Personal

Im back from vacation. I can now with convinction state that hotels in Spain are not up to par with other places. I have been to Spain twice now, and they NEVER have an internet connection in the rooms. You had Wifi in the lobby, 2€ for an hour, and it barely worked.

I have started doing IPexpert Vol 1. technology labs. They are pretty challeging. They make you think out of the box. Almost none of it is vanilla configuration.

I dont know how closely these labs reflect the real one. Ofcourse these are Vol. 1 labs, but what i mean by it, is especially the wording. Maybe its just me.

Update 11-08-2010: I can now create RMON alarms and events. It seems the command set for RMON is pretty limited. Not much around the net as to how deep to go into this. Hope its enough.

I just looked over the detailed blueprint which is authored by cisco. It had checkmarks, which i used to mark down things i knew i could configure, as well as things i really need more training in. These are the topics i have either forgotten about or just havent paid attention to. Anyways, these are the things i will need to study more in the comming month:

I wanted to take the opportunity to pitch in on the discussion thats presented in this article by Ivan Pepelnjak:

http://blog.ioshints.info/2010/07/p2p-traffic-is-bad-for-network.html with the headline of “P2P traffic is bad for the network”.

I agree with the headline… Somewhat… P2P is bad for the network, in the sense that it causes congestion and because of that, it makes using the net a bad experience for everyone else.

Im trying out a new design layout. Its not quite finished yet, need some tweaks here and there, but im hoping it will be a bit easier to read my posts in the future.

Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Anyone who has been following Cisco products recently (last year or so), must have noticed Cisco’s new products.

This includes the Flip video recorder as well as the new tablet that has just been announced.

On top of that, adding the Linksys brand to their portfolio a couple of years ago, proves they are going in a completely different direction than previously.

I am in the process of figuring out how to get to another bootcamp (Narbik). Unfortunally alot of classes in Europe have been cancelled due to lack of students. This pretty much leaves me with going to the US at some point.

I wanted to take some time to write up something about the cost of doing the CCIE track.

This is prompted by some recent events in the CCIE training community and some discussion on twitter about studying in an economic downturn.

Im pretty much back at my lab practice again. Doing Narbik’s labs.

Last 5-6 labs is all about frame-relay, including FRTS, PIPQ (Which i never encountered before), fragmentation and compression. All good stuff. As someone on twitter mentioned, its really amazing that frame-relay is still on the lab exam. You would think that they would remove that topic and introduce some more MPLS. However, i guess that frame-relay is a good topic to do exam tasks as there are soo many small details.

It has been an insane extended weekend.

We have been doing 90% physical  stuff all weekend long. Most of Friday and Saturday passed, with us painting the living room ceiling. We wanted to freshen it up as we are working on creating a whole new living room. It will be an expensive  journey for sure. Sunday we started picking up the new furniture.

So im almost ready to release my first version of my flashcards. I had hoped to reach 200 questions by today, but i havent been able to manage that yet. Lots of real life stuff has been happening today (completely cleaning two cars as well as putting summer-tires on them).

Long time since last post. There are reasons for that.

First of is labs. Ive been doing quite alot of labs. I finished Narbik’s Vol 1 workbook. All good stuff, and I learned alot of material that was not covered in the written blueprint. Alot of emphasis on IP SLA, which i really like. It provides a really good tool in your networking toolbox.

Lately I have been having a motivational down-period.

I was doing alot of labs all evening/night and I was burned out. So I have been enjoying easter with family and girlfriend. It has been very nice. However, im starting to feel the urge of going back to the labs again which is good. Hopefully i will start tonight or tomorrow again. I have a post regarding BGP in my draft section which I hope to share with you guys tomorrow as well.

Im learning something new at work almost every day.

We do alot of voice installations, some directly for the customer, others we host.

Voice has always been a strange world to me, and it still is. Basically it boils down to the fact that it doesnt interest me what so ever.

