Have i got a treat for you! I know i’ve been quiet for sometime , but now i’m back! 
And i’ve got an awesome article here for you. It’s really special and inspiring because it’s an interview with “Paul Stewart” ( or @packetu , as we tweeps know him ).
Paul has been one of the first few guys i met on twitter and i’ve been interacting with him for sometime now. He’s very very helpful and knowledgeable and most importantly an exceptional person. His ability to take the most complex scenarios , break it down and explain it to someone has won him accolades everywhere. Recently, CLND recognized Paul as one of it’s top contributers. He’s rated #3 among all the people in CLND and #1 in the CCIE-security group in contributions.
As a testament to all his knowledge and hard-work, Paul cleared the CCIE-sec lab recently! He’s one of the few guys i look up to , admire and try and emulate. He’s a CCIE , a friend and a great person. This is why i was really excited when he agreed to answer my questions!
I hope this motivates you and helps you in your quest for the elusive digits.
TacACK : Hello Paul! How are you doing today?
I am doing great. The weather is nice, and its not Monday. I am actually working on a few off-the-wall projects that will be interesting. One includes a Cisco UCS-C, which from what I can tell is the small business version of the UCS.
TacACK : To the few people who don’t know who you are, could you please tell us where are you from?
I am from London, Kentucky. For those who are familiar with the geography of the US, that is about 150 miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio and about 300 miles north of Atlanta, Georgia. I actually work primarily in Lexington, Ky, about an hour commute from my home.
TacACK : First of all, congrats on passing the CCIE-security lab! I always knew you’d kill the lab and you did it!
I wouldn’t necessarily say that I killed it, but I was certainly glad that I passed
TacACK : How did you celebrate when you saw the e-mail!?
I was actually in my hotel room in San Jose, California with my family. Everyone was sleeping because of the 3 hour time difference. I kept getting up to see if I had received an email yet. Finally at about midnight, I received an email with a link asking me to log in. When I did so, there was a “congratulations on becoming a CCIE”. I was nearly moved to tears. This was such a journey for me. As far as celebration, I told my wife the good news and spent some time on twitter. Finally I went back to bed, but found that I was too excited to sleep.
TacACK : When and how did your journey into cisco networks start?
I started working with Cisco Network equipment in early 1999 at the consulting company I am still with. My employment began just as a senior engineer was leaving, so I had the opportunity to do practically anything I could educate myself to do. During the first couple of years, I found myself in many of those “trial by fire” situations. Nonetheless, I came through the ranks quickly. I obtained MCSE, CCNA, CCDA, CCNP and CCDP in a couple of years. After that I went on a certification hiatus, not seeing the need for the paper. Eventually I jumped back on board and obtained my CCSP and decided I wanted to go to the next level, the CCIE Security.
TacACK : Why did you opt for CCIE-security?
I opted for CCIE Security after quite a bit of thought. Before actually choosing security, I made the decision to pursue the CCIE. I wanted to push my knowledge to the next level and I really enjoy networking. Most engineers choose Routing and Switching as their first CCIE. My company has always dealt with a lot of small and medium sized businesses. As a result, the Security track matched my day to day work much more closely than the Routing and Switching. I do enjoy security, but the reason I chose it was because it was a better fit for me. I may pursue a second CCIE in the future. If so,
that will probably be Routing and Switching.
TacACK : What materials did you use for your study?
I primarily used the IPExpert materials. This included the AoD, VoD and most importantly the practice labs. I used Proctor Labs for access to Cisco equipment. I also attended the IPExpert one week bootcamp. Another item that I found extremely useful was Yusuf Bhaiji’s new practice labs.
TacACK : On a scale of 1..10 , how close are the ccie material to the actual lab ?
That’s a little difficult to answer. I think Yusuf’s labs quite similar, so I’d say an 8 or 9 for that. IPExperts materials were a little more different than the real lab. The good news is that I think the lab is a bit easier. In my opinion someone can do very well on these practice materials, I think they’ll do okay on the lab. While working through the practice materials, it is important to understand the details. When taking the real lab, time management is very important.
TacACK : What was your daily study plan like?
In the beginning, I went through the labs in volume one. As time progressed, I began assessing myself against the blueprint. Most Saturdays I leased 16 hours of rack time, but sometimes I couldn’t concentrate for the full amount of time. During the week, I read and done “mini-labs” on my own equipment. These mini-labs weren’t formal in the sense that someone wrote them. I simply went through the blueprint and messed with configurations that encompassed the features I’d be tested on.
TacACK : How did you manage to focus on studies/dedicate so much time for study with a family?
That is a very tough and delicate balancing act. To be honest, I’m not sure that I done a great job at this. For me, I had a special circumstance in which my 10 year old son had a brain hemorrhage about 3 days after I returned from my first attempt. So I had some time that I just totally forgot about the CCIE and focused on his situation. After some scary times, major surgery and a lot of prayers, he has made a full recovery. He actually made the trip with me to San Jose when I passed on the second attempt.
TacACK : You were featured on CLND for your awesome contribution and as a candidate i’d like to thank you for all the help that you’ve extended to the CCIE community. Also on twitter, you’ve helped me by answering many of my questions and by simply inspiring me. Thank you! Do you lookup to anyone for inspiration/motivation?
I love Cisco Learning Network Discussions. That site is such a great community of people at all levels. I really enjoy the discussions and knowledge that I can obtain and share through all channels. As far as looking up to people, there are many and they are at all levels. I am really encouraged to see people who are just getting started but are really putting forth effort and getting this stuff. I also look up to those who are seasoned, but continue to learn. I am inspired by the learning process and those who continue to push themselves toward more knowledge.
TacACK : 5 tips to any ccie-sec candidate?
1. Don’t underestimate the time required to prepare for the lab.
2. Get very familiar with the CCIE Security Blueprint
3. Pay attention to every detail of every question.
4. Participate in the study groups like OSL, Group Study and Cisco
Learning Network.
5. Time management (have an attack plan in studies and on the lab)
TacACK : What are your future plans like? Consulting? Training?
Yes to both! I will continue consulting, but have a strong desire to start training. I am currently in the process of becoming a Cisco Instructor. Once that process is complete, I hope to spend a week or two a month delivering classes and helping students build a strong foundation for knowledge. This is a completely new and exciting area for me, so I have a lot to learn too.
You can reach paul through his website www.packetu.com and through twitter http://twitter.com/packetu.
That’s a great interview. Thanks a lot Paul! You’ve helped me and a lot of people through your efforts on CLND and twitter . Here’s wishing you all the best for a bright and illustrious career. Hope you all enjoyed this!
Cheers,
TacACK
