Cisco Study Blog

BEWARE GOOGLE ADSENSE USERS

If you use Adsense to recoup the cost of hosting your blog beware!!!  I came in this morning and Google had kindly sent me an email stating that my Adsense Account has been disabled due to invalid click activity. 

Here is the thing.  I manage my blog from the same network that my students are on and I direct my students to my blog.  If a student clicks an add it comes from the same IP address as myself since my company does Port Address Translation. 

So, Google decides that its invalid click activity and disables the account, taking all your earnings with them.

Nice one Google.  I dont want to make money off my blog anyhow, its there for my students to find information, and for colleagues to track my study progress.  Anyhow, I'm pretty mad at google right now! 

Just want you all to be aware of what they can do.

CCIE: IEWB-SC-VOL2 Lab 2- 3rd run at it

So today was my third run at Lab 2.  I was actually not too bad but I still didnt finish it. Some areas that really bother me are where I get it to work but the lab says something like, "You can use one static route for this task."  Well, ...uh... I didn't use a static route so what am I missing.  For example, one part of the lab says to configure BGP peering between to routers with a PIX in between.  The PIX is exchanging RIP routes with the router on the outside so it knows how to get to the router in the inside, yet the lab solution shows a static route on the outside router pointing to the outside interface of the pix to get to the inside router.  Uh, why?

Oh well, it worked and I moved on.  I think now I'm going to watch some more of the IE-ATC-COD.  Tomorrow I fly to Phoenix to sit another course I'm going to certify to teach.  I'll be staying at my friend Jacks home.  He's a hoot!  Study is going to be really tough but I MUST REMAIN FOCUSED.  If I don't pass this lab soon my wife is going to kill me!  Especially since she is taking care of the newborn and the 2 1/2 year old while I study all day.  Boy am I gonna owe here something really nice when this is over!

Well, back to study.

15 minutes till Rack time..sure I have time to blog.

Yesterday I spent the better part of the day working on CCIE: IEWB-SC-VOL2 Lab 2.  I got stuck on a BGP Authentication through a PIX section around 5:30pm and never recovered from it.  I gave up about 9pm and watched the InternetworkExpert ATC-Class-on-Demand.  I still dont see what I did wrong.  I posted my configs on the Internetworkexpert Forums.  No word yet. 

This morning at 9am Pacific time (about 2 minutes from now) I'm going to start the lab again from the beginning and see what happens. 

Top Reasons you know you're studying too much for Certs.

1. When paying for anything you actually subnet the change in your head.
2. You dream of routers chasing you swinging large console cables at you
3. You call it a night only to awake at 3 AM with the solution to task 3 step 1.  Yeah it's only worth 2 points but you have to sneak out of bed to see if it works.
4. You sneak out of bed to see if it works and your wife doesn't even flinch.
5. You're blogging your studies when you have a break, instead of actually taking a break.
6. People ask if you have seen King Fu Panda yet and you reply, "No, but I just saw an amazing CoD on DMVPN."
7. People ask if you can help them move and you can honestly say, No, I have plans already.  Hey- Rack time counts as having Plans Pal!"
8. You follow twitter just to get more free rack time and possibly a free class from @ipexpert
9. You have a version of every starting config file for every lab offered by every vendor on every rack.
10. The last thing you thought about was Dynamic Arp Inspection.
11. When someone calls and asks what you are doing you respond by saying, Well I'm trying to get the concentrator to authenticate OSPF packets with the router but there is this strange gotcha that I'm trying to find the information on so right this minute I'm on CCO looking at the documentation to see if something sparks my memory.

CCIE: IEWB-SC-VOL2 Lab 2

Two days ago I began my endeavor into Lab 2 of Internetwork Experts Volume 2 security.  With my lab date fast approaching its starting to concern me, especially with the changes to the Security IE soon to be announced.  My window of opportunity is closing and I want to push though.  The hard part, as many of you know, is that I am also working on a book.  I am just about finished with the initial manuscript and have began a few of the Author review chapters.  In addition to that I have work projects that keep popping up.  For example I have a Private Training class right at the begining of August that covers the CANAC appliance and the CUWN course.  I'm also assisting with the testing of a new course that Ascolta developed that will be handed over to Cisco on Tuesday.  Did I mention that during all of this I have a 10 week old and a 2 and a half year old?  Needless to say, I am concerned.

On Wednesday I did Lab 2 section 1.  With everything going on thats all I did for my CCIE Studies.  Yesterday I repeated Lab 2 section 1 only with much more speed.  After finishing that section I told myself that I was goning to work on some chapters for my book for a short time.  That short time ended up being intil 1`:30am.  I never made it back to the labs.

Today, July 4th, I have rack time at 3pm.  My plan is that I wrap up the 3 chapters that I am closest to finishing by then and the spend the rest of the day on the labs.  My kids miss me. My wife misses me.  And my friends miss me, but I know in the end it will be worth it in the sense of acomplishment alone.

Aside from that I have some CoDs to view and I'm going to shoot for watching them during Lunch.

Here is my schedule for Rack Time at internetwork expert. 

And here are a few sessions I have left with IPEXPERT.

 
Am I crazy?  I know I can do it but with everthing going on its hard to remain positive. I'll trudge on though.  Today I move on to Section 2 and 3.  Section 2 is worth 24 points and Section 3 is worth 9.  I think at the end of the day Ill read the solutions up to where I am to check my work.  Well, time is ticking....

