Exam Day

The CCIE lab exam tests not only your practical and theoretical knowledge but also your ability to use that knowledge under pressure. You are in for an intense two days, so do not add unnecessarily to that pressure.

• Be aware that most people fail the CCIE exam on their first try. Have a contingency plan for taking the exam a second time. This strategy can help you stay calm during your first try and may make your contingency plan unnecessary.

• Arrange your travel plans so that you arrive in plenty of time the day before the exam. Arrange to leave the day after the exam, not the same evening. You don't want to think about your travel schedule during the exam.

• Locate the test facilities the evening before the exam. You don't want to show up for the exam flustered because you got lost.

• Do no more than a light review on the evening before the exam. If you try to "cram," you will make yourself nervous and sleepless.

• Eat a good dinner, with no alcohol, and get a good night's sleep.

• On the day of the exam, eat a good breakfast . It is an established fact that eating right will help you perform better.

• Dress comfortably. There are no points for appearance.

Before the exam, you will be required to sign a nondisclosure form stating that you will not divulge the details of the lab. The exam is 16 hours long, over two days. ( Lunch breaks are scheduled each day.) Although other CCIE candidates will be working on their own labs in the room, you will be working alone. In all likelihood , the other candidates' assignments will be different from yours. The first day and a half (twelve hours) will be spent building an internetwork to given specifications. Be sure to document your work because you may be asked to explain or defend some of your design decisions and configuration choices.

After you have passed the configuration portion of the lab, you will go to lunch. During this time, problems will be introduced into the internetwork you have built. You will have four hours to correct and document the problems. Be sure to also document your troubleshooting procedure. As with the configuration section, you may be asked to explain your methods .

If you do not understand a particular requirement during any part of the exam, do not hesitate to ask your lab proctor. He or she is there not only to test you but also to help you. Most important, relax and stay focused.

When you have won your CCIE, you have accomplished something to be proud of. If this book or the advice in this appendix has helped you reach your goal, please e-mail me so that I can share your pride .