CCNA

craaaaaig · 5 Jan 2015 at 15:58

Hi,

I'm looking to do the CCNA course very soon and was looking for some advice. I'm currently in a 2nd line helpdesk role and want to move up to something more demanding. I did the network fundamentals part of CCNA as part of my university course and now want to take the whole thing.

Could anyone who has done it please enlighten me with some info and answers to the following:

Can it be done from home (in evenings after work)
Any companies advised to take it with
Do I need any books/equipment
Job prospects straight after completion
Difficulty

Thanks

GefGz · 5 Jan 2015 at 17:36

I haven't got a CCNA but my partner has, her responses:

Can it be done from home (in evenings after work) - If you apply yourself and dedicate time properly then it's easily achievable especially if you love networking as a hobby.

Any companies advised to take it with - She did via the open university, not sure of other companies but no complaints.

Do I need any books/equipment - You can get all the course information online via various tutorials for instance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO74ZTcc648

Books can help but as the specifications of the course change on a regular basis you might need updated coursework, etc. Having hands on experience with either real cisco gear or their GNS3 really helps, my other half used a Cisco 1841 when she did hers along with some other switches.

Job prospects straight after completion - Not sure on this one, she has totally unrelated job.

Difficulty - CCNA is not complex but you still need to learn a lot of the fundamentals of networking and switching which can take some time to practice if you haven't got an ideal learning situation, it's also upto personal skill/base knowledge and how fast you pick it up really.

Pvt_Ryan · 5 Jan 2015 at 18:56

I've done it..

1. Get the following three books:
A) CCNA simplified by Paul Browning http://www.howtonetwork.net/public/552.cfm - I cant recommend this enough, pairing it with offical exam guide was invaluable as each covered topics in different ways that helped me understand.
His site is rubbish and looks like a scam but I can testify that it is not. I have used the book. (you should be able to get it cheaper elsewhere. )
b) The offical exam Guide. from cisco press
c) http://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Labs-Cisco-CCNA-Exam-ebook/dp/B005479LDQ/ (I didnt use this one but it will help

2. Look at cisco learning site and download the latest syllabus.

3. Get and install GNS3 and find some IOS images (google will be your friend), will help with routing and most basic switching.

4. Study like hell until you can do the Labs without looking at the help.

I did mine in 6 weeks from pretty much zero cisco knowledge but that was studying 5hrs per night to the point i was dreaming about Routing and Switching.

I don't recommend doing ICEND1 the 2. Just do the single CCNA exam if you still can.

I also had a physical home lab (you can have it for free if you collect / pay for shipping)
If you are interested I'll do an inventory and let you know what there is but there is quite a few routers and I think a couple of switches..
You are also welcome to my books etc for a nominal fee say £20 though as I did mine ~4-5years ago they may not be 100% current with the exam.

leigh_boy · 5 Jan 2015 at 22:02

PVT Ryan , this is also something im wanting to do, and if craig doesn't take you up on it. i will

Leigh

Pvt_Ryan · 5 Jan 2015 at 22:33

Sure, if craig doesnt want them they are yours.

Word of warning postage wont be cheap for the routers as they are heavy items.

john_s · 6 Jan 2015 at 08:46

here's a whole thread here on CCNA stuff which is probably worth a read and answers some of your questions.

mad_allan · 6 Jan 2015 at 21:28

I work for a large ISP and CCNA is the absolute minimum for any faults related role from the business side of things. My thoughts for you are below:

Could anyone who has done it please enlighten me with some info and answers to the following:

Can it be done from home (in evenings after work) - Yes, I did mine in my spare time and like already been mentioned, I was dreaming about the damn thing a few nights before the exam!!

Any companies advised to take it with - We take all our exams through Pearson Vue, they have dedicated centres around the country.

Do I need any books/equipment - Yes! I cannot stress this enough. If you have no real world experience and then qualify for CCNA and go for a job interview, 9/10 times you will be given a lab to complete to show your skills.
Having real world equipment and GNS3 will help no end. Also, I would only recommend the Wendell Odom book Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching 200-120 Official Cert Guide. This was my bible.

Also - see if you can get hold of the CBT nuggets for 200-120, I find them a great help.

Job prospects straight after completion - Of course, just log onto any job search site and type CCNA, there are loads.

Difficulty - Depends how into networks you are. I am lucky to have worked in the industry for a few years so understand a fair bit now.

My biggest bit of advice is DO NOT take shortcuts. I interviewed a candidate just before xmas who had CCNA, when I gave him the lab, he couldn't even do the basic diagnostics. When I quizzed him further, he had pretty much just memorised the exam questions!

Good luck!

DJMK4 · 6 Jan 2015 at 22:18

There is a big ccna thread with lots of useful info

Iv been a network engineer for around 8 years now but not bothered with certs as I was always too busy, but decided to sort it out, done icnd1 Oct last year, already nearing the end of icnd2 videos and lab, then i will bash out a few weeks on reading matirial, do the CD questions and take it

I have a full suite of labs I have created for the practical config topics on icnd1, and half way through icnd2, would advise to do this In gns3 as you can then use them in the future if you need to lab anything or test anything at work

I used CBT nuggets videos, gns3, official press guide although didnt read all the book, just skimmed through chapters where I thought I would be weakest at, but its there for reference, and online material from Cisco

I love gns3

I also have some decom kit from work for physical labs but not used them, will do when I take further certs

leigh_boy · 7 Jan 2015 at 20:35

PVT_Ryan any news?

