From: Darby Weaver (darbyweaver@yahoo.com)
Date: Sat Feb 02 2008 - 00:35:37 ARST
Congratulations my friend. Glad one of my posts
helped you a little.
:)
Your story is really interesting to read and offers a
lot show what it really takes to get the CCIE and hope
for many younger people who are out there sacrificing
to get their own digits.
My compliments, especially due to your age. Not many
people are a CCIE or have ever been a CCIE at your
age.
You should feel proud of the accomplishment.
Sincerely,
Darby Weaver
--- Gobind <gobind@inbox.com> wrote:
---------------------------------
Hey Guys!
At last with the blessing of GOD, I manged to pass
CCIE exam at brussels.This was my third attempt.Yea,I
am 20 but I am not boasting but rather feeling proud
for this accomplishment in the conditions I been
through while preparing.Its been a long journey.I want
to say Thanks to Brians,Darby for this tips and
Scott,Narbik for their endless help rather it be
direct or indirect as most of the help and information
I got to my problems was by searching the old archives
and most of the archives were from Scott and Narbik
:).Also want to say thanks to Alexie for his posts in
Netmasclass,the thing in which I was getting which was
redistribution,he pulled out a topic from Group Study
posted by Bruce from Netmasterclass way back,it was
huge post on Redistribution which really opened my
mind in that particular area.I can post that link
later if someone is interested.Also want to say thanks
to Eric and Bruno,the proctors of Brussels which
really helped me(Cheers! if you are reading this post
:) and to Manoj for talking with me on phone for
helping me out in my problems and giving me tips for
the Lab.
This is a Huge post.I just want to tell everyone that
never ever give up!!.Always remember:-
"Winners never Quit & Quitters never win!!"
I struggled a lot during my journey to CCIE.It took me
3 years! I started studying for CCIE back in 2004
after passing my CCNP when I was just 17.My career
started when I was studying in 9th grade and was
working as part time in my areas's local ISP company.I
use to do installations of Modems,cables for New
customers.My interest started to grow after I saw
Network Engineer f our company configuring RIP on
Router.My ambition started to grow,I wanted to be like
him,sitting on chair and configuring Network
Equiptments remotely.Then I asked him how to learn
those kind of things and then he recommended me Wendel
Odom's CCNA book,that's when my career in Cisco
started.I managed to pass CCNA and started helping
that same Engineer in his work of configuring routeres
and learn new things from him.Later on I managed to
pass CCNP.
My hunger for Networking started to grow,that's when I
joined a big company out of the state where I was
living,which really helped me in studying.I worked
there and meanwhile started studying for CCIE in
2004.But at that time was also most worst part because
when people use to lookup at me in India(thats where I
worked and grew up) they use to mock me "17 year old
kid doing CCIE?!!! HAHAHA",They use to mock me on my
back which also worked as spilling petrol in fire for
me in my studies due to which my determination grew
and I wanted to show them that I can do it.But at that
time I was not upto the mark for CCIE.I took traning
in Bangalore,it was 2005 mid by then.Then I got know
about IE's Brian and I saw their sample labs and then
I realized that there was so much out there to
learn.But I didnt had that much finance to pay Brian
or for my training.So I made up my mind to work hard
and collect money.After doing 9 to 5 job,I use to
Design Websites and do Web hosting for many customers.
That business really boosted my income and till the
ended of 2005 and with some financial help from my
parents I planned to buy my rack and then I posted at
GS in Dec 2005 I believe for getting help for setting
up Rack,Then brian McGahan came forward to help me and
I bought full Rack of routers and CCIE End to End from
Brians on which they gave me discount after due to my
financial condition.I am really grateful for them.I
started learn technologies more deeply by studying
Brian's COD and their workbook and meanwhile studying
CCIE Practical studies Vol 1 & 2(I already completed
TCP/IP Vol I & II by this time).
But finance was always problem for me,so I had to work
meanwhile for collecting money for CCIE Lab exam.But
2006 wasnt really good year for me.Due to some
personal problems at home I had to sell my rack.My
CCIE written exam was going to be expired.So I gave my
written exam again and then I needed to practise on
Rack.But the Rack rentals price for 20-30 days and
training of Bangalore for CCIE turned out to be
same,HAHA,So I thought I should rather go to
banglore,this way I got rack access for 1 month
physical access (My employer really helped me and gave
me leave).
But then after reading that how people fails in GS,I
was really shocked and I made up my mind to take
Bootcamp.My friend Manoj whom I met in GS recommended
me to go Cyscoexpert where Naren Mehta who is
Co-Author of Book "CCIE Routing and Switching Official
Exam Certification Guide" and bahram were giving one
to one training in US.So I decided to go there,so I
started collecting money and did various projects
meanwhile and did programming/designing for
website,also hosted Live broadcsting events.At last I
was ready to go.
