Yesterday I watched one of the CoD videos from INE (EIGRP), did some EIGRP labs from Vol I (INE also), and read some OSPF. I quickly realized I needed to focus on one area at a time, not skip around anymore. That being said, I’ve developed a simple, but hopefully effective, plan of action. It goes as such:

1. Pick a technology/area to focus on (ie: Switching)
2. Read the chapter from the CCIE exam cert guide
3. Do corresponding InternetworkExpert Volume I labs
4. Re-read if necessary, read supplemental material (ie: LAN Switching from Cisco Press)
5. Run through INE labs again and play with ‘custom’ scenarios, to make sure I have the configuration side down
6. Skim over the section as needed to stay sharp on certain topics

That’s the general idea, which will repeat for every chapter basically. I’ve read most of TCP/IP Vol I, and will probably go back to it once I get to OSPF, but for now, I want to focus, so since switching is at the beginning nof the CCIE cert guide..and a core area, I will be focusing on that for a while.

Tonight’s progress: I’ve read 40+ pages tonight (still reading) from the CCIE Exam cert guide (4th edition). Nothing really has caught me as being “new”, but I’m moving forward and trying to remember little details that could catch me on the written. In the end, though, I’m just trying hard to keep my momentum. I have a tendency to get hung up on something, or get distracted. I need to make sure I take the written for what it is, a test. I need to pass it, and lab, lab, lab. I want to know these technologies, but I also want to be functional, and I can’t get to a CCIE-level of configuration until I pass this written, which is exactly what I intend on doing. Back to reading..if I get any further I may throw up another post later.