From: Jay Chandradas (jachandr@xxxxxxxxx)
Date: Wed Aug 22 2001 - 10:39:19 GMT-3
Dear Groupmembers !!
I am excited to tell you all that I got my CCIE number yesterday in San
Jose. It was my third attempt.
It was a really challenging experience to go through the lab exam this
time and now I am so excited about it.
I took my first attempt in RTP in 2000 April and my second attempt was in
San Jose , this February.
Let me tell you briefly about my experience and views abut CCIE lab.
After my first attempt I knew , how much more I should learn to become a
CCIE. It was a real humbling experience. I started going through the books
seriously and spend more time on the rack, rather than assuming that I know
enough to pass the CCIE exam. From a lot of experiences from my friends
and my self I started realizing that the main enemy which is blocking the
CCIE is the ego. Try to learn as many thing as possible from any source
possible ..
I studied hard for the second attempt . But it was a failure again.. I
started feeling that I am so unlucky . But I did not give up.. I scheduled
for my third test.
This time I spend more time on racks than on books, since I had read quite
a bit for my second attempt. This time, I went through my books only when I
was in trouble. I was using DOC CD most of the time.. I know only the CD
will come to your help when you are in the real lab. Of course I went
though some of the CCIE practice kit lab by satterlee Hutnik and most of he
labs in CCIE lab study guide.
On my first day , August 20 , I was praying that luck should favor me while
I was walking to my rack in San Jose. I opened my pink folder..started
reading the lab..it was tough I was getting panic thinking.. Oh !! God
again this time.because apart from the basic frame relay and ISDN..normal
stuff everything seemed tricky to me . I could not figure out what they
are asking how to achieve that. I reset my mind and read the lab again.
Things started falling in place a little bit more. I felt more comfortable
to start the lab. Here my advice is, read the lab.. but try not to think
on the issues that you did not understand. Free your mind and start the lab.
I was solving sections one by one.. yes !!! DOC CD was my hero .. I found a
lot of information and answers from the DOC CD. To my surprise I finished
all the one day exercise by 4 p. m I was so relaxed and went back to some
sections that I left out.. again DOC CD helped me.. finally when I left the
first day I was hoping I will make to day 2.
When I came second day.. I saw the folder in my rack. I was so happy and
started the lab again. During the second day.. I felt sections were
relatively easier than first day. I started doing the lab. Soon I realized
that .. nothing comes so easy for CCIE lab. I was stuck for a section
contains 8 marks, which is enough to kill me. I started thinking how to
solve I was running out of idea. I spent 10 minutes and decided to move to
the next section. I reset my mind and completed the easier section and came
back to the problem where I was getting stuck. To my surprise.. I first
idea came to my mind clicked and things started working perfect. My
humble advice is.. if you get into a trouble.. spend at the max 10
minuets.. dont spend more time..you are making a mistake and you will
never see that mistake if you spend more time.. stop thinking about the
problem. Reset your mind move to the next section. After finishing easier
part attack tough sections one be one. You will get some ideas.
I went into trouble shooting..i was asked to find out 20 troubles and make
the lab up and running. it was very challenging. I had to download new
configs and do the lab again. It had covered everything. But everything was
messed up nothing was in place. You have to start from the cabling.. here
I found one thing Dont try to work around your exiting cabling.. There may
be some frame relay link or Ethernet link, which you think is similar to
the old lab. Dont do that.. recable everything after all your are spending
less that 10 minutes. But you will save a lot of time and you will have a
better understanding of the new lab. Again reset your mind from the old
lab. They are not fools to ask the same problem you solved in the old lab.
I found 30 troubles..good issue and simple issue mixed up. Now the time is
up.. and proctor came to my rack looked at one of the router and verified
some routes in the routing table and took the trouble sheet from me and
went back to his desk.. I was panic waiting.. will he consider these 30
troubles as the major faults that he injected or was there any major faults
that I missed due to lack of time. I was praying for the good news.. not
looking at the proctors desk. but looking at my flapping ISDN.. and trying
to correct that. I saw though my corner of my eyes , proctor coming to me
with a pink sheet. I was thinking it was another trouble shooting ticket
sheet that I need to solve. Normally the lab folders are pink in color
right . As he approach me.. I told him without looking at him my isdn
stopped flapping. He said thats fine you are okey with the points. He put
the pink sheet in my desk and said congrats !! you are CCIE 8060 . I
was so thrilled to hear that. I said thank you. I was trying to find some
words to speak to him . I was so happy.
During all the test, my proctor was Jose Martell. He is a very nice guy and
very professional.
My humble advice to all my friends here is that. You will be a CCIE. It
just need dedication.. there in no shortcuts for CCIE. ( not that I know of
:-). Dont give up.. Let it be twice thrice.. even four times.. does not
mater. You will learn more each attempt.
All of us have a good knowledge on the routing switching. We just have to
fine tune it.. put a systematic study plan. And all you need to pass CCIE
is get the right ideas at the right time. Manage your time. Practice..
practice.. practice..
And a final word for this groustudy. This list Rocks !!! I have learned lot
from this list. Met a lot of great persons. Very helpful to keep your
knowledge up-to-date. Thanks to evrybody
Good luck to everybody. Thanks for the patience to read my long mail.
Cheers!!!
Jay
CCIE 8060
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