SiriusB · 7 Jan 2015 at 21:16

DJMK4 said:
There is a big ccna thread with lots of useful info

Iv been a network engineer for around 8 years now but not bothered with certs as I was always too busy, but decided to sort it out,...[snip]

I have been doing networking for four or five years now. I almost took my CCNA but they went and changed the syllabus and exam! I didn't want to risk taking the new updated exam in case I was missing knowledge. Still haven't got around to it!

One thing I have noticed, especially since moving to a more hands-on role last year, is so much stuff in the CCNA just doesn't ever come up in practice. All the serial crap that no one ever uses aside, half the subnetting rubbish you are forced to bend over backwards for just never comes up.

I should probably do it anyway, just to have that piece of paper.

oli356 · 7 Jan 2015 at 21:43

SiriusB said:
One thing I have noticed, especially since moving to a more hands-on role last year, is so much stuff in the CCNA just doesn't ever come up in practice. All the serial crap that no one ever uses aside, half the subnetting rubbish you are forced to bend over backwards for just never comes up.
.

A lot of the stuff doesn't come up, your right. But subnetting I think is still something you need to know. Never quite understood what the subnet mask was until I learned subnetting so..
If you're in a design kind of role then you will need to know how to subnet

Though yes, its rare that I can be bothered to work it out myself and therefore use a subnetting calculator!

SiriusB · 7 Jan 2015 at 21:46

oli356 said:
A lot of the stuff doesn't come up, your right. But subnetting I think is still something you need to know. Never quite understood what the subnet mask was until I learned subnetting so..
If you're in a design kind of role then you will need to know how to subnet

Though yes, its rare that I can be bothered to work it out myself and therefore use a subnetting calculator!

Don't get me wrong, knowing how it is done is important. I just find that 99% of the time the subnets you deal with are either standard (such as your private subnets) or simple case of adding another block within a larger supernet.

That and usual situations very rarely get as convoluted as a Cisco exam question!

mad_allan · 7 Jan 2015 at 23:07

It's the opposite for me SiriusB - working for a large ISP and only for large corporate network management, I use subnetting daily, unfortunately!

Completely agree with serial links though, we've slowly phased them out and I only know of a handful of customers that still use them. I cannot believe it is still a main part of the CCNA.

SiriusB · 7 Jan 2015 at 23:47

It's ridiculous! Who the hell still uses frame relay! :eek:

Skiddley · 8 Jan 2015 at 00:21

I'm a ccie, worked for vendors mostly. Yes, some legacy content but it offers a good learning framework. Get on with it

.

Pvt_Ryan · 8 Jan 2015 at 07:46

if i recall on my exam there were a number of subnetting questions.

Things like x cant talk to y and it would be subnet mask mismatches
or configure x to talk to y

SiriusB · 8 Jan 2015 at 09:44

Skiddley said:
I'm a ccie, worked for vendors mostly. Yes, some legacy content but it offers a good learning framework. Get on with it .

Yes, sir!

Pvt_Ryan said:
if i recall on my exam there were a number of subnetting questions.

Things like x cant talk to y and it would be subnet mask mismatches
or configure x to talk to y

I never did the exam, but have seen plenty of example/prep questions from Cisco. The answer to most of which - in the real world - would be "please stop smoking meth".

Pvt_Ryan · 8 Jan 2015 at 13:39

leigh_boy - Nope, you can have it..
I'll try and look this week end to give you a full list of what I have.

I can't seem to figure out how to PM you, even after adding you as a contact.

MarcLister · 8 Jan 2015 at 19:57

Pvt_Ryan said:
leigh_boy - Nope, you can have it..
I'll try and look this week end to give you a full list of what I have.

I can't seem to figure out how to PM you, even after adding you as a contact.

No PMs on OcUK. http://trust.overclockers.co.uk will allow you to email someone I think.

DJMK4 · 8 Jan 2015 at 21:17

SiriusB said:
I have been doing networking for four or five years now. I almost took my CCNA but they went and changed the syllabus and exam! I didn't want to risk taking the new updated exam in case I was missing knowledge. Still haven't got around to it!

One thing I have noticed, especially since moving to a more hands-on role last year, is so much stuff in the CCNA just doesn't ever come up in practice. All the serial crap that no one ever uses aside, half the subnetting rubbish you are forced to bend over backwards for just never comes up.

I should probably do it anyway, just to have that piece of paper.

Exactly what I done! They changed it lol, so I thought screw them, had a bit of a break and started again

I much prefer this version though

It is important to be able to subnet and subnet quicky, one of the things I found useful in the exam is on the sheet before you starts create a subnetting table that you can reference, although these tables look daunting to remember you will be surprised now quickly you remember it! And also your times tables for 4, 8, 16, and 32, write down a quick times table chart on sheet, makes it extra quick when you are working out network ranges

I learnt a technique which made me subnet pretty quickly, covering subnetting in general, creating subnets based on network or host requirements

Things like serial interfaces I know, most people just use fast Ethernet, but ah well

As long as you can answer obvious questions fast, be prepared and tackle simulation questions with multiple embedded questions, subnetting etc you should be good