CCNA > KGhaleon

KGhaleon

760/850-1000. 56 questions. Finished with 10 minutes remaining...

I've been beaten down for the third time taking the 640-801 exam. Apparently there's some force at work here...as I've studied about every CCNA-related book out there. I was confident in my answers and really thought I'd pass the second and third time, but nope.

This time I got nailed with...surprisingly, tons of ISDN and Frame relay questions. I also had one OSPF sim which didn't seem so bad...though I have no idea if I did it correctly. There were also a number of "vague" questions involving the use of ping and telnet.

Everyone I know that has taken the exam passed, so I don't plan on taking the easier two-part exam path. I'll just have to throw another wad of cash to the lions and hope that they are gentle. ;_;

If I've earned anything, it's experience with these exams. It's easy to lose yourself during those 90 minutes.

KG

Jiggsaww

whoa......wat did u use as ur practice questions.........i haven't done it as yet but..........don't give up man........

KGhaleon

Well, there were a lot of books I read with practice questions. You could probably find them at any book store. I don't have the links with me for a lot of the different web sites I used, but this was one:
http://www.celticrover.com/tig/ccna/ccnareviews.asp

I use Boson NetSIM for my lab configurations. The exam really isn't just about configuring a router or reading a paragraph of text.

Most of the exam consists of questions with pictures and diagrams, and they ask you to find errors or make corrections. Tons and tons of switching questions, mostly about VTP and STP. That's not too hard, but they make the questions too vague.

Strangely enough, I also got some questions about Hub and spoke and hierarchical network design. Didn't know I was taking the CCDA

KG

Jiggsaww

i meant like no CCNA Cert Sim by Todd Lammle or Transcenders or something like that

wastedtime

I don't know if you looked into it but, the CCNA flash cards book helped me out quite a bit. It was a good addition to the INTRO, ICND books that Cisco had. The test software wasn't to bad either but it had it's quirks, I remember 1 questions answer was wrong and another the image to decipher the answer was missing. But what I did was use the Testing software till i was making at least low 90's on it every time.

KGhaleon

CCNA flash cards is one of the books that you can find in just about any book store. It's ok, but really doesn't help too much. I just find the actual test to be far, far more difficult because your not going to be asked simple questions like, "What is VTP? What is the difference between ethernet and fastethernet?" etc etc

KG

Gogousa

One suggestion I have is about the lab. I read you used Boson NetSIM to practice, I think is a great tool but there is nothing like the real thing. I would buy a couple of 2501 to start and if you can, a couple of 1900 at least to practice STP, trunk and VLANs (for the test you would need the commands of the 2950 but they are expensive). Real labs give you the taste and understanding on how things really work.
When I bought my first router it didn’t came with IOS so I had to learn how to put the IOS on flash (I haven’t even started with CCNA at that time) and from that day I haven’t forgot how to do it because I solved a real problem and not just some practice.

Good luck.

badboyziggy

how vague are these qestions??

KGhaleon

They will give you a picture of a switched network and ask you questions like, "what interfaces should be set as designated root ports in the above image?" without any information on the speed of the links.

The labs aren't a problem, since I have access to several real ones. I just used sims since they are easier to have access to.

Oh well, time to study and try again.

KG

mikej412

Good Luck! 4th times a charm!

Hang in there!

Jiggsaww

KGhaleon wrote:

They will give you a picture of a switched network and ask you questions like, "what interfaces should be set as designated root ports in the above image?" without any information on the speed of the links.KG

isn't it d switch with the lowest mac that is chosen?

KGhaleon

No, your thinking of the root bridge. Then there's a root port and designated port. Everything else is set to Blocking mode on a switch.

KG

Jiggsaww

hmmm c wat u mean........

Ahriakin

You're sitting the exam, not your friends so don't try and pass it the way they have. In theory the single exam is harder but also remember that with 2 separate exams it allows each to be more indepth and 'tricky' about their subsets of information. At the end of the day Cisco would not have split the exams if they believed it would allow weaker cert. holders to exist, they have a reputation they need to protect (Making their certifications seem like defacto standards can only improve their marketshare, sorry for stating the obvious...). I took the 640-801 before Xmas and failed with 750, I took the INTRO last week and passed with 982 (does this mean I 'really' don't have a clue?...don't answer that...at least until I get the ICND myself ). Basically at this stage I'd say split it up. Whatever way you learn that cumulative exam just isn't compatible. Do it the way you need to, don't give a damn about anyone else, your CCNA will be as valid as theirs.
Also one thing stood out to me. I am not trying to be critical here (or nitpicking) so please take this as constructive. You mentioned setting up OSPF but not knowing if you did it correctly. With a working knowledge of routing you should know you simply have to ping from one remote subnet to another (Not connected), since the idea is to share routing information this would quickly show you if it worked. I know the lapse could easily be down to exam nerves (You don't want to hear some of the questions I now know I missed the first time ) but I'd advise hitting the sims a bit harder (without knowing anything else about the areas you had trouble with).

