CCNP Route is boring!

Hondabuff

Just passed my CCNP Switch back at Cisco live and really enjoyed the content and learned a ton. Now I sit here with the CCNP Cisco press book, Route Simplified, CBT and Bryant videos and I'm stalling. I'm on video 6 on the CBT's and not sure if I'm going to make it through. I originally wanted to do the CCNA security because there is a lot that pertains to my current job and I'm watching the CBT videos with Keith Barker and I think I'm hooked now. Do I need some inspiration or just a kick in the rear? What did the rest of you do to grind through route. I have my 3 1841's on my desk humming along and all I'm thinking about is playing with ACS on my VM and building VPN tunnels. Ughhh!

Fitzi

Without a good grounding in routing you would probably find it more difficult down the track, from a certification or troubleshooting point of view, that being said you have to do something you like to stay interested. Personally I found switch boring as hell and now I'm finding route much more interesting, each to their own I guess.

ninjaturtle

Heya Hondabuff,

I actually thought the exact same thing! I took SWITCH first too, and I loved the content. I was so intrigued and interested in all the topics. For me, it was the book I was reading. The OCG by Odom was just to dry for me, so I switched over to the FLG by Teare and it's better.

If I were you, I would definitely fire up some labs and work through the content on a per chapter basis. This is what I do to keep me interested and focused, otherwise I find myself reading the chapters and not knowing wtf I just read because my mind was drifting.

I strongly recommend you complete the CCNP R&S, as I feel it's a strong foundation for all other certs. PM me if you want to run over some labs and scenario's and keep ROUTE with an edge.

Cheers,

bharvey92

Hey Man,

I felt the same when doing my CCNP Route, I think personally that it is really hard going and compared to the Switch (which I am studying now) it is alot more intensive.

I think that this is because the content of the NP route is alot broarder and covers new content that the CCNA didn't, Eg: BGP, Multi-Area OSPF, Route-Maps, Prefix-Lists etc. However in the Switch and NA some of the content had already been covered in the CCNA.

My adivce is that I would stick with it and try to find another source is possible. I found my Route heavy going, switched from Cisco OCG to the Bryant series and I felt I picked up more information from them sources than any other.

However this is all down to personal preference, it's up to you to find what works best for you.

Good luck man, and keep your head down and grind through it!

theodoxa

I started with ROUTE using the FLG and it was incredibly boring and the ridiculously long chapters (a trademark of the FLGs apparently) made me feel like I wasn't making any headway. I switched to SWITCH (using the OCG) and found the material a lot more interesting and the chapters a lot more reasonable in length. I think that once I start ROUTE again (after I take SWITCH and IINS) that I'm going to give the OCG a try, because I just can't take chapters that are a book (125 pages each) unto themselves. Not to mention the 1st half of ROUTE FLG's Chapter 1 (The Planning section) looks like it was written by Cisco's advertising department, given the plethora of buzz words and corporate speak.

Hondabuff

My Route Simplified book is over 1000 pages. It reminds me of Security+ where I was just memorizing everything but not actually learning it.

Heero

I don't know how you could find the SWITCH topics more fun than the ROUTE topics. ******* spanning-tree is boring as ****. Routing is pretty fun, and BGP/MPLS is even more fun IMO.

That being said, it is all important to know.

Hondabuff

I think I found my technique for Route. I have been reading the Cisco Press book for CCNA-S and finish a chapter then pickup the Routing and Switching quick reference Guide for Route and I'm starting to gain a bit of interest in Route. I'm starting to peek ahead because I have questions that have-not been answered but can only be found in the big book. I'm now believing the CCNA-S will make me a better NP engineer just by reading the book. I don't know if I will test out with it but I'm finding it a good read. I did the same with the CCNA-V and gained a ton of knowledge.

Hondabuff

Finished the CCNA-S book last night. Didn't get out of it all that I was hoping for. Skipped chapters 8 and 14 since I'm strong on Layer 2 stuff and I don't use ASA's at work since we switched to Palo Alto's. Now to start digging into Route a bit more. What does everyone like better, CCNP Simplified or FLG book?

/usr

See the new thread I started, hopefully it gets some hits.

Without being too discouraging, I feel your pain. The current ROUTE exam is mind numbingly boring. For me, that is a combination of the way the ROUTE FLG presents the info and the fact that I don't use at least 75% of the current material on the ROUTE exam and quite honestly, likely will not do so in the foreseeable future.

SWITCH was the polar opposite, I have utilized nearly 100% of that content in my daily duties for years now.

CCNA-S is easy, just knock it out. I did that in much the same manner as you, when I got bored of the current ROUTE stuff.

I am strongly considering holding off, as the new ROUTE exam looks a bit more interesting. At least it breaks up the material a bit...

fredrikjj

It may seem easier to study for the switch exam because it has topics that can be studied in isolation. For example, you can sit down for a weekend and learn everything about port aggregation and then move on. Something like OSPF has a much steeper learning curve and you may study for a weekend, and then not feel like you've made any progress. When you feel that way it's important to have faith in the process and not get discouraged. If you just power through and force yourself study you'll eventually reach the point where it starts making more sense.

Hondabuff

Just finished chapter 3 of the Cisco press book and watched the first 6 videos of the Bryant CCNP Route boot camp. I flipped through the FLG book and the Route Simplified and its no better. I really like the CBT nuggets videos for CCNA, Voice and Security but a bit disappointed with Route. I think Chris Bryant covers the topic much better. I built a lab with my 1841's and found myself building VPN tunnels with virtual tunnel mode. Do people really tune EIGRP this much in production? If they did, it would be awful coming into that company and trying to decipher the configs. Onto chapter four of Route Summarization, Ughh!

