David Sudjiman

I started year 2008 with a new concept of study and learning. This is a priceless experience that I gain a complete different understanding about the way I acquire knowledge.

I began to realize that I’m not like those people who can finish CCIE within very limited time continuum, one even can get it for 3 months. I’m not here to judge, some people can have 16 hours of study in a day while I couldn’t. I was also offered to take two cisco field engineer exams within 2 days but then I asked, “what’s the point?”.

This is about acquiring knowledge, not getting the certification. Aristotle once said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” and I believe that. I’m a man of repetition, monkey see, monkey do.

I’ve been studying BGP since November last year and I believe that passing the exam is a complete different field than understanding it. I took this learning as slow as possible with different goal. Not only to pass the exam but understand it.

Of course, there are shortcuts to pass the exam, but there is no shortcut for understanding. I wish the world would be much easier if we can download knowledge within seconds just like Trinity and Neo do. But even if that technology exist, where is the fun?

I was intrigued by some comments on the mailing confirming that it is okay to have CCIE without proper knowledge, people say it as paper CCIE. I even heard that this and that countries have CCIE factory that can build CCIE within 6 months. I beg to differ!

That’s why I reluctantly join CCIE journey before I can assure myself that I have proper knowledge to enter the battle. When will I be ready? I don’t know. I don’t intend to be ready. I want to learn. I will know it when I’m ready.

The actual battle is never about getting CCIE. I believe many people can get CCIE. However, to stay the the same level of knowledge and attitude of being CCIE is a different story. It takes consistency and determination to stay in. How many people can pass CCIE and still actively being CCIE? Or even, many people can join the IT industry by working in the industry. However, how many people can be really be good inside it without consistency and determination to stay in and perform better.