This article is a part of my DevNet Expert Journey blog series
- Part 1: Decision
- Part 2: Intensive Study Period - Part 1
- Part 3: Intensive Study Period - Part 2
- Part 4: This post
- Part 5: 2nd Exam Attempt
- Part 6: 3rd Exam Attempt
Intro #
After an intensive period of study, it was time to put my skills and knowledge into practice by taking the DevNet Expert lab exam. In this post, I’ll walk you through what happened before, during, and after my exam. I believe this will give you a clear overview of the challenges I faced, which might help you in building your own strategy or simply understanding what to expect from the exam.
Let’s cut to the chase!
Week before the exam #
My final week before the exam was incredibly intense. I wanted to accomplish as much as possible during this time to ensure I was well-prepared. I worked through multiple mock labs that I received from Andreas and reviewed the RFCs to reinforce my knowledge. I was confident that I could pass the exam on my first attempt. I genuinely believed it was possible. I even took a few days off from work to focus more intensely on studying.
Three days before my flight to Brussels, I decided to take a break. We all have our limits, and I realized I couldn’t operate at 200% of my capacity. Pushing myself too hard could negatively impact my performance on the exam, so rest became crucial for me.
Day before the exam #
I woke up at 3:30, and by 4:00, I was ready to depart for WAW Airport. My flight was at 6:25, and I wanted to avoid any additional stress. With the exam already causing enough anxiety, I didn’t need more.
I arrived at Brussels Charleroi Airport, and my next stop was BRU Zaventem Airport, where I would eventually head to my hotel near Cisco’s office.
One thing caught my attention…
Well… After six intense months of studying, I began seeing DevNet Expert concepts everywhere! I was so deeply focused on that goal. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said there wasn’t a single day that passed without me thinking about becoming a DevNet Expert. Thoughts about strategy, knowledge gaps, study materials, the learning process, and more were constantly on my mind.
Trust your skills #
I arrived at Brussels Airport in Zaventem. With two hours remaining before I could check in at the hotel, I decided to stay at the airport since the hotel was only a 20-minute bus ride away.
As I waited, countless thoughts ran through my mind, leading me to several conclusions.
I promised myself that I wouldn’t punish myself if I failed. I had done everything I could, dedicating an enormous amount of time to reach this point. Even though I believed I could pass on my first attempt, I was still prepared for the possibility of failure. I knew the chances of failing this exam on the first try were extremely high, and I had accepted that. Nevertheless, I was determined to give 200% of my effort when facing this challenge.
Accepting the possibility of failure brought me a sense of relief - it helped reduce my stress levels.
Meanwhile, my family and friends kept sending me messages of support before the exam. We often think that a simple “good luck” doesn’t mean much, but for me, it meant everything, especially when it came from someone who genuinely cares about me. Those words were like fuel, helping me maintain my momentum.
I really savored this moment. I knew that tomorrow would be the big day I had been waiting for. I felt a mix of 100% confidence intertwined with a bit of stress.
Cisco Office #
When the time came, I took the bus to the hotel. After checking in, I dropped off my belongings and headed to the Cisco office to ensure I knew the way and wouldn’t encounter any issues. The last thing I wanted was to be late on the day of the exam.
The route was straightforward - I had no trouble finding my way, thanks to choosing a hotel close to Cisco’s office. At least this part wouldn’t add to my stress the next day.
As I arrived, I felt like I was standing at the gates of hell. Most CCIE candidates end up here, seeing exactly what I saw at that moment. I had read many stories from other CCIEs, so I immediately recognized the entrance.
I took Devvie with me, the mascot I received at the last Cisco Live in Amsterdam, as a symbolic source of support for myself. After that, I headed back to the hotel.
First issues #
When I arrived at the hotel, I wanted to relax a bit and then revisit my notes. However, when I tried to go through them, it just didn’t work - I was exhausted from the entire day of travel. I even started to feel a headache coming on. I reached for a painkiller, only to realize I had forgotten to pack them.
“If this headache hits me tomorrow, I’m done,” I thought.
I decided it was best to go to bed early, hoping to get a good night’s sleep and wake up refreshed for the exam.
Just before the exam #
I woke up at 6:30. After my usual morning routine, I had breakfast. Fortunately, the headache was gone, and I had managed to get a decent night’s sleep. Some of the candidates I had spoken with mentioned they couldn’t sleep the night before the exam due to stress. Thankfully, that wasn’t an issue for me.
I arrived at the “hell’s gate” around 7:45. It’s true what everyone says - those doors don’t open until 8:00. There were three or four other candidates waiting with me for the doors to open. As I waited, I stared at the pond, wondering if there was anything more I could have done to prepare. But after a few moments, I realized there was no point in dwelling on it. It wouldn’t change anything. I had done everything I could, and now it was time to turn that effort into success. I was determined to be the one who passed on the first attempt.
