From: Scott M Vermillion (scott_ccie_list@it-ag.com)
Date: Thu Nov 06 2008 - 15:26:49 ARST
Certainly can't argue against any of that Craig! I would loved to have been
able to build-and-thoroughly-verify *and* have additional time at the end to
cross-check it all. That would be the sweetest spot of all and certainly
will be a goal of mine for any upcoming trips to the SP lab.
I think one of the reasons I got away with not totally dominating the clock
is that I did my task cross-checking up front and left myself notes (e.g.
Task X looks like it's going to impact Tasks X & Z so be on the lookout for
blah blah blah). Likely this is part of why I was in the lab for probably
better than an hour before I ever touched my keyboard.
Anyway, I just wanted to offer an alternative perspective for consideration.
I've heard some pretty outrageous things on this list and others in terms of
how quickly people failed their labs and it always makes me wonder if a more
measured approach would have been right for that specific individual.
Impossible to know that about a person at a glance but it's certainly
something worth considering.
Cheers,
Scott
From: Craig Tompkins [mailto:sidalo@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 10:14 AM
To: Scott M Vermillion
Cc: cciestudy; ccielab@groupstudy.com
Subject: Re: Did not reach the summit.
No doubt that everyone is different and proceeds in different ways. I
certainly did not mean to sacrifice accuracy for speed. The key is to get
your configuration to the point where you can accurately and quickly
configure the required solution, and then test it. Configure section, test
and verify that section, and repeat, although not needed to be in the same
order as the lab book. When I say 5-6 hours that should include the
individual section verifications as you configured them. It is nice to have
about 2 hours at the end to review the lab in its entirety for errors and
issues that you have not caught on the individual sections, or if a later
section broke and earlier section without you realizing it.
While none of these time measurements are really required, as the only thing
that matters is 80 working points configured over 8 hours, it certainly does
help to be able to have that extra testing time, and though not required
should improve the chances of passing assuming you use that time wisely.
On Thu, Nov 6, 2008 at 8:54 AM, Scott M Vermillion
<scott_ccie_list@it-ag.com> wrote:
I'm not entirely convinced that there is any one-size-fits-all advice as far
as lab strategy/time management goes. The overwhelming majority recommend
this idea of being done in x number of hours (some go as far as to say be
done by lunch!). We've heard recently from someone who was so lightening
fast he left an hour early. Unfortunately failed, though.
Some people are far better of with a build-and-thoroughly-verify approach.
Mock/Assessor labs taught me I was among them. Why? Because if I rush
through and then have to find all of the silly mistakes I've made after the
fact, I'm scattered and unfocused. I don't perform my work like that in the
real world. Why should I in the lab? If I'm working on an OSPF task, the
OSPF area of my brain is stimulated and focused. I build and thoroughly
verify prior to moving on and awakening, say, the BGP area of my brain.
Just a little different perspective to consider. Having said all of that, I
have to admit that I waited too long to work on *some* degree of speed and I
found it difficult to build-and-thoroughly-verify inside of my eight-hour
time budget (ultimately finished my final task in San Jose shortly after
they gave us the five-minute warning). It may not have been the sexiest
performance ever given in the lab, but it was good for 80+ points...
-----Original Message-----
From: nobody@groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
Craig Tompkins
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 11:27 AM
To: cciestudy
Cc: ccielab@groupstudy.com
Subject: Re: Did not reach the summit.
It sounds like you need to continue working on speed to allow for more
testing and confirmation. Once you have your speed so that you can finish
full labs in about 5.5 hours or less, spend specific time on knowing how to
check everything and ensure 100% that what you put in place meets the
requirements. Do not THINK you got it right, PROVE you got it right, so you
know for sure. I spent two weeks on this alone before my passing trip to
San Jose
I had a layoff of 2 years between attempts once, and it felt like I was
starting over. My personal advice is if your goal is to pass this, do not
stop now. Finish it off. It is better to see it through now then pick it
up again later. Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence and
determination.
-- Craig Tompkins CCIE #16921On Wed, Nov 5, 2008 at 9:01 AM, cciestudy <cciestudy@mid-world.net> wrote:
> I messed my 2nd R&S lab attempt Tuesday. In comparison to the first > attempt, I was able to handle time management better and get to all the > questions this time. However, I left the exam feeling that it was close. > The scoring showed I was not as close as I thought. I had missed some > categories that I though I had nailed down. There were some questions that > I know I clearly missed, and others that I had reservations as to exactly > what they were looking for. I suspect there were some small details that > were missed. Many of the questions were clearly vague and probably mean to > be that way. > > I am trying to decide what to do next. Continue on with this self torture > or quit this all together. I had spent about 1 = years studying and at > least 6 months of intense 20-30 hours per week studying. I went though the > IE vol 1-3 (at least half of the labs twice), Cisco ASET and some 2 year > old > GK boot camp materials. > > Thanks. > > > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net > > _______________________________________________________________________ > Subscription information may be found at: > http://www.groupstudy.com/list/CCIELab.html
Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
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