Re: R & S Lab experience

Great spirit & great achievement!

On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 6:38 PM, Narbik Kocharians <narbikk_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> Congrates Nate, i knew you would do it,;the way you were studying, you
> could
> have done two of them. Take few months off, and start a new track.
>
> *To everyone,*
> *Please read the last sentence:*
>
> *To everybody out there studying, keep it up! It is 100% doable,
> absolutely,
> no question! Of course it is a hard journey, it wouldn't be all that cool
> if it was easy, would it?*
>
>
> On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 7:06 AM, Faisal Ilyas <faisal.learning_at_gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > great story ... congrats ...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 4:05 PM, Sudhakar Bhosale <sudhakaru08_at_gmail.com
> > >wrote:
> >
> > > hi
> > >
> > > Cong8ts...................
> > >
> > > sudhakar
> > >
> > > On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 2:40 PM, Scott Morris <smorris_at_ine.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Excellent work! Congratulations! The number will take a little
> while
> > > > to get used to, but you will never forget it! :)
> > > >
> > > > Scott Morris, CCIEx4 (R&S/ISP-Dial/Security/Service Provider) #4713,
> > > >
> > > > CCDE #2009::D, JNCIE-M #153, JNCIS-ER, CISSP, et al.
> > > >
> > > > JNCI-M, JNCI-ER
> > > >
> > > > evil_at_ine.com
> > > >
> > > > Internetwork Expert, Inc.
> > > >
> > > > http://www.InternetworkExpert.com<http://www.internetworkexpert.com/><
> http://www.internetworkexpert.com/><
> > http://www.internetworkexpert.com/>
> > > >
> > > > Toll Free: 877-224-8987
> > > >
> > > > Outside US: 775-826-4344
> > > >
> > > > Knowledge is power.
> > > >
> > > > Power corrupts.
> > > >
> > > > Study hard and be Eeeeviiiil......
> > > >
> > > > Nate Lee wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hey everybody, took the lab on Friday, March 26th and wanted to do a
> > > quick
> > > > writeup on it before it fades from my memory faster than OSPF with a
> > > dead
> > > > interval set to minimal.
> > > >
> > > > A bit of background on my preparation.....
> > > >
> > > > I bought the INE Vol I and II workbooks but had a problem getting
> > > dynamips
> > > > running that many routers on my laptop, so I didn't get too far with
> > > that
> > > > at
> > > > first. I signed up for Narbik's bootcamp last November (I wrote up
> a
> > > > review
> > > > of that, it should be in the archives somewhere) and received his
> > > advanced
> > > > workbook to start work on as part of the bootcamp package. This is
> > more
> > > > or
> > > > less equivalent to the INE Vol I workbooks. As I stated before,
> > > Narbik's
> > > > bootcamp was great and a terrific value on top of the quality. He
> is
> > a
> > > > great teacher and has really been there every step of the way
> helping
> > me
> > > > out
> > > > in a personal manner that you don't find too often these days.
> Going
> > > > through the workbooks before attending the bootcamp really helps so
> > you
> > > > aren't trying to learn everything from scratch in 5 days. I did it
> in
> > > > November, but I think taking a boot camp 4 - 6 weeks before your lab
> > > date
> > > > after you are already familiar with all the topics would probably be
> > the
> > > > best way to go so you aren't hearing it for the first time in class.
> > > >
> > > > After the bootcamp I went through Narbik's books again, and the last
> 6
> > > > weeks
> > > > before my lab I broke down and rented rack time from Narbik (again,
> a
> > > > smokin
> > > > deal, $400 for the entire month 24/7 if you have attended his
> > bootcamp).
> > > > I
> > > > mostly did INE workbooks for those last 6 weeks, Vol I for the
> topics
> > I
> > > > wanted to get stronger on and Vol II to get a feel for a full lab.
> I
> > > > didn't
> > > > have much time, so I only did the difficulty 8 and 9 labs once
> > through.
> > > I
> > > > gotta say, you INE guys are some tricky bastards! I had a ton of
> fun
> > > > solving some of the more....esoteric tasks in your labs. They were
> > like
> > > > puzzles that you have to really press your brain to work on. Good
> > > times!