KGhaleon

Thanks for the advice. Maybe the two exams wouldn't be a bad idea...but money-wise, it's a little saddening.

The OSPF sim that I had wasn't hard, they just had me go in and make some changes so that it would work correctly. I didn't see anything else wrong and decided to continue...so there's always the possibility that I could have overlooked something and gotten a lower grade. *shrug*

I'm going to put my CCNA aside for a while. I have some CCDA and CCNP books that I've been reading...so maybe I'll go back to the CCNA when I have more than enough knowledge to pass the exam.
I also have my 70-270 and Linux+ that I'd like to grab. I have my study-time cut out for me. Then there's work, and this upcoming job at Lockheed.

KG

Ahriakin

Yup the extra money factor is what made me go for 801 aswell, but in the end it's all an investment (Of course that doesn't help when it's fuel in the car vs. sitting another exam right now). I would advise you to get this done before continuing - besides the obvious of already having so much relevant info. fresh in your mind the psychological effect of leaving it vs. finally beating it could be make or break on your next exam (it would be for me anyway). But it's understandable if you're weary of it all at the mo.
As for Lockheed, good for you! I could be a CCIE and still not get a job with them (Something about actually being a citizen and not just a greencard-holder....not good when you live in an area where the only real high-end IT is connected to the military and that nasty little restriction ...oh well )

mikej412

KGhaleon wrote:

I'm going to put my CCNA aside for a while. I have some CCDA and CCNP books that I've been reading...so maybe I'll go back to the CCNA when I have more than enough knowledge to pass the exam.

I did my initial read of the CCDA books as a study break from the CCNA -- don't do it! The CCDA is a trap!!!

Okay, just kidding about that... but the DESGN test is the hardest test I've taken. I'm glad I changed my test sequence and took it after the CCNP.

But you are on the right track..... The CCNP extends and expands upon the CCNA, but also does a review of the basics. Pick your hardest area in the CCNA -- routing, switching, or wans, and pick through that CCNP level book. Skip, or brush over the new stuff, but pay attention to the "old CCNA" stuff. Different author, different viewpoint, different explanations may help with getting over your CCNA hump. Plus, reading the CCNP book counts as "moving forward" -- just in case you're feeling stuck in mud with the multiple CCNA attempts. The more you know, the easier the tests seem to become.... really!

petedude

Ahriakin wrote:

You're sitting the exam, not your friends so don't try and pass it the way they have.

Well, yeah, but in one sense, he's doing that by asking here.

Ahriakin wrote:

In theory the single exam is harder but also remember that with 2 separate exams it allows each to be more indepth and 'tricky' about their subsets of information.

Actually, this is the impression I got. . . that the 640-801 "composite" was designed for people who had little exposure to Cisco, didn't want to sit through the Academy, and were in a hurry to wrap their cert. Everything I've read about the dual-exam suggests that it's primarily targeted to Academy students. The Intro questions seemed easier than any Intro questions I ran into on the 801, and I'd say in my studies the ICND has a similar slant. Cisco makes more money off the two-exam series by pitching that system to Academy prospects, so why not make the exams a touch easier? Conversely, they make up some of it on the 801 takers who retake multiple times.

Ahriakin wrote:

(Making their certifications seem like defacto standards can only improve their marketshare, sorry for stating the obvious...).

I'd say gold standard rather than defacto standard. I think Novell or CompTIA set "de-factos" before Microsoft dived in, and Cisco currently basks in the acclaim of having one of the best certification programs around.

Ahriakin wrote:

Basically at this stage I'd say split it up. Whatever way you learn that cumulative exam just isn't compatible. Do it the way you need to, don't give a damn about anyone else, your CCNA will be as valid as theirs.

Truer words have not been spoken. It seems like the two-exam split is the way most folks should go, whether they do so or not. I tried to move off the two-exam path to the 801 and got burned. . . back to ICND studies for me.

petedude

Jiggsaww wrote:

i meant like no CCNA Cert Sim by Todd Lammle or Transcenders or something like that

I'm pretty fond of the stuff Boson did up for Cisco and put the with Cisco exam books. Those have worked pretty well for me as well as other folks.

I wish I'd known about RouterSim earlier. Boson has been helpful, but the RouterSim questions are written more like the actual exams in terms of phrasing, and the simulators look more like Cisco's.

SV

Hi KGhaleon,

Sorry to hear the news. Its OK .... but don't give up .
Yah, like what others are suggesting the break-up might be a more safer choice. Plus you will be able to concentrate on a particular section than the whole.