CCNA where to sit, how much?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 11:20

Sorry if this had been asked to death, what is the price for the CCNA and is it pure exam based, i.e it doesn't involve any pratical work?

I assume you can't take the CCNP exams until yuo have passed the CCNA?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 13:06

Mr-White said:
How are you covering the CCNA material, self study, courses etc ?

CCNA exams

MW

Self study, i know how to register and sit the exmas but where is the course work for self study?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 13:27

LordSplodge said:
Get the Cisco approved Self-Study books off the Rainforest ()

But unless you have a reasonable understanding of networking (and going by your previous posts, you don't) don't bother with the CCNA and do something Like the CompTIA Network+

I am not asking you whether to sit the exams or not, if i want to sit them i will, i know what i am talking about, a few virtual misunderstandings mean nothing to me. What i want to know is, is there an online equivalent to the approved self-study books?

If Cisco don't officially provide this someone third party must have by now...?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 14:27

LordSplodge said:
Of course it isn't a requirement but sound understanding of basic networking principles will make it a hell of a lot easier.

So you think Cisco router simulators really prepare you for the real thing?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 14:44

Chief Wiggum said:
you can get PDF study material from certain places, but (and trust me on this)...

Buy the books - you can write on them, highlight them, read them in bed, on the loo and take them around with you.

I took the CCNP ealier in the year and that was tough, but I was glad to have the books - if you can get the exam certification guides these are more to the point, the other books waffle on a bit in my opinion (but are good if you want more background)

/edit - I'd buy the cisco books unless exam cram have new ones for the CCNA, Cisco seem to know their own stuff pretty well

Certain places such as torrents you mean?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 17:21

RDM said:
The CCNA will be pretty useless unless you can back it up with some experience too. We pretty much bin any CCNA/MCSA and the like applicants that have no relevant experience. Generally paper exam and no experience means ActualTests and the like rather than knowing the subject.

Surely you can't be saying that they are absolutely worthless, at least it shows a commitment to learning the subject, and yuo will obvioulsy learn something?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 17:57

paradigm said:
The point is, a lot of people do the CCNA due to it leading to better paid IT jobs. This "lot of people" include those of whom who have worked in the industry at 1st and 2nd line support roles for a year or two.

These people with hands on experience of the job/environment will be more favourably looked at than someone who is purely paper based and would need to be trained from the ground up.

Having no experience in the industry and a CCNA *is* worthless, when looking at it from an employer/interviewer's point of view. Or at least, that is how I look at it (and I am in that position).

As was said in your other thread. By all means, get the qualification, but don't be disheartened by the prospect of having to start on a menial helpdesk role.

Interesting although i pretty much knew this anyway.

I am on a taught A+ IT essen. course just now (very basic i know, i know all the content but the opportunity came up to do it so why waste it?), and the trainer reckons he can get us a few months work experience when we complete, so i thought i could do the CCNA on my own in my spare time at the same time and end up with 2 certs and a few months work ex. Now this will take a few months to complete obviously, what do you think, a decent start ?

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 19:38

I was having a look at those labs on ebay, £100 for 1 router(old i guess) and a variety of cables, maybe i will get my block of flats all hooked up as a LAN to test it out, think the other residents would be up for it??

rz30 · 8 Dec 2008 at 19:52

dangerstat said:
In all honesty dont give this idiot any of your time he is just a troll look at his last thread in GD

Rubbish, i am starting to see the depth of networking after all this now, especially after briefly reading through the CCNA manual, this isn't secret knowledge and some people in here enjoy talking networking.