Disclaimer, I'm not even CCNA Wireless certified yet. :)
On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 2:20 AM, Darby Weaver <[email protected]> wrote: > Ok, I was feeling left out. :) > > I've been talking to a few guys behind the scenes. There seems to be a > general lack of direction and plan in place. There has been some activity > and it has been at varying levels of expertise offered previously. The > quality differs it would seem based on the background of the presenter. > It's a given. > > We are dealing with a new track with very few role models as of yet and > those that have emerged are still getting the presentation mastered, not to > mention deliverables. > > So... we are largely left to our own devices (not meant to be a pun on > words). > > Collectively, we have the capability to send this lab back to the its owner > on its knees wimpering. Individually, I don't know I've seen 100% of what > I'd expect from the various offerings I've seen so far since I decided to > get a little more serious towards this tracks. > > Things don't quite look as complete to me. > > However, I have seen a wealth of offerings from Cisco and while I've yet to > attach each item I've found to the actual blueprint on the lab, I can say > that off the cuff it looks like it is more than has been offered > commercially, however, not necessarily in one place. So it takes time to > decipher. > > I'm using my own study methods for the CCNA-Wireless and CCNP-Wireless and > so far I'm 3 of 5 exams into it. My methods are working remarkably well and > better than hoped so far. I budgeted for at least one re-take per exam > however so far this has not been the case. > > I have Security on Wednesday and CCNA-Wireless on Thurdsday. I am > considering touching up and re-certifying the Cisco WLAN DE/FE/AM exams too > while the iron is hot. However, that's 4 more exams with the CSE and it is > a diversion from the goal. > > The CWTS/CWNA/CWSP are the next certs immediately on my hitlist and the > CWAP/CWDP (pending a book and blueprint for the CWDP) are quickly following > the first phase. All of this leads the CWNE after I perform the write-up > for at least 3 of my Wireless Project, get my references (I have sufficient > references from my current employer but may ask for 1-2 references from > former employers/managers to spice things up a little and validate my > history/projects cited and my role in them). While not directly related to > the CCIE Wireless, I think the recognition of being a CCIE Wireless is > enhanced by being recognized as a CWNE as well. Others opinions may and > will likely differ. No doubt. No need to elaborate. > > As far as the CCIE Wireless Lab: > > 1. The physical topology appears to be set in stone with little or no > permutation. > 2. The logical toplogy is dictated largely by the physical topology > mentioned in number 1, however there is still a little wiggle room for a > proctor's delight. > 3. The sections of the lab are clearly defined. This appears to be case > with the lab itself and I'm to understand they are represented quite well. > 4. We can count on the following: > > - 6500 with WiSM, there may be two for redundancy and that's fine. But it > does mean 4 Controllers and this is even more reason to leverage the usage > of the WCS. > - The Spanning-Tree can largely be anticipated, the spanning-tree protocol > can be varied but this is of little consequence to the overall exam. I'd > plan for Rapid Spanning-Tree but not surprised if asked to configure MST. > All Spanning-tree features would be a given. > - Port Channels - no doubt in my mind. Load balancing and optimization are > highly likely. > - VTP and Pruning - Always a CCIE Lab traditional favorite, it's kinda like > vanilla ice cream... it never runs out. > - Odds, Evens, Timers, and we can count on all of these features. > - H-REAP and apparently with a 7921. This means EAP and likely EAP-FAST > but I'd not discount other EAP methods, You know ACS configuration is going > to be required well. Small matter. We could be asked to migrate the AP > from AAP to LAP or doubtful but backwards. > - AAP to LAP - I expect this to be required mostly everywhere on the 1242s > and 1252s except for the 2 APs where WDS will be asked for. > - WDS - you know it is there so expect it. I'd further expect it to be > bridged. I'd expect multiple VLANs/SSIDs as well. Call me crazy, but it > makes sense to me. > - DMZ Controller - Yep - From what I've seen it does not look like the CCIE > Wireless candidate needs to worry with the Firewall but that does not > dicount either an ACL for the ports and protocol or whether QoS (probably > necessitated by best practice requirement) will be the whim of the day of > the lab. In any event, we get tested on a variety of items here, namely: > Internal Controller DHCP, Authentication Methods, Wired and Wireless Guest > VLANs with or without DHCP, Lobby Admin comes to mind, Authentication for > Splash Page, maybe a little quarantine, etc. > - WIPs seems like this may not "be in the lab" itself as the IDS is not a > lab device on the blueprint, but that never stopped Cisco from saying it > could be there and to configure for one before. > - Management - Lots of interfaces, lots of VLAN interfaces, Native VLAN, > SSID/WLAN to Interface Mapping (one click and you lose points fast) to > VLANs, to HSRP with Etherchannels, etc. > - Span/RSPAN and maybe ERSPAN? Now add the extra AP Roles to the mix. This > can get interesting but given the finite number of APs, I'd bet for > configure ad-if a Sniffer AP were used and I'd gues one of the 4 1252s is > either a monitor or a Rogue to be detected by the WCS or Location appliance. > - WCS - I see a lot of tasks here - management for one, alerts