From: Hoogen (hoogen82@gmail.com)
Date: Tue Apr 10 2007 - 12:31:12 ART
Oh sorry again didn't notice the Unicast thing. the group study might be
pissed with me for the long thread i am making. Next time if i have opinion
and if you like listening to any i will unicast.
Between no hard feelings here.
-Hoogen
On 4/10/07, darbyweaver@yahoo.com <darbyweaver@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Hoogen,
>
> (Really you should unicast me - if you do I typically return the favor).
>
> I actually wrote James offline with what I really
> thought about the matter.
>
> This was more of a joke.
>
> As much as some may think I spend or obsess on the
> matter - the truth is I'm a workaholic and not quite
> as much of a studyaholic as I may seem to some.
>
> Work comes first and I do spend time with my wife when
> I'm at home too.
>
> I don't get as much time on my own racks actually - prod gear comes first.
>
> I actually do use my training budget to get
> concentrated study time and I try to maximize it.
>
> I'm paid well and the companies I choose to work for
> also pay for training. It allows me to get a little
> ahead in my studies a few times a year.
>
> As much as I'd like to pass the lab, I really enjoy
> the work and that is actually what I spend my time
> doing - literally 24/7.
>
> I clocked 82 billable hours last week.
>
> ====================================
>
> Here's what I spent my time on just over the past two
> weeks alone. I'm copying from another email:
>
> People are forgetting why they are taking the lab.
>
> To actually do the work.
>
> I just spent the last 2.5 weeks upgrading an entire
> network that supports over 10,000 users.
>
> PIX Firewall Analysis and Remediation to meet NIST
> guidelines + FOS upgrade.
>
> CatOS to IOS conversion.
>
> ATM to (Metro Ethernet) SES Circuit Cutover complete
> with BGP.
>
> SSH for Secure Communications and SSH/RMON for NMS
> Alerts.
>
> KIWI for backup, alerting, and syslogging.
>
> Centralized RADIUS Authentication.
>
> SPT Enhancements.
>
> Multicast Configuration and a bit of QoS.
>
> Packeteer Pwd Recovery, Upgrade License, setting up
> Partitions and Classes for improved traffic
> management, etc.
>
> And all the troubleshooting when things go bad. Yep
> fat fingers and late sleepless nights don't work well
> together. Never ever take shortcuts.
>
> Had to make one call to TAC on the conversion about
> the 0x2102 config-register and proper usage of -
> timing is everything. There were other considerarions
> and I had found about 4 different documents on CCO and
> I scoured the web for caveats as well. Not well
> enough - one problem costed me problems and took about
> a 2-3 hour process and turned it into a 10-12 hour
> process.
>
> Had to use XMODEM for the first time.
>
> Had a few typos that cost me some time - even when I
> used copy and paste - no good if you copy/paste the
> wrong things.
>
> 82 hours last week alone and one can make mistakes
> sometimes.
>
> Change Management, Disaster Recovery Scenarios, and
> Lots of Contracts and even a bit of Purchasing.
>
> ===================================
>
> So overall Hoogen, while I find the list entertaining
> and it I do find the CCIE prestigious.
>
> For me, the CCIE is simply another cert and I have an
> entire hallway littered with my other certs - so not
> as big a deal. As long as I can do the work, Im
> content. That is my goal.
>
> I know it is marketable an even its very pursuit has
> helped me tremendously in the market and with
> marketability. I'm not in denial one bit - I know my
> marketability will increase a bit more after I get the
> CCIE finally. So it is on the list.
>
> But believe me, I love the work and whatever materials
> I buy or classes I try to send myself to, it is really
> just to learn more tips, tricks, and techniques.
>
> The lab will come eventually for me - it is a given.
> I'm actually not even in a rush on the matter - I
> enjoy the chase more than the kill - it is my nature.
>
> If I worried more about it as much as some may think I
> am, trust me, I have the mental capacity, I would have
> it by now.
>
> I also have other priorities. And I have very
> specific objectives. I am meeting them exactly as I
> need to.
>
> But not to say that I don't have the need for the CCIE
> or specific plans for it in my long-term goals. It is
> in there, too.
>
> Sorry for long response...
>
> Oh yes, and I still take the time on week nights and
> weekends to enjoy my time with my wife and our doggies
> (the children) - not as much of a one-minded machine
> as I may have lead you to believe.
