Previous Article “Expanded” Tips for Passing the CCIE Lab Exam, Part 3 of 3

In this final submission for this blog thread, we are going to expand on the last tips from Cisco Systems on solving the CCIE Lab Exam. 7. Test your work. Never rely on a configuration done in the early hours of the exam. There is a possibility that an item you configured a few sections earlier can become broken and non-functional. Keep in mind that points are awarded for working configuration only. As we stated in an earlier tip, I like to verify every sub-task and task as I move through the exam. At the end of the exam, I ensure I have some time left over to go back and confirm that configurations in the latter half of the day did not break configurations I made earlier in the day. I like to use a TCL Script to automating PINGing all devices once my IGP section is done, and then I re-run this test at the end of the day. 8. Save your configurations often. To ensure that I never forget to save a configuration, I save the config as I leave each device for another device. This means a TON of saving throughout the day, but it is very easy with the WR or DO WR commands. 9. Don’t make any drastic changes in the last half hour of the exam. Sure, no drastic changes, but I am going to be sure to correct anything that I have found in my final verifications that is a problem. 10. Speed is vital on the exam. Review and practice core material the week before the exam to ensure you can move quickly through the less challenging questions. Some of the proctors like to say “If we gave you a few more hours for the exam – everyone would pass!” I guess this is especially true because they give us all the answers in the form of the Documentation CD. While this statement is certainly exaggerative, it does remind us that time is of the essence in the lab exam. One of the most common reasons for failure is running out of time! You should practice, practice, practice and build plenty of speed as you do so.