Re: R & S Lab experience

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/>
> > >
> > > 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
> > >
> _______________________________________________________________________
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> > >
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> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > 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
> >
> > _______________________________________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Regards,
> M. Faisal.
>
>
> 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
Sr. Technical Instructor
YES! We take Cisco Learning Credits!
Training And Remote Racks available
Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net