From: Darby Weaver (darbyweaver@yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Mar 13 2007 - 07:47:23 ART
Brian,
You have made some very significant points that all of
us who are still working on our CCIE should be very
keenly aware of, and that is that the labs do seem to
be more and more dimishing or outright removing any
"easy" points and it is really becoming more of a
troubleshooting lab experience as opposed to a build
your own lab and fix any self-imposed errors one might
unknowingly inflict upon oneself.
Thanks for the words of advice and wisdom.
The CCIE Accessor labs seemed to point to this exact
foreshadow of what might actually be a fact.
Thanks again
Darby
--- Brian Dennis <bdennis@internetworkexpert.com>
wrote:
> I'm not sure if you've looked over the new labs but
> you maybe in for some
> curve balls. Here is why I'm saying this. First
> off planning for 20 to 25
> minutes in switching could be a little low depending
> on what you get. We
> have anywhere from 7 to 30 points per lab related to
> switching. That's on
> top of any troubleshooting issues that may need to
> be resolved prior to
> starting. Also don't count on always having the
> easy points (basic
> switching, IGP, BGP, etc) to pickup in the
> beginning. You could find a lot
> of it done for you in the initial configurations.
>
> --
>
> Brian Dennis, CCIE4 #2210 (R&S/ISP-Dial/Security/SP)
> bdennis@internetworkexpert.com
>
> Internetwork Expert, Inc.
> http://www.InternetworkExpert.com
> Toll Free: 877-224-8987
> Direct: 775-745-6404 (Outside the US and Canada)
>
>
> On 2/18/07 1:07 PM, "Darby Weaver"
> <darbyweaver@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > Lab Approach - Getting Ready for the 3rd Shot At
> The
> > Title
> >
> > By the time you are actually ready to pass the
> lab,
> > you will probably be able to complete the lab in
> under
> > 8 hours with or without aliases.
> >
> > Create yourself goals and work to them.
> >
> > Example:
> >
> > Read the whole lab (about 17-25 pages with
> diagrams) -
> > Figure about 15-30 minutes - you may want to draw
> > diagrams or create lists with areas for points to
> mark
> > off as you progress.
> >
> > Frame Relay: 10-15 minutes with verification
> >
> > Switching: 20-25 minutes with vertifcation
> >
> > IGPs: (RIP/EIGRP/OSPF/ODR/IPv6) 30-60 minutes with
> > verification (includes like filtering and
> > summarizations as well)
> >
> > ================================================
> > Usually this should be done within about the 2nd
> hour
> > or so and any "issues" if you have any should also
> be
> > completed by this time.
> > ================================================
> > A 3-5 minute quick TCL script for routers and a
> macro
> > for switches will quickly enable you to verify
> full
> > connectivity. Sometimes you may or may not wish
> to
> > include BGP in this step - so you could wait a bit
> and
> > do it after BGP.
> > ------------------------------------------------
> >
> > BGP: 30-60 minutes with verification (assume 10-15
> > minutes to configure any iBGPs and eBGP
> neighboging
> > relationships and the bulk of the time to work on
> > whatever real problems you may be asked to perform
> or
> > solve).
> >
> > Multicast: 20-30 minutes with verification (enable
> pim
> > 3-5 minutes, figure out what they are asking and
> solve
> > the problem)
> > ===============================================
> >
> > Right about now you may want to reload your
> routers
> > and run your TCL/MACRO scripts again - just so you
> > know where you are.
> >
> > If you started at or about 7:30am - it should be
> > around 11am or 11:30 about now...
> >
> > If you are not here and your head is not clear -
> your
> > chances of passing are probably rapidly
> diminishing.
> >
> > I'd say at this point, you would have completed
> some
> > 60-70% of your exam and this is probably where you
> are
> > feeling either very relieved or very stressed and
> the
> > world is closing in on your very, very fast...
> >
> >
> > ***********************************************
> > About time for Lunch
> > 30 Minutes
> >
> > If you look at yourself and you are as pale as the
> > corpses around you, start thinking about what you
> are
> > going to tell everyone about how you almost past
> the
> > lab this time but you failed on some 5-6 point
> > non-essential task. They will comfort you.
> >
> > If you are wide-eyed and bushy-tailed wondering
> what
> > your favorite selection of alcohol might be to
> > celebrate and where you are finally going to go in
> > Hawaii snce you finally tamed the beast - you are
> in
> > pretty good shape.
> >
> > In either event, you need to have taken a look at
> any
> > security, ip miscellaneous tasks, and qos items so
> > that you are thinking about how you are going to
> > approach them when you get back in the ring.
> >
> > Remember at this point, you have probably 10-20
> points
> > needed to pass but you want to treat each one like
> it
> > is the one that will put you over the edge,
> finally.
> > ***********************************************
> >
> > Re-run the scripts again - sanity checks are nice
> and
> > if they worked before they will now as well.
> Double
> > check everything - since this was probably 60-70%
> of
> > the exam and likely the easist part so far - why
> lose
> > 2 or 3 points here and there because you assumed
> > something...
> >
> > So you get back in the ring and you have about 4
> hours
> > left - choose wisely, but do not forget the DOC Cd
> if
> > you do get stuck and ask the proctors about
> anything
> > in the qos or security you still do not understand
> or
> > may have mis-interpretted.
> >
> > Don't make hasty changes that might break your
> work so
> > far.
> >
> > Just thinking - Gotta update my final checksheet
> aka
> > modified Jung Soo's Checklist...
> >
> >
>
=====================================================
> >
> > Today is February 18th and the while I have
> scheduled
> > my lab for a few dates this year, I have
> re-scheduled
> > for May 22nd 2007 at the moment - but I am keeping
> it
> > tentative pending my ability to get my graded labs
> > over the 80 point mark consisently and really
> aiming
> > for the 90th percentile to account for any
> > uncertainties that may occur.
