After participating in this Google+ post, I thought it would be nice to list the resources I used when studying for the CCENT and CCNA exams. Please keep in mind that I earned the 'v1.1' certifications that were recently updated by Cisco.
I imagine that most of the information in these resources will still be relevant to the new exam, but make sure that most of your material is geared toward the new v2.0 exams.
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The first concept I recommend is the "Don't Break the Chain" concept I learned on lifehacker.com. You can accomplish damn-near any goal through consistent effort over time.
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Next, be sure to grab the syllabus from Cisco's website for the exam. If you are going to break the CCNA into two parts (which is what I did), the first exam to take is the 100-101 (CCENT). After you click on the link, click on 'Exam Topics'.
Also, head over to the Cisco Learning Network and create your Cisco.com account. Once you create an account, you'll have access to download white papers and PDFs for the exams.
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/index.jspa
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The Cisco Press website is also a mandatory stop. These materials are geared specifically for the exams and are published with Cisco's blessing, so they better be good enough to help you pass the exam!
CCENT: http://www.ciscopress.com/markets/detail.asp?st=44701
CCNA: http://www.ciscopress.com/markets/detail.asp?st=44711
Personally, I would start with the Foundation Learning Guides. I didn't know these guides were available when I took the CCENT/CCNA, but I started using them when studying for the CCNP SWITCH and CCNP ROUTE exams. Highly recommended!
CCENT: http://www.ciscopress.com/store/interconnecting-cisco-network-devices-part-1-icnd1-9781587143762
CCNA: http://www.ciscopress.com/store/interconnecting-cisco-network-devices-part-2-icnd2-9781587143779
The Official Certifcation Guide would be my next stop. These are aimed directly at passing the exam. A lot fo the same material will be presented between the Foundation Learning Guide and the Official Certification Guide, but my method of study isn't just to learn, but to overlearn.
Last in this section, grab the Portable Command Guide. The Portable Command Guide on it's own won't help you much but once you have the Foundation Learning Guide and Official Certification Guide under your belt, the Portable Command Guide is where the rubber meets the road.
Think of these three books this way: The Foundation Learning Guide is the 'high level' book to show you the overall picture with some detail. The Offical Certification Guide is a more focused view of the same terrain (middle level). But the Portable Command Guide is the ground level, 'roll up your sleeves and get dirty' book. If you haven't seen the overall picture of the exam and the technology, it makes it more difficult (in my opinion) to really know what each command is going to do, what commands are needed to implement the technology and what the consequences of those commands might create.
The whole purpose of these exams is to prove we have the knowledge and skills to configure and troubleshoot Cisco equipment and networks. If we lack the fundamental knowledge and skills and just study to pass the exam, we're cheating ourselves and cheapening what the exam is worth. The Foundation Learning Guides are to learn about the theory and implementation behind the technology, not just to pass the exam. Start at the high level; work down to the ground level.
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Next, you need to ask yourself how far you want to take this. If you are just going after the CCENT and CCNA, you can probably get by with a simulator. But I recommend using both simulators/emulators and real equipment.
Hit ebay and look for great deals. There are other suppliers that can be found, but I've purchased all my Cisco gear via ebay.
For crossover and serial cables, monoprice is a great site.
When I took on the CCNA, I used two routers and three 2950 switches, but mostly, I used GNS3 especially for the Frame Relay topics.
GNS3 is a Cisco router simulator/emulator program available for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Another great resource that ties into GNS3 is http://www.freeccnaworkbook.com/workbooks/ccna. This site provides a great framework to build labs in GNS3 and to help prepare you for the exams. I recommend actually typing in the configurations (since that what you're trying to learn anyway!) instead of 'copy and paste'.
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Next: YouTube
There are so many great videos to learn Cisco and networking technology on YouTube that it would be difficult to list them all here. Search for the topic you are wanting to study next (RIP, Frame Relay, VLANs, etc.) and you'll find plenty.
Here are some channels that I subscribe to:
CBT Nuggets
Cisco
INE Training
Keith Barker
Kevin Wallace
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There are also plenty of video courses out there. Check out their samples and if you think you might like their teaching style, go for it.
CBT Nuggets
Chris Bryant
INE
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After reading a number of articles about what study methods work and which don't, flash cards were consistently at the top of the list. Cisco has flash cards available, but if you want a free program check out AnkiDroid. I have AnkiDroid installed on my phone and tablet. It's a great study tool when you have a few minutes of downtime. I've been doing more book reading than using flash cards lately, but memorizing terms is crucial for these exams.
