CCIE DC Exam Success #68155 (On My Way to the Tokyo Testing Center, How I Passed, and My Study Methods)

First Blog Post

1. Am I someone who is already good at this?

First of all, I’m currently unemployed (?). This isn’t just a hobby, but I started studying for certifications as an investment for the distant future.

1. Do I have experience?

I don’t have a lot of experience. Previously, I worked briefly as a contract employee at Samsung SDI and Doosan. I also worked for about three years at the SKB IDC center.

I was fortunate to experience large-scale corporate networks and infrastructure firsthand.

I got to work with various devices and technologies (server management, DB, ISMS certification audits, personnel management, network engineering and maintenance, etc.). Looking back, I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to gain such experiences.

I worked with Palo Alto, Cisco ASA, and Juniper SRX.

For some reason, I have a special fondness for Juniper firewall equipment, and I like working with it the most.

1. How long did I study for CCIE?

In July 2023, I heard that the head of NetTrain was coming to Korea, and since I had no foundation, I signed up for a one-month, $500 CCNA course.

However, after some twists and turns, this course changed to focus on CCIE, and I suddenly found myself preparing for the DC track.

It took me from July 2023 to February 2024 to pass the exam.

It took 8 months in total, and I took the exam 3 times during this period.

1. Where did I take the exam?

I took the exam in Tokyo.

Here is the Tokyo exam center:

(Refer to Google Maps for location)

https://goo.gl/maps/vxF8xGNVEYpVsJrPA

35°39'57.4"N 139°43'52.2"E

 

Important Points for the Exam Day:

One important thing is that you should definitely visit the exam center the day before the exam. You need to be at the reception by 8 AM on the exam day. If you get lost in the morning, it will be difficult to make it in time.

 

5. Study Methods:

The DC (Data Center) track is more challenging than other tracks because you need to rent actual equipment to practice. No one is going to lend it to you for free, so it costs a lot of money.

There are about two main companies where you can rent equipment.

 

Company A:

$1500 = 120 hours
$500 extra for 40 hours
I used a total of 160 hours
Cost: $2000

 

Company B:

4 hours per session
Used 33 sessions = 33 x 4 = 132 hours
Cost: $3300

To summarize, I used 292 hours of equipment rental for a total of $5300.

 

6. Where should you book your hotel?

This hotel is the best. I booked it three times during my three exams. The price is reasonable, and I highly recommend it.

 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/CZwZPPmAoih1SRco9

remm Roppongi · 7 Chome-14-4 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032 일본

 
 

7. How do I get to the hotel?

Take a taxi.
The taxi fare is around 70,000 to 80,000 KRW.

 

8. What is the exam format?

The exam consists of 3 hours of design and 5 hours of DOO (Lab Module).

 

9. When will the exam results be announced?

I finished my last exam at 2:30 PM on the day of the test.
The results were announced around 7:20 PM that same day.
However, if you take the exam on a Friday, the results are typically released around Wednesday of the following week.

 

10. The exam scheduling is tough, what should I do?

Even if you're not fully prepared, I recommend booking the exam in advance and studying afterward.
You must pay for the exam one month before the exam date; if you don't, your booking will be automatically canceled.

 

This concludes the explanation for this exam.
I am extremely happy that the results matched the hard work I put in.

Having this certification won't drastically change my life, but over the course of 5 years, it will gradually shift the direction of my life.

Currently, I am preparing to study for the CCIE EI exam.