Archive for June, 2009

ONT – Introduction to VoIP

Posted in Exams with tags , , on June 30, 2009 by Gerren

Also available as a PDF here

Introduction to VoIP Networks

Benefits of Packet Telephony

  • More efficient bandwidth usage
  • Lower transmission and network costs/expenses
  • Improved productivity
  • Access to new communication devices

Packet Telephony Components

  • Phones
  • Gateways – Interconnect with other gateways and allow communication between devices that may not be accessible from the IP network. Also responsible for connecting PBX’s to IP networks
  • Multipoint Control Units (MCU) – conference calling device that combines the streams from participants and returns the result to each participant
  • Application & Database Servers
  • Gatekeepers – these provide call routing and call admission control (CAC) services. Call routing resolves a name or number to an IP address. CAC grants permission for a call setup
  • Call Agents – handles call routing, address translation, and call setup
  • Video End Points
  • Digital Signal Processors – convert analog signals to digital signals using different codes

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ONT Study Plan

Posted in Exams with tags , , on June 29, 2009 by Gerren

I think that in an effort to do better on the ONT exam, I’ll do some documentation via posts in hopes that it will sink in with me more effectively. I’d like to do a chapter by chapter breakdown using the OECG to start. Maybe like a “terminology” type section, “related protocols” section, configuration notes, and some “gotchas.” Sounds a bit cheesy though…we’ll see what pans out.

Stay tuned…

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ISCW Passed!

Posted in Exams with tags on June 27, 2009 by Gerren

wOOt. I passed the ISCW today…not a top-of-the-class kind of score, but passing nonetheless. I’m not generally an overachiever, but I thought I would do better than I did.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that I passed, but either way…I still would’ve enjoyed a higher score.

I think that I get caught in up in the people that are posting that they “Got 1000/1000″ — I suppose that there are folks out there that can ace these tests without much effort, but I’ guessing that a lot of people I see posting these kind of messages are brain-dumpers. No disrespect to anyone who has aced a Cisco exam without using dumps of course.

I supposes that I should be proud that I can pass without using dumps, but I would still like to improve my score next tie. Ahhh…oh well, who cares! 3 test down and only ONT to go for my CCNP.

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ISCW Performance Anxiety

Posted in Test Taking Strategy with tags , on June 26, 2009 by Gerren

Here’s what I dislike about Cisco exams. You study, and study, and from your experience and past exams, you feel confident that you are ready to tackle that next exam. Exam day rolls around and about halfway through the exam, you realize that you mos definitely were not prepared.

I’ve had that happen twice now, and I’m not sure what the issue is. So, I’m scheduled to take the ISCW tomorrow, and feel very confident on for this exam, but the anxiety of getting there and realizing a few minutes into it that I’m not as ready as I thought, is always frustrating. Very, very frustrating.

Does this happen to anyone else, or is it just me? I know my weak points are as follows:

  • PPPoA/E configuration commands
  • Some of the IPSec smaller details
  • Some parts of AAA, but I’m not sure what!?!

So, I’ll be running through those questions/topics again tonight, and then tomorrow at 1000 is judgement day. If I pass this, it will be 3 down and ONT to go!

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CCNA and CCNP Blogs and Posting Frequency

Posted in Blogging on June 26, 2009 by Gerren

Here’s the one thing I’ve noticed recently…it seems that there are a ton of CCIE candidate blogs out there, but most of the CCNP ones I have come across usually have 5-6 posts and that’s it. It seems like CCNP level candidates (with one or two exceptions that I’ve seen) don’t keep up with their blogs for whatever reason (including myself).

What is the difference here? Are the CCIE candidates that much more into blogging, or are they more passionate about their quest? Here’s my guess: I think that because there are 3 (or 4) required exams for the CCNP and there’s no lab involved, it’s fairly easy to remember the material for the time that you are prepping for the exam. However, with the CCIE lab, I’m sure most people are just studying for 2-3 months, so there’s that much more to keep notes on.

I hope that when I get to the point where I’m ready to say “Yes, I’m a CCIE candidate,” that I can write more than I do now. My guess is that writing out and keeping notes on various topics for the IE lab will be much more beneficial than it is for the NP exams.

Just my 2 cents…carry on.

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Cisco 2811 Startup-Config Issue

Posted in Operational with tags on June 20, 2009 by Gerren

We had the batteries in our small UPS replaced today and had to take everything down for about 30 minutes while they did whatever UPS people do. When everything came back up, for some reason that I have yet to determine, the startup and running configs were different. I checked the config register, and it was fine…hmph.

The startup config had int f0/0 configured correctly, but when the router booted, everything BUT f0/0 had the correct configuration. What was even more odd was that the IP address was originally 192.168.1.2/30, but when I tried to apply that to the interface (mind you, this was the IP that it had been currently been using), I got the “Bad mask /30″ error. Weird. I looked through the startup config and found that IP subnet zero was there as well.

I ran no ip subnet-zero, applied the IP address /30 to the interface, and it came right back up without any issues. Now, I’m generally the only one that has access to the router. There’s another admin, but he generally doesn’t touch it and we’re a small enough company (2 of us network guys) that he would tell me if he had changed anything. I can’t imagine that it was malicious either, as that seems sort of an easy thing to change when there’s so much other stuff that could’ve been done.

So, my question to you dear reader is: Have you ever had this happen before? If so, any suggestions as to what the cause may have been?

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Update and a reload

Posted in Exams with tags , on June 20, 2009 by Gerren

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted…anything for that matter. I tend to go through these periods of writing a lot, and then writing very little. Here is an update on my progress.

I took my BSCI exam once in February, and missed by a whopping 13 points. Probably one or two simple questions that I didn’t read correctly. Ah well…I took it again about 3 weeks later, and am happy to report that I passed with a decent, but not wonderful score. It was a decent score in general, but one of those “I know I could’ve done better” type of scores.

I’m currently scheduled to take the ISCW this coming Saturday, but I’m starting to worry that I’m not as prepared as I should be. I think that’s the hardest thing about these tests. The CCIE folks have their mock exams, but I haven’t seen any for CCNP level candidates. I’m worried that I’m overlooking some obvious stuff, since the exam focuses a lot on the SDM. My mind is saying “Pfft…gui’s, that should be easy, but my gut is telling me otherwise.”

I have one week to pull it together, and really shore up and last minute gaps. I need to focus on IPSec and MPLS in more depth than I have. Time to dig in!

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