Many are aware I am working on my CCIE. I currently have the written exam lined up and in might sights. Given my enterprise background there are quite a few technologies in which I do not get to deploy quite often. The blueprint provides me a point of reference to study against. Technologies I come across that I do not deploy often end up getting tested in the lab. What happens when you need to clarify something?
This may be the one time where I would say “do not google the topic!” It is important that you get your information from a trusted source. Our community has a lot of user-generated information. We all blog, we develop articles based upon the technologies we use. The only problem is that sometimes they are cornerstone cases, maybe a mistype, or in a rare case, not all caveats are documented. The problem arises in the fact what you may read from an unofficial source
The DOCCD is the online version of Cisco’s documentation. It is supplied to CCIE lab hopefuls as reference when in times of strife. It allows a candidate to quickly look up a nuance or that command that slips the mind. This combination of documents force the single point of truth for your studies. It is good practice to reference it where possible. Cisco bases its exams off the contents. It is also important to use this in your studies due to the fact learning the document structure will save you time. In an exam where 8 hours seems like 15 minutes every second counts.
As per the Cisco CCIE documents the following hardware versions are used in the lab.
- Version 4.0
- 1841 series routers – IOS 12.4(T) – Advanced Enterprise Services
- 3825 series routers – IOS 12.4(T) – Advanced Enterprise Services
- Catalyst 3560 Series switches running IOS version 12.2 – Advanced IP Services
Where you should look to find commands relating to IOS 12.4(T) resides under the following stanza.
Products > Cisco IOS and NX-OS Software > Cisco IOS > Cisco IOS Software Release 12.4 Family > Cisco IOS Software Releases 12.4 T
Once you select Cisco IOS Software Releases 12.4 T you are brought to all information relating to 12.4 T.
What I look to is the command reference guides. These will give commands and related troubleshooting commands for a specific feature.
The above show a sample of what is included under the 12.4 T banner. Quite a lot of information. This point of reference is the ultimate source of truth regarding the technologies used in the CCIE exam. Whether you are doing the lab or doing the written the message relates to you! It is a great habit to start using it and learning the document structure. The seconds you save in your exams the few times you reference it may just be the difference between the magical pass and failure.