Passed ICND2 yesterday

bpenn

Hey all,

After 2 1/2 months of studying, I am finally done with the CCNA! Phew!

Thought I would breakdown some tips I have for people taking this exam:

-REALLY learn routing protocols and WANs.
-KNOW your show commands! Seriously, if you can remember your show commands (hell, even just sh run) you will be ahead of the curve.
-Terms and definitions are important. Make sure you have solid, foundational knowledge of all terms. (random example; PVST+, RSTP, VTP)
-Relax, and don't get stuck on the labs. Trust me, just focus and know your show commands and you will be fine.
-Subnetting isnt as important as the first exam, but still have a solid understanding.
-Switch up your study materials. Lammle was perfect for ICND1 but I really needed a second source for ICND2. I used CCNAWorkbook to supplement topics I struggled with.

All-in-all, the exam seemed a tad easier to me than ICND1. Maybe the information was fresh in my mind still. In fact, I actually enjoyed the exam and had a good time troubleshooting the labs.

My score :

960/1000 - - WAN technologies netted me my lowest score and it seemed to be difficult for me to grasp entirely (I am looking at you, frame relay)

koz24

Congrats! What's next?

Deathmage

Congrats man! ... will be joining you in a months time or so! ... planning for this month to be like a fat kid when he sees a cupcake focused for the next 30 days!

kudos on the pointers!

Fulcrum45

Nice score, Congrats! Thanks for the pointers, I'm hoping to join you here in 6 days

bpenn

koz24 wrote: »

Congrats! What's next?

Well, all the networking jobs available where I live either require a Top Secret Clearance, 5-10 years experience, or both. Not really sure what to do. My wife doesn't want to move (her family is here and we have a 2 year old).

Starting my WGU path on Sep 1 and going to hit CCNA - Security as the next cert on the list. Hopefully, strong certs and a degree will allow me to make up for lack of experience.

koz24

bpenn wrote: »

Well, all the networking jobs available where I live either require a Top Secret Clearance, 5-10 years experience, or both. Not really sure what to do. My wife doesn't want to move (her family is here and we have a 2 year old).

Starting my WGU path on Sep 1 and going to hit CCNA - Security as the next cert on the list. Hopefully, strong certs and a degree will allow me to make up for lack of experience.

Yeah breaking into the field with the first gig is the hardest part, imo. You can get the new CCNA Sec book from Barnes and Noble(no one else is selling it yet)

bpenn

koz24 wrote: »

Yeah breaking into the field with the first gig is the hardest part, imo. You can get the new CCNA Sec book from Barnes and Noble(no one else is selling it yet)

Well, I do desktop support right now but breaking into some sort of network infrastructure-related role is challenging and I my be forced to move. Just going to keep progressing in knowledge, at least.