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You are told to supply a DSCP value of 46 for an IP SLA Monitor stream of traffic. When you access the IP SLA Monitor configuration mode, you encounter only the following command to enter in the DSCP value:

  R2(config-sla-monitor-jitter)#tos?

<0-255>  Type of Service Value

What is the correct value you need to enter for this IP SLA Monitor stream of traffic to be assigned a DSCP value of 46?

Come back next week to learn the correct answer, or join an NMC Live On-line Group Mentoring session to discuss this topic and many other CCIE related topics.

The VLAN number is “8” because the configurable spanning root bridge priority value on a Cisco Catalyst switch that is closest to 8200 is 8192. When this configurable value of 8192 is subtracted from the supplied value of 8200 in the Question of the Week, the remainder is “8”. This calculation is performed due to the 802.1T structure of the Spanning Tree implementation supported on Cisco Catalyst switches. For more information, see the Cisco 360 Link-Layer Lesson Module or sign up for the NMC Live On-line Group Mentoring sessions that supplement Cisco 360 content.

You are told to assign a group of routers to a common VLAN; and you are not explicitly told what the VLAN number is. However, you are told that the unknown VLAN must possess a root bridge that is assigned bridge priority value of 8200. What is the unknown VLAN number?

Please come back to view the answer on Friday, May 21th.

Effective Monday, May 10^th the Core Knowledge Questions section will be removed from the Routing and Switching and Voice CCIE labs. The 30 minutes that was previously allocated to the Core Knowledge Questions will now be allocated to the configuration section.

Consequently, the revised format of the Routing and Switching CCIE Lab will be only two sections
– a two hour long troubleshooting section  and a six hour long configuration section.The same lab format is being used in the Assessment Labs and Exercise Workbook practice scenarios of Cisco 360 Learning Program making it easier for students to prepare for the exam under time pressure.

UPDATE
Official Cisco announcement:
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-6484

Question #1: Given the following block of IP prefixes, how many filtering statements (standard access-lists, extended access-lists or prefix-lists)are needed to permit these prefixes and only these prefixes:

• 172.16.20.0/24
• 172.16.21.0/24
• 172.16.22.0/24
• 172.16.23.0/24

Question #2: Given the following block of IP prefixes, how many filtering statements (standard access-lists, extended access-lists or prefix-lists)are needed to permit these prefixes and only these prefixes:

• 172.16.30.0/24
• 172.16.31.0/24
• 172.16.32.0/24
• 172.16.33.0/24

Please note the extreme similarities between the address blocks listed in both Question #1 and Question #2. This similarity generated many surprising results for many of the students in the NetMasterClass Llive On-line Group Mentoring Session. Please come back to view the answer on Friday, May 7th.

What is the recommended DSCP name for the telephony (VoIP) service class according to the appropriate RFCs?

A)  EF
B) AF41
C) DF
D) CS4
E) AF31

The Answer is A) EF

Issue
What DSCP name and value are recommended for VoIP traffic?
Solution
RFC 4594 recommends the Telephony service class use DSCP name EF (Expedited Forwarding). This has a DSCP marking of 101110. Devices should be configured to prioritize traffic with this marking in a low latency queue and should never drop this traffic selectively.
More
(A) RFC 4594
(A) Classifying VoIP Signaling and Media with DSCP for QoS

Question
You want EIGRP to consider load in its metric calculation in your Cisco network infrastructure. What K value do you need to set?

A K1

B K2

C K3

D K4

E K5

————————-

QOW 2 Answer

Issue
Which K value results in load being used in the EIGRP metric calculation?
Solution

Study the formula for the EIGRP metric calculation shown in the more information link. Notice that setting K2 to one would allow load to be part of the metric.

More information: click here

This is the first in our question of the week series:

(click for larger version)

Check back Friday for the answer!

The answer is B - Type 3.

Issue
What type of route is on R10? Why?
Solution
R10 possesses a single OSPF route in this configuration. Because it is part of a Totally Stubby area, this device will possess a single Type 3 Summary LSA. Specifically, this summary is for the default route 0.0.0.0. This default route is generated by the ABR of the area so this router can reach destinations beyond its stub area.

Check back Monday for the new question.

Preparing for the CCIE certification can be an overwhelming experience! One can spend months, even years, preparing only to discover that he or she has been studying in the wrong manner. After attending the Group Mentoring Sessions, you can make a better informed decision regarding what components you want to purchase from the Cisco 360 portfolio.

With NetMasterClass Webinar series you will receive:

1. A 10 page NetMasterClass CCIE Preparation Roadmap using the Cisco 360 content. This roadmap applies the recommended three phase CCIE preparation approach outlined by Cisco 360.
2. A NetMasterClass CCIE Self-Assessment spreadsheet
3. A schedule for the Group Mentoring Sessions you can attend.

