Narbik Kocharians R&S Bootcamp

Currently working on a non-technical article that involves CCIE and iPhone ... let's hope I finish it very soon to be submitted.

Study-wise, I am left again with almost stars in my eyes when reading on redistribution and multicast. Probably QoS too but the others are fine ;-). Let's see what happens in the next few days.

I will be attending Narbik Kocharian's CCIE R&S bootcamp from June 1 to June 5 2009. This bootcamp will be hosted by TrainPro Academy situated in Mid Valley Malaysia (their webpage is at http://www.trainpro.com.my/). I will be of course writing a review on the bootcamp after finished attending it as I believe a majority of my time which is from 0900hrs to 2100hrs will be listening to his lecture and catching some sleep in-between and not forgetting lunch or dinner to that matter! I will be staying in a hotel (rather strange to live currently in Malaysia and yet rent a hotel) since I figure that it would be a waste of time for me to actually spend time travelling back and forth to my house instead of spending time on labs ;-).

For those who doesn't know Narbik, he is a router God. His method of teaching from what I have read and heard involves only the whiteboard or should I say blackboard with chalks. He has a built-in IOS in him and he spits out commands with their options before you can finish typing them! How cool is that??? I am waiting for Navett's review on his bootcamp since he is taking it in April 2009. You can also find excellent reviews on Narbik's bootcamp at CCIE Candidate's webpage and also at EDFNetwork's webpage (of course there are a few other really cool reviews as well but I seem to forgot since I am typing this by memory). For those who wants to go straight to Narbik's bootcamp page, please visit http://www.micronicstraining.com/ccie-routing-switching-lab.html and you'll get more information there. It even comes with hotel accomodation information ;-).

March 2009 Tidbits

Both IPExpert and Internetwork Expert have came up with updates to their materials for some of the tracks. Also they are offering nice discounts on their products as well. By the way, some of you might not know that recently Internetwork Expert's website can be accessible by http://www.ine.com (this is perhaps it's easier to type INE rather than the whole name ;-)).

CCIE numbers have hit 236xx for those who actually follow the numbers of CCIEs worldwide.

Just in case some of you didn't know, CCIE Flyer March edition is out at http://www.ccieflyer.com. Get it while it's hot :-).

I am still working on my CCIE written ... looks like I am three months behind schedule already but isn't it better to pass the exam on the first time? :-). I got a little side-tracked by learning to use Wireshark in depth. I am hoping one day Sharkfest comes to Asia (it might as indicated by Laura Chappell to me in a mail).

IPExpert Offers Non-CCIE Courses

It looks like it is finally and officially announced. IPExpert (ok so I prefer to put the 'E' in capital ;-)) will be offering courses that are non-CCIE but instead focusing on the lower certifications like the CCNA, CCNP and a host of other certifications which are not Cisco-centric.

I have included the official announcement from IPExpert's blog at http://ipexpert.ccieblog.com/2009/02/05/ipexpert-inc-plans-to-launch-sister-company-ipexpert-training-inc-focusing-on-the-lower-level-certification-training-market/.

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IPexpert, Inc. Plans to Launch Sister Company - “IPexpert Training, Inc.” Focusing on the Lower-Level Certification Training Market

By Wayne Lawson II on Thursday, February 5, 2009 12:25

Posted in category Competition, Executive Suite, Info Center, News, Outlook, Press Release, Proctor Labs, Product Updates, Products, Training Advisor, Uncategorized

IPexpert Followers,

I thought I’d give all of you a “heads up” before our official site launches and the PR goes out (in approximately 2 to 3 weeks). We have been working diligently on analyzing the lower-level training space (over 1 year in the making) and have put together various classes and offerings that - we feel - will set us apart from the competition in that lower-level market (We did it - and did it well - with the hardest certification on the market - so I am confident that we can do so in this lower-level space!). Over the next few months you’ll begin seeing the following:

• A separate brand named “IPexpert Training” (at www.IPexpertTraining.com) that will be focused on CompTia, VMWare, CCENT, CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, CCSP, CCVP and MCSE training products.
• These classes / products will include self-study materials (Blended Learning), lab workbooks, Audio, Video on Demand, eBooks, quizzers, iPhone applications, ILT (traditional classroom-based training), online mentoring and online training classes - and will be priced very competitively. Students taking these classes will be eligible for a *significant* discount on all IPexpert, Inc. CCIE lab products as that will be their next progression (eventually). These classes will be delivered during the week - as our CCIE Lab classes are (from IPexpert) - however, we will also have weekend and even classes available online and at various locations.
• An online community for these students.
• A new blog for these students with industry experts (the IPexpert Training instructors and developers).
• Proctor Labs vRack rental for these certifications (Cisco and Microsoft - VMWare down the road in Q2).