Practice exams are also listed as great educational tools. I see that Cisco does offer some practice tests, but I've never used them so I can't say if they are any good or not.
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Also, it might be worth your time to head down to your local library and see if they happen to have any Cisco books. The books will likely be outdated, but take advantage of as many free resources as possible.
If (and this is a big if) you can grab a copy of 'Routing TCP/IP Volume I' by Jeff Doyle, the first chapters will be very educational. It's an intense and immense book, but there's good reason why it's been called the 'Networking Bible'.
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I've acquired most of my books in ebook format and uploaded them to my Google Play Books account. It has been so nice to be able to read these books on my tablet and my phone. The syncing works OK, but the portability is the biggest benefit. Highly recommended.
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In conclusion, there are so many resources to study for the Cisco exams that you will probably have more trouble deciding which ones to use instead of having trouble finding anything at all.
If I find any more resources, I'll add them here.
Good luck!
Showing posts with label CCNA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CCNA. Show all posts
Friday, October 4, 2013
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Introduction, Certifications and Purpose of This Blog
For the first post, I am introducing myself and the purpose of this blog. I currently work at the Idaho National Laboratory. I’ve been working there since August of 2007. I started out at a temporary hire for a hard drive encryption project, was hired on full-time to be a Field Services technician (worked hands-on with end user devices). Eventually, I was tapped to work with the Network Operations group and that’s when I started my pursuit of Cisco certifications. Prior to working with the Network Operations group, I only had experience with home network devices and small network concepts.
At the same time I started working as a Field Service technician, I started to become interested in Linux. Like most people new to Linux, I distro-hopped for quite a while before finding Arch. I’ve been using Arch Linux as my primary desktop at home for a few years now, but I recently moved to Debian on my work computers (just looking for a little more stability at work). I highly recommend Arch Linux to anyone who is willing to give it a go.
Since moving into Network Operations, my wife has been kind enough to let me purchase some home lab equipment and that has made the biggest difference towards learning and earning certifications.
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Certifications:
CompTIA A+ - October 2006
CompTIA Network+ - November 2007
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) - February 2011
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) - August 2011
Passed Cisco Certified Network Professional SWITCH exam - July 2012
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You might have noticed a gap between the Network+ and the CCENT. During that time, I was working on the MCSE and MCSA certifications. But a couple of things happened along the way: Microsoft moved up the new certifications from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 and I started with Network Operations. So, I do have some server experience as well.
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For my home lab, I have the following equipment:
2) Linksys WRT-54G home wireless routers (one for my own stuff running DD-WRT; the other is running the standard firmware and is used for the rest of the family)
3) Cisco 1721 Access Routers (1 built-in Fast-Ethernet port; 2 slots available)
6) Cisco WIC-2T serial cards
1) Cisco 2621XM router
1) Cisco 2610 router
2) Cisco 3550 Layer 3 switches
3) Cisco 2950 Layer 2 switches
6) 3’ serial cables (with end connections that work with the WIC-2T serial cards)
10) 3’ cat5e crossover cables (for connecting the switches together)
4) 5’ cat5e straight-through cables (for hooking routers to switches and computer connections)
2) 5’ fiber-optic cables
4) GBICs (for the Cisco 3550s)
1) Rollover cable
I also have my PC with a serial card install to be able to connect to the Cisco devices with a rollover cable.
I’m really happy with the lab I’ve built, but there are a few things I would have done differently in hindsight.
I would recommend purchasing Cisco 1760s instead of 1721s. The 1721s need an external power supply (make sure you get one for each router if you choose to buy them) and they are not rack mountable. However, the 1721s are fanless so they are quiet while working with them (which is really nice).
On the Cisco 2610, make sure to purchase a model with FastEthernet ports (2 would be better than one). On the Cisco 2610 (not the 2621XM), the one I have only has a single Ethernet port (10 Mbps), so it is unable to perform any trunking to the other switches. So, the lesson here: make sure to purchase routers with FastEthernet minimum. However, the Cisco 2610 does make an excellent Frame Relay switch (which is what I use it for now), so if you can get one for cheap, it can be put to good use.
As for the switches: start with the 2950s for the CCENT and CCNA; go with the 3550s if you decide to pursue the CCNP. I would love to get a couple 3560s in the mix for private VLANs, but I couldn’t justify the price (yet).
I purchased all of my lab equipment off of eBay, a little at a time. I started with the 2621 and 2621XM and the three 2950s for the CCENT and CCNA. I purchased the rest in preparation for the CCNP.
