CCIEv5 Lab. My first attempt and advice.

So, I failed.

I passed TS and Diagnostics.

I failed on the configuration section.

Things to learn and my advice:

Stuff to know:

1. Unlike v5 this is all virtual, meaning:
1. No noise in the room (as you're connected via a local switch to Skylab in the US of A)
2. The delays on commands inputs are noticeable but workable - much like INE's delay from the UK
3. The delays on moving the browser screens around are noticeable but workable
4. You get a very simple setup of two screens, a keyboard and a mouse
• The keyboard is the one specified so get one at least a month before (as it slowed me down a lot) (Amazon.co.uk Keyboard)
• The mouse is about as cheap as you can get but fine
5. PuTTy is boring and no multi-window options are available as far as I could tell
6. The lab isn't a lab anymore.  For me it was just a spare room in the Feltham office and a proctor who didn't seem to or need any knowledge of the exams (we had R&S and Security in the same room) or the topologies

Stuff to learn:

1. Get familiar with the keyboard layout as the pipe is off from most keyboards and the return key is tiny
2. Get familiar with PuTTy in single window mode
3. You can open as many PuTTy windows per device as you want and will do without meaning to.  Shut down what you don't use or need
4. Read all the details before you start
5. Read all the details of each section and question before you start them except all of the config section as it takes a lot of time
6. For TS you don't need to match every detail (see later)
7. For TS you don't get any help with a visual zoom or image of the affected area
8. Never give up.  Never, ever, ever give up!

When I did my lab I used the additional 30 mins on the TS section as I hadn't completed all 10 tickets and not because I wanted to check the ones I'd done.  I spent a lot of time on two as I tried very hard to match details of the requirements' ''match the following output'' to my show output so was convinced on those two tickets I had failed.

The end of TS was when the timer expired and at that point I had only submitted responses for 7 tickets and had not started work on question 8.

With less than 80% submitted (7/10) and knowing I'd got two partially wrong I was convinced I'd failed.  This is where nearly everyone fails and not on the diag or config sections so it felt like I was done.

So, I carried on until the lunch break (Cisco's canteen) and considered leaving there and then.  We all talked about the lab at lunch and had the same feeling that we'd failed the TS section due both not submitting answers for all 10 or knowing we'd got many wrong.  This wasn't a TDA transgression as we only talked in general terms and anyway we were sitting the same exam.

I went in after lunch for the 4 1/2hrs config section knowing I'd failed.  I spent my time learning to use the keyboard (as the ones I'd used were all American layouts but didn't have the pipe key far out on the right hand side nor a tiny return key).  This is really bad when you are so used to muscle memory on the two most important items.

I learned to use PuTTy better, learned about window layout, learned about the questions, learned about how different everything was from my time on INEs workbooks and materials, learned that there was nothing I couldn't do in the questions, learned that they did throw those benders in most sections to make you think while you hammered out the stuff you know off-by-heart but I didn't try and complete the section with 100% in the time.  I had made the assumption I couldn't pass so was to make use of the time and experience as best I could.

So, I failed.  I failed partly because I believed everything I'd read in the question directions and the marking scheme.  I failed because I stopped trying to pass the last section.  I failed because of me.  Don't ever give in people.

So, in summary:

• Don't assume Cisco are telling you the truth on the marking schemes - I think they mark them better now than ever and look at what's done, how and why; how you fixed the issues and not just that you did.  This is great and will weed out those who cheat
• Don't ever stop working in the Lab.  You may have done better than you thought
• Grab multiple sheets of paper from the proctor (?) when you start if, like me, you want to write things down for question tracking, detail visibility and general working out
• Get one of those keyboards
• The lab is overpriced.  Yes, money is required to build and run the environments, to provide support and pay for a room, a keyboard, a mouse and a few monitors but not the $1900 plus tax they want
• This is now a great qualification to get - the written alone is super hard and can't be cheated on in most cases as they bring out 100s or new questions every couple of weeks or month...as I've seen on the three times I took to pass it (for the third time in 5 years).  The lab is hard but not impossible (I hope as I've yet to compete it)
• INE is awesome but not perfect
• You need your own kit
• You need to put in many 100s or 1000s of hours and can't do it without sacrifice
• As soon as you pass the written, go straight to the lab.  It'll solidify your theoretical knowledge and make you a better engineers/designer/architect/support guy/gal/person

Till the next time.  I really hope this helps people who are looking to sit it as this would have saved my bacon:

Alan