From: Hobbs (deadheadblues@gmail.com)
Date: Thu Aug 14 2008 - 22:11:38 ART
Felix,
I agree with pretty much everything you say about knowing the technology.
But to limit yourself to one teaching style doesn't make much sense to me.
As I network engineer I never take any 1 man's word for it. I always get the
suggestions and do more research. But it doesn't HURT to get 1 or 2 more
peoples view on things.
To put all your faith in one vendor just because other people used that
vendor? They can go ahead and do it if that's what they believe, I just
think advice of "stick with 1 vendor" is bad advice.
Take a topic like dot1q tunneling, I don't know how extensive it is on the
R&S exam. But look at how the vendor's treat it differently. I mean really
look at and do the labs.
Ttwo or three vendors doesn't mean a billion vendors.
There might be finite numbers, but there infinite ways of wording tasks.
Just because one vendor "could" teach you everything doesn't mean they will.
On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 6:36 PM, Felix Nkansah <felixnkansah@gmail.com>wrote:
> Hi Hobbs,
>
> First of all, using a vendor workbook or attending a vendor bootcamp is not
> a prerequisite to taking the lab or passing it. I know of some CCIEs who
> passed their labs through self-study and practice, and not through the use
> of any workbooks (Brian Dennis of IE is a typical example).
>
> One thing you need to understand is that even though we call it a LAB, your
> theory and understanding of networking concepts, technologies and their
> interworking is tested much more than it appears on the outside.
>
> You want to be a good network engineer when going for the lab (to pass it
> and also for your career). Most candidates go for the lab with 'holes' in
> their networking knowledge. Thanks the labs are good at exposing these
> holes.
>
> You could use a million workbooks from a million vendors, and if you still
> dont seal the holes in your networking knowledge, you would still not pass.
>
> Granted, vendor workbooks are supposed to help you do so. If you come to
> think of it, how many different ways could one be tested on frame relay?
> It's finite.
>
> So if you settle on a workbook from a vendor who teaches the technologies
> well and passes you through all the numerous scenarious of FR setups and
> configurations (in about 10+ labs) so that you fully master the concepts, do
> you think you've got to need a billion more workbooks before you can pass?
>
> As experiences show, the key to passing the lab is mastering the concepts
> and gaining the hands-on exposure. Any SINGLE good vendor could help you
> achieve that.
>
> Buy time to study and practice, rather than buying thousands of workbooks
> and doing little study. And don't think Reading is the same as Studying. Go
> figure!
>
> Regards,
>
> Felix Nkansah, CCIE
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