From: anthony.sequeira@thomson.com
Date: Wed Nov 15 2006 - 19:51:24 ART
When I am not teaching or writing about routers and switches, I am
typically either playing poker or flying. I use a plane to do the flying
by the way. . .
I had to take over 1 year off from flying thanks to a little nightmare
called the CCIE Lab Exam. I recently visited my local flight school in
order to get recertified and get back up in the air.
I took off with an instructor and we flew over to a nearby airport. He
indicated that he wanted me to land on Runway 12 and perform a "touch
and go" in order to do it all over again. I managed to get the plane
down with the clean side up and as we were coming around for another
landing my instructor asked me how the landing felt. I replied that it
felt pretty awful - I felt like I was wrestling the plane to the ground
and was sweating the landing a bit.
On the next landing - he again asked me how I felt. This time, I felt
great! It was like old times and the landing felt completely
comfortable. Just then, my instructor reached over and pulled all engine
power. He exclaimed "GET THIS PLANE ON THE RUNWAY NOW!" I gulped and
started to turn for the "base leg". "WE ARE ON FIRE - GET TO THE RUNWAY
NOW!" my instructor shouted. I decided I better forget about the base
leg and pointed the nose directly at the strip - needless to say - I was
a little uncomfortable again!
My latest aviation instructor is a great one. He is constantly ensuring
that I am not comfortable during my training as the above example
demonstrates.
I think candidates should consider this in their own prep for the lab!
If you are getting very comfortable in your lab simulations - you could
be doing yourself a disservice!
What if you get in the lab and there are diagrams that are very
different from what you are used to? In fact, what if the diagrams look
like they were written by a four year old child using a blunt Crayola
crayon? What if the topics are presented in a crazy order? What if your
VLANs are all completely built and your job is to troubleshoot this
configuration?
Chances are - if these things happen - you might get a bit
uncomfortable. And trust me - the actual CCIE Lab Exam is not where you
want to feel discomfort. In fact, the proctor Howard in RTP always gives
a piece of advice before you start - "Have Fun!" Why is he saying this -
well - he is trying to give you a valuable tip - if you are having fun
and you are not uncomfortable - you probably have a good chance of
passing.
One way to make yourself uncomfortable during your preparations is to
mix it up and try simulations from other vendors. If you cannot afford
this (I certainly could not), then take the simulations you do have and
work on changing them up rather dramatically. Keep making yourself as
uncomfortable as possible. One of the worst things you could do I think
is to keep doing the same lab over and over again. Sure - you would
start getting the simulated lab done in 2 hours and you would be
practicing on your speed - but boy - would you get a false sense of
confidence. You would be way too comfortable.
Maybe we can get one of the vendors to create a Super Rack - 6 switches;
12 routers. Then they design a practice lab around the Super Rack that
tries to break from all normal lab conventions! See I am uncomfortable
just writing this.
If you get creative - you can think of plenty of ways to make yourself
uncomfortable during your practice in order to benefit yourself when it
counts.
I hope this tip helps you as you prepare for your exam attempt(s).
Yours,
Anthony J Sequeira
#15626
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