be this simple on the exam 4.jpg

why can't this be this simple on the exam 5.jpg

hurricane1091

You know I've mentioned before I don't understand your Cisco obsession when you talked about doing the CCNP (and maybe even the CCIE) because it's not up your alley and it's not what you do on a daily basis. I have not been on here lately but last I saw you were getting looks at some good opportunities. While it never hurts to learn stuff, someone said you may be spreading yourself thin and again I still think that it is the case.

Like, I passed the ICND1 and ICND2 fairly easily. I basically know very little about stuff you know in regards to VMware and Windows Server. I know the basics and the ideas, but not the ins and outs. And that is okay. I don't think you should give up on the CCNA, but I still don't understand the goal here. Wouldn't MCSE and the expert level VMware certs be way more useful? CCNA seems like low hanging fruit in comparison to the things I would think someone in your area of expertise would be studying.

Anyways, you are working way harder than I did for the CCNA - so I do hope you pass. Those 4 things you posted are all very straightforward, and it is good you understand them.

But, if it makes this any better, the Sr. Network Engineer I work with just failed the CCNA. He's a smart cat, and I was quite surprised at the result. Still knows more than me though.

TheProf

Deathmage wrote: »

It's the wording of the questions that gets me and I take time to process questions. 1 to 2 minutes per questions isn't always possible when the sentences aren't clear. most of the time I get hung up on question and devote 3 to 6 minutes on them because there wording is meant to confuse you.

That's the thing, learning to understand the questions is part of the test taking experience... Believe or not, what helped me out most, was doing the MCSA exams back in the day, those scenario based questions where you have a lot of text and then you have to interpret only the relevant information taught me a lot, I learned how to speed read and pick out information quickly.

All this comes with practice and of course, each vendor is going to have their way of formulating and wording the questions.

Deathmage

hurricane1091 wrote: »

CCNA seems like low hanging fruit in comparison to the things I would think someone in your area of expertise would be studying.

Hanging fruit, probably, but I know so many System/VMware engineers that don't know the basics or levels of networking needed to design a VMware cluster correctly. They just google it or ask a networking guy. I don't want to be that guy when I'm prospoing solutions, i hate handing off designs to others.

I'm way to critical upon myself, and I don't like asking for help. I also hate looking like a moron, so to me if I understand something fully, no matter how long it takes to learn, I'm better able to work with the network or systems or storage or database teams. Probably why it's taking me so long to finally get extra time, I hate feeling like a lesser person, Pearson Vue is offering me Standard Time + 100% because of my disability.

I really do feel that a CCNA or CCNP as-well as a MCSA/MCSE are hanging fruits in a IT department. I know it won't be easy for me but I hope someday it will all be second nature to me for exams as it is for the real experience I gain quicker than from taking tests. I have a need and I figure it out, and go with it; hence my massive home-lab, I only learn by doing not by reading.

===========================================================================

TheProf wrote: »

That's the thing, learning to understand the questions is part of the test taking experience... Believe or not, what helped me out most, was doing the MCSA exams back in the day, those scenario based questions where you have a lot of text and then you have to interpret only the relevant information taught me a lot, I learned how to speed read and pick out information quickly.

All this comes with practice and of course, each vendor is going to have their way of formulating and wording the questions.

Hence why I'm living in Boson exSim, not just because I get them but because I want ot get ued to the concept of the wordy questions.

============================================================================
These goals are my dreams and giving my learning disabilities getting them will truly be an accomplishment for me. living a life with learning as a handicap is something I never wish upon anyone. Whelp off to home I go to take a nap for an hour and more studying.

Segovia

Deathmage, I know that's the reason why you won't take the extra time. But seriously, you should do it. :P

hurricane1091

You definitely need to know a little networking but I'm just speaking from experience here. For a company of 2500 and not including managers, we have 3 network engineers, 3 systems/storage guys, and 3 voice engineers. The storage guy does our MDS stuff, not us. Our senior server guy asked to check on some VLAN stuff today for him, for example. The guy that handles all the printers frequently asks me for things as well. What I'm basically getting at is an idea is needed about networking for those guys to ask questions (and vice versa for me for systems stuff) but they don't need to be experts.

