From: Darby Weaver (darbyweaver@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Feb 15 2008 - 18:54:17 ARST
Mark,
Hi,
Sorry you seem to be offended by Matt Brooks,
IPexpert, or any other vendor.
Personally, I would think it more professional for a
Sales Rep to answer this type of accusation, rather
than a particular instructor - especially since the
company was named and not the instructor by name.
Apparently the training received by J.P. from IPExpert
must not have been that bad since the guy was able to
buy their materials, go to their classes, and then go
to the lab and pass on the first try (when so many
others have had to repeat that lab - even Scott
Morris, a quad CCIE).
So... How bad could the class be?
Now...
Putting everything in perspective here and I'm going
to be blunt but I'm going to try not to be accusing...
If a person were to go to a CCIE Bootcamp for say
Voice or any track for that matter and ask say...
exact lab exam questions or some that were close
enough... well any instructor will tell or ask all
students very explicitly NOT to ask those types of
questions. Period.
I've heard all of my instructors that I've studied
with say this. All of them, and while I've not yet
been to class with IPExpert, I can imagine the same
words come from them as well.
So...
While most parties involved would like this thread to
die, I might like to ask a question: What question (s)
were asked by a student that were not answered or
given some reference to by an instructor (an if it
will break the NDA do not bother to answer - I'll
assume that to be the case if there is no reply).
Seriously, I, as a potential future customer of
IPExpert would be interested in this.
Now Jatinder is obviously a stellar student and very
skilled network engineer since he was able to pass the
CCIE Voice Lab in one shot.
And with the classes and about 2 months of 15-18 hours
per day of very intense study.
My hat is off to the guy, no doubt.
Now, I'm just a dumb ole' country box from out of the
swamps and all but it does take me a minute to wrap
this stuff around my head.
With that said, I've run into many people who think
I'm not the dimmest bulb in the room either.
Now I'll say that I did meet a fellow in December who
took his CCIE Voice Lab who felt very secure he was
going to pass and as I recall he seemed to not have
very much "experience per se" and had only studied for
a few short weeks (maybe 10 or so) and he was just
going to go the lab till he passed too. Literally
month by month. I tihnk he was on his 2nd or 3rd
shot.
So I suppose it can be done.
Ummm... I guess some people are just blessed? Right?
But then I did watch Rainman.
--- CCIE RS <cciers@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
> Dear Matt Brook$,
>
>
> I only find your post in this archieve no other
> sales persons have posted like
> you. You certainly got the special permission("priv
> level 15, do u know what
> this means?"), sorry I didnt know that. I think you
> have been given special
> permission just to respond to the bad review of your
> customers, very sad that
> you get bad reviews. I have not seen other sales
> people from different
> company having the permisson and posting for all the
> bad reviews because they
> dont get hammered as much as you get hammered.
> If I tell a group of people that IPEXPERT is bad,
> will you come down to
> Reading,UK and defend IPExpert?
> Anyways, I dont want to post further regarding this,
> its a waste of time and I
> see lots of biz interest here from you.
> Matt, Do you have bootcamps for CCIE (SALES)?
>
>
> $$I wish you a billion dollors$$
> Mark Smith
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > From: mbrooks@ipexpert.com> To:
> cciers@hotmail.co.uk> Subject: Re: Finally
> Pass Voice Lab on first attempt> Date: Thu, 14 Feb
> 2008 09:27:29 -0500> CC:
> ccielab@groupstudy.com; jatinder.p.singh@bt.com> >
> Hi, Mark.> > Thanks for
> posting your concern. Perhaps others were thinking
> the > same, so I will
> quickly reply to all.> > Frankly, I would prefer
> *not* to have to engage on
> this list. You are > right; it is for CCIE
> candidates and, while you might
> find that > buddying up to a "sales guy" running a
> training company could be a
> > great help to your studies, that is not the
> purpose if this list.> > The
> fact is, I have been given permission by Paul
> Borghese (the owner > of Group
> Study) to engage in these kinds of conversations. As
> I have > stated many
> times, it is not our intent or desire to stomp out
> any > negative comments
> about IPexpert. We are not perfect, so part of doing
> > business is that there
> will be criticism from time to time. That's OK. >
> The trouble arises with
> posts like the one that started this thread, > which
> are so untrue and
> outrageous that it is reasonable to defend the >
> correct position.> > In
> closing, I encourage you to search the archives for
> any posts by > me. I think
> you will find that I have never abused the system.