Hondabuff

This weekend was the breakthrough that I have needed. I fully committed myself to GNS3 getting it running and fully stable. Started back on the CBT Nuggets NP Route and built the lab the same as Jeremy and felt like a door opened for me. Looks like my plan will be CBT Nuggets and the Route Simplified book. Getting the reps in with GNS3 is going to be the only way to handle this beast.


Its nice being able to do all the commands compared to Packet Tracer such as whipping up a VPN tunnel. Now to play With GRE's.

theodoxa

Hondabuff wrote: »

Do people really tune EIGRP this much in production?

I've run into a few that do. You'd be amazed at how some folks overcomplicate their networks.

Hondabuff

2 months into Route and dare I say I'm starting to enjoy it. I started last week on doing the practice tests and have been reviewing the areas where I'm scoring low on. I wanted to have a gauge on where I'm at with my studies since I have been bouncing around books. BGP has taken a whole week of book work and labs and not sure if I get it yet or ever will. I think I know enough to pass but I will keep trudging along. Next up is the Redistribution section and I'm saving IPv6 for last. Looks like there are 5 main labs to master and I'm taking my lumps exposing where my weaknesses are. I found the same thing with switch, you just cant fake what Cisco expects you to know for the NP exams. LAB/RINSE/REPEAT!

bharvey92

Although all topics are important, the BGP topics I found were most critical to nail especially labbing for the exam that with multi-OSPF.

Hondabuff

Just my 2 cents here, I'm halfway through the "How to Master CCNP Route" book and its really sticking. I have read about 50% of Route Simplified, 60 % of Cisco Press, 40% of OCG and 100% of CCNP R/S quick reference. I think you could just read the Quick reference and the How to Master CCNP Route book and that would cover it. Combing those two are like "CCNP Route Concentrate". The 900 page books have a lot of filler and mind numbing arduous reading which I just cant do. So before you wade into the bog of CCNP route, you may want to give these two books a look if you have the same learning style as me. I'm finding it refreshing to read a chapter an hour, Lab and then cover the points where I'm weak on.

Hondabuff

Finished the "How to Master the CCNP Route GNS3" book. Great book but I'm changing my opinion that you will still need the FLG or Simplified book as a primary source. I'm going to finish the Simplified book this weekend and check to see if I can get my company to pay for the exam so I can get this out of the way and start Tshoot. I have been scoring in the high 90's on all my pre-exams so I feel I'm ready to go.

ninjaturtle

I'd have to agree with you Hondabuff. I read a good portion of the 'How to Master the CCNP Route' but the FLG still has to be a primary source. I purchased the Simplified book, but it's been sitting on my iPad unopened at the moment. I found myself bouncing around to many books, as I also browse the Bryant stuff too.

I was just curious, do you guys think a CCNP bootcamp is worth it? I've always wanted to do a bootcamp, like they have for the CCIE's. Looks like the INE bootcamps are online, so not sure if that's worth it. I've contemplated taking a couple days off work and doing the bootcamp, so I can make this January 30th cutoff.

I really slowed down this month, and I'm not happy. So I got my coffee next to me and looks like it will be an all nighter tonight. How's everybody else holding up? I just keep finding myself drag through the mud on ROUTE. So frustrating!

Hondabuff

Scheduled for the 10th. Testing center on had 4 days open for December, YIKES! Cant wait to be done with CCNP. Truly a bigger commitment to study for vs. the CCNA tracks. With a new house and new job I have other things I would like to doing. My kids keep asking me when I'm going to be done with my homework since I'm doing it every night for hours on end.

Danielh22185

Hondabuff wrote: »

Scheduled for the 10th. Testing center on had 4 days open for December, YIKES! Cant wait to be done with CCNP. Truly a bigger commitment to study for vs. the CCNA tracks. With a new house and new job I have other things I would like to doing. My kids keep asking me when I'm going to be done with my homework since I'm doing it every night for hours on end.

I know the feeling! Good luck to ya! I'll be testing the opposite side of things just as soon as well!

xnx

I've scheduled mines as well, I find route pretty boring as I don't really get to touch any outside of a lab environment. At the same time I don't want my studying and books to go down the drain due to exam changes..

Which protocol did you guys find easier to read up on / learn out of EIGRP and OSPF?

GNS3 works REALLY well now (1.2), makes studying route fun

Hondabuff

xnx wrote: »

I've scheduled mines as well, I find route pretty boring as I don't really get to touch any outside of a lab environment. At the same time I don't want my studying and books to go down the drain due to exam changes..

Which protocol did you guys find easier to read up on / learn out of EIGRP and OSPF?

GNS3 works REALLY well now (1.2), makes studying route fun

I found the whole LSA thing with OSPF just absurd. Combine that with your not so stubby, stub, Stubless Nssa, LSU/LSA, Virtual link mumbo jumbo and stir it up with some K values from EIGRP, its enough to make your head spin. I really enjoyed the IPv6 and branch routing portion. Switch was defiantly the harder of the two to study for now that I'm looking back. Routes learning curve was steeper and I feel like when I pass that I will be a paper CCNP even though I'm currently a Network Engineer. I'm going to check into some boot camps for next year and see if I can talk my boss into sending me to one of those instead of Cisco Live again. I feel like with the whole self study route that I'm missing out on things. If someone could take the Network Warrior book and make a certification out of then it then I think they would be on the right track. Paying $750 for CCNP exam fees should grant you some college credit or something, maybe a hologram certificate or something. Not sure if I will go much further past CCNP or not after this, only time will tell.

xnx

I feel the same way regarding 'vendor specific' certification, only reason I am going with the CCNP is that it only takes 1 exam every 3 years to recertify and Switch or T-Shoot should be easy enough.

I really do wish there was a multi vendor certification with some SDN etc. I also wish it wasn't as hard to break into a proper networking job :P and not a 50/50 server/networking one..