From: Darby Weaver (darbyweaver@yahoo.com)
Date: Thu Apr 19 2007 - 23:32:10 ART
Hey before we start questioning one of our honorable
CCIE intstrutors whose job it is to help us by using a
tool called a boot camp (really a smorgasboard of
technologies - and quite varied from vendor to vendor
anyway), let me share something I wrote for another
forum dedicated to Cisco Studies and the CCIE in
particular - some found it helpful.
======================================
I'll assume you have passed the CCIE Written Exam, and
if so have a certain familiarity with most topics that
are on the lab.
1. Go to cisco.com/go/ccie and take a look around
there - you will find the CCIE Lab Outline among other
things.
2. If you decide to go with a vendor, there are
several and since you got this far, you probably are
quite proficient with using search tools - this forum
has answered this question at least hundred if not a
thousand times already and the answers have not really
changed that much over the years and no matter how
many times asked.
I will tell you that currently, I myself have had good
experience with all vendor workbooks (yep - I have
used them all if nothing else than for additional
reading material), and I am going to instead point you
to another direction - first.
Not that you cannot just totally blow me off and think
I am a bit insane for suggesting you actually read the
books, do some real exrecises, and gain additional
insight before asking the vendors to simply fill your
head with concepts, terms, tips, tricks and valuable
advice that you are probably not yet ready to
comprehend yet. And no offense is intended - none at
all.
Since you are new, go to lulu.com and search for CCIE,
you will find Tom Larus, he offers a free guide to the
CCIE Lab. It is dated and is not quite up to date, but
you owe it to yourself to have a look and it is free
so it won't hurt to look.
Here is the specific link:
http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?_shopSearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fbrowse%2Fsearch.php&_helpSearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fhelp%2Fsearch.php&_forumSearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fforums%2Fsearch.php%3Fmode%3Dresults&search_forum=-1&search_cat=2&show_results=topics&return_chars=200&search_keywords=&keys=&fSearch=ccie&fSearchFamily=0
Watch the wrap.
Not to insult but if you search lulu.com for CCNA, you
might also find CCNA - Learning by Doing.
http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?_shopSearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fbrowse%2Fsearch.php&_helpSearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fhelp%2Fsearch.php&_forumSearch=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lulu.com%2Fforums%2Fsearch.php%3Fmode%3Dresults&search_forum=-1&search_cat=2&show_results=topics&return_chars=200&search_keywords=&keys=&fSearch=ccna&fSearchFamily=0
So either way you can download free or purchase a
printed copy for easy reading.
I would advise starting here first. Get a feel for
things.
Now that you have read these and hopefully done these
exercises and got into the groove of expectations.
Go to ebay.
Perform a search on CCIE. Look for a guy named Matt
Weber.
He offers a quick CCIE RS lab Outline - perhaps
150-200 pages or so that he will send you a print copy
of.
Nice package with a lot of experience and practical
advice for a little pocket change.
Again, I'm going to hep you out:
Now I have found the following items to be invaluable
and each of the vendors in question will reference you
to them as well - so I'll save you the trouble and
tell you now.
1. InternetworkExpert.com - Tons of good and free
links and tips on their site - NTP, FRTS, and Subnet
Mask Calculations come to my mind - but there is a lot
more there for free and available just for stopping
by. - By the way the three I just mentioned to you are
probably worth at least 8-9 points on your lab
whenever you go.
2. Netmasterclass.com - they have a wealth of papers
on their site and there are probably 20-30 pdfs freely
available for your usage and perusal - take a look and
enjoy the free scenery. - Things like Multicast,
Native VLAN, Redistribution, BGP topics, RIP, etc.
stand out like a sore thumb and will likely serve you
well in the lab - 10-12 points or so.
3. IPExpert.com - Join get an account - take
adavantage of the CCNP and CCIE eScnearios - here you
will find a wealth of knoweldge freely available. I'd
say you can round up at least another 10-12 points not
covered anywhere up above or below. So get them while
they last.
4. CCBootcamp.com - look around they might refer you
to their Public FTP Site and if you are keen enough to
find it, you will also have found a wealth of items
that you may want to peruse including some current and
relevant CCIE Advice and lots of other freebies as
well - Frame Relay Setup is there as I recall - just a
lot of good overall and general info. I'm sure a
careful eye can find some items that will save some
pitfalls later.