> You > will also find plenty
> of constructive criticism with no reply from > me.
> ;-)> > Feel free to verify
> my comments with Paul as well.> > With that, I
> apologize for the distraction
> and wish all of you great > success with your CCIE
> pursuit.> > --> Matt
> Brooks> Vice President - IPexpert, Inc.> Telephone:
> +1.810.326.1444 x101>
> Mailto: mbrooks@ipexpert.com> > > > On Feb 14, 2008,
> at 2:24 AM, CCIE RS
> <cciers@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:> > > has Matt Brooks
> passed his CCIE written to
> be in this forum? does he > > have a Lab date for
> the main lab exam?> > is he
> not a sales type of guy from IPEXPERT? Can this
> forum allow > > sales people?
> If so I hope the team from Internetworkexpert joins
> as > > they are excellent
> in what they do. (Kady, Mike, Misty..etc)> > SORRY
> IF I AM WRONG.> >> >> >
> Regards> > mark> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>
> >> >> > > Date: Wed, 13
> Feb 2008 13:00:04 -0500> > > From:
> mbrooks@ipexpert.com> > > To:
> ccielab@groupstudy.com> > > Subject: Re: FW: Finally
> Pass Voice Lab on first
> attempt> > > CC: jatinder.p.singh@bt.com> > >> > >
> JP,> > >> > > First, I
> would like to congratulate you on your success. Even
> in > > light of> > > your
> review of IPexpert, I believe that you gained some
> benefit > > from our> > >
> products, courses and support. For that, I am
> pleased to have been > > a part
> of> > > your success.> > >> > > It is good to see
> that Brad and his team were
> able to help you as > > well. I am> > > pleased to
> say that we have developed
> a great relationship with the> > > CCbootcamp staff.
> Brad runs a fine
> operation and is generous with > > his time> > > and
> desire to help CCIE
> candidates.> > >> > > I am, however, disappointed
> that your review did not
> acknowledge > > the many> > > phone calls and emails
> that our team engaged
> with you, which > > certainly went> > > well outside
> our "normal" level of
> support. I suppose it is true > > in business> > >
> that "you can't please all
> the people all the time," but we will > > continue>
> > > trying to assist other
> CCIE Voice candidates...> > >> > > ---------------->
> > > On February 8th 2008
> I passed my CCIE Voice Lab in RTP. I took the > >
> IPexpert> > > 10 day boot
> camp in Richardson TX, and I can't express enough
> how > > much this> > >
> helped me to pass. I have been working with IPT for
> over 6 years > > and have>
> > > done Call Manager installs all the way back to
> the version 3.0, > > but
> still> > > picked up a wealth of new knowledge at
> this boot camp that if I > >
> hadn't had I> > > would not have passed.> > >> > >
> Vik's help was amazing and
> I couldn't come up with any questions > > to stump>
> > > him. If I had a
> question on any of the technology he always had an >
> > answer> > > for me.
> IPexpert's Voice boot camp and practice materials
> are > > second to> > > none.
> Had I not gone to the boot camp I don't feel like I
> would > > have passed> > >
> the lab. I would also like to say the proctor lab
> equipment is > > great, and
> I> > > used it exclusively to study for the lab at
> home since I could not > >
> afford to> > > buy my own lab.> > >> > > Sincerely,>
> > >> > > Allen Hartman> >
> > CCIE #11381 (Voice, R&S)> > >> > >
> ----------------> > >> > > I passed on
> January 29, 2008. One of my friend recommended > >
> IPexpert's CCIE> > >
> Bootcamp as a good way to prepare for the lab. The
> bootcamp was > > really> >
> > helpful in terms of measuring your own readiness
> to take the test. > > I
> would> > > definitely recommend to sign-up for this
> bootcamp BEFORE you even >
> > sign up> > > for the real lab attempt. You may
> find out that you are not
> ready > > or there> > > are many other/better
> strategies you could use to give
> you a > > better chance> > > at passing the lab.> >
> >> > > Mark Snow was very
> helpful/knowledgeable and provided useful > >
> insights about> > > things to
> look out for during the test. I also ordered the > >
> workbook from> > >
> IPexpert which I used to do time trials for the real
> test.> > >> > > I guess I
> am really proud that I was able to pass this test
> more > > than 10> > > years
> after I passed my first R&S CCIE. Big thumbs up for
> IPexpert!> > >> > > Andras
> Arato> > > CCIE #3297 (Voice, R&S)> > >> > >
> ----------------> > >> > > I
> would like to express my gratitude for the training
> that I > > received from>
> > > IPexpert in preparing for my Voice CCIE lab. I
> used the Voice > > Proctor
> Guide> > > to gain a solid foundation of the
> possible testable topics in the >
> > Voice CCIE> > > lab, and then partook of the 5 day
