From: David Ham (ccieau@xxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Tue May 28 2002 - 20:15:03 GMT-3
David,
Congratulations.. I hope I can be in your position shortly.
Enjoy your CCIE life.
Regards,
David Ham
>From: "CCIE-Maillist" <CCIE-Maillist@foxgal.com>
>Reply-To: "CCIE-Maillist" <CCIE-Maillist@foxgal.com>
>To: <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
>Subject: CCIE# 9369
>Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 10:44:19 -0500
>
>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 MCSE+I or other certifications. I was very wrong. I had never
>heard of the CCIE prior to May 2000 when I ran across an old friend while
>investigating Cisco products who worked for Cisco and was a CCIE. I
>thought, "hmm, I should get this CCIE 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
>obtaining my CCNA in 6/2000. I obtained my CCNP & CCDA in Jan 2001. I
>passed the written in 4/2001 and sat for my first attempt in 8/2001 at the
>Sao Paolo, Brazil lab (as there was such a long wait). The first attempt
>showed me that I didn't comprehend the magnitude or complexity of the exam,
>at all. However, it was a good 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 worth asking for a re-grading of the test. That was yet
>another wake-up call that 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
>last 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 family. After sharing a bad breakfast at the Waffle House
>with my wife, I arrived at 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 was brutal but fair and doable. My
>strategy was to take my time reading the entire lab, make notes on the
>tasks as to how I was going to do them and how many points 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 "already, you need
>more paper?". Jeff was very helpful throughout the exam (thanks Jeff!). 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 le!
>ft and not as much time as I had wanted. 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, causing more
>uneasiness.
>
>As it was Memorial Day weekend, I had to wait Sunday and Monday without any
>grade. 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 fail... I know I drove my wife crazy with sudden outbursts of
>"Oh my gosh, I think 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 time to pursue this venture and my work
>associates for taking care of things for me. 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 time 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 everything, 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 considered 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 be done!
>
>David Davis
>CCIE #9369
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