If you have passed your CCIE Lab exam and used any of IPexpert’s training products including Self-study Material, Video on Demand, Audio on Demand, Rack Rental, or even one of our free vLecture’s and you don’t see your name on the list we want to hear from you! It doesn’t matter if you purchased the material from us or borrowed it from a friend just let us know what you thought about the material be visiting http://www.ipexpert.com/products/review or email CCIE@ipexpert.com with your Name and CCIE# and we will send you a free shirt seen below that will have your name and CCIE# in the list of Top Guns!

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• Initial set up of a Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster
• CUCM redundancy designs
• Requirements for CUCM use of SHCP, TFTP, DNS, and NTP
• Determine necessary services to support CUCM deployment
• Describe and configure CUCM to support on-cluster calling
• Configure a CUCM group
• Configure CUCM profiles and device pools
• Configure CUCM templates
• Auto-Registered Phones Support functionality
• Describe and configure route plan for CUCM to support off-net calling
• Configure route patterns
• Configure Route lists and route groups
• Implement toll-fraud prevention
• Describe and configure CUCM media resources
• Configure music on hold
• Configure Cisco Unified Mobility

Matt Just – IPexpert, Inc.

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Recertification is not as complex as the original certification. There is no lab test involved (for now), but there is still a requirement to pass at least one challenging exam. The current rules specify that valid recertification for any CCIE track is a passing score on a CCIE written test (in any track), CCDE written test, or passing another CCIE lab test in any track, CCDE practical or CCAr board examination.

As a company that has helped train more CCIEs than any other vendor on the market, it was only natural for IPexpert to create training material to help our loyal customers maintain the cutting edge knowledge required to maintain their CCIE status.

Last week we updated our world-class CCIE Lab training product portfolio with new products aimed at lower level certifications for our supported tracks (R&S, Voice, Security and Wireless), as well as great offerings for those students who are preparing for their CCIE Written exams. These products, combined with our existing CCIE lab training material and CCIE rack rental at Proctor Labs are great study material for your certification and recertification.

CCIE Routing and Switching products for the written exam include: 
• CCIE R&S Written vClass
• CCIE R&S Written Video on Demand
• CCIE R&S Written Audio on Demand
• CCIE R&S Written Test Preparation Quiz
• CCIE R&S Rack Rental

CCIE Voice products for the written exam include: 
• CCIE Voice Written Video on Demand
• CCIE Voice Written Audio on Demand
• CCIE Voice Written Test Preparation Quiz
• CCIE Voice Rack Rental

CCIE Security products for the written exam include: 
• CCIE Security Written Video on Demand
• CCIE Security Written Audio on Demand
• CCIE Security Written Test Preparation Quiz
• CCIE Security Rack Rental

CCIE Wireless products for the written exam include: 
• CCIE Wireless Written Video on Demand
• CCIE Wireless Written Audio on Demand
• CCIE Wireless Written Test Preparation Quiz
• CCIE Wireless Rack Rental

In combination with these specialized products for the preparation of the written exams, those of you who make a decision to recertify their CCIE status using a lab from another track already know about our proven methodology and product portfolio for the CCIE lab preparation in R&S, Voice, Security and Wireless tracks.

To get more details about these products and how we can help you best use them, contact your Training Advisor right away!

Happy studies!

–
Marko Milivojevic – CCIE #18427
Senior Technical Instructor – IPexpert
Join our Online Study List

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There were two things that were on everyone’s mind before “Networkers” started. Will there be a new CCIE track announced (CCIE Data Center) and the overdue blueprint change for CCIE Service Provider. We waited in anticipation for both of these, alas… nothing came out from Cisco. But, there were a lot of technical sessions, marketing presentations and very open and frank conversations with Cisco people that helped us understand what future holds. Without further ado, here we go.

CCIE Routing and Switching

Blueprint is currently in version 4.0 and it is likely to remain like that for at least the next six months. However, that doesn’t mean there are not going to be changes and tweaks. Just to quote one of the people from the program who told me “we are bringing routing to routing and switching”. What that means is that there is going to be more emphasis on the core subjects, like IGP and BGP, as well as interaction (redistribution) between protocols. Another thing that is coming is more in-depth and more relevant troubleshooting tickets. As you will see with some of the other tracks, troubleshooting is becoming a major component of the CCIE exam and students going for the exam must absolutely be ready for it!

What does more distant future for R&S hold? Since troubleshooting is 100% in virtual environment, we believe it’s only a matter of time (perhaps within next 2-3 years) that R&S lab will be 100% virtualized, or at least hybrid of virtual and real equipment, allowing Cisco to create more modular and dynamic lab content. The team of engineers within Cisco responsible for CCIE R&S is very capable and eager to keep this track as the most important and relevant IT certification and they are doing a pretty good job at it!

