My CCIE Journey

*phew* finally lab 7 is over. I must admit that was one of the toughest lab workbook ever.

The toughness is not because it bears the score 9 out of 10 difficulties, but ... I was occupied to prepare documentation, a very long, long, long documentation that involve the whole country's branches of one of my client. I hope it meets their requirements.

It was a chaotic two weeks preparing the docs, and finally it was submitted today (actually, yesterday close to midnight)

As the documentation draws closer to completion, I start seeing many possibilities to even extend the network to the highest potential. Am I being affected because of my CCIE study? Maybe, but seeing that the network is not at their peak performance, tickles me to scratch on some solution drafts. Oh no ... it is because of my study then :)

Lab 7 is now concluded. Lab 8 here I come !!!

As of tomorrow, the countdown to 90 days starting. This will prove my real stamina challenge.

This is what would happen:

• 90 - 60 days before exam
• Full month work and study
• Quick break on 1 weekend by month end
• 60 - 30 days before exam
• Full month work and study
• Quick break on a weekend by month end
• Start hitting real equipments whenever I have the opportunity. Scheduled: all 3 weekends (6x8-hours sessions)
• CCO drill down whenever I have no access to equipment/ simulator
• 30 days until 1 week before exam
• Freshed (supposed to be) and hitting back with full month work and study
• Intensive weekend visit to the real equipment (another set of 3-4x8-hour sessions
• Deeper CCO drill down for untouched areas
• Flight ticket, accomodation, etc -> the most important outside factor that determines my presence in the lab exam!

Sounds good? I don't need it to sounds good, I need to ensure I work it that way :)

Possible challenges:

• Client's plan on merging network, circa mid August - early October -> RED ALERT!!! Because I will be doing two weekends in preparing this
• Client's plan to transition the NOC monitoring to Singapore!!! Threat to my job? I don't care :) What I care is Client is happy while I am around and they are happy that the transition works smoothly.

Some of you might say "Hang on ... won't that cause me my job if the NOC transitioned to Singapore?". Since the initial engagement with this client, I am fully aware that my presence are purely temporary. I should pass whatever I know to the rest of the team member while ensuring that after I am no longer with them, all are well supported. The only agenda I would like to leave with this client is: give a good result to what they need

Another crazy things that I keep passing it around for many people is: I prefer to have short term contract than being paid for long term and I am going no where. I prefer to have a lot of growth and have fun while enjoying my work with various clients.

"It is worth for my client to only pay me for job that I really do, compared than 'make' them pay me for doing nothing but seeing that their systems are OK"