The Group Mentoring series is of fifteen 90-minute sessions that are delivered over a 21 week period. Each week a specific topic is covered. Please note that this Group Mentoring series starts every four weeks. Therefore, if you missed one session on one week you have two options: (1) attend the same session in the next iteration of the NMC Group Mentoring Sessions or (2) listen to a recorded version of the specific session . When you attend the NMC Group Mentoring Sessions , do not except to simply be a passive viewer! Your Mentor will be proactively monitoring who is asking questions during each session and will make adjustments for lesson plans according to the activity of a given student. Also, you will be able to e-mail the mentor questions and suggestion for topics to be covered in each Group Mentoring Session.

Topics of the 15 ninety minute session of the NMC CCIE Group Mentoring Sessions:

1. Session #1: CCIE Deep Dive – Gaining Initial Exposure to CCIE Level Problems and CCIE Level Problem Solving Approaches
2. Session #2: Link-Layer – Catalyst 3560 Connectivity Issues
3. Session #3: Link-Layer – Frame-Relay and Point-to-Point Technologies
4. Session #4: Attaining Connectivity Beyond the Link-Layer – OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, Policy Routing and OER/PfR
5. Session #5: Redistribution
6. Session #6: BGP
7. Session #7: STOP!!! CONSOLIDATE AND REVIEW ALL TOPICS DISCUSSED SO FAR – Review all core topics and Re-affirm our single and consistent “options analysis”
8. Session #8: MPLS
9. Session #9: Multicasting
10. Session #10: IPv6
11. Session #11: Router QoS
12. Session #12: Catalyst QoS
13. Session #13: Security
14. Session #14: IP Services Part 1
15. Session #15: IP Services Part 2

NetMasterClass, a Worldwide Leader in CCIE R&S Training, is proud to announce its participation in the new “Cisco Lab Safe Program”! ^NEW 

The CCIE Certification is a very prestigious certification, arguably the most prestigious vendor certification in the computer industry. But its reputation more than matches its difficulty. A student can take anywhere between 6 months to 24 months to fully prepare for his or her CCIE Lab Exam, and even then there are no guarantees.
With the Cisco Lab Safe Program, students who prove themselves to be truly strong CCIE candidates, get a 2nd chance at taking the CCIE Lab at no charge should they not pass on their first attempt!
This is a fantastic “Peace of Mind” for all those students who should have achieved their CCIE in the first try, but fell short due to either poor time management, falling under pressure or simply becoming too nervous during the Lab.

This way, you will not have to spend another $1350 on another attempt when you should have passed in the first place!

In Order to qualify, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Purchase and perform the Cisco 360 Essentials or Basic Package that contains ALL of the 360 Program Self-Study Materials, OR enroll in either of the Advanced Workshop I or II Courses.
• Attain a graded assessment score of 80 or higher in one of the 12 Eight hour Graded Assessment Labs that are included in the Basic Package, or in one of the Eight Hour labs performed in class with the instructor.
• Lastly, the student needs a Cisco 360 instructor’s or mentor’s recommendation to go on forth and attempt the actual CCIE Lab Exam. Should he or she not pass after meeting these criteria, the CCIE candidate will have an additional attempt at no cost!!!

A Journey of a 1,000 Miles Begins with a Single Step and If It is the Right Step, It is the Last Step

This ancient Chinese expression can be applied to preparing for successfully passing the CCIE lab. At NMC, it is our belief that a successful CCIE candidate must not only learn a specific set of technology thoroughly, a successful candidate must also develop a consistent and intricate problem solving approach.

The problem solving approach recommended in the Cisco 360 program is called “issue spotting and options analysis”. This problem solving approach can be mastered by focusing on a very small subset of R&S CCIE technologies such as link-layer core technologies and IGP’s. In this case, it is not the number of topics that are exposed to the CCIE candidate. It is the method of problem solving that is used by the CCIE candidate. While the topics may expand, the problem solving approach should remain the same throughout the entire CCIE preparation process.

In the Cisco 360 three phase CCIE preparation process, it is strongly recommended to focus having each student master the “issue spotting/options analysis” problem solving approach in Phase One of the process - at the very beginning of the process. If they do not do this, then more than likely, students will approach CCIE level problems with an ad hoc “through a set of configurations” at a problem approach. This type of “hit and miss” approach is not desirable.

Come see us this year at Cisco Live! in San Francisco, and have the chance to meet the staff that has helped hundreds of systems engineers and other experts achieve their CCIE certifications!

