From: David Duncon (david_ccie@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Aug 05 2004 - 21:27:10 GMT-3
Sound like a plan , Tim. Well said.
Thanks for your time.
David.
>From: "ccie2be" <ccie2be@nyc.rr.com>
>To: "David Duncon" <david_ccie@hotmail.com>, <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
>Subject: Re: Strategy to tackle this beast :-)
>Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 11:05:15 -0400
>
>David,
>
>I agree with you that it's important to have a strategy and a good solid
>preparation plan. That will get you far.
>
>That said, I think it would be prudent of you to purchase a practice labs
>workbook. I'm using Internetwork Expert's workbook and Solution Guide
>which
>I feel is fantastic. Now, even though each lab covers a broad range of
>technologies, you don't have to do a complete lab before going on to the
>next lab. If you want and I think this is a good idea, you can focus on
>one
>particular technology at a time. For example, you can do just the ATM
>portion of all 20 labs and thereby become very proficient in configuring
>ATM. As a side benefit, you also will get a sense of the level of
>difficulty and the scope of what's expected as far as ATM is concerned.
>Then, after you're very proficient with one technology, you can do the same
>with each of the other technologies.
>
>If you take this approach, there is one caution I have for you. Don't get
>the false impression that if something isn't covered in any practice lab,
>then you don't need to be concerned with knowing it. As you probably know,
>Cisco says that anything that can be done in IOS is fair game for the lab.
>So, for example, although so far I haven't seen any QoS over ATM stuff on
>any practice labs, knowing how to configure the various ATM traffic
>parameters and knowing where to find the details on the Doc CD would
>probably be a wise move. But, on the other hand, you can probably safely
>assume, that if something isn't covered in any practice lab, it probably
>isn't something that will kill your chances of success in the real lab.
>So,
>continuing with the ATM QoS line of thought, if you don't know how to
>configure this, you'll either lose a couple of points or precious time
>trying to figure it out if it's on the lab, but not knowing this won't make
>your IGP's not work. In other words, you can consider this topic a
>non-core
>topic.
>
>By focusing intently on one technology at a time, you'll become much faster
>at configuring that technology plus you'll also learn where to find things
>on the Doc-CD which is also important to your success in the lab. You'll
>also learn some things that aren't explicitly covered in any labs. For
>example, if you have to configure alot of vlans on a 3550, there are a
>couple of ways accomplish that. You can first create each vlan, then go
>back and assign ports or you can just assign a port to a vlan and let the
>3550 automatically create the vlan if it doesn't already exist. However,
>there are scenarios when this method can't be used. But, by focuses
>intently on 3550 technology, you'll learn this stuff so well that when you
>take the lab, you won't need to spend any time thinking about these
>things.
>And, you'll also learn quick ways to verify config's.
>
>Now, there's something you said which I have to disagree with. Personally,
>I think 2 1/2 hours to complete all the L2 tasks is too long by about an
>hour. I suppose it's possible to take 2 1/2 hours to complete the L2 stuff
>and still pass the lab, but I also think it's highly unlikely unless the
>lab
>has 30 or more points on L2 stuff.
>
>A while ago I would have also recommended taking the lab for the first time
>before you were 100% confident you could pass it. This was so you could
>get
>a feel for what to expect. Now, a number of firms offer a simulated lab
>which is far less expensive than the real lab and will also give you a good
>sense of what to expect but with the added benefit that you'll get some
>detailed feedback which can help you identify areas of weakness.
>
>My last recommendation is to read the postings on this forum. There are a
>bunch of truly great and knowledgable guys that participate on this forum
>and you can learn a great deal from what they have to say. Since you
>already mentioned some of these guys, it appears you're already on the
>right
>track.
>
>HTH and good luck in your preparations. Tim
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Duncon" <david_ccie@hotmail.com>
>To: <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
>Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 2:17 AM
>Subject: Strategy to tackle this beast :-)
>
>
> > Hi Folks,
> >
> > As I am in the process of designing the required strategy towards my 1st
>lab
> > attempt which is happening in the next 6 months, just want to capture
> > thoughts of numbered people out here. Being a passive listener since
>last
> > few weeks, I have noted few success as well as failure stories. To my
>mind
>,
> > any body who came this far and willing to subject to this long and
>demanding
> > (both from time as well as monitory point of view) path , are diligent
>and
> > capable people. From the offset what appears to me is, to tackle this
>beast
> > , we need to have a strategy in place , besides willingness to work hard
>and
> > invest required funds.
> >
> > This is what I am currently put in my head and appreciate if you add
>your
> > valuable input which can help any new comers like myself.
> >
> > 1) Lower the pressure on my self from very beginning by preparing to go
>as
> > far as 3 attempts (or even further if I am not good enough even at my
>3rd
> > attempt) to get my number. That will immediately leave me out as
>"favorite
> > to take the number home on my first attempt". So I am not feeling any
> > pressure from now on and I will try NOT to panic during my first
> > attempt/exam as well. With this school of thinking , I hoping to
>exercise
> > realistic expectations on myself.
