T Minus 40

Only 40 days left.
I have prepared myself over the past several months in order to join the Club of 600. I sleep 4 hours at night and spend more time with my lab instead with my family.
I have all material available in the market for CCIE security: 6colabs, hello computer, ipexpert, ccbootcamp, internetwork expert, bhaiji’s book, and trinetnt.
I have done most of them, and thanks to my 4 years experience with Cisco security products I can say that I’m very comfortable with CCIE lab blueprint now.

But I’m still not fast enough.

Not fast enough to type, to think, to answer, and to find the solution.
Fast typing is not enough, you need to be able to think fast too.
You need to know how to answer since all questions in CCIE are not straight forward.
And if you haven’t heard about it, Cisco considers you as an expert not only because you can provide solution, but to know where to find the solution as well.

This is where the online documentation CD becomes handy. I use the search feature by typing the following keyword to find Cisco specific features or configuration example, while making sure all the results are still within the scope of the documentation CD: +univercd
Documentation CD is available online and accessible through Web browser, but if you don’t put that keyword in your search, you may get the results from Cisco normal website and not from the documentation CD website (anything after /univercd)
And this is forbidden in the real lab.

Regarding my Visa to enter Pegassus Park, Cisco first sent me wrong invitation letter so I could submit my visa application to Netherlands Consulate on last Wednesday only after they sent the correct letter. I have the flight and hotel reservation already, so Schengen visa is the only non-technical thing left.

One more thing, 2 days ago my wife, my daughter and I made a vote related to what is the best way for me to study. And the result is: 66.6% agreed to kick me out from the bed room. They said the sound of my typing starts killing them and affecting their dream.
So start from yesterday I have to sit in the dining room where I put all my Cisco equipments. It’s noisy, cold and dark since I’m trying to keep the room temperature at 20 degree.
Well it’s going to be hard 40 days for sure.

Practice, practice, practice.

That’s the only way to pass CCIE lab.
That’s the only way to achieve your immortality.