ZNDP 020 – Ask Zig – What is your CCxE Methodology?

Cisco, Network Design, Podcast, ZNDP

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Hey Ziglets, we are starting the 2018 New Year off with an Ask Zig episode!!  One of our Ziglets, Bill from Canada, has asked What is your CCxE Methodology? What a great question, thanks Bill for sending it in.  Listen to the answer in this episode!

What is your CCxE Methodology?

Our Ziglet, Bill from Canada, has sent in this question: “What is your CCxE Methodology?” Thank you for your question Bill. I appreciate it!!

General Items:

  • Subjective
  • Understand what the certification is testing you on specifically
  • Strategy vs Technical
    • Too much time spent on technology, not enough time spent on strategy
    • Not trying to down play the level of importance technology has, but once the exam starts, its all about strategy.
    • You control the technical side of the exams
    • Points Per Minute Ratio
      • It’s about maintaining an average point per minute ratio thats equivalent to 80 – 85 percent
  • Your Mindset
    • Stress
    • Preconceived Notions
    • Time Management

CCIE Specific:

  • Strategy vs Technical Ratio
    • 75% strategy and 25% technical
  • Maintaining the highest verified point per minute you can get
  • You can verify your points throughout the exam
  • Track your tasks with point value and time completed

CCDE Specific:

  • Strategy vs Technical Ratio
    • 85% strategy and 15% technical
    • Technology spans multiple domains
  • No way to verify your answers like that of the CCIE exams
    • Its more of a mental fortitude exam,
    • Mindset shift!!
    • Time Management is key here

Practice, Practice, Practice:

  • I cannot emphasize this enough.  You will hit a tipping point in your studies, where you know the material, the theory, and you can implement the technology on its own but now you need to put it all together, including the stress of time / speed.
  • You need to Practice with realistic labs:
    • Time your self
    • Review constantly
    • Maintain your strategy
    • Tweak your strategy if needed
  •  CCIE
    • There are a ton of Mock / Practice Labs out there.
      • INE
      • Micronics
      • Cisco 360 / Cisco Expert-Level Training
      • etc…
    • I highly recommend getting as many Practice Labs as you can, schedule them like the real exam.
    • Finish each lab even if it takes more than 8 hours, but track it.
    • Wait a day to review the lab.  Let your brain rest.
    • Test your Strategy
      • Time Management
      • Points per minute validation
  • CCDE
    • There are not as many practice scenarios as there are for the CCIE tracks but they are out there.
    • Schedule them like a real exam, with proper time limits
      • Do 4 scenarios in 8 hours, with a 1 hour break.
      • Make it as real as possible.
    • Test your Strategy
      • Reading
      • Highlighting
      • Notes

If you would like to be a part of the Ask Zig series, email your questions to Feedback@zigbits.tech.  If we get enough questions from all of you, we would answer one every day!!  How does that sound!

I appreciate each and everyone of you.

The Term of the Show

  • Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI)

Call to Action:

  • Not asking for you to write a review, or donate, or sponsor the Zigbits brand.  All I ask, is if you liked this content, then share it with someone you believe would benefit from it as well.

Hosted By: Michael “Zig” Zsiga

Guest Expert: None

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