Starting CCIP

[NettableWalker]

Hi Everyone,

I finished my CCNP over a year ago and i've been feeling the need to move a step closer to the magical holy grail of CCIE. I've just begun CCIP study as I reckon these topics are totally necessary to master before CCIE.

Does anyone have a link or any hints to where I could get the courseware PDF's for any of this as they are always the best resource.

I've got Sam Halibi's book for BGP as recommended, is this good enough to cover everything i'll need for the exam?

I've already read the QoS book, Is there a similarly recommended book for MPLS

I thought i'd do BGP, MPLS, then Qos in that order. Has anyone else done CCIP? does it compare favourably to CCNP? I expect it's a bit easier as we are already at that sort of level...

Any other advice as i enter the realms of giving up life for 6 months study again....

 

[lerdalt]

I've been on the same path as you are with the CCIP. I decided to take the tests in order of QoS, BGP, MPLS, but haven't decided if I want to try the combined BGP/MPLS exam or take them separately.

I've already taken the QoS exam, and would recommend Wendell Odom's book for it. Or if you took the ONT exam, there is a lot of overlap between the too.

For BGP, I've heard that the Halabi book is a great place to start. I have the official courseware through my work for the BGP course, and also picked up Routing TCP/IP volumes 1 and 2. I've been bouncing between the official course book and Routing TCP/IP volume 2. The first few chapters in Routing TCP/IP cover BGP, and so far hasn't gotten too overwhelming yet. The courseware on the other hand is a bit more confusing I think.

As for MPLS, I've had my eyes open, and the only thing I've really found for it is the books MPLS and VPN Architectures volume 1 and 2.

Wish I had more for you. My original plan on BGP (which I didn't end up following) was to read in the following order:
1. Review BSCI chapters on BGP
2. Routing TCP/IP volume 2 chapters
3. Official courseware.
4. labs.

 

[NettableWalker]

That sounds good. I've heard that Qos is the easy one and i've already read that book (only once, 9 months ago, so it's far from learnt yet) so i thought diving into the hard ones first might be a good idea.

I've basically not touched BGP since the BSCI exam and it's all fallen out the side of my brain.
I've started by going over the BSCI notes and it's all coming back to me slowly and now i'm getting into the Halabi book.
Is it a fair representation of the breadth of the syllabus though as it seems like if it fills the equivalent of a whole week's course i might be missing half of it.

As for MPLS, i was on a PIX/ASA course a while ago and the teacher was telling someone that the MPLS was the hardest exam he had ever taken! so i'm a little scared of that one.

 

[lerdalt]

I'm with you on the BGP stuff...I would never say I really learned it well while working on BSCI, so things were fuzzy at best. As I've been reading a few things started to come back, but not all of it is sinking in.

The only thing I really retained from before was a saying we came up with to help remember: Women Laugh At Me = Weight, Local Preference, AS Path, MED.

When I was going through the BSCI course (again, a deal through work), the instructors laughed over it, but thought it was pretty good too.

That's the first I've heard anything on the MPLS exam. It frightens me a little bit just because I have zero exposure to anything MPLS to get a good hands on with it.

 

[burtsbees]

That's the deal I used when I passed BSCI last year, lerdalt!!! I remember you posting that...women laugh at me thing!

Burt

 

[lerdalt]

I'm glad it helped more than just me.

Of course if I would have been really clever I would have come up with this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ndexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

 

[NettableWalker]

The best one i heard was for the OSI model:

All
Prostitutes
Seem
To
Need
Deep
Penetration

That made the class laugh.

 

[Belushi]

I did all three tests last year to acheive my CCIP after doing my CCNP a few years ago. I went BGP, then MPLS followed by QoS. QoS is somewhat segmented from the other two and can be taken in any order.

In my personal opinion BGP was the hardest followed MPLS, then QoS being the easiest I've ever taken. I suppose that has a little something to do with my vast experience on the subject. Never the less, I finished the test in 45 minutes and got the highest score I ever received ona Cisco test.

BGP is awfully tough, it took me all the way down to the last second (literally pressed the button with second remaining on the last question). Just make sure you do BGP before MPLS as some of the skills are required and MPLS VPNs use MP-BGP to pass info along.

MPLS to me was a really enoyable and interesting subject. I think you'll like it depending on what you plan on using it for.

As for study materials, you can never go wrong with CiscoPress materials so I would for sure use Sam Hailibi's Internet Routing architectures book. It is top of the line material. I'm studying for CCIE R/S now and Routing TCP-IP Volume 2 has some good BGP stuff as well, albeit very complicated in my opnion.

For MPLS the CiscoPress MPLS and VPN Architectures was a good read. I did however take a global knowledge class for this as well so I had their material which was very similar.

On to QoS. Wendell Odom's book is top notch. Just make sure you check out the course outlines on CCO to determine if any of the subject material has changed. That should go without saying for any and all tests. They like to change stuff up from time to time.

 

[lerdalt]

I got my hands on a copy of the Internet Routing architectures book. Only about half way through it, but it is a far better read than any of the other material I've read. TCP/IP Volume 2 has some good stuff, but I don't think it's broken down nearly as well as the Hailibi book.

Was hoping to at least make an attempt at the BGP exam by now, but for some reason work keeps getting in the way of my studies. Fortuneately, it's been some BGP work, so the timing is great.

 

[NettableWalker]

I've had the same problem. I just can't seem to find the time to sit and study. BGP is a pretty dry subject though. Real hard work to stick with.

I've booked the BGP exam for 27th March though to give me a kick up the backside to do some study.

It looks real hard though..... It makes OSPF look like childs play.

Has anyone got a PDF for the Cisco notes on BGP or MPLS?