Here are a few things for you to know:

• The IPexpert CCIE Team will not be participating in this initiative. We have created a 2nd “sister company” to leverage the IPexpert brand, however - our CCIE Lab efforts will not be diluted and our CCIE Instructors will remain focused on CCIE Lab training, product development and support. The IPexpert Training developers and instructors are different individuals who have already proven themselves in this different (lower-level) market.
• There will be different websites, different communities and different “legal companies”. However, the management team and sales team will remain the same - giving you sales reps that understand technology and management that understands how to deliver a phenomenal product and ensure a successful delivery with a high customer satisfaction rating.
• These classes will *NOT* be Cisco authorized and neither business unit will endorse or offer the Cisco 360 CCIE Lab offering. After understanding the 360 program, products and Cisco’s initiative - I have made the decision that the current CCIE Lab offerings we have (already shipping) are much more mature, proven, more up-to-date and more cost-effective for our clients.

Here’s how you can stay informed:

Follow IPexpert Training, Inc. on Twitter.

Join the IPexpert Training Facebook group.

Visit the IPexpert Training website and enter your email address - you will be notified of the site launch and will receive monthly news and product specials for that business entity.

More to come soon!

Thanks! - Wayne

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With the latest offering from IPExpert, I am sure we are going to see a handful of non-CCIE courses from other CCIE training companies very soon. Let's hope all the prices are affordable to all of us in this current economy crisis. Now who wants to sponsor me for my written and lab? :-)

Lunar New Year and some tidbits ...

Happy Lunar New Year to those who are celebrating it. I still have one more day here in the land of "hard to get Internet for me since I don't have a ADSL signal at my hometown" but after getting access from a 'friend' here, checked a few of the hundreds of my personal and work mails, one mail caught my attention. I have received news that Joshua Atterbury, a fellow CCIE candidate (now a holder no longer a candidate ;-)) has passed his CCIE in R&S!

Please head over to http://joshatterbury.com and congratulate him and you can send me free beer if you like to celebrate with him :-).

Also CCIE Flyer January 2009 edition is now out. Get it at http://www.ccieflyer.com and read up on the many interesting articles there. Feel free to comment on my article if you liked/disliked it and how I can improve on my probably lame writing skills :-)

Open-Ended Questions for the CCIE

As some of you might have known, there will be an open-ended question exam for CCIE candidates before they step into the room for the lab exam. This is nothing new to be honest as the lab location in Beijing had this as a pilot project a few months ago. This is an attempt to filter out the well-prepared candidates and probably an attempt to filter out the dumpsters (as I have written in the CCIE Flyer in December 2008).

From the Learning@Cisco newsletter,

Changes to CCIE Lab and Written Exam Question Format and Scoring

Effective February 1, 2009, Cisco will introduce a new type of question format to CCIE Routing and Switching lab exams. In addition to the live configuration scenarios, candidates will be asked a series of four or five open-ended questions, drawn from a pool of questions based on the material covered on the lab blueprint. No new topics are being added. The exams are not been increased in difficulty and the well-prepared candidate should have no trouble answering the questions. The length of the exam will remain eight hours. Candidates will need to achieve a passing score on both the open-ended questions and the lab portion in order to pass the lab and become certified. Other CCIE tracks will change over the next year, with exact dates announced in advance.

Effective February 17th, 2009, candidates will also see two other changes in CCIE written exams. First, candidates will now be required to answer each question before moving on to the next question; candidates will no longer be allowed to skip a question and come back to it at a later time. Second, there will be an update to the score report. The overall exam score and the exam passing score will now be reported as a scaled score, on a scale from 300-1000. This change will not affect the difficulty of the current set of exams and will assure CCIE written exams will be consistent with Cisco’s other career certification exams.

If you guys like more information, visit http://ciscocert.custhelp.com/rd?1=AvcG~wodDv8SHUDpGhse~yL~Jvkq~w3~&2=1837. This is currently for the Routing and Switching track but Cisco assured us that this will apply to other tracks as well. Now dumpsters, what is your next move? :-)

UPDATE : The open-ended questions are worth 21 points and the CCIE lab 79 points. However in order to pass the CCIE certification, you need to PASS BOTH the open-ended questions (scoring 4 out of 5 at least) and the lab. Also as some of you may already know, the open-ended questions are not interviews by humans but rather they are computerized questions like those in the CCIE written examination. An example which I think might appear on the open ended question will be something like "What is a OSPF type 3" ?

Happy New Year

Happy New Year all :-)

I have decided to postpone my written to the first half of 2009 as my confidence level is not really there yet. Hence I will need to read more beers ... er ... I mean materials for the time being to further boost my confidence level :-). Better to be well prepared than half prepared don't you think?

Traditionally I will come up with a list of TODOs or resolutions each year. This year is no different. I have added two significant entries which relates to me preparing for the CCIE. I am really hoping that I'll be able to hit the nail in the coffin this year for the CCIE ;-).

1. I plan to have the written cleared before March 2009 (supposed to be in December 2008 but oh well)

2. I plan to have a first attempt at the lab in June 2009 (supposed to be in August 2009 but the mobile lab in Singapore have been rescheduled earlier) but again it will most likely be deferred to a later date.

Ohter than that, I am also preparing to write a non-technical article on how VOIP has helped me in my communication with family and friends for the CCIE Flyer. I hope to have positive or negative feedback from you guys on this.