• Val Pavlichenko, along with Bruce Caslow, founded NetMasterClass in 2001, with the goal of creating the best training materials that candidates could use to achieve their CCIE. Together, Val Pavlichenko and Bruce Caslow, helped write the famous CCIE Prep book “Cisco Certification – Bridges, Routers, and Switches for CCIEs in 1998.
• Bruce Caslow, one of only 20 Cisco 360 Instructors in the World, has been teaching CCIE preparation for over 12 years. Bruce has also been and still is a major developer of learning content for the Cisco 360 Program, which helps students consider all configuration options, so that they can spot hidden issues.

On this event, we will go into deep detail and describe the Cisco 360 Learning Program for R&S. We will talk about the different ways that candidates may prepare for their CCIE, including the Self-Paced Study route, the Instructor Led in Class Training route, and the Mentoring route.

There is no other place where you get the chance to have over 3000 technology experts from the industry and Cisco.

Visit us at the Certification Lounge June 26 — July 2 July, and be on the lookout for special one-time offers on some of our products!

Location: Certification Lounge.
Time: Wednesday, July 1st, 2009.

• The Self-Study Path consists of Classes on Demand, a very challenging Exercise Workbook, 12 Graded Assessment Labs, and the Reference Library. We will discuss the importance of each of these products, and answer any questions the candidates may have about them.
• The Instructor Led Training Path consists of 2 Boot Camp courses:
  • Advanced Workshop 1 is a course meant for a CCIE candidate who is very deep into their studies, and has mastered the basic fundamentals covered in the CCIE blueprint. The class is designed to be taken 3-6 months prior to an actual exam date, and its main emphasis is to help a student determine what “they don’t know” by targeting their weaknesses, thus expediting their studies by helping point them in the right direction.
  • Advanced Workshop 2 course however, is designed for candidates who are on the “verge” of taking their actual lab exam. Students taking this course are on the final stages of their CCIE preparation, and are just in need of tons of hands-on practice, and confidence building. This course should be taken a month or so before the student’s actual lab date.

I wanted to take a minute and briefly discuss a new development with Cisco 360.

 

 

CISCO 360 IS UNBUNDLED 

 All of Cisco 360 products have become unbundled. This means you can purchase only the Cisco 360 component you need when you need them.  With this said, one can begin purchasing individual components of Cisco 360 for just a few hundred dollars. As you go through the Cisco 360 program, you can pay as you go if you’d like. And of course, you can use your Cisco Learning Credits to pay for Cisco 360 products and services.

This unbundling provides lots of flexibility for students with limited funds. Not only does it provide purchasing flexibility, it allows for CCIE students to mix and match Cisco 360 purchases with other vendors CCIE learning products such as InternetworkExpert and Narbik’s workbook.  I think we all agree, no one has a monopoly on great ideas. The “open architecture” of Cisco 360 allows for students to purchase only the components they want from Cisco 360 at the time they want. Students then have the option to use whatever other CCIE learning resources they want.

 

25 CISCO 360 INSTRUCTORS AND MENTORS

Furthermore, these individual components can be bundled with training courses and on-line mentoring services to create a complete end-to-end CCIE preparation program. One very exciting aspect of the Cisco 360 program is that there are now 25 Cisco 360 certified instructors and mentors spread all over the world. And I must say, each one of them is a world-class instructor and mentor dedicated to delivering the very best in CCIE training and coaching. It has been a real pleasure working with these 25 instructors and mentors.  Many of these new instructors were trained by Bob Sinclair, who has been a frequent contributor to GroupStudy over the years. It is my opinion that Bob is the very best CCIE instructor in the world and Bob speaks very highly of the many Cisco 360 instructors he has trained in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Bob will be going to Japan in a week to train seven more Cisco 360 instructors.

With the unbundling of Cisco 360 products and the large supply of 25, soon to be over 30, Cisco 360 instructors/mentors, the price of quality CCIE training should be falling. While many grey market CCIE companies provide excellent products and services, none of them have 25-30 CCIE instructors/mentors.  This will dramatically change the CCIE training landscape. Currently, there are only a handful of CCIE instructors and no structured CCIE mentoring services in the CCIE marketplace. With Cisco 360, the pool of instructors and mentors is dramatically increased and this will give anyone that is pursuing their CCIE many more training and mentoring options. Competition and choices among learning solutions is a very good thing for CCIE students!