> >
> > I have spent this weekend working out some weak
> points
> > and I must thank InternetworkExpert for their
> website
> > filled with so many items that I have been
> deficient
> > on; I have to add NMC and their wondrous tech
> library
> > since it holds more wonders than one can ever hope
> to
> > understand in just one sitting; I have to thank
> NLI
> > for their workbooks and their per-topic content
> > guides; and of course IPExpert for their magical
> > e-Scenarios that bring a lot of topics home.
> >
> > Basically, this weekend was spent analyzing all
> the
> > mistakes I made last year, thankfully as time
> passed I
> > also spent time doing more research on each
> problem
> > area and hopefully I have grown to understand all
> or
> > most of all of them by now. I still have a couple
> of
> > items I am contending with but they are fast
> becoming
> > strengths instead of just weaknesses.
> >
> > In light that while I have closed some gaps since
> my
> > first and last showing at RTP, I also realize that
> I
> > have not spent so much time doing full scale labs
> and
> > only a very few "Core-Labs == Thanks to IE for
> making
> > these gems - 2 hours of speed drills".
> >
> > So I decided to go to another round of Mock Labs
> this
> > year and due to my work schedule and vacation
> package
> > I had to wait a bit, but March is only a few days
> > away, so this time I figured I'd start out with Mr
> > Heinz Ulm and so he let me in and I've paid and
> booked
> > to see the German born CCIE-Maker himself.
> >
> > To prepare for this meeting and his arsenal of
> Mock
> > Labs, I decided to set a bit of a nightmare
> schedule
> > for just doing labs, as I get better and better
> with
> > more practice and practice under stress.
> >
> > So here's what I decided for a warm up scedule:
> >
> > Feb 19-23 ~6 hours of labs per night - NMC
> Workbook
> > Feb 24/25 ~36 hours non-stop labs - IE Workbook
> > Feb 26 - March 2nd ~ 6 hours of labs per night -
> NMC
> > Workbook
> > March 3/4 ~36 hours of non-stop labs - IE Workbook
> > March 5-9 ~6 hours of labs per night - NMC
> Workbook
> > March 10/11 ~36 hours of non-stop labs - IE
> Workbook
> > March 12-15 ~6 hours of labs per night - NMC
> Workbook
> > March 16th - Quick Read during trip of NLI
> Workbooks
> > March 16th - NMC-1 Cat-QoS Labs that night till
> about
> > midnight or so.
> > March 17th - NMC-1 BGP/Multicast Labs Review
> > March 18th - NMC-1 QoS Labs Review
> >
> > At this point, I should have covered a lot of
> ground,
> > be ready for a lot of topics and also be pretty
> well
> > warmed up for whatever I might encounter during
> the
> > week with Heinz Ulm.
> >
> > As far as I know the week will cover 4 challnging
> lab
> > scenarios and I believe he is said to supply one
> more
> > for the road.
> >
> > Immediately after this battery of stress tests, I
> > expect to want to rest after class - and get some
> > sleep.
> >
> > Till the morning of the 24th, I thought I might
> try
> > and schedule both CCIE Accessors and see where I
> am
> > with Cisco's own labs.
> >
> > The 25th I'd be traveling again and reading my lab
> > workbooks from NLI - Love the Q/A guys - keeps me
> > humming along.
> >
> > The immediate week after, I expect to be fairly
> weary
> > but at the same time would have time to adjust my
> > schedule for my lab and/or make appropriate plans
> for
> > further study.
> >
> > If by some stretch if the imagination, my scores
> are
> > in the high 80's or even 90's on average, then, I
> > expect my lab date would be modified to the
> earliest
> > available date. However, if they are not then, I
> > might try to take some more Mock/CheckIT Labs to
> > conduct further analysis of my remaining
> deficiencies.
> >
> > In any event, I am expecting to be able to afford
> at
> > least 2 - 4 more weeks of classes either prior to
> May
> > 22nd or thereafter, since my co-worker is starting
> his
> > own study as well and two of my former co-workers
> are
> > as well, chances are one or more of them may
> accompany
> > me at a class.
> >
> > So this is about where I am after getting serious
> > about my studies this time last year.
> >
> > I still remember speaking with Bruce Caslow at
> NMC-2
> > later in April of last year and actually believing
> > Imigh actually close about a 25-point gap in about
> 2
> > months or so...
> >
> > Actually to be truly lab ready I would have
> required
> > more like 35+ points and these points would be a
> bit
> > harder to amass than the previous 55 points had
> been.
> >
> > I did have warning signs with both the CCIE
> Accessor
> > and with IE's Mock Lab Workshop where my scores
> did
> > not fare much better again being about in the mid
> 50's
> > - even on the 8 hour timed level (recall at NMC -
> I
> > had a bit more time and more access to help so my
> some
> > of my points would have been artificially elevated
> as
> > a result).
> >
> > All of the warning signs for a lab failure, but I
> was
> > naive as many of us are, my lab was then within
> the
> > 30-day window and my written 18-month period was
> ready
> > to expire soon after the lab attempt on June
> 16th...
> >
> > So like many of us I tried anyway and I went again
> in
> > October, though truthfully the only thing I had
> > improved upon was a little speed and the ability
> to
> > attain a Golden Moment. I left a few critical
> areas
> > areas behind in my studies and they did not
> magically
> > appear to save the day when I was in my hour of
> need
> > during the my seocnd lab attempt either. It just
> does
> > not work that way.
> >
> > Well that's it... for now.
> >
> > Let's see how many hours I can actually clock
> > according to my stated timeline and if I actually
> can
> > close my own known gaping holes before I meet Mr.
> Ulm.
> >
> >
>
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