A Beautiful and Valiant Death

As I watch the Funeral of the NSG Commando Gajendra Singh, there was just one thought in my mind..... What a beautiful death. Although it is a very sad time for the parents/families of Havaldar Gajendra Singh and Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, but they would be proud that they had such a son, such a father, such a leader with them.

They lived and died for a reason. A reason they believed in so strongly that they didn't think twice to sacrifice their lives for it. It’s a gift to know a reason to live... and the reason to die. A death which is not just mourned by near and dear ones; but also makes the nation and his colleagues proud. They attained martyrdom. Martyrdom is not the right word.... They attained VEER-GATI.

Soon, their names would be forgotten. They would be one of the many who died for their nation, who died for a reason. But this is the moment that matters. The last moments of their mortal journey on earth. This moment where they achieve glory, the moment where they realize the purpose of their life.

As Napoleon Bonaparte rightly said "Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever". In these fleeting moments of their life they achieved glory. They made sure there names and obscurity cannot be used together.

Hope someday I achieve such a glory. Hope I attain such a beautiful death.

CCIE # xxxxx

Guess what....
I did know my fate ..... I've been branded xxxxx ;)

Sexy...

I should've written this on 9th Sept.... isnt too late yet though.

So this is what happened....

I got a lab which was a little complicated.... and simple other stuff....
Reached about an hour early for the lab. The only person there... I was absolutely calm. No tension. Just a relaxed and little confident feeling. The ideal feeling.

Anyway... I was asked to be seated at the reception. Half hour latter... three more ppl are asked to be seated along with me (2 of them candidates). Everyone for R&S Lab.

Mahesh (The Proctor) enters at 0820.... he calls out for us. A casual hand-shake. Leads to the next building, into a training room. He explains us the rules of the lab....

"For all those appearing for the lab, remember.... once the lab starts, the router belongs to you. Whatever happens has to resolved by you. You can reload the routers.... change the boot variables... whatever. If the router does crash.... then it is your headache.... even if it is because of faulty equipment or IOS.... you would have to prove it to the proctor." As such he wont help you.

Continuing back to the story. At exactly 0841.... I start. Took a few minutes to understand the diagram and the paper itself. To be frank it took me sometime to actually grasp the paper itself....

After that I have no idea how the first 3 hours went... But I checked the lab for config errors, intial config and browse the paper. Skimmed through the Section 1 again. Realized the main problems were with STP. Solved.

By the time I started Section 2 (IGP), it was lunch. Way behind schedule. Still calm but a sense of urgency. At 1245 Mahesh calls for lunch. Had sandwich and coffee. Casual conversation with Mahesh. He asks about my preparation methodology. He shares his experience of preparing for CCIE SP Lab. Nice talk.
Back to the table in 20 mins. Started the Lab with a new vigour. Sail through most of the sections, till I reached my nemesis Multicast/Security. Slowed and ensured things were good with Multicast. Turned out to be very very simple. Now with less than 50 mins left, i had BGP and Security to left. BGP finished and working beautifully. 20 mins left, Security and final testing left. First question of security "IP unicast verify". Poof, everything starts failing... almost panicked. But kept cool, removed the unicast config. I'M BACK.

Do a little calculation, I had till now attempted 92 marks and was confident of all 90. Dead sure. So it didnt make sense going all out and risking everything. I bent the question to suit my requirments (not sure whether that is legal). Next question was CBAC and 10 minutes left. Dropped the question. Attempted the last question. My effective and confident attempt now at 92 and another 3 marks which could be could payoff.

10 minutes left... cross check everything with my fingers crossed. All checks pass. And the PROCTOR says "TIME's UP". Saved the config.

I was to leave, and the proctor calls out for me... and we for a smoke and a general chat.

As I walk out of Cisco office, I am fairly confident. But then I realize, everytime I have such a feeling, I have FAILED!!! :( I try to convince myself to not think of the paper. Walk about 4kms. Get an auto, grab a bite. HOME at 1845!!!!

Check my email... no entry. Very very restless.... keep checking my mail every 2 minutes. Its 9 now... and I am desperate.. Why the fuck is the result not in yet....!!!! wait and check, wait and check, wait and check, wait and check, wait and check, wait and check, wait and check, .... WHAT!!!