 

GRADED ASSESSMENT LABS

A suggested starting point in using Cisco 360 products is to purchase the Cisco 360 graded assessment labs individually or in bundles. These graded assessment labs provide an excellent measurement for one’s level of readiness to attempt the actual CCIE lab. They also provide voluminous feedback to maximize the learning experience. These graded assessment labs are most certainly not “unproven technology”. They apply the former CHECKiT lab technology of NetMasterClass. This technology has been deployed and developed over the last five years. To my knowledge, no other CCIE training company has the level of experience in developing graded assessment labs as Val Pavlichenko and his software team at NetMasterClass. This team now is working for Cisco to develop a full range of graded assessment labs. This of course includes all Cisco 360 graded assessment labs.  Currently, there  are 12 graded assessment labs available in the Routing and Switching Cisco 360 program. Many people perform several of these graded assessments to establish a “trend of performance” to help indicate their level of readiness to attempt the actual CCIE lab. Many like to combine this with Cisco 360 mentoring services to obtain coaching and guidance along the way. Mr. Bill Burns of RackTimeRentals is one of these Mentors! Great job Bill! : )

To get a good understand of the new a la carte purchasing options available with Cisco 360, go to the following NetMasterClass link:

http://netmasterclass.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=NMC_Store&Category_Code=Cisco360

 

All the best,

-Bruce Caslow CCIE #3139

Cisco 360 Learning Program Individual Self-Paced Products are available

Now everyone can buy the modules one want at the price everyone can afford.

Check out new Individual Products (À La Carte) section in our online store.

Benefits of the Program

NetMasterClass is proud to be one of the first Cisco Learning Partners to offer the Cisco 360 Learning Program for CCIE Routing and Switching,
the new Cisco authorized CCIE training program.

This program has been beta tested with hundreds of engineers with great
success and uses the same methodology for training that NetMasterClass
has made famous.

The Benefit of Purchasing the Cisco 360 CCIE Learning Program from NMC

When you purchase a Cisco 360 Learning Program from NetMasterClass, you get the following benefits:

• You get to interact with and receive services from the actual developers of the Cisco 360 Learning Program.  Consequently, you will receive instruction and mentoring from NetMasterClass staff that intimately understand how to use all of the tools in the Cisco 360 program. This includes: applying the issues spotting and options
  analysis learning and troubleshooting technique, performing ongoing trended assessment and using the Mentor Guide.
• You get the benefit of working with instructors and mentors that have over ten years experience.The NetMasterClass technical staff has taught and mentored thousands of students over the last ten years. When you become a student of NetMasterClass, you will benefit from this extensive experience.

From these benefits, the NetMasterClass team can guide you through the complex multi-stage CCIE preparation process. In doing so, the NetMasterClass team can adjust and calibrate your lesson plan and assist in getting the most out of the extensive set of learning tools and resources found in the Cisco 360 CCIE learning program.

As you know, we put a lot of work in R&D and that is why our CCIE preparation products are constantly evolving.

The new SHOWiT engine looks quite similar to the previous version, however there are a lot of changes on the inside. It is faster, cross browser friendly and feature rich.

NetMasterClass has been using and refining the Graded CHECKiT Lab technology for over 5 years now. With a dozen of different scenarios and experience gained through processing over 3000 CHECKiT takers, there is no surprise that the product is very popular among CCIE candidates.

In order to meet the growth in demand and popular customer requests, NewMasterClass developed a system that automates the lab scheduling process and allows a candidate to schedule his/her lab just through the web portal. You can now always see what the status of your Lab is and if needed you can reschedule it using our web portal.

We always happy to hear your feedback, because this helps us better serve the needs of you and other clients.

Our team is about to leave for sunny Florida for Cisco Networkers’08.

We look forward to seeing our old friends, former students and meeting new people.

See you in Orlando!

P.S. You can see updates on what we are doing on our twitter account:
http://twitter.com/NetMasterClass

update: June 24th 11:35am

We’ve just listened to John Chambers’ keynote. Cisco has a great vision about the new ways of coloboration powered by the  ”netwok as a platform” concept. This increases the role of individuals within IT organizations; provides new business opportunities and enables smaller company to work with Cisco and help them fulfill this mission.  

 

Available only to selected group of beta students at first we are proud to publicly release two new Classes-on-Demand!

Each class has about 7 hours of video presentations, supporting quiz questions and topic specific DRILLiT Labs! Click on the links below to check out the details.

Link-Layer Connectivity Class-on-Demand

This Link-Layer COD provides an excellent starting point for your CCIE
preparation studies. The series covers a foundational topic in
internetworking — attaining IPv4 unicast connectivity on a
per-subnet/link basis.

Interior Gateway Protocols Class-on-Demand

Once you have reached level of comfort with Link-Layer related
technologies, you will need to build on this with mastering the
Interior Gateway Protocols. This IGP Class-on-Demand series provides a
series of self-paced learning activities that you can perform to master
this subject.

See our store for pricing of these products and their bundles. Also, users of existing CODs may purchase these new Classes with a discount!