From: Bob Sinclair (bsin@cox.net)
Date: Sat Jan 11 2003 - 23:08:23 GMT-3
Jay,
As a highly experienced CCIE lab-taker (4th time lucky!) I would say all of
what is in the Q&A is right on target. Yes, there is a lot of white space
to fill out that many pages, and they are quite legible. I thought the
number and variety of tasks was similar to the NLI labs.
-Bob Sinclair
CCIE #10427, MCSE
Senior Network Engineer
Networking For Future, Inc.
www.nffinc.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay Greenberg" <groupstudylist@execulink.com>
To: "Cary Anderson" <caryande@cisco.com>
Cc: <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2003 7:52 PM
Subject: Re: FW: CCIE Q&A w/Bill Parkhurst
> If the lab book is 17 pages long I hope it's spread out generously!(?).
> The practice labs that I have been doing are only 3 or 4 pages of
> densely formed questions (2-3 major sections per page). Can anyone
> comment on this?
>
> On Fri, 2003-01-10 at 01:18, Cary Anderson wrote:
> > The following was the impression of a person who attended a recently
held QA
> > session with Bill Parkhurst and a bunch of Cisco SE's. Thought it might
be
> > helpful!
> >
> > Cary
> >
> >
============================================================================
> > ==============================================
> >
> > * The #1 reason for failure is lack of knowledge.
> >
> >
> > * Study concepts. Do not try to memorize configurations or scenarios.
> > For example, understand how an OSPF DR is chosen. The lab proctors
> > generally power cycle all of the equipment BEFORE grading. This could
> > change your OSPF DR if you didn't configure the router you want to
always be
> > the DR properly.
> >
> > * Practice each concept on its own. For example, practice OSPF
> > WITHOUT also turning on BGP. This will ensure that any behaviours you
see
> > are attributed ONLY to OSPF and you don't confuse a behaviour that was
> > caused by BGP to be an OSPF behaviour.
> >
> > * Practice Labs should be used for self evaluation. Time yourself
> > when using a practice lab to simulate the CCIE Lab Exam experience.
Only
> > use the practice lab 1 time.
> >
> > * The #2 reason for failure is anxiety.
> >
> >
> > * To reduce anxiety, travel to your lab location early the day before.
> > Visit the CCIE lab facilities the day before. Introduce yourself to the
> > CCIE lab proctor the day before. Doing this will keep you from fretting
> > over how to find the lab the day of your lab. Also, meeting your lab
> > proctor is a big help.
> >
> > * Have confidence in your abilities. If you have been studying the
> > technology and concepts, you are ready for ANY scenario. The primary
R&S
> > concepts include Layer 2 switching, VLANs, OSPF, FR, BGP, Multicast &
ISDN.
> > There is NO MPLS on the exam. IGRP and IPX have been removed from the
exam.
> >
> >
> > * Practice good test taking skills:
> >
> >
> > * Skim the exam for the first 5 to 10 minutes once you get it.
> >
> > * Configure all L2 requirements FIRST.
> >
> > * Configure everything else in the exam that you know SECOND.
> >
> > * Use documentation or help commands to configure the remaining exam
> > requirements that you are not familiar with LAST...remember this is a
Pass
> > or Fail exam. You only need 80 points. Not all 100 points.
> >
> > * If you believe you have a hardware problem, do NOT spend more than
> > 10 minutes trying to fix the hardware. Ask the lab proctor to
investigate
> > the issue. The lab proctor will stop the clock and send you away while
> > he/she checks the hardware. If it is a hardware problem, the proctor
will
> > resolve and restart your clock. If it is NOT a hardware problem, you
will
> > at least KNOW it is not a hardware problem. On the other hand, if you
have
> > a hardware problem that you spend 90 minutes trying to resolve, you will
not
> > regain this time after you and the proctor finally replace the hardware.
> >
> > * You are allowed to ask the proctor anything. But ask intelligent
> > questions. For example, if you are unsure of what a question is asking,
ask
> > the proctor something like this:
> >
> >
> > * If I interpret this question this way......then I plan to do X. But
> > if I interpret this question this other way......then I plan to do Y.
Which
> > way should I interpret it?
> >
> > * Miscellaneous:
> >
> >
> > * Lab exams are usually about 17 pages long.
> >
> > * A new lab is written every month and an old lab is retired every
> > month. There are more than 1 lab exams available to be given at any
time.
> > Each lab achieves roughly the same pass rate.
> >
> > * The average person that passes the CCIE exam takes 2.5 lab attempts.
> >
> >
> > * There is a 6 month backlog to register for the exam.
> >
> > * CCIE candidates can cancel a lab exam up to 28 days before their
> > exam date WITHOUT being charged. Therefore, if you are willing to take
an
> > exam in 4 weeks, you can usually schedule it in 4 weeks. Otherwise,
your
> > lab exam will probably be 6 months out.
> >
> > * Grading is done with an automated script. The script gives full
> > credit for any question that works properly. If a particular question
does
> > not work properly, the lab proctor manually checks to validate whether
or
> > not the question was answered properly. Partial credit is not given. 5
> > point questions are rare. When they do occur, there is usually a
modular
> > piece to it so that 2 or 3 points can be earned without getting all 5
> > points.
> >
> > * The RTP lab uses SecureCRT as the terminal emulator. This seems to
> > be preferred. The San Jose lab uses Windows.
> > .
> .
.
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