From: CCIE-Maillist (CCIE-Maillist@xxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Tue May 28 2002 - 12:44:19 GMT-3
I passed the CCIE Routing & Switching Lab Saturday, May 25, in RTP, NC, making
me CCIE# 9369.
This was my third try and it has been a longer than anticipated journey. Longer
than expected as I thought that obtaining a CCIE would be like obtaining my MC
SE+I or other certifications. I was very wrong. I had never heard of the CCIE p
rior to May 2000 when I ran across an old friend while investigating Cisco prod
ucts who worked for Cisco and was a CCIE. I thought, "hmm, I should get this CC
IE thing too". I was slightly surprised when he told me that it took him twice
to pass and it was extremely difficult. I thought that was strange considering
he worked at Cisco and had been working as a SE for them, and other companies,
for a number of years. I thought "how hard could it be?" and was again wrong in
my deductions.
I had been working with 3Com LAN/WAN products for about 6 years prior to obtain
ing my CCNA in 6/2000. I obtained my CCNP & CCDA in Jan 2001. I passed the writ
ten in 4/2001 and sat for my first attempt in 8/2001 at the Sao Paolo, Brazil l
ab (as there was such a long wait). The first attempt showed me that I didn't c
omprehend the magnitude or complexity of the exam, at all. However, it was a go
od learning experience as then, with the two-day, the proctor sat down with me
and went over the items that I had done incorrectly during the first day. Then,
I found out that the lab changed to the one day version in October, 2001.
After that, I did many practice labs and read a great deal. In Jan 2002, I made
my second attempt in RTP. I left feeling quite confident that I had passed. I
was disappointed again to find that I had not and my percentages weren't even w
orth asking for a re-grading of the test. That was yet another wake-up call tha
t this exam is more difficult than any other test I had ever tried. The bar was
much higher than I thought.
Over the next 3-4 months I did more labs and studying and attempted the lab las
t Saturday, May 25. I felt that I needed more time but there is no option for a
last-minute reschedule. I went and saw Star Wars the night before with my fami
ly. After sharing a bad breakfast at the Waffle House with my wife, I arrived a
t the test site. There was myself and seven other there. From listening to the
others talk, I believe everyone there was "returning" except for one. The lab w
as brutal but fair and doable. My strategy was to take my time reading the enti
re lab, make notes on the tasks as to how I was going to do them and how many p
oints they were worth. I also drew a diagram that I used during the lab. I had
to ask Jeff, the proctor for more paper in the first 30 minutes. He said "alrea
dy, you need more paper?". Jeff was very helpful throughout the exam (thanks Je
ff!). He answered what he could and was polite when he couldn't. In the last 45
minutes of the lab I had too many tasks left and not as much time as I had wan
ted. I was in a panic as had a technical issue that was out of my control. The
proctor told me that the issue didn't affect whether I could complete the lab,
to pretend I did not have this issue, and continue the test. This made me feel
uneasy. Also, I didn't get to run my "fantastic ping script" as I had wanted, c
ausing more uneasiness.
As it was Memorial Day weekend, I had to wait Sunday and Monday without any gra
de. Over that time my head spun with thoughts of "did I forget this, or that?"
and calculating the points that I probably missed and would they cause me to fa
il... I know I drove my wife crazy with sudden outbursts of "Oh my gosh, I thin
k I forgot to configure the XYZ on the fladoodle, great! Now I'm surely doomed!
" I didn't get my report until Tuesday morning. I was amazing to see that I had
passed. Absolutely amazing...
I read all the same books and did most of the same labs that others have done.
I think everyone is familiar with that list. If not, it is in the archives.
First, I'd like to thank my wife and daughter for the patience and support they
provided while I spent long hours and in the spare bedroom with the door shut.
Hopefully I can find some way to repay them for all the things they took care
of for me and for all the times I had to tell them "no, sorry, I can't go as I
have to stay here and study". Also, I'd like to thank my family for all their
moral support. I'd like to thank my boss for supporting me with dollars and tim
e to pursue this venture and my work associates for taking care of things for m
e. Thanks to my study partner, David, for his support. Finally, thanks to Paul
for running this list and thanks to all the people on the list who took the tim
e to answer my questions- you are what make this list possible.
One of the messages that I read on this list that was especially helpful advice
was from Gonzalo #8726 (in the archives) who said that the trick to passing is
precision on the test, focusing only on the lab, enjoying the test, knowing ev
erything, making a commitment, and seeing a movie the night before. Scott #9340
pointed out that the CCIE lab is a marathon, not a sprint, and should be consi
dered as such. I tried to always keep these things in mind and the advice seems
to have paid off.
Best of luck to all who are in the pursuit of the CCIE- don't give up, it can b
e done!
David Davis
CCIE #9369
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