My CCIE Journey

I have asked myself this questions over and over again since the last attempt, and the answer is: yes! I am ready this time!

I did a lot of mistakes after reviewing Internetwork Expert's vSeminar (recorded 10th Dec 2006) on various mistakes that I have done. The mistakes are in the preparation, not in the lab exam ;)

After attending that seminar, I was enlightened by various things:

• Yes, focus is good! But keeping away all the distractions is even better

This happens in my last preparation when all distractions are in place ... until 3 weeks before the exam

This time around, the distractions (should be) removed by today.

• Yes, geting more practice is good. But learn the lessons behind the practice is even better.

My last preparation, I just keep practicing. It turned out that even though I understand the reason of the 'answers', it is not properly stick in my brain (aka: I did not managed to learn the lesson).

• Yes, prepared in all blue-print topics is good. But, sharpening the holes in the blue print topic's specific area is better.

I have known some topics in the blueprint just like the palm of my hands, yet I still practice it as though I don't know anything about it. Worse still, I practice it along with other topics that are my weak areas!

• Yes, knowing more solutions is good. However, sticking with your focussed training vendor are even better.

I am not saying this so all of you are going to subscribe to Internetwork Expert's workbook! It is just happen that I find Internetwork Expert's workbook is suitable for my pace, especially the Advanced Technology labs. Inside this advanced technology labs are where I could find all my burned questions and doubts answered. Will this be the same if I went through it directly without getting practices from the workbook? I don't think so.

I found out that the process that I must went through is yet another challenging and hard way to learn. Not many of my CCIE fellow could remind me on what is wrong, they even know that I could (and should???) pass from my last preparation. Is it out of luck??? Not at all. It is just a missing preparations in order to kick this CCIE number rolled into my hands ;)

Anyway, my payment is due by next week. Thus, it will start counting down 30 to 1 again right after I settle the payment.

This time, I am ready. This time, I will get the number!

CCIE 17[3-9][0-9][0-9] is still there. It is a matter of which number I'd like it to be ;)

Last night, I knocked on my sub-conscious mind that I have lost control in the last two months.

I was thinking: I know what would happen to me this year, and it is a great happening. And, I must complete this CCIE before that time comes.

I can't say what 'time' it is as it is forbidden in the time-space continuum :D

Basically, if I don't complete this one now, there might be small chance that I could complete it in the near future. Plus, I already set my mind to be a multiple-CCIE didn't I?

Some one very close to me once said: "Decide what you'd like to do in your life and in your future. However, do not blame anyone if the path that you take is a difficult one that might seems you would like to give it up. Do not ever regret of taking that path as well, as you were the one deciding to go into that path".

In the last book that I read, there were many times mentioned "Do not giveup, do not ever give up". Which rings true when I looked at what I have achieved so far. The journey might be painful but the reward is priceless :)

Flashing back to the first time I took my CCNA test. It was a blow and I failed! What causes my failure is the shock that I finally encounter this kind of 'really challenging' tests (exam). It turned out that this is just the beginning of a bunch of another beginning.

Prior to be taking the first CCNA test, a lot of hurdles happens along the way: tons of work, new tasks from employer, car challenge (I drove to the exam place which is 2000km away!), no materials to read from, no euipment to practice on, Boson was not Boson today, no braindumps, etc. etc. hthat will 'smoothen' my exam preparation.

However, as what the person close to me said, "Things happen for /because of something in the past". Well, after I failed that first CCNA exam, here is what I have learned (or learned again):

• failure is common, but make sure you learned from it
• over prepared is much better than 'just' prepared
• sometimes, the bunch set of preparation is not helping you at all. You must know which preparation to do before/after your failure. Once you know which one, it is just a matter of patching that missing link to complete the preparation
• you will never know when you are (over) prepared until you are faced with the ream tests. The real tests could also be your job :)

"... so the journey is still going ..."

While practicing one of the OSPF scenario, I stucked with this message:

 *Mar  1 01:07:03.815: OSPF: rcv. v:2 t:1 l:52 rid:10.0.0.1
      aid:0.0.0.0 chk:C48B aut:0 auk: from Serial1/0

I was fumbled with it because: the OSPF adjacency is up!!!

So, what was the problem? It was actually an OSPF packet that was turned on using debug ip ospf packet (WTF!!!)

Sorry for the WTF :)

Anyway, I recalled some tasks in the past in one of the network that I used to handle. It poured me with a rainfall of messages!!! Doing undebug all still provides the message rainfall. Solution: no logging console (from console)

Another event is to see the debugging message from telnet (be careful though!). It happenned that I must see the debugging message due to some VPDN dial-in problem using one of the local authentication mechanism in the router. Instantly I remember on the logging command. Just by simply issuing logging monitor will do the job ;)

Monday, 5 March 2007

I believe some of my friends heard that I planned to take it on 15 February 2007, apparently I have to rescheduled it due to personal reason.

