Routing-Bits

What is the formula to successfully passing a CCIE lab exam and is there such a thing?

I personally think almost everything, if done meticulously, could be calculated. I would like to illustrate how easy the formula to pass the CCIE could be and at the same time how much work is involved to get there.

Let me explain using a boxing analogy.

Professional boxing is an extremely hard and demanding sport.

Being a working CCIE in the networking world may be viewed in the same light. Strangely there are some remarkable similarities between the road to networking and being a professional boxer.

To become a professional boxer, these are some of the fundamental elements that must be mastered:

• Technique
• Fitness
• Breathing
• Rhythm
• Footwork
• Blocking
• Punches

Each of these are trained using various exercises. To list a few:

• Skipping Rope
• Punching Bag
• Floor to Ceiling Ball
• Speedbag
• Shadow boxing
• Sparring an Opponent

If one of the elements are skipped (let’s say technique),  what would a boxer’s chances be to be knocked out in the first couple fights, let alone become a professional boxer? He will be knocked out for sure.

Once the elements are mastered, some elements are trained together until a point where all the elements are used simultaneously and sub-consciously to deliver a world class boxer to the professional circuit. Two things are consistent from the start to becoming a professional boxer; time and discipline.

Discipline is the bonding agent for these elements. To be dedicated over the time period required is where discipline becomes vital!

So what does this have to do with the CCIE?

The point when a boxer becomes a professional boxer could be compared to a network engineer passing the CCIE Lab. Once recognized as a professional boxer, a boxer enters the real world of title fights, money and fame. Just becoming a boxer is a small feat. Thus passing the CCIE lab is not the goal post, but the launch pad into the professional world of networking.

If you are studying for your CCIE, you are training to become a professional network engineer. You should NOT be studying just to pass your CCIE lab. If you are, stop reading this and go play games.

To pass the CCIE the same fundamentals must be mastered:

Technique
Knowing and understanding the technologies of the blueprint is the foundation of the entire journey.

Punches
How much of the copious amounts of configuration can you remember off the cuff when required?

Blocking
How quickly and efficiently you can navigate the Cisco DOC-CD to find the items that eluded your precious memory?

Footwork
How good are your configuration skills. This does not just mean how fast you can type. Accuracy is far more important than speed. I have a friend with multiple CCIEs, brilliant guy, and he is NOT a touch typist.

Rhythm
How good is your time management? Can you keep within the defined time boundaries and with all the required tasks completed correctly?

Breathing
How well do you interpret the questions asked?

Fitness
Can you stay focussed for the full 8 hours? Many have failed because of silly typos. This usually happens when one loses concentration for brief period.

So the first step is to comprehend the challenge of passing a CCIE lab holistically, and then understand the fundamental building blocks required to master the challenge. The next part will introduce methods to train the fundamental elements…