Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 17:56:26 -0700 (Pacific Daylight Time)
From: Umer Khan
To: Group Study CCIELAB
Subject: Umer Khan, CCIE# 7410, BROADCOM CORPORATION

On my second attempt, exactly seven months after passing the written
test, I passed the CCIE Routing & Switching lab exam at Halifax today
(May 17, 2001). I am still in shock!

Quick history. I got my CCNA in July of 1999 and started working with
Cisco equipment a few months after that. I completed my CCNP in
October of 2000, and my CCDP in November of 2000.

My first lab attempt was at RTP on April 9-10, 2001. I was fully
prepared, and found the material on the exam to be very easy. Finished
day 1 by 12:30pm, just as Alan (the proctor) was saying it was time
for lunch.  Spent the rest of the day after lunch double, triple, and
quadruple checking my work. Little mistakes in each section WILL cost
you a lot of points (no partial credit! You get one item in a section
wrong, the whole section is wrong!). Out of the group of 5 of us that
started, I was the only one to make it to day 2, although not with a
lot of points (Like I said, the little mistakes WILL cost you!). On
day 2, I didn't make enough points to go on to troubleshooting. I went
home, although not too disappointed. At least I was comfortable with
all of the technologies I was tested on, and I had given it my fair
shot.

I'd like to thank Mike Chase (Sr. Network Architect, Broadcom
Corporation), and Christine Jeffrey (Cisco Systems) for helping me get
a date for my second attempt. I was not too motivated to study this
time around. I spent no time on the rack. Instead, I took the month
between my two attempts to relax and I spent time doing other things
(nothing related to Cisco). I just wanted another attempt. The day
before the exam, I reviewed the 30 pages of study notes I had created
while studying for my previous attempt.

I showed up at the Halifax lab at 8:15am on May 16. There were 4 of us
for day 1: Myself on second attempt, another person on third attempt,
one person on their fourth, and another person on their second
attempt. Steve was the proctor. I found the exam this time to be
*VERY* hard, and did not finish with day one until around 3:00pm. I
spent the rest of my time double, triple, and quadruple checking my
work. I didn't think I was making it to day 2. I hadn't done so bad
however, and made it to day 2, along with one other guy. I made it to
troubleshooting, he didn't. The troubleshooting scenario I had was not
the same one I had configured on day 1 and 2. In fact, Steve informed
us that the new CCIE policy is that EVERYONE gets a new
troubleshooting scenario, making it MUCH harder. I got past
troubleshooting, and got my number. I could NOT stop smiling.

My advice to candidates who are preparing for this exam is as follows:

1. Pray! And get all your family to pray for you too. More than
anything, my passing the lab was the work of God in the form of
miracle!

2. Start with the basics. To get to my written test, I had already
read a number of Cisco Press books cover to cover. After the written
test, I continued this effort. Caslow and Doyle are a must, but they
just set the base. You need to read more in depth. Keep all the theory
fresh in your memory.

3. Participate in Groupstudy! Most questions you have will have
answers in the archives.

4. Practice, practice, practice! I cannot emphasize this enough. Spend
all your free time, day and night, in front of a rack. Practice all
the core technologies again and again. Use fatkid, BOOTCAMP, and
whatever other scenarios you can get your hands on.

5. Find a study buddy. Having a partner who is always challenging you
will help with motivation.

6. Become familiar with the documentation CD. Read the configuration
guides and command references for the core technologies "cover to
cover".  Learn how to find stuff fast in case you need to.

7. Take ECP1 and/or BRS classes. They will give you the extra edge you
need to pass the lab.

8. Be very paranoid. There are a ton of mistakes in all the books you
will read, as well as CCO. Test everything out on your rack before you
believe it. Know about the common IOS bugs and features throughout the
different versions. Also learn to double and triple check all your
work.

Thanks to my friends and specially to my fiancee for understanding
when I couldn't spend time with them because I was too busy studying.
Also thanks to Broadcom Corporation for fully supporting me in this
endeavor.

Umer Khan, CCIE# 7410
Sr. Network Engineer
Broadcom Corporation
Web: http://www.umer-khan.net