> lab experience boot camp
> taught > > by Vik> > > Malhi roughly one month
> before I sat for the exam. I
> was thoroughly> > > impressed with Vik's knowledge,
> and a few times during the
> course > > my lab> > > partner and I would bet on
> how quickly Vik would know
> the answers > > to our> > > questions before we
> finished the questioning
> sentence.> > >> > > In addition, during the month
> after my bootcamp and before
> my lab > > practical,> > > I posed many questions to
> the online forum that
> Mark Snow would > > respond too.> > > Mark's
> explanations were clear and
> concise and he went above and > > beyond in> > >
> many situations to make sure
> I understood the material. I am happy > > to report>
> > > that on January 22nd
> of 2008, I passed the Voice lab and feel > >
> strongly that> > > IPexpert was a
> contributing factor.> > >> > > However, I would also
> like to make the point
> that IPexpert does > > not train> > > people to pass
> the CCIE Lab exam. To the
> contrary, IPexpert's > > training> > > regiment
> ensures that each individual
> actually understands the > > technology> > > and
> truly becomes a better
> engineer.> > >> > > In much appreciation,> > >> > >
> Mike Schultz> > > CCIE
> (R&S, Voice) #7935> > >> > > ----------------> > >
> IPexpert was recommended to
> me by a local Cisco SE, who recently > > took a
> boot> > > camp, and by a
> coworker who used the lab guide to pass his Voice >
> > lab last> > > year. I
> worked through several of the exercises in the
> workbook > > before> > > taking
> the boot camp.> > >> > > The boot camp really helped
> me understand several
> critical areas > > much better> > > and helped me
> develop a strategy for the
> lab. After the boot camp > > I worked> > > through
> all of the labs in the
> workbook and the new e-books using > > the> > >
> Proctor Labs online racks.
> Working through all of the labs helped > > me learn>
> > > even more and
> increased my speed.> > >> > > After completing the
> workbook and the e-books I
> felt ready for the > > lab and> > > was not nervous
> on test day. Because of
> all the hard work and > > preparation I> > > was
> able to pass the Voice lab on
> my first attempt. This was not > > easy and> > >
> required many hours of study.
> You cannot just go to a boot camp > > and expect> >
> > to pass, but with hard
> work and IPexpert products you can pass the > >
> lab.> > >> > > The most
> important part of the whole experience of studying
> for > > and passing> > >
> the voice lab was that I greatly expanded my voice
> knowledge, > > which will>
> > > help me provide better service to my customers.>
> > >> > > Hal White, CCIE
> (R&S, Voice) #12507> > >> > > ----------------> > >>
> > > Since my first CCIE
> Routing & Switching achieved in 2003, I have > >
> been used> > > IPexpert
> workbook. I practiced the complete whole book
> including the> > > break-down
> practice and one-day mock labs. It helped me a lot
> to > > pass the> > > R&S
> lab in 2 attempts. The workbook covered much wider
> scope than > > the real> >
> > lab, and it was based on the 9-routers case
> scenarios (the real > > lab has
> only> > > 6 routers). Which helped me a lot to keep
> the confidence till the >
> > end to> > > complete the R&S CCIE lab within 4
> hours. Yes, 4 hours only. So
> I > > could have> > > another 4 hours to fully test
> the lab one by one.> > >>
> > > Before I started my CCIE Voice study, I
> researched on which > > workbook
> in the> > > market is the best that could fit me to
> practice the hands-on > >
> experience,> > > since I didn't have much hands-on,
> regardless I was a CCVP. I
> am > > so far very> > > happy with the decision to
> choose the IPExpert
> workbook. It > > covered a lot of> > > major topics
> for the section practice
> on CallManager, Unity, IPCC, > > Fax, GW,> > > GK
> and so forth. It took me 3
> attempts to pass Voice CCIE in exact > > one year.>
> > > The workbook, again,
> helped me prepared more stuff than the real > > lab
> asked> > > for. So I could
> feel confidence everytime sit inside the real lab. >
> > The first> > > two
> attempts were not really bad, and I felt I was
> closer and > > closer to the> >
> > final success. And eventually I nailed it down on
> the 3rd attempt. > > It
> was> > > again, in the first 4.5 hours I completed
> the whole lab, and spent >
> > the rest> > > of time for testing and
> troubleshooting.> > >> > > IPExpert
> had the first-class of CCIE Voice rack rental. I
> tried a > > couple> > >
> sessions before the final exam during the Christmas
> and New Year > > holiday>
> > > season. Their after-hour support was phenomenal.