I based my later purchases based off of this web posting: http://www.certskills.com/LabGear/CCNP/BuildLists.aspx
I chose to add an additional 3550 and I’m glad I did. And since I had the 2610 and 2621XM already, I chose not to add two more 1721s. Again, I wish I went with 1760s so I could buy a rack and mount it all together, but live and learn.
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The purpose of this blog is to fill a small niche need out there. I’ve found plenty of blogs and sites about Cisco certification and routing, but switching and end user connection troubleshooting seems to be ignored. Hopefully, the following blog postings will fill that need and maybe lend a helping hand. I plan on sharing more than just networking stuff as well including my study habits and other ‘productivity’ items I’ve learned along the way.
At the same time I started working as a Field Service technician, I started to become interested in Linux. Like most people new to Linux, I distro-hopped for quite a while before finding Arch. I’ve been using Arch Linux as my primary desktop at home for a few years now, but I recently moved to Debian on my work computers (just looking for a little more stability at work). I highly recommend Arch Linux to anyone who is willing to give it a go.
Since moving into Network Operations, my wife has been kind enough to let me purchase some home lab equipment and that has made the biggest difference towards learning and earning certifications.
---
Certifications:
CompTIA A+ - October 2006
CompTIA Network+ - November 2007
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) - February 2011
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) - August 2011
Passed Cisco Certified Network Professional SWITCH exam - July 2012
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You might have noticed a gap between the Network+ and the CCENT. During that time, I was working on the MCSE and MCSA certifications. But a couple of things happened along the way: Microsoft moved up the new certifications from Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 and I started with Network Operations. So, I do have some server experience as well.
---
For my home lab, I have the following equipment:
2) Linksys WRT-54G home wireless routers (one for my own stuff running DD-WRT; the other is running the standard firmware and is used for the rest of the family)
3) Cisco 1721 Access Routers (1 built-in Fast-Ethernet port; 2 slots available)
6) Cisco WIC-2T serial cards
1) Cisco 2621XM router
1) Cisco 2610 router
2) Cisco 3550 Layer 3 switches
3) Cisco 2950 Layer 2 switches
6) 3’ serial cables (with end connections that work with the WIC-2T serial cards)
10) 3’ cat5e crossover cables (for connecting the switches together)
4) 5’ cat5e straight-through cables (for hooking routers to switches and computer connections)
2) 5’ fiber-optic cables
4) GBICs (for the Cisco 3550s)
1) Rollover cable
I also have my PC with a serial card install to be able to connect to the Cisco devices with a rollover cable.
I’m really happy with the lab I’ve built, but there are a few things I would have done differently in hindsight.
I would recommend purchasing Cisco 1760s instead of 1721s. The 1721s need an external power supply (make sure you get one for each router if you choose to buy them) and they are not rack mountable. However, the 1721s are fanless so they are quiet while working with them (which is really nice).
On the Cisco 2610, make sure to purchase a model with FastEthernet ports (2 would be better than one). On the Cisco 2610 (not the 2621XM), the one I have only has a single Ethernet port (10 Mbps), so it is unable to perform any trunking to the other switches. So, the lesson here: make sure to purchase routers with FastEthernet minimum. However, the Cisco 2610 does make an excellent Frame Relay switch (which is what I use it for now), so if you can get one for cheap, it can be put to good use.
As for the switches: start with the 2950s for the CCENT and CCNA; go with the 3550s if you decide to pursue the CCNP. I would love to get a couple 3560s in the mix for private VLANs, but I couldn’t justify the price (yet).
I purchased all of my lab equipment off of eBay, a little at a time. I started with the 2621 and 2621XM and the three 2950s for the CCENT and CCNA. I purchased the rest in preparation for the CCNP.
I based my later purchases based off of this web posting: http://www.certskills.com/LabGear/CCNP/BuildLists.aspx
I chose to add an additional 3550 and I’m glad I did. And since I had the 2610 and 2621XM already, I chose not to add two more 1721s. Again, I wish I went with 1760s so I could buy a rack and mount it all together, but live and learn.
---
The purpose of this blog is to fill a small niche need out there. I’ve found plenty of blogs and sites about Cisco certification and routing, but switching and end user connection troubleshooting seems to be ignored. Hopefully, the following blog postings will fill that need and maybe lend a helping hand. I plan on sharing more than just networking stuff as well including my study habits and other ‘productivity’ items I’ve learned along the way.
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