I thought i would write a bit about my bootcamp last week. Here’s what I have come up with. I will update this as more thoughts flow into my head 🙂

Day one at Narbik’s bootcamp:

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What an eye opener. This guy has his stuff under control! We started out with switching topics. Configured all sorts of things. We were told that 60% would be configuration and hands on stuff, while the remaining 40% would be theory (chalk talk). This is a good balance if you ask me. Its not that theory is bad, its just that its so detailed, that you can only grasp so much of it.

Just wanted to let everyone know that im working on a post describing the Narbik bootcamp. Just concentrated on labs at the moment. It will arrive shortly 🙂

Im done packing for Narbiks bootcamp next week. I will be flying out tomorrow morning and probably be at the hotel at around 1ish in the afternoon.

I have brought my training clothes, and hopefully ill get to utilize the hotel gym facilities during the day.

I normally dont post/view/send alot of video clips around. But today this entered my twitter, and i thought id share it. I really find it an awesome clip:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEkz1XK75XE&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Hope you like it, take care!

I finally got around to ordering my bootcamp.

I have chosen Narbik Kocharians bootcamp over both IPexpert and Internetwork Expert. I have only heard great things about his classes, so it was a pretty obvious choice for me.

I will be going feb. 1st until feb. 5th.

Just wanted to create a quick post.. And the post is: Red Bull still rocks 🙂

I have been working on some OSPF scenarios lately. These was sparked by a post by Joe Astorino @ IPexpert. They are about the use of the forwarding address in Type 5 LSA’s generated by an ABR because of a Type 7 LSA in an NSSA area.

This topic has been bothering me for a while actually. In the last couple of years we have seen a wave of so called “social networking” sites. Those are sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

What these sites are supposed to bring you is a sense of being closer connected to your friends, family and peers. Noone can argue that this goal has not been reached, but i keep asking myself, at what cost?

I have just landed a new job. It is a networking company, doing alot of security, ip telephony and general network consulting. The company can be found here. It is called NetIP. The company is located about 30km from where I live, so a little drive in each direction is nessecary. I will start Thursday the 1st of October. I am looking forward to it. My last day at the previous job was yesterday, and it went by okay. Ofcourse its sad to loose some coworkers, some of which i have been working with for close to 9 years. But life goes on.

Its been a while, and for that im sorry.

I have been very busy watching VOD (Video On Demand) classes from IPexpert. Scott Morris has done these videos, and he is pretty good at it in my opinion. There are alot of new stuff as well. Things such as Multilink Frame-relay (FRF.16) and PPP over frame-relay. IRB (Integrated Routing and Bridging) was also new for me. Basically you can extend your L2 over a L3 ip routed network. All very interesting stuff.

I am getting used to hearing Scott Morris’s voice by now 🙂

I am doing Video On Demand classes at the moment. Im starting from the beginning and going through them one by one. Lots of new things to learn and study. Today for example i learned about “real” bridging. Since its not on any blueprint for CCNA, CCNP or even CCIE R&S, its not something ive come across before. It is a pretty cool feature. In the VOD, it was configured over frame-relay over a certain DLCI. You could then have the same subnet on both sides and do ARP request (Well, any ethernet (ieee) stuff) and get a response, and then transfer data.

One of my last tasks at work before I stop, is to create a new switched network for a location in Estonia. It will be a 10 switch network. The company is reusing two 3560 switches which I still need to receive.

Lately I havent been keeping up my chores on the blog. Theres a good reason for this.

I have really been studying hard to do the written exam again. Done lots of practice tests, a lot of technology focused labs on especially some edge areas where I wasnt 100% sure of things. And especially a lot of Cisco documentation. Every time I reached a snag I looked up the documentation from Cisco and read through what it was supposed to do and how.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I have been very busy with real-life things as well as reading a bunch of stuff.

Does anyone know if it is legal to advertise on wordpress.com? I cant find any guidelines regarding this in the terms-of-service. Also, if it IS legal, how do you do it? I have been searching around and cant find any widgets that allow me to insert an advertisement?

