Exam Question Tips

[sk391]

Hello, I am planning to take my ICND 1 exam in a couple of week. I have been studying for about months and think that I know all the theory and have a lab for testing. I have been taking a couple of practice exams which I have and have been scoring in the 90% mark area.

Just want to make sure that I not in for any surprises in the exam room. can anyone give me any advise on the types of questions which will appear. I just have a fear that the questions on the exam will be nothing like the ones which I have been practising!

for example switch security - will it take the default configuration of a switch and you have to pick them out from a list or will be some sort of diagram, asking you to review the diagram and ask questions about it.

Thanks

 

[sk391]

p.s the material that I have studied is from Sybex and videos and exams are the byrant advantage

 

[CiscoGuy33]

sk391,

The best advice I can give you is go to

http://www.cisco.com

and get the exam objectives - then go through them 1 by 1 and be honest with yourself that you know that concept or you don't, or you can do that on the router/switch or you can't!

I wish you would have listed what you have for a lab, hopefully you have 3 good routers like 26xxXM or 36xx's and 3 switches like the 2950's or 2960's which is what the CCNA exam is based on.

If you have been working through the Sybex book and doing lots of HANDS-ON labs as well as the Bryant Advantage stuff you sound better then most.

I would have liked it if you had ALSO used a Cisco Press CCNA or ICND book to study and do labs from.

The only thing I would suggest is getting a Cisco Press book and working through it as well as a Cisco Press lab book that they use for the Cisco Network Academy and doing ALL OF THOSE HANDS-ON LABS !!!!

As far as the exam, it will be a lot like most of the practice exams that you see, in fact I think up at Cisco you can see examples of the how exam questions look (not real questions) but so you get a feel for the buttons etc.

The key is you have about 50 seconds per question on average so that you have time for the harder questions, some will be very easy others will take some thought - READ all the questions and ALL the answers, pick the BEST answer and move on, you can not go back!!

And if you don't pass - use the experience as a learning experience - do a brain dump FOR YOUR OWN USE of EVERYTHING you remember from the exam and how they asked things so that you will be ready the 2nd time. The first Cisco exam is hard for EVERYONE

Hope this helps!

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

 

[Lemon13]

i just did my icnd1 a week ago and passed it with 955pts., i had 2 labs where u had 2 work with the console, one where u had 2 configure passwords and an acl (if u get this one, dont forget to do the copy run start at the end) and one where u had 2 setup ripv2. one more drag and drop where u had to use cdp show neighbours to allocate interfaces 2 networks.
as far as my exam went, the main objectives where on subnetting/switching and routing, not a big deal for me (im mcse nt4/mcsa w2k3), the real stuff comes with icnd2, there u have to know ios/routing protocolls/vlans...
good luck

 

[sk391]

Thanks Guys. Very useful. Didnt know ACLs were on ICDN1

 

[CiscoGuy33]

sk391,

According to the Cisco objectives ACLs are on the 2nd exam, however, that does not mean that Cisco might not have a question included that is looking for something else, such as what you do to try to answer the question

Cisco REALLY studies test taking to an EXTREME, I talked to the head of CCNA test developement at a Cisco Networkers years ago, he had his PhD in some kind of adult testing/education area, he was more looking at how questions were asked, answered and ways to tell if people were cheating based on questions they got right or wrong etc.

He was VERY interesting to talk to and he did not give away any INSIDE information He attracted a big crowd after his discussions !!!!

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

 

[burtsbees]

And don't eat the brown acid...

Burt

 

[sk391]

Hi guys, Does anyone have any experience with the bryant advantage exam questions? I have been taking the ICDN1 exams on the cd and there seems to be a massive different in the difficulty of the questions with them and "Pass for Sure" exam questions. Can anyone give some info about this please
Thanks

 

[burtsbees]

I have heard mixed things about the Bryant Advantage---mostly not so good. The Pass-4-Sure exam questions are actual screenshots of the test, so those are usually accurate. But don't use that---get to know the stuff...

Burt

 

[CiscoGuy33]

sk391,

Cris Bryant from The Bryant Advantage is a Cisco CCIE and provides a top notch training system and I would say that none of his training would violate the Cisco None Disclosure Agreement and it would not only help you pass the exam, but also make it so that you can DO YOUR JOB IN THE REAL WORLD!!!!!

This is what I found about "Pass 4 Sure", first you don't see any CCIE's name associated with the site, when I clicked the link, I was taken to Test King, a China based company that for years has been selling test questions that look a lot like the real Cisco exam - against the Cisco NDA - why do you think they are in Cina or Caymen Islands

Here is what they say -

The users of pass 4 sure tests just need to memorize their appointed questions/answers, and then they can easily pass their any certification exam in their very first attempt. For instance, in the CCNA certification exam of Cisco, there are some companies that will provide you more than one thousand practice questions but pass4sure will supply you only 200 questions which are latest and authentic. Make sure when you take your exam and Cisco asks what you used to study that you tell Cisco that you used Test 4 Sure, you want them to get the credit for your passing!!!!
---------------------------------------------------

So what they are saying is learn these 200 questions, get your CCNA - what they are not telling you is that MOST IT companies are onto these places and will laugh you out of the technical interview when you don't know sh_t

This is called a "Paper Cert" and it is worthless!!!

