Encouraging Book for CCIE Candidates
One of the things that I considered "missing" in the lists of recommended reading for CCIE Candidates was a non-technical book that would prepare you for the "other stuff" that is a part of the quest. I finally found that book and I'd like to recommend it to anyone preparing for the lab. It's called "Your CCIE Lab Success Strategy - The Non-Technical Guide Book" by Dean Bahizad and Vivek Tiwari.
It's a simple book and it's very straight to the point. The book is about the size of a Kindle and double spaced. I was able to read it cover-to-cover in one evening after work. It will give you just about the same tips and "tricks" that you may find in "Overview" videos for lab prep. However, it's still a good read.
The best part of the book is that it is encouraging. For those who are just beginning, it's filled with sound advice. They also lay out some good timelines to help you define goals and deadlines. It's also good for those who have attempted the lab and not yet passed. They remind you that it's normal and you need to use that experience to evaluate where you are and move forward. And they emphasize that your goal is to become a CCIE. If your goal is "to pass the lab," then the first time you don't - you fail. If your goal is getting your number, then everything you do is a step towards that goal - even when you don't pass a lab attempt.
They don't sugarcoat the experience. It's a lot of work. It doesn't happen overnight. You have to work long and hard, but eventually it WILL pay off. They share the benefits that they have found from completing this journey. It is very worthwhile.
One of the recommendations that I stumbled upon during my first lab attempt regards the lab debrief (with yourself). Of course, the NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) that you sign prevents you from sharing any part of your lab information with anyone else. But you can most certainly share that information with YOU. It's your test and it's how you performed. Nothing else could be more personalized. As soon as you finish your lab, take some time to write a debrief to yourself. Pass or fail, this can't hurt and can only help. If you passed, you won't need it. If you didn't - it will be important. Write down what you remember about what you were asked to configure and perhaps how you completed that task. Especially write down anything that stumped you or anything that you weren't so sure about or caused you to doubt your solution. Don't worry about answering the questions, just make sure you write down ALL your questions/concerns. You can answer them later if you need more clarity. And if you need to retake the lab, you will now know the areas or configurations that you will need to work on before your next attempt. Granted, you probably won't get the same exact exam on your next shot, but at least "X" won't trip you up if it should show up somewhere else. And the sooner you do this, the more you will be able to remember. Leave a notebook in your car and sit in the parking lot for an hour or so after the exam. Once people start talking to you (no matter who or about what), you're going to start forgetting. Keep the notebook by your side for a while - you may remember yet another thing during dinner or just before you go to bed. And then in a day or two after the exam, go back over the notes and find the answers to all the questions you asked.
This method, along with the feedback from the exam, will help you to focus your efforts and target your weak spots. Granted, the exam feedback is very vague, but it will point you in the right direction.
And - these guys say that the second CCIE usually goes a bit faster and is a bit smoother...