One of the exciting new components of the version 4 CCIE Sec lab is the Identity Services Engine (ISE). It is interesting how many students and even some instructors I speak to that have never even heard of it. In this first post of many that I will feature on this new product for the lab, we will gain a high level understanding of what this product does for us.

First of all, there are lots of variations on how you can implement this service in your network. Let us be clear on our hardware and software focus for the lab. It is the Cisco ISE 3300 Series Identity Services Engine running 1.1x software.
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The CCIE Data Center Written exam is finally available. You can register now at vue.com. You can become fully prepared to pass using the CCIE Data Center Written Bootcamp from IPexpert.

The topics required for success are:

Cisco Data Center Architecture

• Describe the Cisco Data Center Architecture
• Describe the products used in the Cisco Data Center Architecture
• Describe Cisco unified I/O solution in access layer
• Determine which platform to select for use in the data center different layers

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It is always so fun and interesting to think you know something, and then be blown away by discovering a feature about what you thought you knew!

So before my study of the CCIE Security, I thought I knew CBAC (Context-Based Access Control), also known as IOS Firewall, pretty darn well. As I was going through the superb CCIE Security 3.0 VoD, Tyson Scott educated me that there is actually a Transparent Mode version of this tool. Wow – I certainly had not encountered this in my CCNA or CCNP Security studies.

So in this blog post, I wanted to show everyone a look at this technology so that hopefully it does not take them by surprise.
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One of the things that students remark upon when studying for their lab is how fast the time goes. I am now at the halfway point in my quest for CCIE Security. As you might recall – my exam is October 26, 2012 in RTP, NC, USA. My how time flies.

Just wanted to update those that are following the quest and thank everyone for their well wishes via email and Skype.

The studies are going simply great. I knew I loved this subject area, and as I dig in to the Expert levels of prep, I love it even more.

Many people have commented to me (my training peers and even my proctor in RTP) that I made a big mistake in not giving myself two attempts at the version 3.0 exam. I just wanted to share my thinking about that here and give a quick study and preparation tip that might help others.

I see a clear picture of myself as a dual CCIE. I know it will happen, and it will only begin to tap my potential as a Cisco instructor. If it just so happens that this vision completes itself in October, 2012 with version 3, or if it is December 2012 with version 4, it really just doesn’t matter.

“But what about all that new stuff you would have to learn???? What about the expense of the new devices???? What about all that study that you did already that might not apply to the new exam????”

I am not FOCUSING on that stuff! Who cares! I will not let thoughts like this stall me in my journey. I hope these insights on the subject might help others in their own quest to complete that vision of themselves.

Nestled in the CCIE Data Center Written Exam Blueprint we find the following:

• Describe XML for network management and monitoring

We did not have time during our live lecture sessions in the CCIE Data Center Written Bootcamp in order to cover this one, so let us do it here.

The XML capabilities on the Cisco Nexus device is an alternative which one can use to configure and monitor the device. This Nexus capability relies on the XML-based network configuration protocol called NETCONF. This allows management from an XML tool or application.
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