> > > >
> > > > That being said, I thought the Difficulty 8 and 9 labs were decently
> > > more
> > > > difficult than the actual lab. They helped a ton by making it less
> > > > stressful once I was in the real lab as it seemed easier than
> > everything
> > > I
> > > > had been working on. THAT having been said, I don't know if it is
> > ever
> > > > possible to feel TRULY on top of every topic for the lab. I felt
> > solid,
> > > > but
> > > > some of the tasks on the Diff 9 labs worked me over like a drunken
> > > > chiropractor. My hat's off to you guys, some of those left my brain
> > > > twisted
> > > > in a knot and really reminds me that there is always something more
> to
> > > > learn.
> > > >
> > > > I also bought Ruhann's short notes which are spectacularly done, but
> > > alas,
> > > > I
> > > > printed them out and then promptly forgot them on my desk at work so
> > > they
> > > > didn't get used for review. They are really great though, probably
> > > better
> > > > than the CCIE Exam guide for last minute review, definitely
> something
> > to
> > > > check out.
> > > >
> > > > Now onto the meat....
> > > >
> > > > I arrived in San Jose a couple days early and visited some friends
> and
> > > > family on Wednesday and then went for a 12 mile hike over in Big
> Basin
> > > > State
> > > > Park on Thursday to clear my head climbing waterfalls and checking
> out
> > > the
> > > > redwoods. Very peaceful and relaxing, highly recommended.
> > > >
> > > > The night before the test I ended up having to take some Tylenol PM
> to
> > > get
> > > > to sleep because I couldn't stop thinking about the test. I studied
> a
> > > > bit,
> > > > but honestly, the entire week of the test I had a hard time
> studying.
> > > You
> > > > just feel overwhelmed by all the possible things that could be on
> the
> > > test
> > > > that you could know better and 3 or 4 days hardly seems like it will
> > > > matter
> > > > at this point. I tried my hardest but wasn't able to get much done
> > but
> > > > some
> > > > light reading and a bit of playing around in Dynamips.
> > > >
> > > > The day of, I arrived about 15 minutes early and all the candidates
> > were
> > > > already waiting in the lobby. Weird vibe. Nobody talks because
> > > everybody
> > > > is so nervous and trying to gather their thoughts. There was a
> couple
> > R
> > > > and
> > > > S, a couple voice, a guy doing Sec and a guy doing SP. They gave us
> > the
> > > > brief rundown of how everything works and then set us loose. The
> > chase
> > > > was
> > > > on.....
> > > >
> > > > The OEQ started and I found out that any time you have left from
> that
> > 30
> > > > mins you can add to your config section, so there is a 25 min bonus.
> > > > Maybe
> > > > there is some luck of the draw, but I can't imagine anyone who feels
> > > they
> > > > are prepared for a CCIE lab having trouble with the questions being
> > > asked.
> > > > I didn't do any particular preparation for this section other than
> > > review
> > > > the written exam guide the night before. If you know your stuff,
> > don't
> > > > sweat this section.
> > > >
> > > > The troubleshooting section was pretty cool. Nothing too hard in
> > there
> > > at
> > > > all, most, if not all of the problems were staring you in the face,
> > but
> > > > finding 10 of them with the clock ticking means you need to have a
> > > > troubleshooting methodology dialed in. I think this section will
> > really
> > > > weed out those who have in the field experience from those that
> don't,
> > > its
> > > > kind of hard to teach that without accompanying experience. Don't
> > worry
> > > > about the size of the topology, everyone talks about how huge it is,
> > but
> > > > it
> > > > is really manageable and not that difficult to find where you are
> at.
> > I
> > > > thought I had 8 of 10 when I still had an hour left but decided to
> > > double
> > > > check and realized I had actually broken something else so I spent
> the
> > > > next
> > > > 45 minutes double checking everything and went on to the
> configuration
> > > > section with a total extra of 35 minutes (25 from OEQ and 10 from
> > > > Troubleshooting). I left one ticket hanging that I just couldn't
> find
> > > out
> > > > what was wrong, I'm pretty sure I nailed the rest of them.
