Destination R&S – Didn’t make it this time around

Well I have been keeping low lately and was not able to post much. I did not make it last week and it was my second attempt.

My first attempt was in Nov 2008 and a few folks knew about it as I did not want to broadcast it. When I failed I did not even bother posting about it. My plan was to ACE the lab and then go ahead with my engagement plans. Well after failing I still went with that plan and also planned my wedding in March

After that first attempt, I realised:

• I was slow during core tasks
• I was weak on Multicast, Security and QoS

I still think my weakness on the three items was related to the first item. Since I was slow during my full IP reachability, I did not have enough time to finish other tasks and hence the pressure mounted.

So I took a month off and after my engagement I started again, a different person. I knew exactly I was weak on so I went through Narbik's WBs and IE Vol 1 again focussing on individual technologies like Multicast, IPv6, Security and QoS. Once I was good with them, I started doing IE Vol 2 labs and got my confidence back. I was finishing all my IE Vol 2 labs in less than 5 hours and that was my routine.

At this point I said to myself, I am ready and booked my lab in first week of March. Most of the folks said that I am crazy to book a lab before my wedding but I went with the gut feeling that I know I can do it. Three days before my lab I started looking over CCIE Written Guide along with CCIE Flash cards and Quick Reference Sheets.

On the lab day I felt pretty good and when I saw the 4 questions I thought to myself these are nothing. Questions were VERY BASIC and I am sure all of us know the answers to those. I cannot disclose the questions due to NDA but when I say easy I mean easy I know for sure I got three of them right without a doubt and on the 4th one I have my doubts on the words I used. I think I could have used a better sentence but oh well.

Then I open the lab and read through it. I would rate it at an IE 7. I made my initial L2 drawings and verified all my IPs. It had solid L2/L3/IPv6 tasks along with BGP and then QoS, Security, Multicast etc. By Lunch time I was done and had Multicast, QoS and Security to finish. Did not take me more than 30 min to finish the rest of the tasks. One thing I must say, you have to do A LOT of work for minimum amount of points now. Double checked everything like 10 times and left the lab just before the last person.

While I was driving back, I was very confident that I will be getting my number. I got the email the next morning and couldn't believe what I saw on the report. I had 90-100% on every section but a ZERO on core. I still can't believe it but I have to get over it. I did not GUESS any of my answers, they were 1-2 word answers that can't be wrong but I guess I don't know something that proctor does and I guess according to Cisco they were able to weed out a  "Cheater"

So it has been a week now and I have realised what has happened. I will start now by reading CCIE written material and post about that with 2 hour labs every weekend. I had put everything on hold including wedding preparations that I will start working on now.

Plan is to try to make my next attempt first week of May with a hope that my answers will look right to the grading script or the proctor who ever grades them

That's all folks - I am back with regular updates