Because I’ve developed quite a bit of CCIE PReparation material (including the Boson #3 quiz for this exam), I feel competent to offer some basic advice in preparing for this test. Since one of the more common questions I’ve heard is where to start, I’ve compiled a list of resources, techniques and just plain old common wisdom in the hopes that it proves useful. If you have any questions, issues, concerns, additions or, of course compliments, please feel free to contact me through e-mail at Dennis@Laganiere.net. Thanks, and good lUCk in your studies.
Introduction
In August of 2002, Cisco upgraded the CCIE Routing and Switching Qualification Exam (the written exam) for the first time in several years. The new exam is much harder in every way; the topics covered are deeper, and there are more CCIE-level questions. You’ll find very little ambiguity, and out of 150 questions, you can eXPect about half to come with diagrams, router configurations, and/or show/debug outputs. Typically the topics you’ll face will include Voip, MPLS, Security, Switching, TCP/IP, routing protocols (OSPF, IS-IS, EIGRP and BGP), Multicasting, and just about anything else that can be done on Cisco equipment. This will mean facing many of the same tricks and gotchas that used to be found exclusively in the CCIE lab; and many of the questions seem like small stand-alone lab scenarios all their own.
That said, the new exam is not impossible. It’s been out for quite some time now, and pass rates have begun to go back up. My goal with this document is to provide some encouragement, and point out some of the tools other people who have passed the exam have found useful.
Preparing for the CCIE Written exam (350-001)
People commonly complete the CCNP exams before beginning to study for the CCIE Written. This is not a requirement, but rather the common path to follow, and it does help to prepare you for many of the topics covered. However, if you think the written is just an extension of the CCNP process, you’re wrong. The Written exam encompasses the totality of routing and switching with Cisco equipment. You’ll have three hours of being hammered by questions that can cover almost anything that can be done on Cisco networking equipment.
You should absolutely start by pulling down a copy of the exam blueprint from the Cisco website. Don’t consider yourself ready for the exam until you are completely comfortable with ALL the topics on the list. I would paste a copy of the blueprint into your Word processor, and start developing your own set of notes based on the topics covered.
There are several online communities of Cisco enthusiasts that can provide invaluable in your quest. Start by joining the e-mail feed at www.groupstudy.com, and the billboard for the CCIE Written at www.routerie.com. This will give you a place to seek help with some of the more complicated or esoteric issues, and provide a sounding board for the variety of questions that will come up. Groupstudy also represents a group that will encourage when your feeling overwhelmed, provide help when things aren’t working, celebrate your success when you pass the exam, and most of all - kick you when you’re down, and make fun of any stupid questions you post (there are jerks everywhere). Take the positive where you can get it, and the negative with good humor, and you’ll be fine.
One of the best study practices you can have is to help answer questions posted on Groupstudy, even if they don’t directly relate to what you’re working on. Researching answers for other people can get you to try things that would never occur to you otherwise. Once you find you’re posting more answers than questions, you’ll know you’re ready to breeze through the written exam.
My next bit of advice is to find a study partner, either someone you can physically meet with on a regular basis, or a group of people online who are on the same path. A good study partner will often keep you on track, and force you to analyze your opinions. A quick post on Groupstudy might net you a number of people willing to work together.
Once you’ve joined the appropriate online groups, found somebody to study with, and printed out the blueprint, what comes next? I’m about to give you a list of books that I think will give you the knowledge you need to beat the exam, but before I do, let me make an aside – remember that the exam changed significantly in August of 2002. Anything written before that (including my own book) will still have relevant sections, but won’t be focused on the current test topics. If somebody gives them to you, or if you find any used at a good price, by all means take advantage of the opportunity; but don’t waste your limited funds buying expensive books that are not focused on the current exam. On a related note, keep in mind that hardcover networking books (especially Cisco Press books) are expensive, and having a study partner might mean you can share the expense.
OK, that said, here is a list of books that I believe you’ll find useful to start getting a deeper understanding of the topics you’ll need to master, both for the written exam, and later for the lab. I believe the first six are absolutely necessary, and the last three deserve a quick review to make sure you have a solid grasp of the topics at hand:
· CCIE Routing and Switching Exam Certification Guide by Anthony Bruno – You’d think the Cisco Press study guide for the exam would be the only thing you need to pass this test; but you would be $300 poorer if you tried that (trust me, lots of people have). Bruno’s book is a good introduction to most of the topics to the exam, which is why I listed it first; but by itself, it’s nowhere near enough to master these topics. I recommend reading this first, and keeping it handy in case you get confused, but please don’t see this as any more than a starting point.
· Cisco Certification: Bridges, Routers and Switches for CCIEs, Second Edition by Andrew Bruce Caslow – This was written to be an introduction to the technologies you’ll face in the lab, but it is also an Excellent review of most of the basic technologies you’ll face on the written exam. I’ve read this cover to cover several times, and I think it’s one of the best Cisco books out there.
· Routing TCP/IP Volume I (CCIE Professional Development) by Jeff Doyle – This is the definitive source on Internal Gateway Protocols (IGPs). This is one you should read cover to cover.