Summary:

• No pending blueprint update.
• More in-depth troubleshooting
• More focus on “core routing topics”
• More virtualization in the distant future

IPexpert’s Summary:

• Changes mentioned are very well covered by our CCIE R&S Blended Learning Solution
• Minor content update may be forthcoming to include more troubleshooting exercises

CCIE Voice

There were no changes to the blueprint announced (thankfully!). All software versions will remain at 7.0 and are likely to remain at this release for a couple of years. It is worth pointing out that Cisco are well aware of the fact that there are several “bugs/undocumented features” that can be expected with any “.0” release. However candidates are expected to provide workarounds where applicable.

As most of you know, the Core Knowledge questions were removed some time in May 2010 and were replaced with troubleshooting tasks. The speaker repeatedly brought attention to the types of troubleshooting tasks candidates can expect. We have tried to summarize some of the most important points raised below.

• There is no dedicated troubleshooting section for the time being- troubleshooting is embedded into the configuration tasks of the exam. This is subject to change- in other words they may look at providing a dedicated troubleshooting section at some point in the future.
• Troubleshooting tasks account for approximately 15% of the points on the CCIE Voice Lab exam.
• Candidates will have to troubleshoot existing configuration which has built-in errors. More details of example errors are given below.
• Infrastructure tasks will for the most part be complete and will not be the responsibility of the candidate. However configuration might not be 100% correct!
• Going forward phones will be pre-configured into the UCM database. It was mentioned that SIP endpoints have not been tested thus far but candidates should expect SIP endpoints in the lab in the very near future. Interestingly it is the intention to have phones pre-registered with the correct firmware in advance- that means candidates will not be responsible for changing the firmware of the phone. This will come as a relief to many of you since this process is time-consuming.
• Troubleshooting tasks could potentially include in depth knowledge of the protocols used for establishing call setup. Detailed knowledge of the call flow involved in protocols such as SIP/MGCP/H323/SCCP/Q931/etc will be required in order to explain why certain calls to the “provider” are failing. It was mentioned that the candidate may not even have to fix the problem and instead create a text file with the relevant traces/debugs and a suitable explanation. A process not too dissimilar when you create a TAC case.
• Cisco will continuously modify the content of the lab and this includes changing the number of UCM and UCME sites. You can expect 3 UCM sites, 3 UCME sites or anything in between!
• Gatekeeper/CUBE/SIP Trunk tasks will be added to the lab at some point in the near future (if not already!). The PSTN provider in the lab may not necessarily be a T1/E1 connection but rather a H323 or SIP ITSP.
• Security related tasks (authentication and encryption of signaling and media) are not going to be tested since these tasks are too difficult to maintain and implement. However the CCIE Voice Written test which will be updated later this year will cover those topics.
• The Voice CCIE pass rate is currently between 20% and 25% but expect that figure to drop as the impending lab updates will no doubt increase the difficulty of the test.

Overall we were very pleased with the outcome of the discussion- no major updates for a couple of years will come as a huge relief to all training vendors. The IPexpert BLS and bootcamps have for more than a year now been covering SIP Phones, CUBE, multiple UCME sites and detailed knowledge of the protocols involved in call set up. The biggest takeaway from the session was undoubtedly troubleshooting is going to be the singular most important skill candidates will need to pass the lab – if you are going to pass the CCIE Voice going forward you need to focus on the why and not only the how as has been the case in the past.

CCIE Security

This seems to be the least exciting track as far as news go. The content is stable, there are no immediate pending blueprint changes and content updates.

IPexpert’s Summary:

• No pending product updates, based on changes.

CCIE Service Provider

Let me get this out of the way, first. There was no new Service Provider blueprint announced. However, it is ready and will be announced very, very shortly. Blueprint and content are ready, what is pending are hardware upgrades for lab locations. We can expect it to happen at any moment. So, what are the forthcoming changes, then?

IOS XR is making the appearance. It is not a rumor, it is not a speculation, it is going to be there. The major focus area is on IP and MPLS, still, but there will be also a focus on service provider approach to IPv6 and interaction between IOS and IOS XR. We can expect any number of routers running IOS and IOS XR in the new lab, where there will be a mix of IOS and IOS XR devices in the “core” and the same at the edges. CE routers will remain strictly IOS.

Also, there will be troubleshooting on the exam, but it is still not 100% certain whether that includes a dedicated troubleshooting section, or preconfigured faults in the configuration section. For this, we need to wait the official announcement. Everyone afraid of pending changes, should aim to proceed with their lab preparations. If you are not concerned (and really, there is no need to be), keep to your schedule, as planned.

Summary:

• Blueprint change is imminent.
• IOS XR and IOS will be tested.
• IPv6 will be tested.
• Troubleshooting will be a component.