The last time I saw the time.. it was 0330 of 9th Sept and before I realize I am off to sleep. Suddenly I wake up and notice the time is 0930 in the morning. FUCK!!! With bated heart I check my mail... "CCIE Lab Score Report"

With batted heart I open the cisco profile page... then have to enter my CCIE Q credentials and i dont remember it!! somehow get it... The wait is tortorous. At long last I enter correct credentials...

and Then..... It took me a few seconds to realize that i have my number... :)

CCIE Updates.... D-Day Dayafter

Guess what..... in 48 hours time, i should know my fate.

I am kinda glad that Monday I would be giving exams. Although there is a little nervousness, I am still glad. I think I am in a decent position for the lab. I should at least be able to give a good shot the exam, if not clear it.

My thought process as of now.... Divide and conquer and rule. I am breaking the exam in broadly 4 major categories, each category building upon the earlier category.

1) Switching - Includes ethernet and frame-relay
2) IGP - RIP/OSPF/EIGRP/IPv6 etc.
3) BGP
4) Misc - includes multicast, security, QOS, IOS services and other miscellaneous topics.

The first three categories contribute about 65 marks on the exam. In these sections if I am able to achieve about 60 marks, I should have an excellent shot at the exam. I have to ensure I out perform in these sections. There a few things in switching which can screw my whole exam.... which include security stuff like vlan filter, port security. But having said that, i think i can watch out for that. Be particularly beware of vlan filter maps.

Section 4 - I am decent with IOS Services, QOS and miscellaneous. The paint points being
a) Multicast - not a lot of hands. And thats my fear. But i hope to keep my cool and solve it.
b) Security - This could destroy the whole lab. And thats what worries me. BEWARE OF ALL SECURITY. If at any point you feel this could bring down the whole lab.... DONT DO IT. I repeat..... BEWARE OF SECURITY. Cross-check multiple amount of time.


Another thing I should remember, whenever there is an output matching question or a question asking to manipulate something... a later question can be contradictory to this first question. So the second question would cost you marks for the first question.... BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR SUCH QUESTIONS.

Check each question individually. Once a section/category is over.... cross check that section/category before moving on to the next section. Ideally speaking, a section cannot destroy the previous section (with the exception of security). So if a section is cross-checked it shouldn't cause problems later.

I should be ok.... lets see.... :) I am glad I have the exam on monday.

Go with all you confidence ... And most importantly enjoy the exam... Have a blast. Just give you 120%. Thats all I ask. Result I dont care much... Dont control it... The exam should so absolutely beautiful. So absolutely sexily beautifull.. Killer... that's it. Keep rocking...

CCIE Updates.... 14 days left

Things haven't moved forward much. Just finished 8. :(

Don't know where is all the time going. My weakness remains Multicast and Security. I am certain that in another 4 days I would be in a decent, if not good, position in security.

Multicast still worries me though. I seem to be putting all the commands properly... but something always goes wrong. I dont think it is the issue with L2/L3. I am also kinda sure that I have taken care of RPF. But still it never works. Probabaly something to do with dynamips.

I have based all my studies on Dynamips. Huge risk. People around have always prepared with actual Racks. If I clear, this would probably be a first.

Anyway I am looking to do a few labs on someone online rack rentals.... i.e. actual devices (for a change). The cost is my worry. :)

CCIE Updates.... 27 Days to go

Still only on Lab 7. And the Lab is tough...

It took some guts to pay for my exam today. So its finalized... 8th Sept 2008 would be the D Day.
Hopefully I would pass....




I hope I do.

CCIE Updates.... 33 Days to go

No progress. Still same stage.

Fucker fucked .... fucked. No progress at all.

Weakness
1) Multicast
2) QOS
3) Security

I don't know why i am not getting serious. Need to check up payment dates.

CCIE Updates.... 48 Days to go

20th June - Fucked.....
21st June - Fucked.....

Supposed to further develop multicast... But guess what? The great Anand decides to do TP. Asshole...

22nd June - Seems to be going like the earlier two days.

CCIE Updates.... 51 Days to go

I am preparing for my CCIE R&S at Bangalore...

I had earlier scheduled for August 7 2008. But not postponed to 8th Sept 2008. I am going to write an update here everyday about my progress.... I know boring.. :) but will help me keep a track of amount of time I spend studying and doing TP.

Todays update.... touched upon Multicasting... now i know basic Multicasting... But have to go deeper... and of course faster.