CCNP Cetifications 2

[alkitoy]

Hi guys,

Is having a cisco router/switch or two necessary for the exam? I passed the CCNA exam without using a real router or switch. Although, I have used the router simulators, I didn't use them often. Is it different in a CCNP exam?

I'm also considering buying books from Cisco Press online since these books are not available in the Philippine bookstores. Which books do you recommend for the latest exams? I would really appreciate if anybody could help me find the latest Cisco Press books for CCNP at a cheap price. If there are guys (or gals) in the Philippines who just took their CCNP test with the latest exam, I would really appreciate if you could share your resources with me. I know that nothing in life is free, but if you had taken the new CCNP exams and thinking of selling their Cisco Press books, please tell me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[burtsbees]

http://ebook.vinagrid.com

Register for free, and all the ebooks are free. Before they went public, the Cisco Press books for the new CCNP exams were on that site, but I cannot be s ure anymore. It would be under networking--->Cisco.
As far as getting equipment, it is recommended, but not absolutely necessary. I passes all four (the older CCNP) exams with only a simulator and books. Since then, I have bought routers and switches off of Ebay to keep up. Some of the main things I saw were different OSPF configurations and messages they pass in different situations (like area border routers and such), some BGP, some concentration on the three layer campus model, very little IS-IS, some route redistribution, VPN stuff, and some VTP stuff, like pruning, and some troubleshooting with different debug/show command outputs. Not very much on layer three switch configs, but a little on vlan access-lists, as well as a lot of QoS stuff, route maps, a little on reverse telnet and other modem connect commands. I am not sure what is all on the newer CCNP tests, but I think there is more security (AAA) and wireless. Good luck.

Burt

 

[CiscoGuy33]

alkitoy,

I guess that kind of depends on whether you want to work in the field or not

I would feel kind of silly saying that I am a Cisco Certified Networking Pro and I had never touched a piece of Cisco equipment.

Now if you work "hands-on" with Cisco equipment all day at work and your question is do I need a home lab too? I would say that depends if you are getting the hands-on that a CCNP is expected to be able to do

I have known many CCNPs - several had extensive home labs, some had plenty of "hands-on" access at work with Cisco equipment and others rented time on Cisco CCNP or CCIE labs. The thing they ALL had in common was the fact they had extensive hands-on experience with Cisco equipment!

They all said they could not imagine getting through an interview without some discussion of the Cisco equipment they worked with. Many said part of the interview process was troubleshooting a real router or switch.

I guess it just comes down to what kind of CCNP you want to be! In this forum we surly have seen enough questions about Test Kings or brain dumps - so if you have read any of the previous posts you will figure out it can be done that way also for a "paper" cert.

You said you got your CCNA without any hands-on - that reminded me of a network admin from the airport authority that was looking to hire a CCNA - he had 6 come in and he tested them on a Cisco router to break a password. He told me that 2 did it, 2 kind of knew how to do it and 2 had no idea even which cable to use or where to connect to "console" into the router All 6 were CCNAs :-( :-( He said he gives "hands-on" tests to EVERYONE now that applies for ANY job!

Just some thoughts!


E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[alkitoy]

Thanks Mr. Broda for your valuable feedback. Actually, dealing with routers and switches is just a minor part of my work. And the only router commands I use are show ver, show log and show ip int brief. The rest of the commands which I need to use for troubleshootings and configurations are done via script. I took CCNA to jumpstart my career to IT from telecommuncations. I guess I needed to have CCNP in order to have a better edge over the ever increasing number of CCNAs here in our country. CCNAs are very common nowadays. CCNPs are not from where I come from. I'm also considering taking other IT courses too other than Cisco. Any suggestions?

 

[wabob]

CiscoGuy33, that is interesting!

Can you elaborate a little more on what the "hands-on" test was looking for. Did they have to console in and perform Password Recovery?

As a CCNA with 5 years experience, I am curious how I would have fared if I were one of the 6 candidates...



A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

The 2nd amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America

 

[CiscoGuy33]

wabob,

Yes, he had a Cisco 2611 router that was connected to a Cisco CAT 1912 switch. He had a computer with a serial interface on the back on the table next to the Cisco equipment but not connected, he said on the table he also had a yellow crossover cable, a green straight-through cable and a light blue Cisco console cable as well as a DB connector.

He had set the password to something other then "cisco" or "password" and he brought them in one at a time and told them to use the equipment and cables to change the lost password to "cisco".

He said 2 of the CCNAs setup the console cable correctly, got to ROMAN and changed the config registry and was able to go into the router and change the password.

One CCNA picked up the switch and said he was looking for the "reset" button on the router

Another CCNA said he did not know and admitted he read a lot to pass the exam (he worked in another department and later said that he had used Test King to pass the exam :-( )

The 2 other CCNAs both (he said) had an idea how to do it because they had read about it but had NEVER worked on a real Cisco router - they did all training on sims!

