From: Gary Duncanson (gary.duncanson@googlemail.com)
Date: Fri Feb 08 2008 - 06:10:35 ARST
Sadiq,
Congratulations my friend. Just desserts after all you have put in and been
through.
Regards
Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sadiq Yakasai" <sadiqtanko@gmail.com>
To: "Cisco certification" <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 12:11 AM
Subject: CCIE #19963
> Hey guys,
>
> I cant believe its my turn to write this email now. Amazing what comes
> your way when you are truly determined and would not let failing be a
> failure, as they say.
>
> So I have managed to get digitized yesterday at Brussels, after my
> second attempt at the lab exam. Its been a rough ride! Juggling work
> and studying for the lab exam isnt the most esiest of things to do.
>
> I started studying for the lab exam in January 2007, just after
> finishing written test and commencing with a new job back then. Pay
> was good, but it wasnt directly with cisco line of products, which
> kinda made it boring for me cos of what I had set out to get. I gave
> up the job and took up a contract for 11 months, but this time working
> on IOS day in day out! Pay was less, the country was more expensive to
> live in, spent alot of money moving across the continent (needless to
> mention the hunnies are not as sweet, hehe), but hey, I had a target.
> Along the line when the going got tough, many times I questioned
> myself about this decision that I had to make. But i sticked with the
> plan!
>
> Got me InternetworkExpert materials and got on with the plan. Watched
> the CoD many many times each. At least 2 times before practice, and
> one more time after practing to make sure I completely understood what
> they mentioned. Most times, I would pick up new tricks and information
> everytime i re-watched the videos. I did this for at least 4 months
> and decided it was time to get on to the main labs. Did all the labs
> and at least 15 more for the second time.
>
> I scheduled the Assesor Lab exam and got a 65% on it. Wasnt the most
> impressive performance, but it introduced me to a different wording
> style of the exam which I found to be truly educating.
>
> I went into the exam the first time in Brussels, with alot of
> uncertainties of what to expect and the level of the difficulty of the
> exam. I knew the technologies but was tripped off something really
> trivial as I look back at it right now. I wasted soo much time which
> affected my composure and eventually, i messed up much more that I
> shouldnt have. I got zero on my BGP section the first time cos of a
> misconfigured AS number (and the config for the part was completely
> correct). - not a good thing. I came out with 65% overall.
> Dissapointed by this, but I felt i was close for a first attempt and I
> knew I was almost there.
>
> I came back to the drawing board as many people in here suggest. For
> my next attempt, I knew it would be more strategic than the first one.
> I concentrated more on the weak areas and theories more than I did on
> building the most complex labs and doing the most complex
> redistribution, etc, which would typically take me hours to think
> through and do. Mcast, Catalyst QOS and IP services were now my areas
> of concentration.
>
> Just 2 weeks before my second attempt on the 19th of OCT 2007, I
> tragically lost my sister. I was shattered into pieces by this event.
> Had to travel home to stay with family during this period and had to
> cancel my lab attempt.
>
> After a complete month of being away from anything technical, I
> returned to the battle field. My boss at work had got in contact with
> the guys at NMC and got a few mock labs to do with them. I found this
> to be a truly enriching experience. I did 3 labs in total and they
> gave me the slap i needed to fully wake up and face the beast again.
>
> I went back to Brussels on the 6th of Feb. Knowing my abilities, I
> have never a believer of reading the whole exam before starting, and I
> didnt on the day because I think there is too much information to
> take in by doing so. I like to read a section and do that section,
> verify and move on to the next. However, I came across an issue which
> i asked the proctor on and he adviced me to read the entire exam to
> get the clue to the answer which I did got an answer to my question. I
> knew right from the exam hall that I had done it this time. But if I
> had not, then I probably would never be able to cos I thot I had done
> all that I could do and believed I did the right thing. I clarified
> with the proctors on every little point I needed clarification. NO
> ASSUMPTIONS WHAT SO EVER!!.
>
> I would like to thank all the gurus out here for your time and effort.
> The Brians, Scott, Narbik, Tarun, Jason Guy, Hashiru Aminu (especially
> for introducing me to the group), and all the rest of the gurus out
> here for your support and time.
>
> I would like to thank all the newbies as well for the fundamental
> questions. Most times you realise its good to go back to basics when
> you spend too much time solving the most complex of issues. It always
> helped. I had a prof that always said, its better to ask the most
> stupid question outside the exam than be caught up inside the exam for
> not asking. So ASK when is doubt! There will always be someone to
> answer your question
>
> Know the DoC CD inside out!
>
> Thanks
>
> Sadiq Yakasai
> CCIE # 19963
>
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