IPexpert’s Summary:

• We are, like everyone else, waiting for blueprint update.

CCIE Service Provider Operations

This track was a mystery for me before going to Cisco Live! What is the idea behind it? Well, after talking to relevant people at Cisco, I actually like this track and I’m likely to go for it in the future. So, let’s see…

CCIE SP Ops is the track that focuses strictly on NOC personell. Cisco sees this as one the fastest growing CCIE tracks in the future, in fact. There is heavy focus on troubleshooting and processes in this exam. In fact, two sections of the lab reflect this. The lab will be split in two parts. The first part is dedicated troubleshooting section, which will include complex problems involving both IOS and IOS XR devices. The second section is scenario-based test, focusing on processes (ITIL) and high-level problem troubleshooting and escalation.

Since this exam is still not available to general public, it remains to be seen what will happen here.

Summary:

• Heavy focus on troubleshooting complex IOS and IOS XR issues.
• Heavy focus on processes and process frameworks (ITIL).

IPexpert’s Summary:

• At this point, we do not have immdiate plans to provide training for this track.

CCIE Wireless

Petentially, one of the most interesting tracks in the future. Fast growing market and ever evolving technology. Cisco understands this and CCIE Wireless is in good hands within Cisco in that respect. So, what’s going on with the exam? First of all, there will be some changes in the next couple of months, but no immediate blueprint change – which will happen within 9-12 months, though. The biggest change that is going to happen soon is that Cisco is “quietly” going to remove Location appliance from the exam. The reason for that is that it’s end-of-life and Cisco wants to replace it with something more relevant. The more relevant thing is Mobilite Services Engine. However, that will require major software changes on the rest of the equipment in the lab and requires blueprint change, which they are not ready for at this moment.

One thing was very much stressed out during the technical session on CCIE Wireless – candidates must understand routing and switching in order to complete the lab successfully! It’s is not as deep as in R&S track, but it is definitely covered on the exam. Students must know how to configure basic spanning-tree, IGP routing and redistribution to be successful. According to Cisco, this is one of the biggest hurdles candidates experience in the exam.

Summary:

• No pending blueprint change.
• Minor content upgrade – Location appliance will be removed.
• Basic switching, unicast and multicast routing configuration.

IPexpert’s Summary:

• Stay tuned for pending product announcements for this track. We will be updating our website this month to reflect the following products:
• CCIE Wireless racks
• Self-study Workbooks (Volume 1 and 2) with Detailed Solution Guides
• A Video on Demand Boot Camp
• A Live 5-Day Instructor Led Class

CCIE Storage

We all expected to see CCIE Data Center announced this year. However, it was not, nor is it planned for immediate future. That being said, Cisco engineers involved in the program informally refer to the Storage track as the CCIE Data Center. Also, they are investigating the future possibility of creating more comprehensive Data Center CCIE, but it’s in the early planning stages as of right now.

However, there are important bullet points that we should mention here for the people who are preparing for this track. First of all, focus of the exam is only on Cisco equipment and devices. Carefully examine the list of devices mentioned in the blueprint and focus the studes on this equimpent.

The world of data centers is fast evolving, which makes it very difficult to create a “stable blueprint” and CCIE program managers are waiting for the product range and technology to stabilise, before they introduce major changes. There are probably going to be blueprint updates in the next 6-12 months, but no major changes will happen overnight.

Summary:

• No pending blueprint update.
• Fast-changing and evolving technology that will only grow in the future.
• Strict focus on Cisco equipment in the exam.

IPexpert’s Summary:

• Stay tuned…Although we currently have several CCIE Storage Racks and Tyson Scott (IPexpert’s x3 CCIE is working on this track, currently) we’re going to wait until the Data Center is announced before we pursue any products in this space.

Overall Summary

It has been a great week for IPexpert and everyone who attended Cisco Live! We met with great people, our former, current and future students. We enjoyed the excellence of Cisco’s technical presentations, immersed ourselves in deep technical discussion with our peers and had the great opportunity to socialize with like-minded network engineers, both from Cisco and elsewhere.

See you all in classes and next year at Cisco Live! 2011 in the CCIE lounge – where you all need to be with fellow CCIEs!

Regards – The IPexpert team

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Regards, Wayne

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Regards, Wayne

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I’d like to share a few links, created by industry-renowned CCIE Instructor Joe Astorino, that cover – and walk you through our latest and greatest product – the CCIE R&S Blended Learning Solution (BLS).  We’re extremely excited and proud of this latest product, which began shipping Friday. It’s been “in the works” for nearly 15 months and is now 100% completed – covering the latest CCIE R&S 4.0 topics. We *GUARANTEE* that you will not find a more completed, up-to-date, thorough, well-supported, and well-rounded product on the market – it’s absolutely unmatched anywhere in terms of the amount of material received, the professionalism of the interface and presentation and the support you will receive throughout your entire CCIE journey! Also, some great news for our Security and Voice clients – the Security BLS will completely ship *no later than* the 30th of THIS month (10 days from now) and the Voice BLS will ship on or before May 27th (less than 6 weeks away) -maybe, possibly sooner – so check back on our blog daily.

