Phase 1: Core Topics
Phase 2: Advanced Topics
Phase 3: Confidence Building

I have had to rewire and change my lab around so this is now:

Routers 1-6: 2811
FRS – 2821 (with NM-8A/S)
Switches – 3560
TS – 2811 (with NM-16A)

I am still aiming for taking the written part of the CCIE at the start of spring this year and the lab by the end of the year. There is a lot of work ahead.

BE.

I am done with the reading of all of the books i wanted to read, the next time i will using them for reference.
Reading a ton of books can be a bad thing as there is so much to cover in the CCIE by the time you are finishing the last book the first book seems like an age away and most of the greater detail is lost or in my case gone to grey matter!
But the idea was not to get every tiny detail out this way, for me anyway.

So i am using the INE ATC videos right now and as always INE’s videos is on the money.
Spending a great deal of time travelling to and from work i get in the zone real quick – i can see people on the train glance at my laptop screen and wonder just what kind of TV show i am watching!

During the Christmas break we went for a walk around the Bailgate area of Lincoln where we live. In the ground of Lincoln Cathedral is a memorial statue of the great poet Alfred Lord Tennyson who came from a from Lincolnshire.
Having watched Skyfall (James Bond) at the end of 2012, it reminded me of the poem “Ulysses” – which is quoted in the film.

Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

BE.

For those who have not read this book, first get it! Second the book is 70% multicast and as multicast is one of my weakest areas it was hard going. I am taking a break from the reading this weekend to to enjoy the sun and time with my family.

Then it is on to the books for individual subjects, my choices are -

# Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks
# IPv6 for Enterprise Networks

I need to re-read chapters from the following also –

# Internet Routing Architectures
# MPLS Fundamentals
# Troubleshooting IP Routing Protocols
# Cisco QOS: Exam Certification Guide
# Cisco OSPF Command and Configuration Handbook

Then lab time!
I have ordered all new cables for my home lab and will be replacing the two 3550 switches with two 3560′s so i have four 3560′s. I still need a terminal server and the UK supplier of Skeletek is out of stock of the 24U racks.

BE.

I now work for Cisco Systems and i am a Cisco “Red Badge”. For those who do not know what this term means, there is two types of employees at Cisco “Red Badge” contractors and “Blue Badges” full time staff.
Since starting in Cisco networking, working for Cisco was always the dream. It was great to even be asked to the interview – i was stood there drawing a network topology in Cisco’s office it all seemed very surreal at the time. I had to go to Bedfont Lakes to get my security badge on the second week and that was an awesome experience – all be it took the best part of two hours to get there from the central London office.

The Cisco office i work in is 142 miles from our home (by road) – i take the train everyday which takes around an hour and a half and then a quick tube ride across central London to the office (via somewhere that sells coffee of course). As i have a good three hours on the train everyday this is a great time to read – so far i have read -

# Cisco Press. CCIE – Routing and Switching (4th Version) Odom, Healy & Donohue.
# Cisco Press. TCP/IP Volume I – (2nd Edition) Doyle & Carroll.

I am mid-way through the Cisco Press. TCP/IP Volume II.

I also have INE audio boot camp on my IPOD for when i do not feel like reading. Scott Morris is very good throughout this and adds some humour and some of his personal experiences along the way. Once the bigger books are out of the way, i will start on the more individual subject books before hitting the workbooks and labs.

Later – BE.

I set up the new home lab to make sure everything is in place, i got all the routers on the right IOS, the WIC serials in the cables- but then i saw this on my BB1/FR router.

Ok no problem – i have seen this before bit of something in the fan. So open it up and this is what i find.

Time to get out the tool box.

BE.

R1 – 2811 2 – WIC-1T
R2 – 2811 2 – WIC-1T
R3 – 2811 1 – NM-4A/S
R4 – 2811 2 – WIC-1T
R5 – 2811 2 – WIC-1T
R6 – 2811 1 – WIC-1T
R7 – 2811 1 – WIC-1T
R8 – 2811 2 – WIC-1T
R9 – 2801 2 – WIC-1T

SW1 – Catalyst 3560-24
SW2 – Catalyst 3560-48
SW3 – Catalyst 3550-44
SW4 – Catalyst 3550-24

BB1/Frame Relay 2921 – NM-8A/S
BB2 -2811 2 – WIC-1T
BB3 -2811 2 – WIC-1T

Here is the new additions to the home lab family – for now on the living room floor, much to my wife’s pleasure!

BE.

BE.

Ok – now pastures new. Juniper switching!

BE,

So last night upon starting the reading for the JNCIS-ENT – I sat down and this is one of the things I learnt, which I thought was very cool. It also happen that while doing one of the mock exams on Junipers website for this exam they covered this in a question.

The qualified-next-hop option allows independent preferences for static routes to the same destination.

If this was Cisco this would be called a floating static route. You create a static route to the destination (by default with Juniper the next hop IP address of a static route must be reachable using a direct route) if that next hop become unavailable then the “qualified-next-hop” is used as the next hop.

[edit routing-options]
bigevil@R11# show
static {
route 0.0.0.0/0 {
next-hop 192.30.25.1;
qualified-next-hop 192.30.25.5 {
preference 8;
}
}
}

The 192.30.25.1 next hop assumes the default static route preference of 5, while the qualified 192.30.25.5 next hop uses the defined route preference of 8. All traffic using this static route uses the 192.30.25.1 next hop unless it becomes unavailable. If the 192.30.25.1 next hop becomes unavailable, the default static route will then use the 192.30.25.5 next hop.

Another cool feature in the [edit routing-options static] configuration hierarchy, the defaults section can encompass static route options. Any options configured within this section are applied to all static routes on the device.

With this in mind how would the following work?

[edit routing-options]
bigevil@R11# show
static {
defaults {
preference 180;
}
route 0.0.0.0/0 {
next-hop 192.30.25.1;
qualified-next-hop 192.30.25.5 {
preference 8;
}
}
}

The default for preference for static routes has become 180 – therefore 192.30.25.1 has a route preference of 180 instead of 5. The 192.30.25.5 has route preference of 8 which is explicitly set. Thus the next hop is 192.30.25.5 – sweet.

BE.

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