I'm just saying you seem to be a smart person in regards to storage and systems. I would pass this CCNA, it's not an option to come this far and not pass. But if you're going to have all the knowledge you do in storage and systems, you'd be better served to get the CCNP level equivalent certifications in that world, no? I just wouldn't be so hard on yourself is all with this. I definitely do want to know more about the things you know at some point, I just don't think I would get certified because hopefully I'll be at a certain paygrade eventually where switching over won't make any sense.

As for me passing the CCNA, I used CBT nuggets and the official cert guide. I mainly used packet tracer for labs. But honestly it was all I was focused on, I was only doing desktop stuff at work and not working on the crazy stuff you are probably working on. So, it was much easier for me I think. I basically had more room in my brain.

Also, I ask so many questions at work. I asked the senior server engineer to show me how DHCP really works. I know what DHCP is obviously, and I know we're using IP helper addresses. From his perspective though, I had literally no idea how it worked. I don't need to know though, because it's not my job. But, he showed me how it was all done on his end and showed me some wireshark runs and it was really cool to see. So, I can totally get wanting to get the whole picture, because I'm the same way (I still have zero idea about voice though). I just don't think you should beat yourself to death with it though, but I know your situation might be a lot different. I guess I'm just thinking about things for myself and maybe you can see why I think the way that I do. I could be studying for the MCSA I guess and knowing how to set up DHCP in our environment (and with 100+ branches, it gets pretty lengthy!) but I don't see the value in it I guess. I could be in the wrong though. Talk to me in a few years when I hopefully become a senior network engineer (so much to learn still!) and I might be the exact same way as you.

I'm not an expert by any means and still really new but I'll help you if I can. I'm trying to think of things you need to know for the exam. Root bridge election, understanding administrative distance, access lists, subnetting, wildcard masks, OSPF and EIGRP, other things I am sure. Do you have any ideas on what you are not getting right on the test?

Deathmage

hurricane1091 wrote: »

You definitely need to know a little networking but I'm just speaking from experience here. For a company of 2500 and not including managers, we have 3 network engineers, 3 systems/storage guys, and 3 voice engineers. The storage guy does our MDS stuff, not us. Our senior server guy asked to check on some VLAN stuff today for him, for example. The guy that handles all the printers frequently asks me for things as well. What I'm basically getting at is an idea is needed about networking for those guys to ask questions (and vice versa for me for systems stuff) but they don't need to be experts.

I'm just saying you seem to be a smart person in regards to storage and systems. I would pass this CCNA, it's not an option to come this far and not pass. But if you're going to have all the knowledge you do in storage and systems, you'd be better served to get the CCNP level equivalent certifications in that world, no? I just wouldn't be so hard on yourself is all with this. I definitely do want to know more about the things you know at some point, I just don't think I would get certified because hopefully I'll be at a certain paygrade eventually where switching over won't make any sense.

As for me passing the CCNA, I used CBT nuggets and the official cert guide. I mainly used packet tracer for labs. But honestly it was all I was focused on, I was only doing desktop stuff at work and not working on the crazy stuff you are probably working on. So, it was much easier for me I think. I basically had more room in my brain.

Also, I ask so many questions at work. I asked the senior server engineer to show me how DHCP really works. I know what DHCP is obviously, and I know we're using IP helper addresses. From his perspective though, I had literally no idea how it worked. I don't need to know though, because it's not my job. But, he showed me how it was all done on his end and showed me some wireshark runs and it was really cool to see. So, I can totally get wanting to get the whole picture, because I'm the same way (I still have zero idea about voice though). I just don't think you should beat yourself to death with it though, but I know your situation might be a lot different. I guess I'm just thinking about things for myself and maybe you can see why I think the way that I do. I could be studying for the MCSA I guess and knowing how to set up DHCP in our environment (and with 100+ branches, it gets pretty lengthy!) but I don't see the value in it I guess. I could be in the wrong though. Talk to me in a few years when I hopefully become a senior network engineer (so much to learn still!) and I might be the exact same way as you.