Exam experience #
The doors opened at 8:00, and all the candidates entered, taking seats in the waiting room. It turned out there were five or six of us. The proctor was a bit late, and we were invited into the exam room with a 15-minute delay. I was stresse - I didn’t know what to expect, what the exam system would look like, or how to behave in a restricted area.
When the proctor called my name, I was assigned to a specific desk. I noticed a sticky yellow card on the monitor at a neighboring desk, and I was almost certain it had “M.FRAK” written on it - the first letter of my first name and my full last name. I raised this concern with the proctor, who looked at me with a bit of pity, chuckled, and said, “You’re lucky.” The other candidates also laughed a bit. I was confused and didn’t fully understand the proctor’s response. Sometimes, I still struggle with my English.
Afterwards, I went to the locker to leave my belongings and realized that the sticky notes were on every monitor, all of them labeled with “MERAKI”. I was like: “Damn, he just said ‘MERAKI’”. It became clear that I was extremely stressed and unsure of what to expect.
Before starting Module 1, I asked if I could go to the restroom - a normal question, right? I heard giggles from two candidates who were clearly more experienced and had likely been there before.
I didn’t know the rules, which is why I kept asking questions like that. Although I tried to ignore the giggles, someone more sensitive to such comments might perceive it as teasing, which could increase stress and negatively affect their performance on the exam. Even though I brushed it off, it still stuck in my mind for some reason.
This experience reinforced my belief in the importance of being kind and understanding to everyone, including beginners. We’ve all been there, feeling that nervousness on our first attempt. Be a good person, be empathetic. Don’t mock - support instead.
Module 1 #
I started Module 1, and even though I was familiar with the exam format thanks to my Research, I still felt a lot of stress. I managed to calm down a bit, but I struggled with reading comprehension. I found myself needing to read additional materials multiple times, feeling as if I wasn’t fully understanding them. The pressure of time weighed heavily on me - I wanted to complete every scenario without running out of time.
After a few questions, I realized I was falling behind schedule, which only heightened my stress. I knew I needed to pick up the pace.
I eventually finished the first module with about 7 minutes to spare. I used that time as an opportunity to drink two glasses of water, walk around a bit to rest my eyes, and clear my head.
At this point, I was feeling exhausted. The first three hours had been incredibly intense. Despite my high motivation going into this attempt, reality hit me hard. The toughest part was knowing that Module 2, which lasts 5 hours, was still ahead.
I knew that Module 1 hadn’t gone as well as I’d hoped, but I pushed those thoughts aside and focused entirely on Module 2. I was determined to give 100% of my effort for the remainder of the exam.
Module 2 #
I moved on to Module 2 of the exam, where there were plenty of tasks to complete. These tasks involved tools and technologies listed in the Software and Equipment List, so I wasn’t surprised by any of them. I knew how many tasks I needed to solve, and a quick calculation made it clear that I didn’t have much time for each item. I wanted to keep a close eye on the timer to ensure I was on track and could adjust quickly if necessary.
I started with the first task, which initially seemed straightforward. However, I encountered an error message I hadn’t seen before. I tried to fix it, but my stress level caused me to troubleshoot chaotically. I was just missing a small detail - I could solve it if I just spent two minutes more. But those 2 minutes turned into 4, then 10, and eventually, I found myself spending around 25 minutes on that single task.
“I need to skip this, no matter how close I think I am to the solution,” I thought. I moved on to the next task,, and things only got more complicated. The amount of code was overwhelming, and I struggled to focus, making it difficult to grasp the requirements and constraints for the task. I started feeling a headache coming on, and my exam strategy began to fall apart.
I could sense that the real problems were just around the corner - it was only a matter of time. The worst-case scenario became a reality: without painkillers, the headache significantly impaired my performance. My stress level reached its peak. I knew that Module 1 hadn’t gone well, and now the first two tasks of Module 2 were also going downhill.
Before starting Module 2, I opened multiple browser tabs with documentation to save time when searching for specific technology references. That turned out to be a big mistake. After a while, the workstation’s RAM became exhausted - likely because Chrome was consuming a significant portion, and the system didn’t properly release the memory. As a result, the entire system froze.
I called the proctor for support, and he began preparing a new workstation for me. However, after about 5 minutes, the system started responding again. I quickly closed most of the tabs to prevent further issues. Fortunately, the system remained stable after that, but it caused another spike of stress that I really didn’t need.
With each passing minute, the headache intensified. I decided to go to the restroom, splashing some water on my face to cool down my forehead and try to regain my focus. I skipped second task. I’ve lost around 45 minutes on two tasks. It was so bad, but I didn’t want to give up.
I moved on to the third task, and this time, I managed to fix the issue. I put a check mark on a piece of paper to indicate that this task was finished and tested. That small success made me feel much better. It took me about 10 minutes to solve it - not bad at all.
