Re: The story of CCIE#34420

Narbik,

I agree with you to a certain extent. In my case, it was more of a time
management thing. Early on when I didn't have the speed and self
confidence, I needed every minute they gave me. The last two attempts were
different. I knew I had plenty of time during the config part. I could take
time to plan my attack better, to spend 30 seconds verifying each task
before moving on, etc.

Another huge factor in keeping a cool head (or not!) in the exam is doing
the checklist thing with the questions and points. I went to lunch (about
two hours into config) knowing I had nearly half the points needed to pass
the test. Again this is something that people probably floss over if they
need every minute given to them.

Michael

CCIE#34420 (R&S)

On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 6:55 PM, Narbik Kocharians <narbikk_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> Michael,
>
> I never doubted your success, it was just matter of time. Sometimes when
> you know a lot, you over think the questions and i believe that this is
> what happened to you. Congratulations and you deserved it. GOOD JOB MATE.
>
> So take few weeks off and start your second and third track, and i am sure
> soon we will hear your success story again.
>
> Eman, he was the 8th one.
>
> On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 2:07 PM, Imran Ali <immrccie_at_gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> He is a winner . He Never lost the rythem . Got the numbers he deserve.
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 12:08 AM, CCIEAgent <ccieagent_at_verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>> > Imran,****
>>
>> >
>> > I mean he was so happy the small animals were frightened by his cheers
>> of
>> > joy! I met Mike here in Wilmington where we both live when he was at
>> > Narbik s boot camp sponsored by the CCIE Flyer. He is a very deserving
>> guy
>> > and exemplifies the best of the industry!****
>>
>> >
>> > As for his studying habits I am certain he was much quieter with a
>> little
>> > bambino in the house.****
>> >
>> > ** **
>> >
>> > Congrats Mike!****
>> >
>> > ** **
>> >
>> > *From:* Imran Ali [mailto:immrccie_at_gmail.com]
>> > *Sent:* Wednesday, February 01, 2012 3:55 PM
>> > *To:* CCIEAgent
>> > *Cc:* Michael Kiefer; Cisco certification
>> > *Subject:* Re: The story of CCIE#34420****
>> >
>> > ** **
>>
>> >
>> > are you referring to " celebration noice " or he use to study that much
>> > loud ? ****
>> >
>> >
>> > ****
>> >
>> > On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 8:52 PM, CCIEAgent <ccieagent_at_verizon.net>
>> wrote:**
>> > **
>>
>> >
>> > Mike,
>> > As your neighbor here in Wilmington I can now understand all that noise
>> I
>> > heard echoing through the trees was. CONGRATULATIONS! For your
>> > information
>> > Narbik has had 10 students pass in 12 days now and I expect to hear more
>> > from those folks as well.
>> >
>> > Simply AWESOME dude!****
>>
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: nobody_at_groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody_at_groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
>> > Michael Kiefer
>> > Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 12:25 PM
>> > To: Cisco certification
>> > Subject: The story of CCIE#34420
>> >
>> > I passed at RTP on Monday 1/30, after Cisco won 7 previous battles. I
>> > started studying for the CCIE in July of 2008 (V3 was the test until
>> > 10/09).
>> > I didn't really take studying seriously until enrolled in Narbik's first
>> > bootcamp in Wilmington, DE (my current town). It simply wasn't possible
>> for
>> > me to take a bootcamp elsewhere because my wife worked (and was
>> pregnant)
>> > and my daughter was 3 at the time. Her hands were very full!
>> > I am eternally grateful for my wife's patience. She is a rockstar!! I
>> would
>> > have divorced myself long ago!
>> >
>> > I started with INE's product line first using dynamips and then moving
>> up
>> > to
>> > the real hardware. I was and still am a hard core Linux user. I had
>> about 6
>> > years of experience as sysadmin on production boxes. INE's products are
>> > great, but I was growing more and more frustrated with dynamips.
>> >
>> > I started with a clean slate the summer of 2010 with a new INE topology
>> > based lab on real hardware
>> >
>> > Narbik taught me to look at things in their absolute simplest form. My
>> > friend and mentor Dave Roehsler (CCIE#20502) did the same thing. Grab
>> some
>> > markers, a white board and work it out. Narbik's topology and workbooks
>> can
>> > almost be done entirely on Dynamips without any trouble, FB!!!
>> >
>> > I began sharpening the saw over and over again with Narbik's workbooks
>> on
>> > Dynamips. Any chance I got, I used them.
>> >
>> > I found myself knowing the material, but failing the tests. The last
>> > failure
>> > was 9/9/11 by one or two troubleshooting tickets. Revenge for that
>> failure
>> > would be cold and merciless! No comfort to the enemy, just pain, death,
>> and
>> > destruction!
>> >
>> > The time between the two tests was nothing but speed building and
>> > reviewing.
>> > Brian McGahan's new ATC v4.5 was out and it was great for keeping the
>> > cobwebs out of my mind. I could burn through an INE Vol II TS section
>> in 40
>> > minutes or less by the week before the lab. The Vol II config labs were
>> > toast in 4 hours.
>> >
>> > I managed to complete and pass the TS section with 30 minutes left in
>> the
>> > real lab. The config part was done with more than 2 hours left.
>> >
>> > All of my studies were self funded. In fact, I even left a full time
>> > position with a local Gold partner who wanted my CCIE#, but didn't want
>> to
>> > fund my studies. I landed a very lucrative long term contract that
>> provided
>> > the resources to make it all happen.
>> >
>> > I put some video clips out on my Youtube channel: mjk2374. I don't have
>> > much
>> > content, but there are some good clips from RTP and a rack tour from my
>> > basement. The proctor, David Blair, gave me permission to shoot the
>> video
>> > inside the lab.
>> >
>> > It was an honor and privilege to sign the wall of pain next to David
>> > Roehsler's. Narbik's entry is there as well as a few other interesting
>> > things like a husband and wife duo. It looks like Howard's son put
>> Sponge
>> > Bob on the bottom, too. I saw Brian McGahan's, but unfortunately didn't
>> > capture it on video.
>> >
>> > My best advice to CCIE candidates is pretty much what Narbik says,"You
>> are
>> > ready when you can do the workbooks cover to cover with absolutely no
>> > questions." Don't overestimate your own ability(like I did). Make sure
>> you
>> > are an expert when you walk through that door at Cisco. If you take the
>> > psychological aspects of the test out, they don't have a leg to stand
>> on.
>> > Invest in yourself and absolutely never give up!
>> >
>> >
>> > Thanks!
>> >
>> > Michael Kiefer
>> > CCIE# 34420 (R&S)
>> >
>> >
>> > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________________________________
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>> >
>> >
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>> > _______________________________________________________________________
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>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ****
>> >
>> > ** **
>>
>>
>>
>> Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
>>
>> _______________________________________________________________________
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> *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!
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Received on Fri Feb 03 2012 - 08:16:03 ART