> >
> > 2) Secondly as I said above, strategy is what makes the difference
>between
> > success stories and failure stories. So my strategy is to have a
>"building
> > block" approach. That is with out getting intimidated with the vast
>nature
> > of this exam blue print and also to certain extent by other CCIEs
>around,
> > for example like in this Study group forum where some lower numbered
> > member's posts are very in depth and very intimidating for a new comer.
>But
> > that is OK.Because as Howard once said in his post, all CCIEs are NOT
> > Surgeons , some are just Doctors. And you got to work hard even further
>even
> > after you become a CCIE. To become Surgeons like people such as Scott ,
> > Brian's , Bob , Andrew, Howard , Mark and Chuck ..etc , all new CCIEs
>need
> > to continue their "quest" for knowledge as long as they are in Comms
>arena.
> >
> > So now my aim is to become a Doctor/i.e... CCIE to begin with and there
> > fore I am not trying to fathom the whole Internetworking technologies to
>the
> > extent of Surgeon.
> >
> > 3) Instead focus the exam blue print . And even then Not to get carried
>away
> > with continuous research with out giving or delaying the exam. For
>example
> > like the other day, some one asked the question of "how far to study the
> > ATM" or "how far to study the IPSec" or for that matter this morning I
>was
> > thinking about how far to study Bridging ?
> >
> > Since *time factor* is critical here , I am planning to be very clinical
>and
> > deliberate in my approach. For example , there is no need to try and
>invest
> > time to understand how the RIF in Token ring builds or for that matter
>how
> > the translational bridging work. Instead worry only about Ethernet
>Bridging
> > and that is what will be tested in the exam. On you way if you pick up
> > broader understanding on various Bridging technologies , then that is
>fine.
> > But because if you do not have time to digest RIF or MPLS (just for an
> > example), then do not worry.
> >
> > The reason why I am saying this because , most of us who are working in
>the
> > industry already must be exposing ourselves to various technologies. For
> > example besides my bread and better Routing and Switching operations ,
>since
> > last few months I am also involved in few Security (reasonably
>familiar
> > with VPN 3k ,PIX & CPNG ) and Voice ( VoFR, Voice Gateways. Transcoders
>,
> > CMsetc) projects. But the bottom line is , from exam point of view as
>far
> > as Voice is concerned, I only need to go as far as configuring FXS voice
> > ports, configuring pots and Voip peers , Digit manipulation and MLS Qos
>on
> > Voice vlans ..etc. Nothing more , at least for this R & S exam and do
>not
> > worry about on how SRTS works or how to build complex Translational
> > rulesetc.
> >
> > But knowing that well in advance is a welcome step to me. That way my
>target
> > is not a * moving target* or ever expanding target.
> >
> > 4) Coming to my strategy again, in my first attempt itself, I am aiming
>to
> > pick up full allotted marks on L 2 technologies like 3550s,Dlsw+,Frame
>Relay
> > and ISDN. Because I think it will be pretty disappointed after all this
> > effort , you can not even bring up the L2 in a decent time in the exam.
>I
>am
> > aiming to clock around 2 to 2 1/2 hours to bring up L2 in my lab
>practice
>as
> > well. And then I will really be aiming to pocket marks on multi services
>as
> > well such as Qos , Multicast , DLsw + and Security and IP Services
>..etc.
> >
> > That will give me 50 % of the marks already , I reckon. And I will be
>happy
> > if I score that much in my first attempt. And I will also aim to score
>as
> > many points as possible in the other 50% which occupies the meaty
>portion
>of
> > L3 stuff.
> >
> > 5) As far as L 3 is concerned , that 50 % of the marks are unknown and
>you
> > can get bamboozled on any single protocol. Correct if I am wrong , even
> > though you know how independently configure every single L3 protocol,
>and
>if
> > you screw up the *Redistribution*, then basically you lost the game and
>you
> > can not ping all interfaces and you can not see the appropriate Route
>tables
> > on all devices.
> >
> > Having realized this from beginning , at worst case scenario, I will be
> > aiming to score as many full marks as possible on independent L 3
>protocols.
> >
> > 6) Redistribution being one of my weakest areas besides Multicast &
>Dlsw+
>,
> > I am planning to sort out that guy in my second or 3rd attempt as I am
> > thinking it may be helpful for me to participate a physical or an online
> > boot camp with any of these top vendors out here. And that way I can
>develop
> > that sort of logical to get my redistribution on my 2nd or 3rd attempts.
> >
> > I feel already lot better on this building block approach , in the sense
>I
> > will not become terribly upset (neither about 6k to k odd investment nor
> > about 3 or 4 attempts) about next 12 month road in front of me. And also
>by
> > being this positive , realistic & methodical , I am not making the lives
>of
> > my wife and kids miserable every time I reach home with a depressed out
>look
> > of life :-) After all this is just an exam where 14k people have already
> > passed , so that this is by no means an "Impossible task". May be it is
> > different/difficult than all the Uni exams we all have went through.
> >
> > That factor of "difference" in the exam is precisely what is making me
> > exited because that different path of preparation is what making me a
>better
> > engineer from yesterday to today. And I am sure after 12 month of study
>and
> > after 3 or 4 times of failure, I can even get better and hopefully
>become
>a
> > Doctor by then in Howard words :-)
> >
> > Your input is much appreciated.
> >
> > David.
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
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