I'm not an expert by any means and still really new but I'll help you if I can. I'm trying to think of things you need to know for the exam. Root bridge election, understanding administrative distance, access lists, subnetting, wildcard masks, OSPF and EIGRP, other things I am sure. Do you have any ideas on what you are not getting right on the test?

To be completely honest I have no idea what I don't know. All of th tings you just mention I know like the back of my hand. I go through the blueprint and i'm like check, check, check, but come exam day either the question suck or i just don't get them....I'm a slow reader, so maybe the clock issue is what bothers me, takes me a few seconds to process a sentence.

You stick me in front of a CLi and I can find the problem. Translate it in words and I struggle.

I'm literally devoting my time at work to reading the blueprint items one by one on cisco.com, pages after page of technical information. I'm seriously missing something....

hurricane1091

I mean honestly like I said, the guy I work with just failed the CCNA. We're doing everything under the sun that you could possibly be doing at work and that is no exaggeration. Sometimes tests just don't paint the real picture. I passed the Security+ this summer with basically no studying. It's not a testament to me being smarter than others (I knew all the material anyway from experience) but I am a good test taker fortunately and always have been.

I say just stick to the basics. Did you watch the CBT nuggets? Do so if not. Extremely informative series. Don't overthink the questions. The tests isn't geared towards the real world, it is geared towards knowing the fundamentals and that's basically it. That's really the only suggestion I can think of. You've gone above and beyond what is necessary it seems like, and the guy I work with read the book and has 5 years experience doing all the crazy stuff we're doing and managed to fail. Both of you probably overthink it. Don't worry about stub networks and stuff that isn't on there. Don't worry about how you think it works in the real world. Think about how the book tells you to think. I know what you mean when they say "beyond the scope" and it irks me too but I'm telling you forget any complexities. The CCNA was never meant for someone to have the knowledge needed to engineer a network from scratch and I can fully attest to that.

Stick to the basics. Don't overthink questions. Pass the test.

Deathmage

sniffle... this might be the nicest thing a company has ever done for me.

Told them about my disability and how I struggle to understand stuff and they gave me a subscription for a year, even sent over my IEP.

people are nice.JPG

volfkhat

Good job DI.
With the 100% Extra Time... i think you will be ready.

I'm thinking about sending Kyle an email of my own.

I suffer from Chronic Philandering.
*rimshot*

theodoxa

Segovia wrote: »

I don't get it.. You're missing things on the ICND2 exam objectves, so you decide to learn CCNP instead? Well I guess that's not a bad thing, cause you're learning higher level topics which lets you understand the base topic more clearly?

But yea, I need to get down on some GNS3 myself. (Wish I had a real lab )

Makes sense. Some things from CCNA made a lot more sense (or I understood them better) once I started studying for CCNP and now CCIE. There were also some things that were briefly mentioned in the CCNP or CCIE OCGs that were CCNA level, but I had to learn outside the OCG (after missing questions about them on the Boson exams) when I did my CCNA, because they were either not in the CCNA OCG or if they were I missed them.

For example, the current CCNP: ROUTE (I took the previous version) exam lists PPPoE as a topic, but you won't find it anywhere in the ROUTE OCG. OTOH, it is covered briefly in the CCIE OCG. The interesting thing was that Odom's ICND2 (640-816?) OCG went well into CCNP ROUTE territory in its coverage of EIGRP, which helped when I actually started studying ROUTE.

Deathmage

took a two week break to decompress....

back to the studies I go, brain refreshed and I'll give it another go...

Exam is Jan 9th.

fuz1on

Great job!!! I deal w/ a few disabilities myself...