So it looks like it is an ethics question - do I use legit study material or CHEAT :-(

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

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Burt,

The knocks I have heard on The Bryant Advantage is that it is expensive $$$$. But as far as the Cisco NDA and "Paper Certs" you do not need to worry

From what I have seen at The Bryant Advantage website, it seems to be pretty good, but I am not sure worth the money when you can do the Cisco Network Academy at a community college.

I DO NOT LIKE PAPER CERTS!!!!!!!

That will come back to haunt him :-( BIG TIME, I have seen it soooo many times, students of mine that went that route PRIOR to the Cisco Academy! When they got thrown out of the technical interviews they signed up for real training in our Cisco Network Academy and learned it as they should have in the first place, and when they were done they had their CCNA's as well as the knowledge that needs to go with it

Just some thoughts!

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

 

[burtsbees]

Gene---why haven't the super powerful Cisco lawyers stopped those jokers yet???

Burt

 

[CiscoGuy33]

Burt,

Cisco and Microsoft did shut down the orginal Troy Tec which was a huge one back in 1999 because he was in I think Texas, they stripped him of his MCSE and CCNA and sued him. I know that Microsoft went after this guy BIG TIME!!!!!

I see that TroyTec is back up and it looks a lot like Test King, they might have bought the domain.

Lots of these they can't do anything because they are in China or the Caymen Islands.

What many that use these things may not be aware of is that Cisco spends a lot of time looking at the exams and patterens and ways to tell if you are cheating, they know the "Test 4 Sures" and "Test Kings" are out there and they also know that you will NOT pick the 4 of 6 right answers on question 27 but miss the easy multi guess in the question 32 slot. There is a lot more then just questions and answers to a Cisco exam

Or, they change 1 word in the question such as which is NOT the blah, blah blah, you see a question that looks like the one you memorized and lo and behold - you get it wrong :-( so sorry so sad, boo hoo, boo hoo

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

 

[CiscoGuy33]

unclerico,

I have told this story before, one of the network admins in my class needed a CCNA for a wireless rollout at the local international airport. He had 7 guys come in (all CCNA's) one by one he lead them into a room with a table with 1 2600 router, several Cisco switches, Cisco hubs, a PIX, a laptop and a bunch of different cables including a light blue Cisco console cable.

All he told them was to break the password on the router (he did NOT tell them which was the router) using what was on the table he then sat down in a chair in the corner and JUST watched the FUN

Out of the 7, 2 did it with no trouble, 1 got close, 1 thought he knew how and 3 had no idea where to start, one even said he had NEVER seen a REAL Cisco router before :-(

He ended up hiring the 2 that did it, they were just as good with EVERYTHING he asked them in the interview! He did tell the other 5 that if you say you are a CCNA, you had better be able to act like a CCNA and suggested they get some HANDS-ON practice!!!

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

 

[unclerico]

Ha ha that's too funny. I've always wondered what their train of though is. Do they think that just because they have the letters next to their name that the equipment will bow down and config itself??

I love how my orignal rant was removed. There's nothing like censorship ;-) eh mods??

I hate all Uppercase... I don't want my groups to seem angry at me all the time! =)
- ColdFlame (vbscript forum)

 

[CiscoGuy33]

unclerico,

I came back and it was gone (post) I don't remember seeing anything that bad. I don't think anyone wants to see "Paper Certs" or likes those that are just looking for "Paper Certs" - it does not do the IT industry any good :-(

I wish, the mods, whoever they are would email us and let us know, what it is that was wrong - I understand a clear SPAM posting but ????

Poster started it by listing what appears to be a questionable study aid, some people just really do not know what a "Paper Cert" is or how it will come back to haunt them!!

Just my thoughts, users trying to help other users!!!!

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

 

[burtsbees]

Post it again, Uncle---maybe they have had a change of heart...actually, I wanna see what you guys are talking about...maybe I'll catch it before it disappears again. If you know Spanish, then post it in Spanish.

Burt

 

[silverhairb]

unclerico,

Your post might have been dragged down into the abyss when they deleted mine. Something about getting that synching feeling.

Actually, I would like a reference or two to help me understand async and synchronous communication. I'm going to get a second WIC-1T card and back-to-back cable to set-up communication between two routers. Would like to understand the protocol and operating parameters so that it makes sense when I do the config.

[the other] Bill

 

[maczen]

Not to mention that Cisco revised the way their tests are graded.. You can fail just for missing a certain combination of questions that belies the fact that you do not grasp the content! They are getting smarter about this and I seriously doubt that Pass-4-Sure will help you with the sims!

Either way, I have said this before! Certify to learn.. don't learn to certify!

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI

 

[burtsbees]

Hey Gene---UFC is in The Sun Dome tinight there in Tampa...I'm jealous...

Burt