This week I will be spending alot of time at various of doctors unfortunally. I still suffer from fearing everything is physically wrong with me. Im having it all checked out. I would really like a blank sheet to start a new life from. However, a blank sheet requires a total checkup. I hope everything works out! I am also going to a hypnotist, to see if she can somehow tweak my mind into something else than thinking about my physical state constantly. This dominates my life, and it shouldnt be.

I just emptied my shopping basket on amazon again. This means I ordered what was in it 🙂

I got some CCIE books, but this doesnt mean anything except I am interested in whats in them. Also got a few other non-technical books. Among other things I ordered Brian Tracy’s book: Goals! which I saw mentioned on Chris Bryants site. Maybe I can pick up a few tips and tricks. Also got a book on anxiety and how to combat it without the use of drugs. I am interested in learning how other people cope with this, and for me, that means reading about it.

I skimmed over the ONT blueprint, and it sure seems like alot of voice. I am not quite sure howcome theres that much voice material on there. It bothers me quite frankly, because I dont find the voice part particularly interesting. But alas, I digress, theres just one way to the CCNP, and thats through ONT.

So I havent posted for a while, because i have been admitted to the hospital. I am suffering from anxiety attacks, and its something I need to do my best to combat in order to live a normal life again. So ill use this place to hold my thoughts regarding this goal as well.

I just passed ISCW. Im really glad this one is over with. But I have ALOT of reviewing for the material in this one, when i finish the rest of the CCNP track. I could especially feel that not having access to the FW and IPS parts really hurt me. Unfortunally I cant afford any of the very pricy IOS images, for any of my devices, that will support the FW and IPS feature set.

I really wish I would feel  more ready for this one. On top of things, I feel sick again… Never ending story. I wish someone could just cure me once and for all. I have been somewhat sick for the better part of 3 months now, and its really starting to take its toll. I feel really depressed and down at the moment. What to do? I have no idea. Neither does the doctors.

Okay, Xmas is over and so is new years as Im writing this.

Im behind regular postings, I know, which is frustrating.

I am done with the preliminary reading and lab work for ISCW, but I dont feel prepared for it at all. Its even worse than it was for BCMSN. I think the lack of an official study guide really got me off track. I will have to investigate further how to create a study plan on the topics on the blueprint and then come to a full understanding and assurance I got the topics down. The way im doing it now is spreading it too thin, thats my feeling at least. Also, motivation has become a factor at the moment. Maybe its because its the holidays, and you are “supposed” to relax, chill out, I dont know, but I need to get it sorted. Its cutting into my focus.

I am trying to get some reading done, even though its extremely hard when im still sick.

However, I only got about 5 chapters left in the examination guide. hopefully I can finish them soon, and do some of the last case studies in the lab book. I really want to get this BCMSN out of the way, its starting to get on my nerves. I dont feel prepared enough for the exam though, I dont know why. Ive read almost all the material available, and can sketch out switched networks and stuff. I guess there are just some details thats missing here and there.

Sorry for the non-posts. I am quite sick at the moment. Some stomach issues that apparently takes its time to settle. I was hospitalized 10 days ago, but got out the next day. Since then, I have not been to work or been doing anything at all actually.

I have been working my a** off trying to understand STP just fairly well. Its a hard topic, especially with Rapid STP. I have struggled with the synchronisation/proposal/agreement thing. It has helped seeing it on the equipment though.

An alternate port can be switched to immediately. If the root port goes down and the switch has a designated port, it performs the proposal/agreement bit, and another switch becomes a designated bridge for it. Nifty stuff.

Sorry about the lack of posting/progress reports. Also the server has been down for a while.

In the meantime, I’ve passed the BSCI exam with an 833 score. Really got my ass kicked on some topics I didnt expect (IS-IS), and ofcourse multicasting which has turned out to be my arch-enemy. I should have done some more labs on ISIS, but I didnt since it didnt take up too much space according to the exam blueprint.

Well, at least some of it. Adjacencies and how IS’s update other IS’s is the thing that nobody can give me an answer to. According to all the material IS’s maintain adjacencies to all others, but still elect a DIS.