After that, the proctor asked me for my lunch preference, and shortly after, we went for lunch. I received a big sandwich with ham and cheese. While I enjoyed it, I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Some of my CCIE-certified colleagues had mentioned that Cisco used to offer access to the canteen instead of just a sandwich. So, hey Cisco, I’m a bit disappointed about that! ;-)
Once I got back to my desk, I moved on to the subsequent tasks. The small success with the third task had lowered my stress level, and the break during lunch helped refresh my mind. This allowed me to regain my focus and pick up the pace, getting back to the execution speed I had during my mock labs.
I felt like I was performing near the top of my capabilities. Despite dealing with an enormous headache, my performance was strong, and I felt a surge of confidence, almost forgetting about the pain.
Eventually, I reached the end of the task list, but I had skipped six tasks because I didn’t know how to fix them immediately. With 45 minutes left, it became clear that I wasn’t going to solve all of them in that amount of time. However, I decided to give it 200% and not give up. I reviewed the unfinished tasks, identifying the ones I could fix relatively quickly and leaving the hardest ones for last. My goal was to maximize points by focusing on the more manageable tasks instead of spending all my time on the difficult ones and potentially earning no extra points.
I managed to solve three more tasks before time ran out, leaving three tasks untouched.
After the exam #
When the time ran out, I spent an extra two minutes reviewing the notes I had taken on a paper sheet during the exam so I could study them at home and prepare for a second attempt. However, I started to feel a headache coming on again - this time, it was so intense that I couldn’t focus on what I was reading. I couldn’t even remember what I had written in my notes.
I handed the paper back to the proctor, retrieved my belongings from the locker, and headed back to the hotel. Although the hotel was only about a 7-minute walk from Cisco’s office, it felt like an eternity. I was extremely exhausted.
When I usually have a headache, I take a nap to recover, and I typically have no trouble sleeping. But this headache was so severe that I couldn’t fall asleep. It was a horrible experience - even checking the time on my phone’s screen caused additional pain.
With my last bit of strength, I messaged my family and friends, letting them know that I had finished the exam but doubted I had passed. I told them I needed to rest and would get back to them later.
I lay on the bed for the next two hours, trying to nap. Eventually, I was so exhausted that I did fall asleep. After about 40 minutes, I woke up feeling slightly better. At least I was able to use my phone and have a brief chat with my friends who had been supporting me and keeping their fingers crossed.
I waited anxiously for the results, even though I knew it was unlikely that I had passed. When the results hadn’t come by 1:00 AM, I decided to go to sleep.
The results #
The next day, I woke up, went through my usual routine, and headed to Brussels Airport to catch a bus to Charleroi Airport. While traveling, I kept refreshing my email app from time to time, hoping for any updates. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive anything until around 3:00 PM, just as I was boarding the plane to Warsaw.
When I landed, I turned off airplane mode on my phone and saw a few notifications from messages my friends had sent. Among those notifications, there was one extra from my email app.
Your Cisco Expert Level Certification exam score report is now available
My heart started pounding as I tried to log in to my mailbox, but I wasn’t within range of the mobile network. The Cisco portal wouldn’t load due to the poor internet connection. Standing in the bus that was taking passengers from the plane to the terminal, I kept trying to load the page, but with no success.
Once I left the restricted area, I found a quiet spot to sit down and check the results. As expected, I failed.
I was mentally prepared for this outcome. I knew how difficult it is to pass on the first attempt.
I sent a message to Andreas, and he responded, “Book your next attempt ASAP”. He knew I needed to secure my spot quickly for the next try.
So, right there at the airport, I booked the exam. July 4th became the next key milestone in my DevNet Expert journey.
Conclusions #
What went wrong? There were several factors:
- Unfamiliarity with the exam system: I had no idea what the exam interface would look like, how to navigate between windows, or what to expect. This uncertainty added to my stress.
- Overwhelming stress: The high stress level affected my overall experience and contributed to the issues I faced during the exam.
- Forgotten painkillers: Without painkillers, I couldn’t alleviate my headache, which significantly impacted my performance.
- No breakfast: Although I usually skip breakfast, this time I really needed it. My brain was working at 200% capacity, and I think my energy was drained within the first two hours.
- Insufficient hydration and no snacks: I didn’t know I could bring snacks into the exam room, and I wasn’t properly hydrated, both of which affected my stamina.
- Poor time management: I spent too much time on the first two tasks. I should have moved on from them much faster than I did.
Summary #
You can prepare the best strategy for the exam, but there will always be unforeseen factors that can catch you off guard. As you can see, knowledge alone isn’t enough. I had most of the knowledge needed to pass, but various factors turned this exam into a difficult experience.
At least I’ve seen the exam. I had a better understanding of what to expect on my next attempt. This time, I could prepare a more effective strategy, and I knew that at least I wouldn’t be intimidated by the environment.
Thank you for sticking with me. See you in the next post, where I’ll share my experience from my second lab exam attempt.