Merry CCIE Christmas :-)

CCIE studies have taken a short break due to the coming holidays. I am unfortunately still not sure whether I will be sitting for the CCIE written which I scheduled end of this month. I am still feeling very nervous and not confident enough. I may defer to a later date should I feel that I am ill-prepared to perhaps end of January/February 2009? I believe that it's better to defer until I truly am confident and understand it in and out. I have cover most of the topics in the written save perhaps redistribution and multicasting which I am having trouble understanding it the way I wish I would. However, I believe I will hit the nail on the coffin sooner or later :-).

In case, some of you didn't know, the CCIE Flyer December edition is out at http://www.ccieflyer.com so download a copy and start reading the wonderful articles there. I have written an article on dumping so hopefully I meet the expectations of you readers. Please feel free to comment should you feel what I have written is wrong and misleading.

Until, happy holidays everyone and to those who celebrate like me, a very Merry and Happy Christmas and a Joyous New Year. Let's hope those are sitting for their CCIE lab exams will pass and for those who are re-attempting, pass this time. My best wishes to you all! (it seems that my target of #23456 is coming nearer ... looks like I have to aim for a new number #23999 or #24232? Any number will do in the end ;-))

CCIE Flyer November Edition

I know it's December now but just in case some of you didn't know, CCIE Flyer November edition is out! Get it at http://www.ccieflyer.com :-).

Also probably an interesting read for some who has not seen this, some of the top 20 networking sites at http://www.networkworld.com/community/print/25115

Status Update : 081120

Been almost a month of non-blogging but I had pretty good reasons for that.

1. Work :-) + work-related training (I attended a cool shipping course in Singapore recently. Will update my personal blog with pictures later this week).

2. I am 1/4 way done with the CCIE Routing and Switching Exam Certification Guide. I have finished:

-Spanning Tree Protocol
-IP Addressing
-IP Services
-IP Forwarding (Routing)
-RIP Version 2
-EIGRP
-OSPF

IGP Redistribution is next if I follow the book chapter but redistribution has been quite a weak area for me although I seem to have a strong interest in it (ironic isn't it?) so we'll see how it goes this week :-).

I am now featured as the 'man of the week' on Mike Down's blog (http://idontwannabeaccie.blogspot.com). Thanks for having me up there Mike. Mike is concentrating on CCIE/CCNP candidates as well as title holders so if you want to be featured there, please visit Mike's blog and send him a mail.

As on Mike Down's blog, I plan to visit 'hell' tentatively in August 2009 but again knowing myself, it will get either delayed or pushed earlier. I have changed my study techniques a little whereby I am starting a little hammering on my home lab and at the same time read up on the examination guide. Hopefully this is a good study strategy.

Ok back to the books (I am now on a strict regime whereby I get up at 0430hrs or 0500hrs to start hitting the books before going to work at around 0700hrs or 0830hrs (whatever time I like ;-)). My social life is beginning to take a beating. This will probably continue until a year. Whatever it is, I am betting that it will be all worth it once those numbers appear!

IPExpert's Answer to IE's Major Annoucement

IPExpert has answered back on IE's major announcement. Have a look at the following URL.

http://ipexpert.ccieblog.com/2008/10/31/ie_major_announcements/

Just in case anyone is wondering, I am a neutral customer (as stated in the previous post). Like most of the other candidates, as a customer, all I want is affordable (cheap and free would be nice) and high quality products. I don't really like politics but being the customers of both IPExpert and Internetwork, it is my interest to know the scene ...

Internetwork Expert's CCIE 2.0

I didn't sleep well last night. Throughout the night, I was thinking of the annoucement IE was going to make. Will they be purchased by Cisco as Brad Reese of NetworkWorld has said in his blog? Will they offer Cisco 360 programmes?

After sneakingly viewing Twitter updates from my Nokia N95 last night while 'sleeping' beside my wife, I was happy. Very happy that IE decided not to join Cisco's 360 programme. Happy that they placed us, the customers above everything else (yes the 50% non-US customer case helped a lot :-)) and finally happy that the changes that they bring to their current CCIE programme are improvements and not mere gimmicks (just like how our car maker Proton is doing nowadays). Special thanks to CCIE Pursuit and Brandon Carroll for updating us who were unfortunate to listen to it live.

In a nutshell, the improvements that IE's CCIE 2.0 will bring to the exisiting 1.0,
-FREE BEER!
-dynamic customized self-paced content
-adaptive written & hands-on assessments (Poly-Labs)
-continuing interaction with instructors, authors, customer success managers, and support staff-community involvement (users e.g. bloggers/IEOC forumers will get points for helping others and this could probably lead to incentives and such).

It is also good to note that starting Q1 2009 IE will also be offering programmes for the Cisco Associate & Professional level tracks.

For the full audio recording session on this, head off to the following URL:

http://ieclass.internetworkexpert.com/p95047727/

* Free beers only apply in 3030.


Update: I receive some mails saying that I am pro-IE now but I wish to state that I am a loyal and honest customers to both IPExpert and Internetwork Expert. All I really am interested is to get my first CCIE numbers.

CCIE Flyer October Edition

Just in case some of you didn't know, CCIE Flyer October edition is out! Get it at http://www.ccieflyer.com :-)