I hope this message can save CCIE written exam applicants several hundreds of $$ and lots of frustration.
There was a time that a CCIE applicant could add a few weeks of study on top of his/her CCNP or CCDP knowledge and take the CCIE qualification exam and pass it. As of August 7th of this year the rules have changed. The new format of the exam is totally different, absolutely brutal and very extensive. Now, every question of this exam is a challenge. If you see a question with a straight answer, you better think again because most definitely you have missed a twist. One, two, and even three Graphics and exhibits are part of most of the questions. Some exhibits fill up the whole screen with configurations and debug outputs. There is no way you can find the information that you want within those few seconds if you do not already know where to look for them. Given the configuration of 4 or more routers with all possible IP routing protocols (including BGP) and redistributions, you must be able to follow the packets and updates and say what you see at the other end of the network. The same applies for IPX, and the same applies for bridging. You must be very fluent in BGP. You must be very fluent in IS-IS. General knowledge about BGP and IS-IS will not cut it. You must know all the features of the 4000 and 6500 Cats. and be able to use those features. You must be an expert in multicasting and know the behavior or routers in all different scenarios. You must be an expert in Qos, shaping and policing. You must know Ethernet, and know it in detail. You must know CSMA/CD's frames, measurements, bits and pieces. You must know Token ring in detail. You must be able identify who does what in what sequence when something goes wrong or in normal operation. You must know the frame format of almost every kind of frame. You must know the content of each frame. You must be familiar with IEEE standards. Just knowing that IEEE 802.11 deals with the wireless is not enough. You must know much more than that in detail. You must be familiar with the famous RFCs and identify them by their number, besides their contents. On top of these, add questions that try to trick you by changing just one word in the question. Then again, add the well-known Cisco questions that do not make any sense at all. So how do we pass this exam then? This is what I recommend. Assume that you have taken the written exam and have passed it. Assume that you have contacted Cisco and have got a lab date in 8 month. Start practicing for the lab. Do all kinds of scenarios that you have to do to pass the lab, including Fatkid, Ccbootcamp, IPExpert and Cyscoexpert scenarios and many more. In the meantime, in parallel to your lab, read the above mentioned subjects and the blueprint in detail. In 8 months you must be at a relatively comfortable level to attempt the qualification exam, mainly due to your practice with scenarios. You will know you are ready for the exam when you know (almost) as much as Priscilla at Layer 1 and Layer 2, as much as Howard at Layer 3, and as much as Peter Van Oene at layer 3 & 4. After you pass the written, call Cisco and schedule your lab. I can guarantee you; there will hardly be any waiting. You should be able to schedule your lab for the next day or so. There will not be very many people around who have qualified to take the lab. If you are already a CCIE and you are reading this message and you are happy that this degree of difficulty will add to the value of your #### (or ##,###) in the long run, yes it will. But remember, this monster will soon knock at your door when you want to re-certify! And trust me; it will not be a piece of cake. Good luck to everybody, Bernard Omrani Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=52235&t=52235 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