He said that now he has 3 2600 routers, the switch and the computer, he has a TFTP setup on the computer with a copy of the IOS - now he has them config all 3 routers, one has a bad password, the other the IOS has been erased and the third has no config as if it just came out of the box. He has all the cables and gives them a list of IPs, protocols and names for the interfaces etc. and has them setup the little network. He is shocked by the number of CCNAs that have no hands-on skills - and he does not expect a lot but feels they should be able to do a basic config, passowrd recovery and load an IOS from a TFTP.

I have talked to several network admins that have come through the Cisco Academy and most said they have hands-on skill tests ever since all the "paper" MCSEs back in 98-99.

Just some thoughts!


E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[CiscoGuy33]

wabob,

The 2 CCNAs that got it right had both completed the Cisco Network Academy program, one of the 2 had completed the academy where I teach, 2 years before the skills test (glad he remembered what we taught him .

I had him as a student for 2 of the 4 semesters of the Cisco Academy Program

I am a very strong believer in HANDS-ON training with real routers and sims!

Would you want your doctor to have passed his medical boards with a Test King?

Just my thoughts!


E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[wabob]

That would be like "Doctor Nick Riviera" from the Simpsons!

I agree 100%. There is NO substitute for actual hands-on experience...

 

[CZBRNO]

CiscoGuy33,
I took your advise and I read Sybex CCNA Study Guide by Todd Lammle.
I have the CCNA certificate now. The book helped me with my job.
Our work is switch maintainance oriented.
It is also connected witch router troubleshooting.
We do operation system upgrades of routers and Layer 3 switches. Some od our customers are using X.25

I would like to complete OS upgrades, OSPF and X.25 troubleshooting.
What book can you recommend for CCNP?
The hands-on experience is really needed.
However my mangers will beat my hands if I touch the device configs
It is understandable that I need equipment for home use.
Setup could be done as I wish.
This is the place I can upgrade OS with no troubles.
Do you know on-line shop where second hand equipment can be ordered?

Thank you in advance.

 

[CiscoGuy33]

CZBRNO,

Glad it helped you get the CCNA - I think he does a GREAT job with that book!

As for CCNP - with all the changes in the exams at the begining of the year I have not had much time to stay up with the new books coming out. I think I saw a post here about CCNP books in the past 2 weeks (I hang out in 3-4 different forums )

Check the past posts and if it was not covered start a new post and see what everyone likes!

Good luck on your learning - it never ends


E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[burtsbees]

Another thing I would like to add to what CiscoGuy33 said is that I have two 2620's, one 2620XM, two Cat2924's, and an 837, all bought off of ebay. None had an IOS that was any more than the i-mz (no IP-Plus, which I need for advanced interface configs---the basic i-mz image won't even let you do dhcp!), one did not even have an IOS on it. All the configs that were on the routers I saved, just for fun, and I also copied the IOS's via TFTP. I had to config my 837 from scratch, and had to do password recovery on one switch and 2 routers. I upgraded DRAM and flash on all the equipment.In conclusion...when you buy off of Ebay, NOTHING has what you need, and so I HAD to do all of this----very good practice. I have made it good practice to save all config files and IOS images BEFORE I start---I have had to load and reload IOS's and configs more than once!

Burt

 

[burtsbees]

I forgot to mention that I also have a 2503 configured as a frame relay switch---this opened the door for a lot of practice with frame relay (like with OSPF, etc.)---my next project will be voice over frame relay...

Burt

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Burt,

Great points !!!

You are so right, I learned soooooo much from picking out, buying and then putting the lab together. I spent coutless days and nights reading and learning about different routers, cables, FLASH, DRAM, IOSs etc. etc. I "cracked" the cases and upgraded FLASH and DRAM and I backed up all the old IOSs and configs as well as the new IOSs and configs on each router and switch on my TFTP. Learn by doing and by screwing up but it was my network and I learned from every screw up

I did the Frame Relay with a Cisco 2522 (Token Ring Router (don't care about the TR since I am using this as a Frame Relay switch) with I think 8 serial interfaces) and I have a hub and 3 spoke network connecting accross the FR switch - I have at least 3 routers in each of the "legs" of this "hub and spoke" network. I used this in classes to demo some complex networks for the CCNA students to experience, I based it on a old CCIE lab diagram that was posted online for a home CCIE network. The students and I learned lots about networking with that "little" lab

BEST WAY TO LEARN FRAME RELAY IS TO SET IT UP YOURSELF !!!

I even bought a Cisco 1000 series router(for like $5 on eBay) - broke the password and got it connected to my lab, I figure the more Cisco equipment I can get my hands on the better I understand how they do things!

Just more thoughts!


E.A. Broda
CCNA, CCDA, CCAI, Network +

 

[burtsbees]

Now all I need is a job working with Cisco stuff!

Burt