But before going I did Rack rentals from Chris from
CiscoLabs,he gave me Rack in damn cheap price.I am
thankful to him.I took my training in US from
CyscoExpert.That training was just awesome! It really
helped me and I thought I was ready for exam and I
would pass it.I appeared for my lab on 15th may 2007
at RTP,This was my first attempt and I failed.I was
really shocked that what happened as when i came out
of the lab I thought Iwas passed.It really shook me.I
did't knew what to do.I posted my experience in Lab
during then.When i returned back to India,I met those
guys again mocking at me even 2 years after saying
that I cant pass the labs.So I felt so guilty and
thought I couldnt pass it and they were right.But my
parents supported and girl friend supported me and
told me to give it another try.After 1 week time my I
decided that I wont give up and booked my lab date on
5th July,2007 in Dubai and guess what I failed again
which almost made me thing that CCIE is not meant for
me and I dint even had the courage to post in GS or
appear in GS again.I was really broken in pieces and
started to think that those guys were 100% right that
CCIE is unattainable for Kid/Teenager like me and I
dont deserve that.
But after 2 months I really thought that what am I
doing?! Even after doing so much I am quiting?! So
finally I decided to give one more attempt again and
see my luck.I decided to take Narbik's bootcamp under
his special offer but due to some personal problems I
was not able to attend it.I decided to do
Netmasterclass,Also Chris from CiscoLabs and my old
friend Manoj gave me advise to do it.So I bought
Netmaster DoIT and rented Rack from Chirs and started
practicing and whole December I practised
DoIT,especially on Weekends and during Christmas/New
Year Holidays.
By this time my lab was booked on January 29th at
Brussels.I went to IE's COD again.Read the
redistribution part which really sometimes put me in
trouble from Forum's of DiscussIT of Netmasterclass by
Bruce posted by Alexie,Thanks again for that!! And not
to forget my favorite post from Darby in GS with
Subject "Lab Approach - Getting Ready for the 3rd Shot
at the Title" which really helped me in my 3rd shot
;).Thanks Darby for that.I got problem in many things
but it was mostly previously discussed in GS before
and was mostly answered by Scott and Narbik,Thanks
Narbik and Scott!!!
I also remember the topic "Attack by proctor" from GS
which said the Proctors esp. in Brussels do attack in
rack,many CCIE candidates came forward and said it.I
was also prepared for that even i thought it was
stupid thing,thinking that maybe sometime in middle of
m lab I would get problem,hehe
So the Final day,when i entered the lab I was totally
freeked out.I calmed myself and started my lab and I
finished my lab in 5.5 hours which was really good
sign for me,then i verified the solutions from first
question from Question one to last and then came out
of the Lab.I left for the airport from hotel at 5pm.
Now the **Golden Moment**.My Girl Friend called me
just after 1 hr 45 mins,after my lab,exactly at 6:15
pm(as she was checking my result) and here what she
said "Sweetheart, 19910.." and she stopped.I
understood that were my digits and I was like NO
WAY!,Tears came into my eyes with happiness.I couldnt
believe I passed!! Then i called my parents and gave
them the news.That was the most preciuos moment of my
life.I thanked GOD which blessed me.
As per my expeience in Lab there is nothing known as
attack by proctor in MIDDLE of LAB.And yea Bruno &
Eric are not my friends and they neither gave me
Belgian Beer to say this,hehe.
The people which really helped me from Day 1 when I
started preparing for CCIE are Brians which helped me
technically and also financially when I needed help by
giving me huge discounts in my bad times. GOD Bless
you. guys!
Maybe I bored you guys with my story.But I just want
to tell you that no matter how hard the time can be if
you want to attain something then go for it,no matter
"Whatever it takes".Even in my case I was being mocked
due to my age or even I failed 3 attempts even my
financial condition was not good as I was not earning
in $ but in India Ruppee which really makes
difference,believe me.My pay from past 3 years and
money which came from my business of Web
Designing/Programming and Broadcasting over IP,all
went into this studies.Yea I was stupid enough for
this because I just had this one aim in front of me.I
took two tranings in bangalore,Rented more than 600
hours of Racktime from different vendors,mainly from
Chris,Bootcamp in US,three attempts,End to End from
Brians's CCIE and DoIT from Netmasterclass.I know it
looks insane but I was crazy enough to put my 100%
efforts as well as finance in this exam as it was my
goal and also shut the f**k up of those guys who
mocked at me due to my age.They use to say that that
they had 12 years of experience(they were CCIE
themself) which was nearly equivant ot my age(I was 17
at that time).I respect that they had so much
experience and had CCIE but they did not had any right
to mock at me.
But I have attained what I dreamt for even it took
longer than I expected but I attained it.
My Next Dream .... "CCIE Service Provider"..hehe.. Now
I have to dig the way of studiying for this
cerfication.I am going to start studying for it in few
days time.Any advice or guidance would be helpful :).
Thanks again to
Alexie,Bahram,Brians,Bruce,Chris,Manoj(Thanks for
taking out time for solving my problems),Naren,Narbik
& Scott for their help and support in whichever way I
got from them :)
--Gobind Singh Gill
CCIE # 19910
(Proudly Writing :) )
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Sat Mar 01 2008 - 16:54:47 ARST