View IPexpert’s Blended Learning Solution (CCIE R&S 4.0) Demo Part 1

View IPexpert’s Blended Learning Solution (CCIE R&S 4.0) Demo Part 2

Regards – Wayne

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We promised last week that we will deliver our Core Knowledge / Open Ended Questions preparation material for all tracks we support before April 1^st 2010. We wouldn’t be IPexpert if we didn’t deliver on our promises!

We are pleased to announce the Availability of IPexpert’s Core Knowledge Quiz and Answer Key for Routing and Switching, Voice, Security and Service Provider CCIE tracks!

Customers of our our Blended Learning Solutions, Workbooks or other training material and courses will find these new products added to their student accounts. Everyone else, please get in touch with your Training Advisor to get your copy!

Also, please, take few moments to register for one of our “Ask the Expert” and “vLecture” online training sessions! You can find online registration forms on our website. Just click on the track of your choice and go to “Free Online CCIE Training” link.

Oh and one more thing…

As you know, we announced last week a great new deal for new purchases of BLS – 400 hours of rack time. If you are not already a BLS student, this is a deal you don’t want to miss out on!

For those who already own the BLS, we have “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” going again on our Proctor Labs vRack time. So, if you are getting low, make sure you contact a Training Advisor to take advantage!

–
Marko Milivojevic – CCIE #18427
Senior Technical Instructor – IPexpert
Join our Online Study List

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First of all, in order to qualify, students need to undergo the authorized 360 “workshop” (be sure to recognize that it’s 2 weeks of training and quite a bit more expensive than some of the other options out there) and, as usual, waiver requests need to be approved by the instructor from the workshop. The waiver is then submitted to Cisco for approval and approved or disapproved without clear indication of success of that request. The program is temporary and begins on April 1^st 2010… just as another waiver program (that seems to have failed) is about to end.

The IPexpert team is determined to provide our students with the best possible training material available on the market. For that reason, we pledge right here and right now, that we will have the best preparation material on the market for the Core Knowledge section of the lab exams… by the time this program goes live. Yes, by April 1^st of this year. All IPexpert clients will have access to an OEQ / Core Knowledge eBook (we will be delivering eBooks for the R&S, Voice, Security and Service Provider labs).

Combine that with our current products and offerings:

• World-class Video on Demand (with supplemental Student Slide & Topology Books)
• World-class Audio on Demand (lecture different than VOD)
• World-class ILT Training (Week 1)
• World-class OWLE Training (Week 2)
• World-class Workbooks (and accompanying Detailed Solution Guides)
• World-class Workbook Video Walkthroughs (Hundreds of hours of video solutions)
• World-class Rack Rental at ProctorLabs (Latest & greatest hardware, online, with an unmatched GUI)
• World-class Online Community at OnlineStudyList.com (free online mentoring avenues)
• World-class Technical Support for all issues
• The largest alumni of successful CCIE students overall

In addition to all of the above (current offerings and upcoming FREE Core Knowledge eBook), we are shortly going to introduce two additions to our family of products in all tracks. We call them “vLectures” and “Ask the Expert Sessions”.

vLectures will be 2-4 hour long, live online lectures, delivered by one or more of our instructors on a given subject through our online classroom. These sessions will also be recorded and posted to our student accounts.

Ask the Expert sessions will be 2-4 long online sessions with one or more of our instructors and will focus on either a specific technology or a given lab from our Workbooks. Students attending the sessions will interact with the instructors, ask the questions and gain invaluable expertise. These will, also, be recorded and posted to student accounts.

Oh and one more thing…

These three new products … are going to be FREE for all our current BLS customers in all tracks. No need to qualify or pay premium.

Do our students need OEQ waivers? We think not. Here at IPexpert, we deliver on our promise to make you experts – with no shortcuts. We don’t think you need to “purchase” the ability to pass or “waive” the OEQ portion of your lab (by paying upwards of x2 or x3 as much for less training, less support and less proven success).

Good idea by the 360 team, or an act of desperation to salvage a failing program? You make the call…

Regards,

- Wayne A. Lawson II (CCIE #5244) – Founder & President, IPexpert, Inc.

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CCIE Voice Candidates,

The 5th lab for Vol 2 (5 out of 10) has been completed and uploaded to your members area. If you do not see it – please contact support@ipexpert.com.

Thanks! – Wayne

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