Chat with Yusuf Bhaiji at Cisco Live

Well I haven't had much of a chance to blog this but I had the opportunity to speak with Yusuf at Cisco Live in Orlando last week.  We spoke about the fact that rumor has it that the CCIE Security will change soon.  Here is what I was told.

• Yes it is revising but the official announcement will not be until a few weeks into July.
• The new blueprint, 3.0, will include the obvious 8.x asa with the PIX being removed, the 6.x IPS code and 12.4 IOS.
• I also hear that there are spots in the topology available so you may see a MARS and/or a NAC appliance.
• You will have about 6 months from release to take you lab under the old blueprint but you will probably have a really HARD time getting a seat.
• Also, you have to wait 30 days after you fail to take it again. If you do get a seat in say November and have to wait till mid December you probably wont get a seat and will be forced to take the new blueprint.

I'm curious to see the turnaround at internetworkexpert in updating their gear, workbooks, and classes. While I have a lab seat on August 15th and dont really want to start over again I'm looking forward to the changes.

Cisco Spam on Cisco Blogs

So I read about Cisco spamming about their learning portal on another blog and then I log into mine and BLAHM- Cisco got me do.  What really gets me is that I advertise for you already Cisco.  Thats what my whole blog is about.  Then you go and pay someone to post spam comments on my blog.  Shame on you Cisco and Shame on you Internet Press Release.  Removed!

BTW, if you had waited I would have posted about it on my own. 

Bad Show.

5 things you need to know about the CCNA changes

So if you were planning on getting your CCNA and then going right into the CCNP, CCSP, of CCVP think again!  Cisco just made changes to the certification path.  Here is what you need to know.

1. The CCNA is now a requirement to get the CCNA Wireless, CCNA Voice, and CCNA Security.
2. The CCNA Security is now required for the CCSP
3. The CCNA Voice is now required for the CCVP
4. The CCNA Wireles doesnt have a CCWP at this time but there is a nice open spot for one to show up.
5. The CCNA is still the only requirement for the CCNP

I'm almost finished writing the CCNA Wireless book that I have been working on this year.  Cisco Press should announce Rough Cut access to it via http://safari.ciscopress.com soon.  Print versions are soon to follow. 

Until then you can hop on over to Ascolta and check out the information there on the new CCNA Concentrations.

On a final note be sure to take a picture of the most screwed up data center rack you've and enter the "Gotta Loves Spaghetti" contest to win a $50 amazon gift card!

Cisco Live: Monday Recap

Well Day 2 of my trip is over and the official Day 1 of Cisco Live is underway. Here are some recaps:

The kickoff session was at 4pm. They had a table of glow sticks at the entrance. My intial question was..What are the glow sticks for?

Turns out they have do do with the Cisco Live theme. Notice the light streams in the opening pic of this post.

Once things got kicked off they opened the World of Solutions. The group of folks waiting to get in was insane.

Yep, 11,000 people at once is a really good idea! Actually it wasn't bad. Once in It was a little push and shove to get the free t-shirt:

I opted to wait until tomorrow. Instead I swung by the Ascolta Booth and ran into Fred Cutaran, VP of Sales and my good friend Eric Kelch hard at work.

After that the free beer was flowing, food was out and there was a buzz about the room. I had an opportunity to meet up with Wendell Odom, Scott Morris, and Leah Lynch. Many more were there but I only had two hours and spent a bit in the Certification Lounge. I can't wait for the Tech Sessions tomorrow and another full day.

Frustrations at my hotel

So here I am at the EconoLodge in Orlando which used to be the Best Western. I have to say that the internet connectivity here is the worst I have EVER experienced.

NEWS FLASH: Id rather pay 10 bucks a night for good internet access versus getting Crappy access for free!!!!

Well, If this post makes it I'll be amazed. I have much writing to do tonight and Ill get my day 2 Cisco Live Recap up soon!

Gotta love Spaghetti (Contest: See details below)

I remember growing up with my cousin Ryan. He was a very picky eater, whose menu consisted of hot-dogs, mac-&-cheese, and of course, spaghetti. It's become obvious to me that spaghetti is one of those foods that everybody likes. We'll you are in for a real treat. Here is a five course meal prepared just fo you that starts with Spaghetti, then moves on to Spaghetti, then more spaghetti, and well....you get the picture.

Here is the setup:

I have been hooked on failblog as of late and in the spirit of failblog I came across a data center that was, well, failing at being a data center. Here are just a few of the PICS I took. I'm curious to see if any if you can top it.

We begin with what appears to be a normal rack. These are some older Cisco 3000 Series VPN concentrators along with a few ASA 5520s loaded with the AIP-SSM modules.

Next we have a rack of 2600's and some PIX 515s. Still doing pretty good right.

Then the cable contractor took the day, neigh- the week off.

Here it starts getting good:

How about this?

and of course there is this:

And finally this:

And this is all in one room! Think you can top this mess? Lets see you try.

GlobalConfig.net will be giving away a $50.00 Amazon Gift Card for a better plate of spaghetti. Simply email you submission to contactme@globalconfig.net. All submissions must be received prior to August 1st, 2008. The winner will be featured via blog post and direct email notification.

Now get to cooking!