5. http://www.cisco.com/univercd/home/home.htm - Make
it your homepage. Bookmark it. Learn it, Live it, Eat
it, Sleep it, and I even want you to be like Alice in
Wonderland and dream it.
Every vendor will point you here - recall what I told
you about searching, I want you to use this every time
you have a problem, a doubt, a concern, etc. If you
see a table, find it in here. Regular Expressions -
they are here and I want you to tell me where.
Got it. No forgivemess if you pass this one up.
I'll be you at least 21 point in your lab are going to
be in here somewhere and you get this resource while
you are taking the lab.
It is your best friend - get the meet and greet over
with.
=======================
Now of you need gear or lab time - Ebay Rulez!
So take a moment and look before you "Buy-it-Now" and
you'll do quite well.
I do advise you consider rack rental vs. rack
ownership since if you do the math. Rack Rental may be
more affordable.
======================
Finally, about 3 months later...
You are now ready to but some books, allow me to help
you in your selection - recall you are not yet ready
for full-scale labs yet.
Cisco Press - TCP/IP Volume I - Doyle - Why not save
frustration and start right here. There are enough
labs and every vendor will refernce Doyle - but if you
are smart you have already been here and done that.
Cisco Press - Cisco Press - Frame Relay Switching -
Take a moment - buy the book do the practicals and now
you own a nice layer 2 topic and FRTS as well.
Cisco Press - LAN Switching - Kennedy Clark - Again,
every single vendor will point you here - save
yourself some time and read it till you know it - 1x,
2x, 3x etc.
At this point, you are a very well-armed consumer and
you are pretty savvy about IGP's, Frame Relay, and
Switching topics - even FRTS and some queueing
techniques.
Now, I ask you to think about where you are and what
you need next?
So why not consider Dr. Parkhurst, after all he is or
was a CCIE Lab Proctor and did add a couple of books
to the selection list.
Cisco Press - OSPF
Cisco Press - BGP
Cisco Press - Troubleshooting Routing Protocols comes
next. The guys at TAC did some nice work here and you
can benefit for your lab as well.
Cisco Press - TCP/IP Volume II - You loved Vol I (2nd
edition), and now you will love Volume II - maybe even
more. Again all your favorite vendors will suggest
this one as well.
So by now you have most of your topics well under
control - but wait there is more:
1. QoS - Cisco Press has a nice offering by Wendell
Odom. Take a look - lots of goodies.
2. IPv6 - Cisco Press has two offerings here that are
very worthwhile.
3. Multicast - Allow me to point you again to Dr.
Parkhurst - this time the book is out of print and the
publisher is McGrawhill - not the latest information
in some regards, but an excellent primer. May I
suggest half.com - might cost you $5.00-$10.00 with
shipping.
4. BGP - Cisco Press - Halabi and there is a BGP
Design offering as well. If you are going to buy one,
why not buy them both.
5. Cisco Press - Practical Studies v1/v2 by Karl Solie
- out of date but hey - it is Cisco Press and it is a
good structure to 90% of the topics and might be cheap
on half.com.
6. CCIE R&S Labs - Cisco Press - 6 more labs - out of
date... But who is counting. More insight and
"wording" from the people who love to torture you most
- you guessed it and Gorito is the author of this
offering.
====================================
Now my friend you are 6-12 months into your studies,
you have read a small library and you might be ready
to look at our favorite vendors.
You are going to read and practice the technologies at
least a little bit before you make a major investment
into bootcamps and lab workbooks, aren't you?
I think you will also have earned a certain respect
from the vendors when you either meet them in person
or confer with them through this list.
I've given a lot of advice for free - like
groupstudy.com and other such forums.
Take it for what it is worth. I don't think anyone is
going to bash me too badly for this one.
Others will have their preferences, but since my
preferences for vendors is getting to the point where
I know them all by name, CCIE number, and geographic
boundary - I might be biased. I also am a customer of
all of them.
But you asked not which vendor but how to startup.
I gave you an answer.
Others may differ, but I did give you a fair answer
that is probably worth something if used wisely.
And I know I left off a few things here and there in
terms of references.
But you are apparently starting fresh - explore
everyone before you commit your cash and loyalty to
one or another.
Also, use Google.com
Stick CCIE in their - you might be surprised at what
you might find.
