Many people who attempt the CCIE do not pass the first time. Or the second. Add me to that infamous list of people who simply fell short. 
The first time I took the test, I went in with the idea that I probably wouldn’t pass the test the first time. My fellow CCIEs in my workplace have noted on many an occasion that the first time you take the test it is simply to learn how to take the test. They couldn’t be more right. While there is the end of the bell curve that passes the first time through, I can see that taking the test really helps in developing a strategy to pass that cannot really be accomplished by simply studying the material. Learning the environment, what to expect, and seeing what they really want in the testing situation can eat up valuable time. And time really isn’t on your side during the exam.
Granted, the test can obviously be passed the first time. But for many of us, the first time is the real eye-opener not only to the weaknesses in your study, but weaknesses in strategy. The first time I took the test, not a lot caught me off-guard, but a few things did take me MUCH longer than they should have taken. And that can be the difference between passing and failing.
There are many people out there who give out advice for passing the test. Some advice is helpful, some is trivial, and some is downright silly. Yes, I know that I need to know the blueprint. Thanks, Captain Obvious. I would have NEVER guessed that. Yes, I know that having a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast are important before the exam. It is also important before meeting a customer. It is also important before taking a long drive. It is also important before starting pretty much any day of your life. So thanks, but not really all that helpful.
The real trick to this test is knowing enough material that you can do many of the tasks in a very quick amount of time. This means doing the same thing over and over to the point where things that maybe took you an hour or two in the real world can get done in 15 to 20 minutes. This is difficult for many engineers, as we have a tendency to want to double check and triple check as we do configurations for our customers and companies. No such luxury here, and this isn’t a production environment.
Ok, so there is a taste of what I think needs to be done. Here then are my suggestions to you, the CCIE candidate (and, more importantly, the CCIE:Security candidate), on how to get through the test with success. Please note: I am taking my third attempt in April, so I am going to be employing these strategies for my next attempt.
Read The Exam
Go through the ENTIRE lab and read through all the tasks that need to be done. What will become painfully obvious is that there will be a “core” section that needs to be completed to make a lot of the other pieces work properly. If you don’t have the core working, you could be in some serious trouble. Look at the core, get it done quickly, do your debugs and health checks, then complete the other parts of the exam. This is especially true with the CCIE:Security lab.
Check All the Switches
My last exam really tripped me up because I failed to look at the switches on the exam. Make sure that there aren’t any settings on any of the ports that may cause issues. Are there ports turned off? Are there ports that should be trunks that are access ports? Is the routing correct? Are there some strange ACLs floating around? After reading through the lab, look at the switches and verify that everything is connected and configured properly. This could save you HOURS on troubleshooting.
Practice on a Regular Keyboard and Mouse
This may sound strange, but your lab will have a normal keyboard and mouse. No NDA violations here…you aren’t getting a laptop. So why practice on a laptop? If you only have a laptop, connect a keyboard and mouse to it to get the feel of using a desktop with a monitor.
Go Through the Support Site During Practice
The last test I took I think I got around 10 points simply by checking my work on the Cisco Support Site (what used to be the Universal CD). You have access to this, and it is the same website you have at home with one difference – no search function. So, get used to navigating quickly to various documents that you may use on the exam. Look through the blueprint, and know where to get information quickly on the site through navigation. Part of the Universal CD are configuration examples and guides. These are PURE GOLD! If you get stuck on a question, or you just want to check your work, being able to pull up a configuration example quickly will allow you to verify the work you have done. Get good at navigating this site; it will pay in precious points.
Take Breaks
While you do get a 40 minute break for lunch, it is early on in the lab. The last part of the lab can get long, and sometimes our skills diminish as our blood sugar gets low. While you cannot bring food into the lab, you can briefly leave the lab and go to the snack bar in the lounge. Take advantage of this. Clear the head, get a snack, and step away from the computer. Sometimes that extra 10 minutes away can let you come back refreshed. I actually had an “ah-ha!” moment during the break that allowed me to finish a question.
Use Flashcards for the OEQ Study
One of the downsides to the CCIE:Security is the 4 Open Ended Questions (OEQs) at the beginning of the lab. You must answer four short questions before starting the exam. I won’t go into the arguments for/against the OEQs…that is for other bloggers and forum boards. But for now, you need to answer the questions. I am using a flashcard program for my iPhone to do some quick studying of questions I have created based on the blueprint and data from the Cisco Press CCIE book. It is a good idea to make sure that you understand the underlying technologies and different kinds of attacks when taking the OEQs. Having quick access to self-made questions will go a long way in passing the OEQ.
Find the Easy Questions
You will find that some tasks are very easy and quick, while others take a large amount of time. The main thing to remember is that you are not configuring a system for a customer; you are trying to pass the exam. This means that you need to accumulate points. If a task looks like it will take WAY to long (and it isn’t the core), then pass on it and do another task. Better to get the points on simpler things than spend an hour to get the same amount of points from a complex task. I use the paper that is provided to list the different questions, then I rate them by easy, medium, and hard. I do the core, then do the easy, then do the medium, then do the hard. Remember, you can still pass the exam without even attempting a question or two, as long as you get the rest correct. Save those last hard points for last.
Learn the Debugs
When studying a technology, such as configuring a site-to-site VPN, run the debugs and look at what should be normal when it is working. Then break things and see what the debugs look like. Understanding what an error is and what debugs look like in both a functional and non-functional environment goes a long way in verifying that you have everything working properly. This also applies to the show commands. What are all the show commands that can be used for a technology to verify a correct setup? Know these inside and out. Knowing just the configuration isn’t going to cut it.
Stay Out of the Rabbit Hole
As in real life, it can be easy as engineers to keep battling a problem until it is solved. This strategy is a recipe for doom if followed on the exam. While those of us in the field would never go to a customer and say “Well, we got 80% of your network working. Enjoy!”, it is the proper response to the lab. You need 80% for your number, so keep that in mind when you run into a bit of an issue with a task. A good way to get out of that habit is to not do that while doing practice labs. If you are working on a practice lab and can’t get something working quickly, then move on to the next part of the lab or some other technology. Don’t stick around. Finish up some other pieces first, then come back to it. This will help develop a study habit of not going so deep into something that your time isn’t used to get other study topics done. If you do that during your study, you are more likely to do that during your test. Remember, your CCIE number doesn’t come attached with your score. Get your points and leave your pride at the door.
Do NOT Study the Night Before the Exam
Seriously. Don’t. Ever. If you don’t know the material when you hit the hotel room, do you think an extra 4 hours that night is going to help? Get the studying done ahead of time, fly in to town, relax, have a Fresca, and enjoy the evening. I have yet to hear someone tell me “I am so glad I studied the night before, or I would have failed.”
Use Your Twelve Bucks
Yeah, this really doesn’t apply to the exam. But one of the benefits of the exam is that you get a twelve dollar meal voucher to use at the cafeteria during lunch (at least in SJC). Last time I got a stir fry, and apple, and a Snapple. 6 bucks and change. Well, tack on 3 extra waters and I have used up nearly my entire twelve bones. And while food isn’t allowed at the lab, drinks are. I got three extra bottles of water, two of which I took back to the hotel. Some of the other test takers grabbed a few bags of chips. Thing is, you just spent 1400 bucks on a test. If you fail, you ended up having a 1400 dollar lunch. Might as well grab a few drinks or chips.
Well, I hope that these tips were a bit useful for your studies. I plan to employ these techniques in April when I give another go at the exam. Here’s to the third time being a charm. In the meantime, I will try to keep posting my little mini labs that I will use for my own studies. Hopefully, they will be useful to you, the gentle reader, as well.
Good luck!