> > > >
> > > > The configuration section was the one that I was most afraid of
> going
> > in
> > > > just because of the sheer breadth of what could be there. It
> actually
> > > > seemed easier than I thought it was going to be. No crazy ninja
> stuff
> > > > like
> > > > you see in the hardest vendor workbook labs. I think the thing that
> > will
> > > > kill a lot of people are the little details. You might configure
> the
> > > > whole
> > > > BGP section correctly, but if you read through too fast and miss one
> > > > detail
> > > > of what they are asking for you can kiss those four points good bye.
> > I
> > > > got
> > > > a bit lucky because I got bored in one section that took a lot of
> work
> > > for
> > > > a
> > > > few points and decided to skip ahead and grab some easy points. It
> > > turned
> > > > out that I needed to do one of those easy tasks first anyways or I
> > would
> > > > have to redo a bunch of previous work so that definitely worked out
> in
> > > my
> > > > favor. I finished the config section at 2:30 with 2.5 hours to
> spare
> > > (!?)
> > > > and spent the last time double and triple checking everything. This
> > is
> > > > pretty much what saved me as I found 3 or 4 mistakes that would have
> > > cost
> > > > me
> > > > 3 or 4 points each, this could have easily been the difference
> between
> > > > passing and failing.
> > > >
> > > > After the test, I had a friend pick me up, we drove up to Lake Tahoe
> > for
> > > a
> > > > few days of snowboarding while I awaited the results (Friday test
> > > results
> > > > come in Sunday night). The email came in Sunday around 11 PM and
> > after
> > > 10
> > > > minutes of trying to figure out how to use my friend's Mac (way
> harder
> > > > than
> > > > the OEQ), I was able to login and get my report. #25988! To top it
> > > off,
> > > > it
> > > > started snowing that night and dropped 40" of snow so the week was
> all
> > > > that
> > > > much better.
> > > >
> > > > I am just now adjusting to all the time I have back. You forget all
> > the
> > > > stuff that you used to have time to do. I have never enjoyed being
> in
> > > my
> > > > backyard cleaning dog shit more than I did last week.
> > > >
> > > > To cap it off, i'd just like to say thanks to everybody on the board
> > who
> > > > selflessly helps others. Without the community here, knowing others
> > > were
> > > > going through the same trials and tribulations, it would have been
> so
> > > much
> > > > harder. Of course I have to thank my wife, I'm not sure I'd be that
> > > cool
> > > > if
> > > > she locked herself in a room for 6 months to play with a bunch of
> fake
> > > > routers running on a laptop. The guys at INE helped out with a
> bunch
> > of
> > > > my
> > > > questions and their hardest labs left my crying on the floor :)
> > Narbik
> > > > and
> > > > Janet over at Micronics have been very helpful and Narbik's bootcamp
> > was
> > > > really a turning point for me that helped a ton of stuff really
> click
> > in
> > > > my
> > > > head. If you get a chance to attend, I couldn't recommend it highly
> > > > enough.
> > > >
> > > > To everybody out there studying, keep it up! It is 100% doable,
> > > > absolutely,
> > > > no question! Of course it is a hard journey, it wouldn't be all
> that
> > > cool
> > > > if it was easy, would it?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks again everybody!
> > > >
> > > > Nate
> > > >
> > > > #25988 <-- I still haven't gotten over how cool it is to be able to
> > > write
> > > > that :)
> > > >
> > > > 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
> > > >
> > > >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> > > > Subscription information may be found at:
> > > > http://www.groupstudy.com/list/CCIELab.html
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > I have successfully received your email. Thanks for getting in touch
> > > with me. I will get back to you at the earliest.
> > >
> > > Thanks & Regards
> > >
> > > Sudhakar Bhosale
> > >
> > >
> > > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________________________________
> > > Subscription information may be found at:
> > > http://www.groupstudy.com/list/CCIELab.html
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Regards,
> > M. Faisal.
> >
> >
> > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
> >
> > _______________________________________________________________________
> > Subscription information may be found at:
> > http://www.groupstudy.com/list/CCIELab.html
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Narbik Kocharians
> CCSI#30832, CCIE# 12410 (R&S, SP, Security)
> www.MicronicsTraining.com <http://www.micronicstraining.com/>
> Sr. Technical Instructor
> YES! We take Cisco Learning Credits!
> Training And Remote Racks available
>
>
> Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
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>
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>

-- 
KJ
Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net