From: Montiean (noktes@bellsouth.net)
Date: Fri Nov 04 2005 - 13:58:41 GMT-3
Good advised folk. Congratulation!!! After for a long trip. Time to relax
and back to be happy with family again :)
-Montiean
----- Original Message -----
From: "Graham Hopkins" <ghopkins@wolf-rock.co.uk>
To: <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 9:35 AM
Subject: Reflections on R&S Lab
> I'd just like to express my thanks to people on this list for the support
> whilst working to the CCIE. As well as the great wealth of technical
> expertise
> the experiences of those who both pass and fail the lab have been
> invaluable.
> The motivation inspired by the determination of some can help to keep you
> going when the task seems impossible. So I'd like to add my contribution
> and
> hope that some of you who are still studying find it helpful.
>
> Yesterday was the 3rd time I had taken the lab, I guess my attempts
> followed a
> fairly common (with hindsight) pattern. The 1st time I had good routing
> and
> switching marks but did badly on IP, IOS features and security. So
> concentrated on these and at the 2nd attempt got good marks there but a
> lowish
> mark in routing, must have missed something but I've never figured out
> what
> was wrong there. 3rd time it all came together nicely.
>
> I've used the workbooks from all the major vendors and although I found
> them
> generally good for lab simulation don't depend upon them to learn a
> subject. A
> typical workbook may have a couple of short questions on say multicast,
> but
> trying to understand multicast by doing snippets from many labs isn't in
> my
> opinion the best way. The way I went was to design my own lab and build
> multicast networks with all the options, dense mode, sparse mode with
> static
> and dynamic RPs, etc, build a multipoint frame network and move the RP
> around
> and you will soon learn where it needs to be for ip pim nbma-mode to work,
> run
> the debugs and study the behaviour of the protocols. The same applies to
> most
> of the other topics on the blueprint. Setting your own question initially
> removes the problem of question interpretation, then move onto the
> workbooks.
> I found some of the advice in the Cisco Press Practice Lab book useful,
> for
> example many workbook solutions don't hard code the speed and duplex of
> switch
> ports but Maurilio Gorito recommends that you do, and given his position
> in
> Cisco that is probably sound advice.
>
> When using the workbooks treat it as an actual lab whenever possible, if
> you
> develop a sound methodology until it becomes second nature it will help
> carry
> you through the actual lab. The hardest thing of all to master is "read
> the
> whole lab", it will save you time in the long run. Having to change a
> frame
> interface to suit an OSPF network type or add authentication to an already
> working protocol can be great time-wasters. This time after sanity
> checking
> the equipment, shutting down the frame interfaces and re-booting to remove
> any
> dynamic maps, I went through the whole paper and prepared a network
> diagram
> and a switch vlan, speed and duplex table. I didn't start configuration
> until
> 30 minutes into the lab, but having a single sheet to take all the
> configurations from made it very fast from then on.
>
> Talking to others a common time waster seems to be placing a config on a
> wrong
> interface in the rush to get things done. So I adopted a policy of adding
> descriptions to all interfaces. Then when a QoS question states "users on
> VLAN
> A....." a quick show of the config for the interface you intend to
> configure
> will show a description confirming it is VLAN A. Overall it saves time.
>
> Also take care when typing AS numbers, process IDs etc, BGP is the only
> protocol that informs you as your are limited to one instance, router
> eigrp
> 123, followed by router eigrp 132 will cause you no end of wasted time.
> From
> your practice sessions you can identify your common mistakes and work to
> eliminate them.
>
> Also if a question is vague, ambiguous, or conflicts with another
> requirement
> ask the proctor. As long as you outline your options and ask for
> validation of
> your interpretation you should be alright.
>
> Good Luck
>
> Graham Hopkins
>
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