and logging > for another, it's got to sync on time too, maybe produce a survey/heat maps, > etc. Lots of fun here. How many points is it worth? Templates galore. > Reports. Lots of tasks. Time-muncher too. > - ACS - Well everyone has roles to configure, maybe users, maybe quarantine > vlans or downloadable acls - AAA overridde is an interesting feature. VSA's > can be intersting and the blueprint nailed a nice little must-know list. > Other tasks might be asked related to the maintenance of the ACS itself. I > do the CA/PKI being a particular task. > - EAP and RF - Yep - I'd fully expect every type of EAP to be asked and > required - kinda like the spanning-tree tasks. > - DHCP on the routers, switches, MS, and internal as I mentioned before - > Internal will surely be required in the DMZ. I'd expect the router to > handle DHCP for the H-REAP AP, and I'd expect MS for the other vlans - > Global versus Local option and DHCP Authorization are fun little gotchas. > Static MACs can be fun. > - Port-Security is another decent task to be presented with. > - DAI/IP Source Guard/DHCP Snooping - Why not? Quick task that drains > minutes and is probably worth 2-3 points collectively. > - QoS - Interesting, I've seen it worded to represent "Best Practices" and > so now we are tasked to understand best practices and implement them. Where > is CoS and where is DSCP. Are SRR-queues best practice? What about > Priority Queues or Ingress versus Egress Queues, Mutation Maps are fun too. > Policed DSCP is probably a task and rate limiting is easily tied to it. MQC > on the routers... inbound versus outbound maybe (why or why not)? > - WMM and the VoWLAN - Hmm.. Upstream versus Downstream. 802.1p. > - 802.1x > - Encrypted RADIUS anyone? > - Modifying any policy on the WLC just because you can. > - Crash dumps on anything? > - Autoinstall is an old time favorite especially for AAPs. > - NTP is not just on a WLC/WCS, but also in the network and it has to > work. Always fun. > - Banners/Hostnames/SSH/Syslog/SNMP (what version?). Remember some of > these appear trivial on the Gui, but might need a little trial and error on > the IOS of the routers and switches. > - Switch Port Trace > - Wired Guest Access > > Hmm... just thinking out loud. I'm sure I left off 50% of the test but > this is off the top of my head. > > I guess I need to take the blueprint and match it up with what I expect to > see on the lab, time myself for performing a given set of tasks. > > I know a lot may frown on the older controllers but they are cheaper than > the newer controllers and they do mostly everything I've listed so far, with > few exceptions. To each his/her own. > > Ok It's past 2am and I'm in class this week. > > Any thoughts? Do I read too much into this or not enough? I know I left > out a lot of stuff but it's late and I was just kinding of making a mental > checklist and thinking about the order to perform the tasks in question. > > - Core > - H-REAP > - 1252 Cluster for triangulation and Context-Aware/Location > - Switch Port Trace needs a rogue and a rogue client to work > - Mobility Groups - met by the WiSM > - DMZ - Anchor and Foreign Controller > - CA/PKI > - Enterprise QoS (E2E) > - WCS/Location > > I mean so much of this test seems like a given, looks like a race to the > finish line - lots of tasks and lots of room to fat-finger just about > anything. Verification is key of course and do lots of debug tools might be > nice to know about. I see a lot of areas with room for interpretation and I > see a lot of this lab that might every well be seemingly related to other > tracks. Particularly switching - I can see a lot of points on the various > switches and who always considering the Egress Queue on the 6500 modules > anyway? > > Call for conversation at least. Tell me where I'm so far off-base it's not > even funny? > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 11:49 PM, Pete Nugent <[email protected]>wrote: > >> It was spoke about last week. >> >> Generally I think there is either a lack of conviction to have regular >> meetings or problems with organising resources. >> >> Comunication can be sporadic at times and some mails I have sent have >> never got through the admin review >> >> Just my view >> >> Pete >> >> On 9 November 2010 02:10, Darby Weaver <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> So is/was there a meeting at all? >>> >>> On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 5:21 PM, Iwan Hoogendoorn <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Within how many hours will the meeting be? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Met vriendelijke groet, >>>> >>>> With kind regards, >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ing. Iwan Hoogendoorn, CCIEx4 #13084 (R&S, Sec, SP, Voice) >>>> >>>> Blog: http://blog.i-1.nl >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> *From:* [email protected] [mailto: >>>> [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Pete Nugent >>>> *Sent:* maandag 8 november 2010 18:30 >>>> *To:* [email protected] >>>> *Subject:* [CCIE Wireless] Meeting details >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Does anyone have the meeting details for this evening. >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> For more information regarding industry leading CCIE Lab training, >>>> please visit www.ipexpert.com >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Darby Weaver >>> Network Engineer >>> >>> >>> [email protected] >>> >> >> > > > -- > Darby Weaver > Network Engineer > > > [email protected] > -- Darby Weaver Network Engineer [email protected]
_______________________________________________ For more information regarding industry leading CCIE Lab training, please visit www.ipexpert.com