>
> I assure you if I were that one-minded, then I'd be
> finished this quest and have forgotten most of it by
> now in pursuit of other things - like tracking Hackers
> and doing Forensics, Recovering Data and Hard Drives,
> and Incident Response - other tasks I wholeheartedly
> enjoy that I have put to the side while I "pursue" the
> CCIE tracks and other Cisco Certs.
>
> Some want to pass the lab, I merely want to know the
> technology better. Not so much to ask for really.
>
> I actually enjoy other Cisco Consultants coming along
> with me or after me and asking weird things about a
> given config and actually being able to answer the
> questions correctly and draw the proper conclusions
> from a given network. It is kind of like Forensics to
> me.
>
>
> So...
>
> Beat and bang on me all you like - you should instead
> ask questions if you were wise - you might be
> surprised at my resourcefulness and wit for solving
> problems and coming to conclusions and ultimately
> saving the day (at least in my little corner of the
> world).
>
> I may be a fool for writing too much and doing what I
> love - but I have better things to do than to write
> critical letters to other people - some here seem to
> enjoy flaming others more than sharing knowledge. Why
> is that anyway?
>
> And by the way, giving any experiences and especially
> detailed from any paid training or materials ought to
> be a good thing - SO YOU KNOW.
>
> I really wish others had been more verbose before I
> spent money on some things - I may still have bought,
> but I'd like to KNOW.
>
> Is it so wrong to write about Cisco Training
> Experiences on a Cisco Study List? Hmmm...
> Granted I do write a bit more than others. I guess it
> is my leisure.
>
> But Hoogen, if you saw how many requests for this info
> I get from this list and off-list, you might be a bit
> more thoughful.
>
> I also get tired of explaining to the lurkers that
> some people are not total jerks for being so publicly
> critical of others. But some on this list have
> nothing else to offer but flames. So be it.
>
> As many here know, I handle questions online and
> offline, in-person, via telephone, and email and so
> what you see on this list is really only a small
> fraction of what I do and am doing for others.
>
> Sorry my long-ish posts bore you, but you can filter
> by my name and email if you like. I assure you there
> are others who like to know how to go about training
> themselves and being either more educated about the
> various offerings available or simply how to conduct
> self-paced training.
>
> I actually started asking some serious CCIE questions
> for the group - lab type questions and of the 10,000+
> engineers on the list only a handful started to answer
> them - even privately.
>
> Today there are more people who take stabs at my
> questions and actually try to learn from them.
>
> So a poll - if you will - should I post my own study
> notes and observations of what it takes to pass the
> lab and handle each technology effectively.
>
> I have amassed quite a few considerations, and while
> they may pale in comparison to people who do this
> professionally, they are quite a few tips and tricks
> and many some people here on this list may have never
> even heard before.
>
> How many people here script thier base installs?
>
> How many people here script the final configuration of
> their labs so they can compare the results with even a
> diff file if nothing more automated?
>
> How many people here have compiled study notes on a
> per topic basis with references on a per-technology
> basis?
>
> How many people here have been at this long enough to
> consider even doing such options?
>
> Now there are a ton of CCIE's and near CCIE's and yep
> mostly every instructor or vendor on this list, but
> what about the little guys, the guys who are trying to
> get this stuff, but do not know how or simply do not
> have the means.
>
> We who have been around a while might find this odd,
> and some may take a cavalier attitude towards the
> others who have not yet walked their own steps yet,
> but others are offering other things that are close if
> not the real lab - why not offer the knowledge it
> takes to meet the lab on a study group?
>
> This list has been here for 9 years and for 9 years no
> one candidate or group of candidates have used it to
> tackle a single subject completely at once so that all
> may benefit. Some have tried a bit here and their and
> if one scours the archives, the answers are mostly
> their somewhere, but not one person has tried to be
> this methodical?
>
> Is it needed or even wanted?
>
> Instead we choose one-off questions. And some
> questions which should be FAQ perhaps.
>
> Think about it.
>
> No one says you have to read it.
>
> I promise you I am not sitting back be more worried if
> you do or do not read my posts.
>
> I'm more concerned about those who actually have a
> question I may actually be answering.
>
> :)
>
> There I go again...
>
> Hey unicast me and I'll return the favor...
>
> No biggie
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
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