From: Ramya S (ramya_1975@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Jun 28 2007 - 03:27:45 ART
Hi Arin,
Congratulations.
How many hours a week did you practice the workbook labs?
Regards,
Ramya Sen
> Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 16:14:44 +1000> From: therichmonds@gmail.com> To:
mpurple7@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: Passed R&S Lab in Sydne> CC:
ccielab@groupstudy.com> > Narbik is correct.> > The lab has been relocated
from Chatswood to St Leonards.> > On 28/06/07, Moses Polalysa
<mpurple7@yahoo.com> wrote:> >> > Congrats Arin for the great achievement.> >>
> Where did you go for the lab? Chatswood or St. Leonard?> >> > How was the
new lab there in St. Leonard?> >> > Thanks.> >> > Regards,> > Moses> >> >> >
----- Original Message ----> > From: Arin and Rachel Richmond
<therichmonds@gmail.com>> > To: ccielab@groupstudy.com> > Sent: Thursday, June
28, 2007 11:37:31 AM> > Subject: Passed R&S Lab in Sydney> >> > Hi all,> >> >
I apologise in advance for the length of this email. It has been a lot of> >
blood sweat and tears gone into the passing of this exam, and it's> >
difficult> > to describe the experience with brevity.> >> > I have been a
silent reader of GroupStudy for around six months now, and> > have found many
of the posts both informative and thought provoking. Some> > of> > the most
inspirational posts have been reading the stories of others who> > have
tackled this mighty exam. In kind I thought I would share my> > experience> >
and return the favour to other aspiring CCIEs on the list.> >> > My story is
similar to Blaine's (congratulations by the way!) in that I> > used> > one
vendor's products to prepare, namely InternetworkExpert.> >> > My preparation
for the lab began in mid 2005 when I decided my goal was to> > attain the top
Cisco certification. I've been working in networks for many> > years however I
decided to start out slowly and follow the stepping stone> > path by taking
the CCNA, CCDA, CCNP and CCDP exams. I finished these mid> > 2006 and studied
for the CCIE written exam using predominantly the Wendell> > Odom cert guide.>
>> > After passing the written in November 2006 I began a wider reading> >
program.> > In hindsight I could and probably should have done this before
taking the> > written. It would have made it a lot easier. I read the usual
recommended> > texts; TCP/IP Illustrated, Inside Cisco IOS Architectures,
Routing TCP/IP> > Vol 1 and 2 (brilliant books!), Internet Routing
Architectures, Cisco LAN> > Switching, BCMSN Cert Guide, QoS Cert Guide and
Developing IP Multicast> > Networks.> >> > After reading the theory I followed
InternetworkExpert's recommended study> > plan. I watched the first week of
the Advanced Technology Class on Demand,> > which is an excellent product,
followed by their Advanced Technology Labs> > then the second week of the
Advanced Technology Class on Demand. The> > Brian's> > do an excellent job of
explaining the technologies and then showing you in> > these videos. I would
definitely recommend them to an aspiring candidate.> >> > After this I worked
through the first three labs of the Core Lab Workbook,> > followed by the
"easy" labs (difficulty 6 or less) from the Main Lab> > Workbook, then back to
the Core Book to finish it off and then through the> > rest of the 20 full
scale labs. At any stage if I wasn't sure about a> > technology I would read
up on it, primarily in the DocCD, but also by> > referring back to the books I
had already read. As I progressed through> > the> > labs I found myself
relying less and less on the DocCD, but at the same> > time> > became quicker
at locating material should it be required. Again, while> > not> > without
their faults, the Core and Main Lab workbooks (now called Volume> > II> > and
III I believe) were excellent products, and the Brian's cover off the> > vast
majority of the blueprint in these 30 labs.> >> > I took two weeks off work
prior to my lab date and finished all the labs> > with four days to go until
the big day. My preparation ramped up from> > steady> > at six months out to
intense (getting up early, labbing before work,> > labbing> > on getting home
from work, labbing on weekends) for the last four months> > and> > about 10
hours every day for the last two weeks. I think this gradual ramp> > up helped
me greatly in that I built the theory foundation and then> > polished> > it
with hundreds of hours of practical labbing which ramped up in> > intensity> >
and consequently my speed followed suit. Practice is very different to> >
theory. You need to know the theory to know what and how implement it on> >
the> > command line, but you will also learn a lot from doing it.> >> > To
practice I built a lab at home rather than use remote rack rentals. I> >
decided that it was going to suit me best to have instant access to a lab> >
so> > that I could fit in as much lab time around work when it suited me. My>
> home> > lab consisted of 1 x 3550 and 3 x 3560 switches and two PCs with
quad port> > ethernet NICs running Dynamips and Dynagen emulated 7206
routers.> >> > The day before the lab I tried not to study, though I will
admit I read my> > notes from the Class on Demand on the plane and train
journey to Sydney.> > Other than this I spent my time watching a movie, TV and
trying to relax.> > I> > got a good nights sleep the night before. I think
sleep and good nutrition> > are essential to your mental state on the day.> >>
> I got the dreaded email very late the same evening of the lab and was more>
> nervous waiting to log in to the CCIE website than I had been during the> >
exam itself. Fortunately the nerves became joy and relief.> >> > I'd like to
thank a few people without whom I could not have passed this> > exam.> >> >
Firstly, my wife for her endless encouragement, support and patience.> >> >
Next, the guys at work for their support, encouragement and willingness to> >
discuss the inner workings of OSPF, STP etc.> >> > Brian Dennis and Brian
McGahan from InternetworkExpert as well as all the> > others behind the scenes
for their excellent products and well thought out> > study program. You guys
are legends!> >> > My proctor Stefaan for putting up with my inordinate number
of questions,> > thank you for your courteous and professional approach.> >> >
The people on the InternetworkExpert forums for providing clarification,> >
alternative approaches and discussion on the IE labs.> >> > Christophe Fillot
and Greg Anuzelli for producing the worlds greatest> > Cisco> > router
emulator and front end respectively, and doing it for the greater> > good
under the general public license.> >> > Lastly, thank you to everyone at
GroupStudy for your insight and> > inspiration.> >> > Best of luck to you
all.> >> > Regards,> >> > Arin Richmond> > CCIE #18318 (R&S)> >> >
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