· Routing TCP/IP, Volume II (CCIE Professional Development) by Jeff Doyle, Jennifer DeHaven Carroll – Doyle brings the same straightforward approach of his first book to the study of several advanced TCP/IP topics, including Exterior Gateway Protocols (EGPs), Border Gateway Protocol 4 (BGP-4), IP multicasting, IPv6, and network address translation (NAT).
· Internet Routing Architectures (2nd Edition) by Sam Halabi - The authority on all things BGP.
· MPLS and VPN Architectures: A Practical Guide to Understanding, Designing and Deploying MPLS and MPLS-Enabled VPNs by Guichard and Pepelnjak – MPLS seems to have been a hot topic of discussion in the Office the day they put together the new CCIE Written exam. Many people have said they saw a number of questions on it, and I think it’s worth a bit of exploration, so I would not just read this book, but setup MPLS in a test pod. You’ll find free instructions for running MPLS on cheap 2500 series routers at www.writtenexam.com.
· CCIE Professional Development: Cisco Lan Switching (The Cisco Press CCIE Professional Development Series) by Clark and Hamilton – Although you probably learned most of what you need to know about switching while preparing for the CCNP Switching exam, this is a good review of the topic, with a lot of very good material. I’m not sure it needs to be read cover-to-cover while studying for the CCIE Written, but it’s a good reference to have on the shelf. Because it has been out for quite sometime, you can often find a good deal on a used copy.
· IS-IS Network Design Solutions by Martey and Sturgess - Since most people have very limited knowledge of IS-IS, I would recommend this book so you can get a solid grasp of the topic. There is not a lot of literature on this routing protocol, and this is a very good book on the topic.
· EIGRP Network Design Solutions by Ivan Pepelnjak – Like my recommendation for the IS-IS book, EIGRP is an important topic that gets short shift on most networking books. This book does a good job of going through the mechanics of the routing protocol. I would include it in the list of books to read while preparing for the exam, but definitely keep it on the shelf for when you come across an EIGRP network in the field (they’re more common than you’d think).
I can’t emphasize enough that while you’re reading, if there’s a topic that doesn’t seem to be sticking, or isn’t perfectly clear, check the Cisco website, the groupstudy.com archive, or ask questions of people you know or have met on the groupstudy e-mail feed. Just passing your eyes past the words won’t do it; you’ve got to really understand what is being passed along to you.
Before the changes in the exam in August of 2002, I would have said you wouldn’t need to read all these books, but the new exam is much harder than the previous one, and I believe you’ll need to really master all this material. I would also recommend putting together a small pod of routers and switches to start practicing what you read. You’ll probably need to do this for your lab preparation anyway, and it will help to give you a solid grasp of the stuff you’re reading. Wherever possible, you should try and reproduce any configurations you come across in your reading. I’ve also found that one of the best places to download free lab scenarios is www.fatkid.com.
Earlier I mentioned putting together your own set of notes, using the Cisco blueprint as the basis of everything else. This is what I did when I first started studying for the exam, and the results were posted on BrainBuzz.com several years ago. I’ve learned a lot since then (and corrected several false assumptions), but it does provide some free material you can paste into your own notes as a place to start. Although you may need to register on the cramsession.com website to gain access to it, the guide is still available for free. You’ll find the study guide at www.cramsession.com, and if you look at the bottom, you’ll see a like for the free “Ad-based Online Html Study Guide - for Online Viewing only”. From there you can cut and paste the material into your own notes. Just like my earlier comments about the Bruno book, you should see this document as a very basic introduction to the general topics; you’ll need much, much more to have any chance at passing the exam.
Once you’ve done everything else, I would recommend downloading a couple of sample exams to reinforce what you know, and expose any weaknesses. There are several available, but I’m particularly proud of Boson #3, which is some of my finest work (no ego, huh? :-) Regardless of what vendor’s questions you choose, take advantage of a significant pool of questions, and select products by different authors. The subject matter for this exam is broad, and you want a good selection of material to study from.
Just a few hints to get the most out of any Boson exam you download, make sure to randomize the questions, so you don’t get use to having them in the same order every time (I don’t know why this isn’t enabled by default); and follow any links provided. I try and put a relevant web link on each question, so you’ve got a resource to refer to.
Lastly, once you feel you’re ready - sit for the exam. This seems obvious, but some people have their self-esteem so wrapped up in this, that they develop a phobia about going to the test facility. I know this is an expensive exam ($300 last time I looked), but according to the statistics, most people fail it AT LEAST once, so take a seat and start answering questions - if you pass, you pass; if you don't, relax, the people around you at the test center will still look at you with respectful amazement, because even attempting the exam is more than they can imagine doing.
If possible, find a test center that offers weekend testing. This works for me because I study until I feel ready, cram my brain absolutely full all day Saturday, get a good night’s sleep, review my notes over an espresso at Starbucks, and sit for the test Sunday afternoon. It has always worked for me because I can leave the stress and distraction of the workweek outside the test center.
I hope you find this document useful. If there are any specific questions you want to ask, I can usually be reached through e-mail, but don’t be surprised if it takes a few days to get back to you. My favorite e-mails are from those who have passed the exam, so please keep me in mind when that day comes; I would like to be one of the people to congratulate you.
