The CCNA/Cisco Certifications Thread

IV watched and took notes on the CCNP switch material, got a switch lab setup under my desk at work. Just need to go through the labs, more reading and some questions and book exam.

I done CCNP route last Nov so im hoping to get switch done sometime in Oct/Nov with Dec being a bit of contingency.

I can't get them done in short time like some, too much going on in work and need to relax after.

Once I get switch done its then troubleshoot which should be OK
 
DJMK4 said:
IV watched and took notes on the CCNP switch material, got a switch lab setup under my desk at work. Just need to go through the labs, more reading and some questions and book exam.

I done CCNP route last Nov so im hoping to get switch done sometime in Oct/Nov with Dec being a bit of contingency.

I can't get them done in short time like some, too much going on in work and need to relax after.

Once I get switch done its then troubleshoot which should be OK
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I'm studying for the NP Switch exam too. No physical lab for me though GRNS3 on a ESXi box. :).
 
leigh_boy said:
has any one done CCNA security recently? any tips / advise / what resources are needed to pass?
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Sat it last year. Was lucky that I had a good number of 3750's and 6500's to lab up and play with. I actually found the exam one of the easier going.

CCNP Switch for me next, now I've had a break from sitting the exams. Only problem now, is a change of job roles means I don't have a lab to hand in the form of the old 'hot spares' I was able to play with.

I'm trying the virtual route....
 
Glad I happened to read this thread - I did a CCNAX course at the tail end of last year and have been doing more and more networking stuff since (not necessarily all Cisco but all CLI), but hadn't gotten around to booking the test. Now I have just under four weeks to get up to speed on things in the course that I don't do daily and hope I never get tested on subnetting ever again.
 
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Failed it, massively. Got 670.

Loads and loads of questions on ISE which isn't even covered in the Cisco Press study guide and course material. Only had one lab which was about site to site VPN config within ASDM. I'd done so much studying on the CLI I was hoping for some real hands on labs.

Absolutely gutted and with my CCNA expiring in 4 weeks, doubt I'll pass a resit if they focus so much on ISE.
 
Anybody else here done the 210-260 and used the Cisco Press study guide? The more I read, the more I realise im not alone. One post I found, the guy used the book, material from CBT nuggets and online cert guide (I have the book and OCG) and found they all differed in the material.

Unless I've missed it, neither the book nor OCG covered SonicFIRE, PEAP or ISE in any real detail, all of which I was questioned on quite heavily. I'm torn between trying to do extra studying and resit or just writing it off, renewing my CCNA in future and then going for CCNP (which was my plan after the CCNA Sec).
 
I'll check my Book in the morning (need to dig it out) for the course number and let you know.

I had ISE and ASDM when I took it. 4 labs if I remember.
 
How do employers view you as a candidate if you previously had passed the CCNA was working in a related job, your CCNA expired and then you want to move on?

Do they still expect you to have a valid CCNA? Or higher?

This is more theoretical for me now as I have decided to go down the Linux admin route but just wondering.
 
Depends. I've interviewed with some firms who want you to maintain the ticket. Others who like the experience and the knowledge that you had\can pass the ticket.
 
As above, depends on the industry. There will be certain places that require certs to be kept up to date as it impacts on partner relationships, and there will be other places that are so close to the bleeding edge of new technology that the relevant certifications haven't been written yet.

If you've been using the skills that the CCNA covers then I would have thought most places wouldn't care that it had expired.
 
just started to study CCNA (R&S) at a local technical college (work decided to pay for it even though I don't really do anything related to it, so thought why not - I had been planning to self study!)
all been going well till we moved on the osi & tcp/ip layers - for the life of me can't get that to sink in. OSI more so. how vital is this part to the overall required knowledge base?? I have the basics down but not the exact specifics that describes what occurs at each OSI layer
 
You only need to know 1-4 for this level of cert. It's more useful when describing what layer different services run at as it brings the understanding together.
 
OSI model really you should know as the fundamentals of networking. As long as you can explain much of how the first 1-4 or 5, and obviously the top is your application layer. It's also helpful for troubleshooting

Have a go through the syllabus to see what you will be looking at.

For subnetting ID reccomend finding the best method, as people tend to have diffent ways of teaching you. If your planning on taking exams you want to be able to work out subnets in 10-20 seconds.

Got my CCNP switch exam coming up soon in december, passed Route last Nov I think, then I'm going to try and get TSHOOT out the way first half of next year. Hear it's easy so I may try and book it earlier on
 
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cheer for the replies caged & DJMK4.

DJMK4 said:
Have a go through the syllabus to see what you will be looking at.

For subnetting ID reccomend finding the best method, as people tend to have diffent ways of teaching you. If your planning on taking exams you want to be able to work out subnets in 10-20 seconds.
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haven't got to that bit yet (I hope!) but the teaching method is basically all online using Cisco NetAcad. all we really do in the night class is get hands on with the routers and switches. which is probably what is keeping me back, don't really have anyone to turn to if I get stuck or bogged down in a specific area (google has truly been my best friend this past few weeks!) ah well just have to stick at it.

nowt like getting to 41 years of age with virtually zero qualifications to your name! :(
 
Honestly I think certs in IT are overrated and are primarily a way for the companies that produce them to make a bit more cash - certainly the newest fields develop quicker than the certs can be conceived.

However, they are what people use when assessing things like partner relationships, how competent a 3rd party provider is, and when a hiring manager can't figure out what you know by just talking. So they remain a necessary hoop to jump through if you aren't lucky enough to work in an industry that takes a more modern approach to technical knowledge.
 
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