Old phone guy wants to be Cisco voice guy? 1

[Deweyhumbolt]

I've been in telecommunications since working as an Outside Plant Tech. for PacBell in 1980. I'm currently babysitting a Nortel Option 81C at a VA hospital. Nortel is gone, and Cisco is the rage. I've installed lots of Nortel BCMs, some Shoretel, and now Cisco Call Managers. I'm almost done with the first Cisco class for a CCNA(CNT-140)and getting a solid B at my local community college. What's the ultimate certification path to get to be a Cisco Voice Specialist. I need a long term goal? Thanks!

"Adversity is Opportunity

 

[stubnski]

Hi,
Good job on taking classes! I'm sure the guru's here will be able to point you in the right direction on what to lookout for and what hardware to get for practice. But for a certification path check out this link for Cisco's certifications.


Stubnski

 

[Deweyhumbolt]

Thank you, exactly what I was looking for.

"Adversity is Opportunity

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Might I suggest CCNA Voice as the next step. I'm an old voice tech doing the same. I got my CCNA and have been playing with voice for a while whilst putting a lab together. CCNA Voice will be my next step, in fact I think it is a prerequisite for the CCNP Voice exams.

 

[Irvineca949]

I second the CCNP Voice too. That's what I'm pursuing

 

[Slider55]

I'm in the same boat...got my CCNA and now working on the ICOMM v8 for ccna voice, then planning to take ccnp voice, it has 5 courses. ICOMMv8 is a combo course, an overview of call manager express, unity express, call manager, unity voice mail and basic administrator functions. Hope this helps

 

[Deweyhumbolt]

I just finished the Cisco CNT140 and CNT 150 classes at the local JC. Christmas break and then back to CNT160. Hopefully passing my CCNA as the final in May. Sliders: when you say 5 courses for CCNA voice, what is a course?

Thanks.

"Adversity is Opportunity

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Slider55 is talking about the CCNP Voice qualification which involves multiple exams. CCNA Voice is just one

 

[Deweyhumbolt]

Well after all 4 Cisco Academy classes (CNT140-CNT170), I took ICNDA1 for my CCENT. I needed 804 and scored 862! I was feeling confident, but I still scoured VCE and 9tut and saw most all the questions? Then I got smoked on the ICNDA2, needed 840 and scored 706. The questions were brutal and focused on esoteric bull*&#t?

Any words of encouragment, since I'm not giving up?

Thanks in advance.

"Adversity is Opportunity

 

[lerdalt]

first off...congrats on the ICND1. For ICND2, definitely don't give up. Whenever I fail an exam (and I've failed plenty), I use it as a reference for studying later. The break down of the scores should hopefully give you some ideas on the areas you need to re-focus on. What did you use for material? Anything beyond the Cisco Academy?

 

[Deweyhumbolt]

I have no lab, but the teacher was well qualified to teach the test. In fact he had to reup on both tests within a week of our tests. I will answer your question directly:

Configure, verify, and troubleshoot a switch with VLANs 13%
Implement an IP addressing scheme 88%
Configure and troubleshoot basic operation and routing on Cisco 60%
Implement, verify, and troubleshoot NAT and ACLs 100%
Implement and verify WAN links 83%

And this is a 706??

"Adversity is Opportunity

 

[lerdalt]

you could spend a lot of time trying to figure out the scoring, so I'd suggest not wasting your time. Nice job on the NAT and ACL's section, I remember that was a confusing subject at the time I went through the CCNA years ago, same with IP addressing scheme.

Since you don't have a lab, I'd actually suggest trying to get in front of a switch and router if you could. Since the 2 areas you were lowest scoring on were configuring, I really think it helps to get in front of the equipment. You could look at Dynagen/Dyanmips, and it might be enough to get through it, but that would be my suggestion.

Did you feel going in that switching was a weak area? Were there certain things within that topic that you just weren't as comfortable with?