From: Jim White (jim.t.white@gmail.com)
Date: Sun Feb 11 2007 - 18:53:39 ART
Hi Groupstudy,
I took the Lab exam in Brussels last Monday and thankfully got my number -
#17409. I have decided to make a lengthy post to this group so that people
can hopefully benefit from it so read on if you are bored!
Background:
The whole process of getting my CCIE number started in 2005 when I decided
it was the right time for me personally/professionally to pursue this. I
passed the written in Jan 06 and then decided to spend a few months getting
a rack of kit together. The real serious prep was probably the last 6 months
for me when I gave priority to it over just about everything else, so
needless to say Christmas 2006 was not one for the scrapbook!!
Materials Purchased:
Personally I think there's no "Silver Bullet" for passing this exam, its a
combination of good study practices, dedication, and a bit of composure and
luck on the day. I decided to purchase the CoD and Lab Workbook from
InternetworkExpert. I found the quality of these products to be excellent.
What I will say about the guys @ IE is that they have an excellent
structure/quality to their products and the free prep seminars from them are
worth watching. I also attended a 2 week bootcamp in Germany with Heiko
Groeger and Heinz Ulm. I felt this was one the best training courses I had
ever taken because at the end of it you really felt you were much better
prepared than before it. Also, Heinz/Heiko were absolute gentlemen to deal
with. I dont want to be accused of shameless vendor plugging here so I want
to also thank Scott, Anthony, Brad, Narbik etc from the other vendors for
their excellent posts on this mailing list and I know their products are of
equally excellent standing.
The Exam Itself:
I found the Brussels facility to be excellent, and the proctor (Steffan) was
a friendly bloke, very approachable. The canteen was excellent, there was
lots of soft drinks, fruit etc if you wanted them and I felt it was a
suitable environment. There was lots of space to work with and the computer
was brand new. I approached the proctor about 6 times during my exam and
found him to be both friendly and fair on each occasion. In fact I spent the
whole of lunch just chatting with the proctor about the horrible weather,
the price of Guinness, etc etc..
My 10 tips from my CCIE Lab Experience:
1 - Learn each technology individually, then move on to the complex
scenarios. Know what's core and what can be quickly retrieved from the
DocCD.
2 - Research the lab as much as possible. Find out where the testing center
is the day before, talk to people who have taken the lab so that you know
the format of the day (e.g. start time, lunch time, type of keyboard,
terminal emulator etc). Take as much advice on board as possible and always
think positive.
3 - READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY!!! I am convinced that some questions are
put there just to see if you can do what you are told like in school! I
found the questions to be very clear and understandable, my policy was
always - if its not asked then dont configure it and if you are unsure,
check with the proctor that you have interpreted the question correctly.
4 - The DocCD is not only an excellent resource in the exam, its a skill in
itself. From talking to other CCIEs I work with they found that "mastering
the DocCD" to find answers has been of great value to them even in their
work. On the Heinz Ulm bootcamp we had DocCd Challenges which were a good
laugh.
5 - "Remember that overnight success normally takes about 15 years or 2.8
attempts!!" - Heinz Ulm
6 - At the end of the day its only an exam. Try not to get distracted with
evil Cisco thoughts or over thinking a requirement.
7 - A Home Lab with a terminal server is a great investment.
8 - Spare a thought for people who don't natively speak English, imagine
what its like for them.
9 - Remember, everybody's different. What works for me may not work for
someone else so make your own decisions on what vendors you choose, don't
choose a vendor just because someone else liked their materials, research it
for yourself and then decide.
10 - I think the lab exam itself is about 60% Technical Ability and 40%
Mentality. Approach it in a confident (not arrogant) manner, and when
approaching the proctor make sure its a question that you have thought
through in some depth. Always try to stay calm and get lots of rest before
the exam.
Thanks to all the regular posters on this list. I think groupstudy is a very
useful forum so thanks to Paul Borghese for maintaining it.
The very best of luck to all of you pursuing the number. It will be worth it
at the end of the long road when you login to the site at 3am and see your
number displayed back at you!
Jim White
(Cork, Ireland)
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Thu Mar 01 2007 - 07:38:46 ART