Re: CCIE 24740

Sachin - this is so awesome. Thanks for taking the time to write this
up!

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 22, 2009, at 12:54 PM, sachin sharma
<sanjusharma1304_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello Experts and Aspirants,
>
> Its time for me know to share my story of the making of an CCIE
> 24740.
>
> Sorry for posting it late as I was not able to send mails to
> groupstudy.......
>
>
> Just A brief History
>
> I started my preparation a more than 2 yrs ago and finally taken the
> theory
> in Feb 2008 and decided to take the lab in a year.
>
> After discussing about LAB from few friends and reading testimonials
> of
> CCIEs , I tried to gather the right information and made a good plan
> and put
> the efforts.
>
>
> Everyone suggested me the same basic things to start with reading
> books and
> then practice each technology and then jump to labs and also take
> care of
> the DOC CD. ahhh DOC CD is a ocean , I tried to read it to a good
> extend and
> eventually help Cisco to correct a few errors :) .. LOL ...
>
>
>
> you might find yourself confused after DOC CD about the
> contradictions in
> explaining the concepts.
>
> There are 2 different contradictory explanations on the same page
> for a
> single technology. :)... its fun ....
>
> But no doubt if we leave the mistakes by just using common sense it a
> wonderful resource and you will end up nearly 30 - 50 percent of non
> core
> sections as it is..
>
> And if we talk about Open Ended Questions , its 100% from it...
>
> The Material I used :
>
> TCP/IP Vol 1
> TCP/IP Vol 2
> Cisco QOS - IP telephony
> Cisco Official Guide - Odom
> IE COD -- priceless
> ASET LABS
>
>
>
> I started with Narbik Technology workbook , its an example of one
> the best
> books written ever for CCIE.
>
> Then Internetwork expert 4.1 Tech labs and than 4.2 labs
> (1,2,3,4,5,7,9 and
> than i fainted)
>
> After doing so I was pretty confident of clearing the lab and was
> looking
> for something different.
>
> Now the turning point, I heard from a Noble person from here about
> the ASET
> labs and decided to go for it and managed to get them booked.
> (Thanks to my
> manager and the gentleman from cisco)
>
> I think if I have not taken it than I might have increased my
> chances of
> getting fail by 50%.
>
> It really gives you an idea how CCIE lab is graded and what exactly
> proctor/script looks while verifying the answer.
>
> If you really do not have access to ASET than find a vendor who offers
> similar stuff (i think Internetwork and IPexpert both offer now)
>
> I have done it multiple times to the extend to understand it
> fully... cool
> stuff...
>
> Now the second turning point , the credit goes to Scott Morris ..
> The audio
> bootcamp... Its really wonderful.... get your mobile/ IPOD loaded
> with it
> and just go for it.
>
> I repeated the IE labs to make sure to I can do it comfortably.
>
>
> The LAB Experience
>
> I reached Bangalore in a day advance and started revising the things
> but
> unfortunately I have a few things pending to read for open-ended
> (all the
> unusual stuff) so decided to not sleep the night before (although i
> would
> strictly not suggest to do that) but I really do not know how I fall
> asleep
> at 3 AM for 2 hours and was cursing myself in the morning.
>
> Its because of the hype of OEQ which eventually was nothing more
> than simple
> questions.
>
> Part 1 : OEQ
>
> The wonderful proctor takes us to a room and explain the things
> about OEQ
> and LAB.
>
> I was trembling a bit and no doubt it was the biggest day for my life.
>
> I read all the questions and a smile comes on my face that I know
> them. I
> tried my best and to the full extend answered the questions in more
> than 50
> words. I took 27 minutes to answer the questions and make sure they
> are
> recorded properly.
>
> But some evil forces are waiting for me in the lab in part two of
> the story
> and I met them very soon.
>
> LAB - PART -II
>
> I have got the lab and I read it completely and makes new figures
> and start
> doing it very soon.
>
> I am not sure by sharing the stuff i might or might not break the
> NDA but
> just want to summaries if some basic stuff is not working as
> expected in the
> lab, just please do not hesitate to reboot the devices (but check conf
> register and IOS) :J
>
> I wasted nearly an hour to troubleshoot it and give up as I was
> nothing else
> to try. it was core topic.
>
> By lunch time i was pretty much sure to fail as things are not
> working as
> expected but the only good thing I have done is to leave it and
> start doing
> other parts and come back to it later. I have a good practice of
> making
> configuration on notepad as a part of my daily job before applying
> to router
> and adopted the same at practice sessions and LAB.
>
> In lunch, I have taken medicine for headache and acidity and was
> looking at
> 1400$ lunch.
>
> Things settled down after lunch and after that I was copying
> configuration
> from notepad. cool .. I finished the lab in 7 hours and left with 1
> hour to
> verify and refer to DOC CD.
>
> It was a priceless one hour as I corrected small mistakes which
> could have
> cost me a definite failure , always verify with show commands ,
> remember
> Scott Morris farewell audio,
>
> I had some doubt on few questions and visited proctor 7-8 times to
> clarify
> that but he was too trained not to suggest some tips.. :) lol ... but
> certainly he guided me to read the question from a new angle.. that
> really
> helps to develop two possible solution for a single question and I
> can prove
> both of them...
>
> Guys remember if you have two solutions , configure both them if
> they do not
> contradict each other. Better on safe side.. and read the question
> multiple
> times to make sure to understand them.
>
> After 8 hours I had doubt on 6 marks as I was not really convinced
> with my
> answer and need to wait for result to come.
>
> It was a tough time to wait for the result as it take more than 8
> hours to
> appear and I was not having the energy to be awake , finally I asked
> my
> friend to let me know and then the bell rings and i hear
> 24740............................................................
>
> I was speechless for a second and thanked to GOD, friends and well
> wishers
> to make this happen....
>
> I really waited for long and scarified 6 months nearly on a
> Island... :) ,
> but it was worth...
>
> Now some TIPS for open ended :
>
> Just focus to understand the technology completely and that all :)
>
>
> Now Would like to thanks some persons without whom this has not been
> possible.
>
> Scott Morris , Brain Dennis , Brian McGahan , Narbik , Anthony
> Sequera ,
> Jeff Doyle and More
>
>
> " If Networking is religion than you are the angels "
>
>
> I wish to meet with you guys one day and would personally like to
> thanks :)
> , till than accept the handclasp over the miles
>
> --
> Regards,
> Sachin Sharma
> CCIE R&S
> 24740
>
> " Failure does not need preparations "
>
>
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>
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Received on Wed Jul 22 2009 - 13:58:05 ART