ICND2 in a few days....

john_miranda

Hello IT people,

Don't really post a lot but considering how awesome people are in these forums are I could really use some advice from you guys.

So I'm about to take my ICND2 exam this Saturday and I was wondering if there are any topics I should really be aware of. Someone who might have taken it recently. I been trying to put the same amount of time and focus into each topic (according to the Cisco exam objectives) but I don't want this to be like ICND1 where I was stressed out about IPv6 questions and spent a lot time of it but on the exam I only got one question regarding the topic.

For example, if I were to give advice on ICND1 (CCENT) I would say really know your switching, packet flow, device security, and sub-netting.

Thank you for the help!

Deathmage

john_miranda wrote: »

Hello IT people,

Don't really post a lot but considering how awesome people are in these forums are I could really use some advice from you guys.

So I'm about to take my ICND2 exam this Saturday and I was wondering if there are any topics I should really be aware of. Someone who might have taken it recently. I been trying to put the same amount of time and focus into each topic (according to the Cisco exam objectives) but I don't want this to be like ICND1 where I was stressed out about IPv6 questions and spent a lot time of it but on the exam I only got one question regarding the topic.

For example, if I were to give advice on ICND1 (CCENT) I would say really know your switching, packet flow, device security, and sub-netting.

Thank you for the help!

really really know STP and Frame Relay, if you think you've got a handle on them, make a lab in packet tracer and really hone your skills. Make sure you understand what every show commands says like:

show protocols
show ip ospf interface
show ip ospf database
show ip ospf neighbors
show etherchannel summary
show etherchannel detail
show spanning-tree
show spanning-tree detail
show ip interface brief
show trunks
show vlans
show cdp negihbors
show cdp neighbors detail
show frame-relay pvc
show frame-relay lmi
show frame-relay map (if you using maps or have a FR switch)
show ip route
show ip eigrp interfaces
show ip eigrp neighbors
show ip eigrp topology
show access-lists
show ip nat translations
show controllers
show version
show flash
show arp

as a rule of thumb, I use show running-config as a last resort.


If you know those show commands like the back of your hand like I've done over the past month, and I mean really understand what they do, then troubleshooting issues will be way easier. It helps to make labs, and labs, then labs upon labs in Packet Tracer, me I do physical hardware too, you really need to understand how all of the features flow and how they work.

The mindset that you just want to pass needs to be removed from your skull, you'll only pass after you fully understand the concepts. Took me a while to fully understand this myself.

SGIT

Looking forward to hearing how you did. I am down to the final few weeks or month of study, started the practice exams and still watch videos later in the day and will do more labs.

no!all!

I remember lots of STP, routing protocols and frame relay. I've actually got my 2nd attempt schedule for early December. I would also have troubleshooting down as well!

john_miranda

Thank you for the advice and feedback!

I will definitely make sure I know those technologies, I'll reply back on this thread if I pass or not. For now back to lab-ing!

TWX

Deathmage wrote: »

as a rule of thumb, I use show running-config as a last resort.

I absolutely agree. I treat the show configuration commands much the same way I treat the static routing commands, I know how to use them but I make a point of not using them. Apparently at the IE level, unless explicitly asked to create a static route, the use of static routes will result in failing. Don't know if I'm going to that level or not, but either way, as static routes are the easy way there's no reason to use them as there's nothing to learn.

Heck, if anything, don't even go into privileged exec until the commands don't work at user exec. A lot of these commands will work at user exec, and since some of the questions can involve being denied privileged exec, being able to make it work without permissions is useful. On top of that it might be a good intro for security, to get a feeling for what dangers exist even at user exec and what kinds of changes one might want to make when implementing security.

john_miranda

TWX wrote: »

I absolutely agree. I treat the show configuration commands much the same way I treat the static routing commands, I know how to use them but I make a point of not using them. Apparently at the IE level, unless explicitly asked to create a static route, the use of static routes will result in failing. Don't know if I'm going to that level or not, but either way, as static routes are the easy way there's no reason to use them as there's nothing to learn.

Heck, if anything, don't even go into privileged exec until the commands don't work at user exec. A lot of these commands will work at user exec, and since some of the questions can involve being denied privileged exec, being able to make it work without permissions is useful. On top of that it might be a good intro for security, to get a feeling for what dangers exist even at user exec and what kinds of changes one might want to make when implementing security.

Didn't really think about it that way. That actually makes sense in knowing every command on a router or switch and it also applies in real world applications. Although at work I have full admin access to all switches/firewalls/routers

But I agree, it makes you skip over details when you can just jump levels.