Hi there I received quite many personal emails regarding my original post so I think I'll post some followup here.
I was asked how would I compare the difficulty level of IPexpert labs (Vol2, Vol3) to the actual CCIE lab exam. I think the difficulty level of IPexpert labs is surely not lower. It is at least the same level, if not higher. I mean that if you feel confident on working with Vol2 and Vol3, just go for the real lab. NOW, about the troubleshooting... In my Vol3 practice exams I honestly think I performed quite well (some TS sections in one hour or so) and still I failed in the real exam. I really don't want to bring any excuses here, I just did a major underperformance in the lab. I was a bit annoyed about some tickets, and even spent time searching for the originator of IP address x.x.x.x in the router forest even if it was mentioned in the instructions! Not very professional or CCIE'ish. My feeling is that the five minutes you win by NOT reading the instructions properly can or will cause you at least 15 minutes of problems later (or a new round of $1400 plus expenses). But hey, I haven't ever passed the TS section so don't believe anything I say about that :-D Some theoretical mathematics: 120 minutes total, use 10 minutes for general reading and orientation, making your attack plan. Lets see the tickets: 1 = 3 minutes 2 = 5 minutes 3 = 3 minutes 4 = 10 minutes 5 = 12 minutes 6 = 7 minutes 7 = 15 minutes 8 = 11 minutes 9 = 10 minutes 10 = 11 minutes 11 = 9 minutes (wasn't it 10-12 tickets announced so let's take average of that) So now there are 10+96 = 106 minutes spent in this calculation. 14 minutes left for something useful... When you are practicing with your Vol3 you can surely see that you can read AND solve some tickets easily in 3 minutes. Note that not all tickets are going to cover three or even two routers. It may just be something like changing the link encapsulation! "PPP between A and B is not coming up." There is no PPP configured on the other router (other end is fine). What do you do? How many minutes do you need to solve that kind of problems? Not all problem tickets are OSPF-EIGRP-RIP redistribution nightmares. Anyway, the challenge is there, will you take it? I was also asked if you need to be very fast or just fast to complete the lab. Well, I was not obviously very fast in the config section as I didn't have time to look back (some could call that "checking" or "verifying" :-)). I don't know if I was fast or not, I just did it :-) Speed is good, but if your speed leaves a lot of trash in the configs, you really need to work that out. Thanks for all the kind wishes everyone! Markku On Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 6:25 PM, Bojan Zivancevic <[email protected]> wrote: > Markku, > > I think you did great since this is your first attempt. Thank you for the > encouragement we all need it. :) > > I have one more comment and a question at the same time. I will try to keep > it short. > > My fellow coworker is going for the lab in the last 7 months. His first try > was in December, and the second one was just couple of weeks ago. His largest > problem is tshoot part because in his words you have very little time to > solve it. For example, he had to find three errors on different routers on > several tasks, in order to successfully complete it. > > Now, we all know that candidates have around 10 minutes per task. But, > subtract few minutes for reading the task, and some more time for spotting > the routers in question, thinking about it (remember, there are some 30 > routers in the topology.) So, you have generally 5-7 minutes for logging into > routers and trying things out. And there are tasks where you have to find > three errors in 5 minutes? WOW. > > Now, here comes the point of this rant. Marko Milivojevic said that every > single time on the lab he passed the tshoot part relatively easy... On what > level we have to be, to be able to solve three errors in 5 minutes? On a > completely new network, you have never seen it etc... How? Imagine that > skill. AND, Marko himself told us that he passed on his THIRD attempt... So, > he did not complete the config section two times... > > I don't know about you, but I am all puzzled now. :) > > Best Regards, > > Bojan Zivancevic > Network Engineer > ---- > Comutel d.o.o. > Omladinskih brigada 65v > 11070 Belgrade > SERBIA > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Markku Leiniö [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 16:28 > To: CCIE_RS OnlineStudyList > Subject: [OSL | CCIE_RS] Sharing the experience of the lab > > Hi everyone! To balance the somewhere ongoing discussion about the > possibilities of ever passing the CCIE R&S v4 lab I decided to write a > short encouragement email. > > I just visited the lab in Brussels yesterday for my first attempt. I > PASSed the configuration section but failed the troubleshooting. I > really deserved failing the TS, I did so lousy job there, to my own > surprise (I mean I would have expected better success but I really saw > that score coming when the two-hour limit was approaching). In the > configuration section all kinds of tasks were thrown at me but I could > handle those. At some points I used the DocCD to assist me. > > I prepared about four months for the lab, using IPexpert BLS > materials, also took part in the Amsterdam bootcamp in May (thanks > Marko!). This was not full-time preparing, I did my normal daytime job > as usual (apart from that one week). I have about 10 years of work > experience in the networking business. None of those years have > consisted of 100% hard-core Cisco gear activities, I've had various > tasks and roles. I did my CCNA and CCNP in 2002-2003, and finished > CCIP in 2008. I also have some years experience as an instructor in > Cisco Networking Academy but you know it is not anywhere near the CCIE > level courses. > > The message I wanted to send here is that the lab exam is nowhere near > unpassable or unfair if you are prepared. It is just the matter of > taking the challenge and acting to handle the technologies and finally > commands behind the technologies before going to the lab. If you are > not up to that level you won't become a CCIE. We are talking about a > demanding IT certification that has low passing percentage by design! > That level of exam is supposed to be renewed regularly so new features > should be expected in the exam as times go and the technologies are > developed. If you want to take the new version of the exam, just act > like it. I don't think there is any single job or position anywhere in > the world that can ensure your success in CCIE lab exam without > dedicated extra effort and materials. That's just the name of the > game. To get the CCIE you have to always go one more step up. > > Folks, keep up the good work! My personal plan is that I won't count > much over 29 days for my next attack ;-) > > Markku > > _______________________________________________ > For more information regarding industry leading CCIE Lab training, please > visit www.ipexpert.com > _______________________________________________ For more information regarding industry leading CCIE Lab training, please visit www.ipexpert.com
