From: Schmitt, Greg (gschmitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Mon Sep 03 2001 - 15:02:11 GMT-3
Today, 30 August 2001, I passed the CCIE R&S Lab exam in Halifax, and became CC
IE number 8105. What exactly does this mean?
As many of you have stated in your e-mails here, it means that I (and my family
) get a semblance of a normal life back. They
have put up with a lot during my quest for the number, and I thank them whole h
eartedly.
I began taking training courses for this exam in September of 1998, and passed
the written exam in February of 1999. Between
then and now, I attempted the lab four times. Twice in Raleigh, and twice in Ha
lifax. This was my forth attempt. Each time I
learned more from my previous mistakes, but then made new mistakes on the follo
wing exam. I also feel that the exams became
progressively more difficult each time with the addition of new technologies an
d thoroughly devious booby traps.
This attempt was much the same as the previous four with the exception that thi
s time I forced myself to relax and follow my
plan. Before the exam, my plan included "thinking time" during which I attempte
d to create a lab scenario in my mind and walk
myself through the configuration and booby trap avoidance. Only if I found a po
int that I could not quickly explain to myself
did I go to one of my books (I brought two up with me). Then I made certain to
allow a solid nine and a half hours between
when I went to bed and when I wanted to be at the lab site. After rising and ea
ting a leisurely breakfast, I arrived at the
lab site fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time.
During the lab, my plan included taking the time up front to create a detailed
sketch of my lab network as I read through the
exam. In fact, I spent the first forty minutes of the exam reading and document
ing. I did not start configuring the routers
and switches until I felt confident with the scenario/solution I had put on the
paper. Being neat and complete helped me pass
on this attempt.
To cut down on typing time and mistakes, I used the Windows NotePad application
to create an alias list, line and vty
configurations, enable passwords, and other common settings such as no ip domai
n-lookup, and ip sync 5. I pasted these alias
into each of the routers, and by using them I probably saved 30 minutes of lab
time.
At the end of the exam, I forced myself to stop new configurations, and start c
hecking what I had forty minutes before the
stop time. It was a good thing too, because I found several spots where I had s
hutdown an interface, or changed a working
configuration in order to test something, and then had forgotten to return it t
o the correct setting. Lesson learned: take
the time and do the check.
Between days (this will not be a problem after October ;-), I once again forced
myself to relax. I did not fret over points I
began thinking I had missed, but convinced myself that I had done my best, and
would make it to the next phase. This also was
my approach between the halves of the second day.
A suggestion for the troubleshooting portion is to practice it just as you do f
or the configuration. Take the time to
practice documenting errors and solutions. You will need to have this approach
well thought out before you get to that
portion of the exam. I did not, and nearly panicked. After forcing myself to re
main calm, I did get through it.
How do I feel now that I passed? Esthetic, euphoric, relieved are words that po
p into my head. Having spent very nearly three
years in the pursuit, I still can't quite believe I am here. I keep looking at
the note that the proctor gave me that says
"congratulations", and has the little number, the one I have been chasing for w
hat seems like forever, printed at the bottom.
Was it worth it? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes. If you have set becoming a CCIE
as a goal for yourself, keep going after it
until you get it.
Good luck to all of you,
Greg Schmitt
CCIE #8105
Internetwork Solutions Engineer
ThruPoint, Inc.
Voice: 410-349-9772
Cell: 443-822-5183
Pager: 888-773-0423 or pager.gschmitt@thrupoint.net
e-mail: GSchmitt@thrupoint.net
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