How will I go for it this time? Better preparation of course, you silly :)

I spent the last three days working out some dynagen configuration using 2691 environment with some NM-16ESW.

... and yes, this module is the closest mimic of a catalyst switch for lab preparation. However, certain catalyst feature is not in there, though. Bad luck!

The actual Catalyst 3550 and 3560 is using PowerPC 405, which have extensive open technical documentation from IBM. It is quite fun to re-read all this processor stuff once again after I pass the subject almost 9 years ago (gee, time flies doesn't it???)

Currently, I am configuring the environment to suit IEWB 4.0 that is using 4 switches (just like the latest blueprint from Cisco CCIE forum)

Ok, stay tuned. DC is back to get his CCIE number!!!

Please have a look at this link instead

Oh no!!!!!

What happened with my networking knowledge???

I have forgotten the 'basics' of the following tasks:

• Wildcard masks
• BGP 'basic' configuration (believe it or not, I forgot how to make the distributed routes transfered over the neighbors)
• other 'unexplained' amnesia on CCIE technology that I have digested properly last year

This situation makes me feel that I might have failed the next round. I have re-scheduled it for early March this year and I really have to cope up with the missing link that happen in my brain.

What happened to me???? HELP!!!!

Enough screaming ... time to hit back the materials again.

Anyway, prior to my last attempt in 2006, I found out some surprising fact on the CCIEs. I am not trying to be a whistleblower here, but this puts me in the questioning situation on 'why on earth that I am not a CCIE yet?'

Seriously, it is time for me to hit the reading stuff again :)

Keep the spirits high folks!

Silly me!

After leaving the scripts of mine for using dynamips, I accidentally 'wipe off' all my router's connectivity!!!!

Initially I just would like to tweak the scripts further for making it more (so called) dynamic. But it turned out that all router instances are over-written with the new scripts and all those bunch of routers are using exactly the same connectivity between one to another.

Having this situation, somehow I was triggered to make 'my own' scripts using either bash or perl. Both have its own plus and minus. However, having being refreshed of perl's capability, I might try using perl for the new dynamic script management. After all, handling multiple 'scripts' and 'text' output is perl's winning line isn't it?

The old script that I created can be downloaded from the links on your right or here.

What I'd imagine the perl script runs is similar with Greg Anuzelli's dynagen. Being another coder myself, I prefer to use the language that I understand more. Python is ok, and it has it's own plus and minus side as well. Greg have done it well to help Christophe Fillot's dynamips to run more flexible.

I hope this script will also help others that find it useful.

In the last two days, the weather in my area feels like hell!!!

Not just it is summer and it supposed to be hot! But, in here has been well known to be the 'coolest' place in the whole continent during summer (max 28 in the past). The last two days the heat hits 35C!!! -> Still 'too cold' compared with middle eastern country though :)

Anyway, since the mood and the ambition to conquer the next CCIE attempt is burning as well (thanks to the heated summer), whenever there is any chance, I will stayback longer in the campus for practicing come catalyst scenarios from Internetwork Expert's Advanced Lab -> Brains and teams, this labs are awesome! The breakdowns provides clearer step-by-step for each labs. Keep up the good work guys!

Currently I am still saving the local copy of the files, soon I might be in the campus getting more intimate with those 3550/3560, hahaha :D

Hmmm ... only 3560 available, but that is better isn't it???

I have been cintemplating on which other mistake that I might have done over the last attempt's preparation.

Thanks to the Brians from InternetWork Expert in their vSeminar that made me realized that I have been doing all WRONG preparations!!!

Well, it hits me many times I heard them the method that 'supposed' to be the proper preparations.

Guess I am just yet another *stubborn* human being, eh???

Tomorrow, the battle drums will be sounding again in my lab at home!

I will have around 1 week alone at home to kick my ass up back on track to gain proper preparation to the next attempt (countdown to 45 please!).

Ammended entry:

I really like the part when Brian Dennis mentioned about the 2nd volume of IEWB v3.0 that the 2nd volume is impossible, crazy, etc. just to give a kick in their face. Well, honestly, the first time I tried to do the lab, it was more than kicking me in the face. I sensed a very strong feeling that there is no way this kind of lab will be presented in the real CCIE lab. Why??? Because the scenario is impossible to happen in the real world. (Remember that the CCIE lab is based on the real world scenarios???).

Brian Dennis mentioned that some of the lab tasks are sometimes inserted with the 'twist' to make sure the 'expertise' really in use. At this stage I recalled one part in the last attempt that sucked me in!!! This is becuase I fall into the trap of 'trying to do all questions', which is not necessary!

Here I am now, learning more on the UniverCD. Internetwork Expert have provided resources link (even for non-subscribers/members) in order to really get a proper preparation *before* doing any lab preparation. I admit that I was those bunch of bruwahaha that simply jumped into lab wagon straight after passing the written exam. Yet another big mistake that I did :)