So good luck and once you are a bit more primed,
educated and ready, you will be able to make an
informed decision - you will have visited each of the
four major vendors on this list and you will probably
be swayed one way or another based on their offerings
and what you have red on their respective sites.
If you are like me, you might buy them all and become
the UBER-CCIE-BUYER...
Or you may decide you to only pick one or two.
Enjoy the journey...
=================================
Now this is basically how I started my studies and yes
my first CCIE book was not even Bridges, Routers, and
Switches (it was my third actually as I recall and
probably my favorite); but was actually...
Giles...
Even though I had to plough through it and I still
think of it as a good primer for network analysis, but
it does cover a lot of bits and bytes and things I
have had to learn - aka raw facts about packets along
the way.
So 10 years old or not it has its place.
=======================================
But I do take hits for taking such a long journey and
I had found that I still had gaps and dare say I still
have gaps in some technologies, but overall, I liked
the "long road" and it has so far proven very fruitful
for me as it can for others.
And I have used the 5-day/40-hour (always 9-day/100+
hour sessions for me) week training classes aka "boot
camps" to further close my gaps of knowledge.
Hey use whatever resources you may need as a vehicle
to get wherever it is you are going.
If you are making a trip across country, you can take
a jet or you can hike, and either way it will be an
experience, but which way will you have a more
meaningful experience?
I like to think of the boot camps as something like
hiking, with an occassional hitch hike along the
journey.
And there are more books which I have since used,
raved about, and no longer use any more, but still
they helped me to corner a topic.
I do relate a boot camp to about the equivalent of
reading a book. Here's why: I was once told that if
a person could learn only 1 thing from each experience
he/she had with meeting a person, watching a movie,
reading a book, an article, a play, a poem, etc. then
that person has gained something valuable.
I personally strive for this.
So I've given some books and resources, and if you
ever see my own bookshelves you'll realize there are
tons more that are available - read this list and
others; you'll never be bored.
Good luck and I hope this helps a bit.
Darby
--- Victor Cappuccio <victor@ccbootcamp.com> wrote:
> Shahid, many as you think the same in the same way.
> But other many just care
> to be the best professional in networking (quick
> ccies you can call it). I
> personally know some CCIE that they have not touch a
> router in almost 10
> years, and some that they just got out from the lab
> (6 month) and they have
> still the "Knowledge"
>
> is just a way to see this as an almost empty glass
> of watter
>
> Just my 2 cents
> Victor.-
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nobody@groupstudy.com on behalf of Lala Lander
> Sent: Thu 4/19/2007 13:10
> To: Scott Thornton
> Cc: engshad.shady@gmail.com; ccielab@groupstudy.com
> Subject: Re: CCIE Recommanded books
>
> nice....so narbik you are suggesting a good bootcamp
> can replace all the
> recommended reading. I always thought the purpose of
> CCIE was to learn
> technoplogies, develop good reading habits and not
> just pass the test.
> Ultimately these CCIEs should able to write RFCs,
> come up with new ideas or
> contribute in some fashion. If they dont read books,
> dont understand
> protocols deeply, dont understand thought process of
> protocol designers,how
> are they suppose to do anything new in the field?
>
> I wonder how you guys passed your CCIEs? whose
> bootcamp you attended Narbik?
> And whose bootcamp your instructor attended? I'll
> like to trace the person
> at the end who indeed read the books and asked them
> to guide this list.
>
> Shahid
> CCIE #12665 (R&S) and reading books for CCIE
> Security and SP for last 6
> months now!
>
>
> On 4/19/07, Scott Thornton <scthornton@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I read the book from ccbootcamp, did a couple
> practice tests and then
> > took the test...got a 94.
> >
> > depending on your background, I wouldn't waste
> your time on anything
> > else...
> >
> > if you can or have passed the ccnp and have
> experience with mulicast,
> > wireless. qos...and actually understand those
> technologies you should
> > be able to pass...
> >
> > On 4/19/07, engshad.shady@gmail.com
> <engshad.shady@gmail.com> wrote:
> > > i need to know whate is the recommanded book to
> read for ccie written
> > from
> > > the new released books that cover the topics of
> exames (the good books
> > in
> > > your view )
> > >
> > >
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Tue May 01 2007 - 08:28:36 ART