> It was instant and> > >
> efficient. I was very impressive with the effort of
> the support > > team,
> since> > > they were just like standing beside you
> and reply to you through >
> > the email> > > and fix the issue very quickly.
> Also, IPexpert has their own
> > > mailing list,> > > in addition to their online
> CCIE forum, that I could
> post my > > questions and> > > get the answer
> instantly from both instructors
> and other CCIE > > candidates> > > around the
> world.> > >> > > I would
> certainly recommend IPexpert products to those
> future > > CCIEs. Welcome> > >
> to the club.> > >> > > Thank you again IPexpert.> >
> >> > > Weihui Ted Meng,
> CCIE #12621> > >> > > ----------------> > >> > >
> http://www.ipexpert.com/index.cfm/Testimonials> > >
> --> > > Matt Brooks> > >
> Vice President - IPexpert, Inc.> > > Telephone:
> +1.810.326.1444 x101> > >
> Mailto: mbrooks@ipexpert.com> > >> > >> > >> > > >
> Subject: Finally Pass Voice
> Lab on first attempt> > > > > Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008
> 12:17:33 +0000> > > > >
> From: jatinder.p.singh@bt.com> > > > > To:
> ccielab@groupstudy.com> > > > >> >
> > > > Dear All,> > > > >> > > > > Yesterday, I
> passed my ccie voice lab at
> brussels on my first > > attempt.> > > > > Firstly I
> would like to thank all
> who helped me towards > > achieving this> > > > >
> goal. Special thanks to
> Tarun pahuja, and the CCBootcamp team > > (Brad)
> who> > > > > gave me personal
> support. Even though I did not buy any of their> > >
> > > products they gave
> their personal contact details and helped > > me
> when I> > > > > needed much
> help.> > > > >> > > > > I started this journey in
> early 2007, I cleared the
> written > > after> > > > > reading all the
> recommended cisco press books. Then
> my company > > supported> > > > > me in buying all
> the voice lab equipment
> which I setup in my > > office.> > > > > They also
> approved for me to go on a
> bootcamp, and I choose to > > go to the> > > > >
> IPexpert for 12 days.> > > >
> >> > > > > I bought all IPexpert products including
> COD and spent more then> >
> > > > $10,000. However I found their bootcamp
> demoralizing and > >
> disappointing> > > > > . I was discouraged and told
> that no one could pass the
> lab in > > the> > > > > first attempt. I felt they
> were hiding things from me
> so as to > > prolong> > > > > my studies so as to
> keep me lingering on.. Their
> support was > > terrible,> > > > > their workbook
> had errors, little
> explanations and I found > > myself> > > > >
> spending hours being frustrated
> when things would not work due > > to> > > > >
> ommisions or things not
> explained properly. As a customer I > > expect a> >
> > > > teaching product to
> be accurate and explain things so as to > >
> reinforce> > > > > my technical
> abilities, but soon I discovered that their > >
> strategy was> > > > > to hide
> things, to make me it difficult instead and to
> mentally> > > > > discourage me
> so that I was guaranteed to fail on first attempt.>
> > > > >> > > > > However I
> kept positive and determined to pass this exam and >
> > made a> > > > >
> challenge to pass it on my first attempt. I spent
> the next two > > months> > >
> > > off work and studying 15-18 hours per day and
> working on my > >
> weaknesses.> > > > > I consulted the cisco press
> books several times until I
> was > > comfortable> > > > > with every technology
> and spent hours on-hands
> practising on > > all the> > > > > technologies.> >
> > > >> > > > > From my
> experience the lab was not as hard as I thought it >
> > would be. I> > > > >
> got back from Brussels today and saw the good news..
> now its > > time for a> >
> > > > break and some celebration.> > > > >> > > > >
> Thanks to you all.....> >
> > > >> > > > > J P Singh> > > > >> > > > > CCIE (R &
> S , Voice)> > > > >> > >
> > > > >
>
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