Last half of June Update…

Well, I changed part of the above plan just a bit. I felt inspired to go back and really hammer BGP, Multicast and QoS, my three weak areas. So, I used the time during the week to completely go through the topic-based labs (IEWB Vol I) for these topics. I spent several hours on creating the labs, configuring it like the book says, then running “what-if” scenarios. For instance when studying Multicast, “what if I mode the RP to this location?” or “what if I make some groups static and some use Auto-RP?” or “How will Auto-RP interoperate with BSR?”, etc. This has helped a lot to understand what protocols will do and how to predict areas that may need further troubleshooting.

I attempted Mock Lab#3 yesterday. In some ways I am so pissed and others I am cool about. Here’s the breakdown.

• I got so mad at doing a backup interface for backing up a FR link to an ethernet segment. I know I was configuring it properly, but when I disabled the FR interface, the backup went into disabled state, never to full up state. I messed with that for too long and eventually frustrated at being brought down by such a simple task. I just removed it and went on. After later looking at the solution after the lab, I have the exact right syntax, which leaves me to ponder what was going wrong…
• I also got so mad at configuring PPP over a serial link. I have never seen where I have configured PPP configured, PAP on one side and CHAP on the other, and not had it work. I did run the debug ppp authentication and debug ppp negotiation commands, I couldn’t stop the output (I forgot about that) and had to reboot the router to get control again. Once I regained control again, I reconfigured it all again. Man, I must have been missing something, because something so simple was making me so angry. After too much time, I took the authentication off of PPP and went on, marking my list to go back and fix when I had time.
• I was happy to get the redistribution working, I made it so one router wouldn’t take OPSF routes into the routing table at all using AD values and to prefer EIGRP instead. That worked out good. I did have a freak out about 30 minutes to the end when one of my OSPF routers wasn’t getting any routes except connected ones. I kinda freaked out myself which led to me supplicating with the divine powers to find the break. Well, the heavens were listening. I “discovered” that I had redistributed connected all my interfaces on an ASBR except one and it was a crucial one. A self-induced mistake. I’m sure glad I did go back and run some ping scripts close to finish time.

These were the quick ones that I saw immediately when looking through the solutions guide before stopping all Cisco activities for the evening. Man, when I finish a mock lab, I am so spent afterwards. When the console windows closed from the remote routers, I was cooked, well-done. Over the next 3 weeks, I want practice so much that going to the final lab in San Jose will be “just another day doing practice labs”.

Now my plan is the following. I hope to keep to this schedule as close as possible, since I have 3 vacation weeks off from work focus.

• 7-8AM exercise
• 8-9AM shower, dressed, b-fast, etc.
• 9-10AM CoD videos
• 10AM-12PM lab work
• 12-1PM lunch, brain-breather
• 1-7PM lab work
• 7-8PM evening meal, brain-breather
• 8-9:30PM speed labs, more CoD, read DocCD
• 9:30-11PM do necessary life-sustainments (laundry, grocery shopping, etc.)
• 11PM in bed

This will be altered for a few things, but not too much (I do have to go to church if I want the big man’s help with all this). I have mock labs scheduled for July 12th & 19th, so those will be different days as well. The last week, lab work will be changed up with speed drills and such.

My family will be in Denver visiting my mother-in-law starting July 1st. I will miss them so much, but I hope to be so busy as to not think too much about it. It will just be me and the dog, so hopefully all will be well around the fort. I figure we can’t do too much damage around here.

I was wondering why I am doing all this – torturing myself to do all this, using all my time to study, giving up hobbies and interests and focusing like I have never focused before. Well, I feel like I have been led to this point. I have been given all I need to do this – equipment, books, workbooks, training, vacation time, enough airline miles to pay for the flight to SJ, enough hotel points to pay for 2 out of 3 days stay, networking projects have all come my way at work, opportunities to work periodically with our IT network infrastructure team, a great family that understands, and especially a wife that puts up with the whole process. Without her, all this would not be possible. Someone once said, “Behind good man is a great woman.” Someday, I hope to be that good man behind a great woman as she desired to reach her goals.

I have been so blessed with so much and the path has been laid before me. Something is going to come of all this. I’m not sure what, but I know something will.