Amp's CCIE Quest On a quest for the digits…

28May/090

I’m Back!!!!

OK, I know it has been almost 4 months since the last time I posted anything on here. I have to admit, I had fallen off the wagon pretty hard, and while I was on the ground from the fall I wallowed in the murkiness of uncertainty until yesterday, (May 27, 2009).

So what happened you might ask? Well for starters I was able to finally meet one of the mentors that I have adopted along this journey, James Key. He is in town to take and pass his lab on today (May 28, 2009). We met for an early dinner and talked like we have known each other for years. He is one of the most genuine persons that I know and I am fully persuaded that he will pass his lab this go around. As we sat and talked, my motivation for this journey began to rise again.

If the conversation with James wasn't enough, he gets a call from a mutual friend who has been on this journey as well (Ayo aka Skybaba). Ayo sat for his voice lab a few days ago and finally received his results....PASS (CCIE # 24456). Not only is he a first time passer, but he did it in 6 months!!! After celebrating with James and Ayo I went home re-motivated and ready to finish what I started.

My pastor has been teaching a series titled "Real Finishers Become Real Winners". I have committed myself to finishing this journey. My lab is scheduled for November 23, 2009 and I have 179 days before my lab attempt. I will be going to IPexpert's 2 week CCIE Voice Bootcamp from October 19 - 30, 2009 so that leaves me with 143 days to go through all of their BLS workbooks and become as proficient as I possibly can in the process.

I really feel like I am starting from the beginning and I know doing this in 6 months will be extremely challenging, but I also know that it is not impossible. Not because my buddy Ayo did it in 6 months, but because my God said that ALL things are possible if I trust him and believe. He also reminded me that I can do ALL things through Christ, who is going to replinish my strength along the way.

Well that's all for now, I won't promise that I will be posting something everyday, I can promise that I will make an attempt to post something everyday. I will most definitely promise (not to you, but to me) that I will study hard every friggin day.

Filed under: Lab Prep No Comments

5Jan/092

Lab Study Strategy

After taking some time to think about a study strategy, I have come up with one that I plan on following (at least in the short term) to see how it works out for me. I believe that it is vitally important to know the technologies inside and out. So with that said, here we go.

Watch, Review, and learn from the IPexpert BLS Video-on-Demand presentations.
Study and attempt to master each section of the v3.0 Blueprint utilizing the BLS Material, SRNDs, Configuration Examples, Case Studies, Ciscopress Books, and Configuration Technotes.
Focus on the technologies and the technology focused labs from the BLS, utilizing the same materials mentioned above to become proficient in the individual technologies. Also attempt to learn more than one way, if there is one, to implementing a technology(Concentrating on accuracy more than time).
Move on to the"Multi-protocol Labs" from the BLS focusing "MORE" on time but still heavily on accuracy.
Once I have become proficient with the Multi-protocol labs I will then move on to the "8-hr Mock Labs" utilizing Proctor Labs vRack rentals. My goal here is to simulate the lab as close as possible.

I told myself that I want to have any where between 600 and 800 hours of study (reading and practical) in before I attempt the lab in November. If I put in 20 hrs per week for the next 39 weeks that will put me at 780 hours the week of October 5, 2009. I plan on attending the bootcamp from October 12 - 23, 2009. At this point I don't know what the hours of the bootcamp are so I will use low estimates like 8hrs/day for the 10 days of bootcamp. On the low end, by the end of bootcamp I should have at least 860 hours of study and practice.

I know this plan sounds a little aggressive but it is definitely manageable. I promised the wife a cruise for our anniversary, I suspect that sometime throughout the year I may have to fight a cold or the wife or kids may have to fend off a sickness or something, and I may just need a break from studying; this plan allows me to account for those situations.

This is a tentative schedule (while working nights):

Monday:

2:00 pm - 4:30 pm Read Documentation (SRNDs, Ciscopress Books, White Papers, Config Guides, etc.)
11:00 pm - 7:00 am (Find 2 -4 hours to read documentation and practice labs)

Tuesday:

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Read Documentation (SRNDs, Ciscopress Books, White Papers, Config Guides, etc.)
11:00 pm - 7:00 am (Find 2 -4 hours to read documentation and practice labs)

Same thing for Wednsday and Thursday. Hopefully use Friday as a rest, relax, and relate day with family; maybe stealing an hour or two to do some reading.

Saturday (2nd and 4th Saturday):