Cisco CCNA Certification Guide

[k0mbachi]

Wendell Odom's CCNA Certification Guide is an excellent book. However, the CD that accompanies the book is another matter. Within the test engine, routing section, there are four simulation questions. I am able to resolve one of these and get a score. Has anyone worked through all four of these sims? I could not find solutions anywhere in the book or on the CD. On one of the sims, the task is simply to be able to ping one host from another, which works fine after adding an IP address to one host(no gateway since the default cisco password doesn't login to any of the five routers and there is no access to a operating system command line), but no credit is given for the accomplishment. Another sim simply requires that you ping a router from a host which is accomplished by defining the ethernet interface. The pings are 100% successful, but no grade is given for the answer. If you click on the answer buttons for any of the sims, nothing happens. Has anyone else encountered this?

Another issue: There are a half dozen question in the test engine regarding multiprotocol routing, but there is no corresponding text in the book itself dealing with the material on the questions. Can anyone advise if multiprotocol routing is covered on the 607 exam?

 

[dogbert2]

Well, I had two co-workers use this book along with a boson exam for practice before taking the CCNA, and both passed it (they also completed the cisco network academy for CCNA, 4 courses), so they didn't have too much difficulty on the exam.

The CCNA 3.0 will be a different exam. It will test knowledge of EIGRP, single area OSPF, VLSM, and heavier WAN stuff. This exam will probably be phased in by Fall of 2003, so if you haven't taken the 2.0, better take it before the exam is retired by cisco.

 

[k0mbachi]

Did they use the 5th printing published July 2002? Were there four simulations embedded within the routing portion of the test engine on the CD? If you'd ask them those two specific questions, that would be appreciated. I have no problems with the other 296 questions and actually only have a problem with two of the sims (got graded on one ok, no grade on two even though they ping OK per the instructions, and haven't gotten back to the fourth). Since simulations are such a significant part of the exam (and even more so with later versions), I certainly want to have the processes internalized to a degree where I can do what's needed with minimal thought. Of course that can only happen if I allocate enough thought now, prior to the test.

 

[jmissild]

I emailed the editor of the Cisco Press book by Wendell Odom. I am sorry but I do not have the address anymore. He sent me a new version of the cd. I remember that there were a couple of questions that would say that your response was wrong when it was correct. A couple simulations would say something like why cant Host1 on Router1 ping Host3 on Router3, and then when you try to ping from Host1 to Host3 it works without changing anything.

 

[k0mbachi]

Jmissild:

I've contacted ciscopress via their web page. They advised that I have the latest CD; that the author of the CD has been "unresponsive". Their only resolution was to offer me a refund. The problems you've described sound similar to events I've experienced.

Since this is the primary training text for persons desiring to become CCNA certified, I queried whether they would solicit another programmer to follow up and whether they would address the significant amount of errata on the CD, at least a few dozen misspellings, grammatical errors et al. Haven't heard back yet. The CD is not typical of Wendell Odom's immaculate style; I suspect he is not author of the CD material.

 

[jmissild]

I have version 1.2 of the cd. What do you have?

 

[k0mbachi]

Well, that's an excellent question. Most of the files on the CD are dated 7/22 and 7/23 of 2002. Start.exe runs a macromedia program that thinks nothing should be on top of it; all subsequent loaded PDFs pop under that module. There is no Help, About to determine a version number. I didn't see one obvious on the opening screens. How are you determining your version number?

 

[k0mbachi]

You can slap me anytime; I deserve it. Pulling the CD out of the CD player and looking on the label, the version is 1.3.

 

[techthug]

Check out this web link for CD replacement.

http://www.ciscopress.com/surveys/surveys.asp?st={5C36BA66-F8EC-4EF6-931F-1C448D040455}

 

[k0mbachi]

Been there, done that. A few days later I get this message:

Dear Cisco Press Customer:

We received your request for a replacement CD-ROM for the Cisco CCNA Exam
#640-607 Certification Guide. However, your printing of this title has the
correct CD-ROM, and does not require a replacement. If you have problems
installing or running your CD-ROM, please contact our Technical Support
department at userservices@pearsoned.com.

We hope this product is of assistance to you as you prepare for the CCNA
exam. Thank you for choosing Cisco Press -

The Cisco Press Team

So, I try plan B, which is submitting two complaints via their web form. The SECOND generates this snipped response:

In response to your inquiry...
I am sorry but the author has not been responsive regarding this issue.
Because we stand behind our product, you are welcome to a full refund.

And a few days later, the FIRST generates this response from an executive editor:

Thank you for your interest in Cisco Press. I've forwarded your question on
to the technical support group that created the CD test engine. I will let
you know as soon as I have a response from them.

I respond to the second with a suggestion that efforts be coordinated with sender of the first. I respond to the first with awe and amazement that the "official" study guide for CCNAs is defective and ask to be contacted when the matter is resolved, along with some other discourse. NFI.