Is it worth getting a paper CCNA or not?

[JohnFaunce]

I just wanted to know how many guys study for their CCNA without any practical networking experience or work experience? As we all know, the ICND part of the course is the practical side of it. The problem is that doing a hands on ICND course is very expensive. In Australia its $3250(AUD) for 5 days tuition. Thats just way to expensive, and smells of a ripoff as all those short certification courses are. I can do the entire CCNA for the same price at a government funded type institution called TAFE (Australian readers will know what it is). However it is only partime and goes for about 7 months. I want to get it done faster. I already have a Master in Information Systems and am 37 and can't get a job. I do have quite a bit of previous networking academic knowledge and have started reading the Cisco CCNAB book. I know that there are those networking simulations available from Bison, and maybe others, that I can practice on. I also worked in Computer Operations for a bank about two years ago. Therefore would I be able to past the test without actually putting my hands on any cables and routers, etc, and secondly as I have said, are 'paper'CCNA's, worth getting. Thanks guys for any opinions and responses. John

 

[desps]

hi john,

i can tell it is possible to get ccna without going through the course,but however u need to get yourself familiar with the scope of the test as well as the simulation questions.

i will be taking the test in coming few weeks, and i believe
i am ready for it,as my friend just passed the test last week. We always have a discussion after gathering the necessary info.

In my opinion, in Malaysia,it is still worthy getting 1 of it.



desps

 

[ElijahBaley]

Hi John,

I had quite a lot of pratical work experience with computers and Microsoft products in a Local Area Network (LAN) environment before I embarked on the CCNA, but absolutely no Router/Cisco experience, I have studied solely from the Cisco Press book and the Router Sim product. I narrowly failed the exam first time round but now feel very confident that I will bag it the second time.

personally I think that it would be extremely difficult to pass the 607-640 without ever getting your hands on either a simulator or real routers, but apparently some people do it.

As for real world experience, maybe this is not quite so important, as the CCNA covers a lot of networking concepts that are applied in switching and Internetworking and the pratical application is on the routers and switches which can be simulated for your studies.

I think that the five day course is probably a rip off and would probably suite someone who has been working with routers for years and needs a fast track to the certification. I reckon the seven month course is ideal as in all honesty this is not a easy exam and it may well take that amount of time to really get to grips with it.

Just my opinions :0)

EB

 

[dogbert2]

Geez, why would you spend $3250 on a 5 day course, when you could get 3 2501's and a 1924 switch, the CCNA book by Wendell Odom, cables (i'll assume you already have the PC), and some practical labs for CCNA for I would say less than 1500 off of ebay. Spend 3 to 6 months understanding the IOS, RIP/IGRP, subnetting, WAN, Frame Relay, etc.

The more practical exp. that you have on cisco gear, the easier your testing experience will be (not to mention, you are a LOT more likely to pass, and not spend time and money retesting).

I don't know anyone who could learn all the material for CCNA in just 5 days (unless they work with cisco gear daily) and have done so for 6+ months

 

[JohnFaunce]

Thanks very much for your replies guys. I may also ring some of the IT contracting companies here in Brisbane, and ask whether I really need to get my hands dirty or not, in order to pass the exam, and also to have something meaningful to show to an employer. I do have my old contractors, but they havn't been exactly attentive to me since I finished university, so I'm a bit mad with them. Basically after I finish the basics book, the ICND stuff is going to be very new to me. I may go do the 7 month course, I'm not sure. Yes if I could get my hands on the equipment for home use, that would also work. I think its the question of keeping the momentum of study going. Once again thanks for your help!!