CCNP Switch exam topics - not fully covering whats on test?

nickelito

Hello all,

I like to look at the exam topics to know whats on the test and then study the technologies separately.
When comparing whats in the OCG and on certain CCNP bootcams, it looks like there are topics they teach that is not in the exam topic blueprint.

How reliable is the blueprint and should i expect technologies that are not mentioned there to be on the exam?
For example, VSS is not on in the exam topics but is all over the study material.

shortstop20

The blueprints are very accurate from my experiences.

xengoreth

VSS is a subtopic under this blueprint item:

1.8 Describe chassis virtualization and aggregation technologies
    1.8.a Stackwise

theodoxa

shortstop20 wrote: »

The blueprints are very accurate from my experiences.

My experience was the opposite (encountering topics that were supposed to have been removed along with the new topics), but I took the new exam shortly after it was released. Those kinks may have been ironed out.

nickelito

But what about syslog messages?
Its an entire chapter in the OCG but i dont see any of it in the exam topic blueprint.

I am distrustful to this blueprint, i must say

xengoreth

According to the blueprints, syslog is a 300-101 (Route) topic:

6.3 Configure and verify logging
    6.3.a Local logging, syslog, debugs, conditional debugs
    6.3.b Timestamps

I don't have my OCG in front of me right now, but it sounds like they've mixed around the topics a little bit.

krjay

I took and passed the Switch a couple days ago. My experience is that the blue print is accurate. My problem is that the OCG did not go into enough detail on many topics. One specific example is CDP/LLDP. The book covers the two topics on pages 73-75. If all you know about CDP/LLDP is what's on page 73-75 you aren't prepared for those topics.

My advice would be to open up Cisco white papers or wikipedia for just about every topic and at a minimum know the following basic stuff:

• Proprietary or standards based- Some are easy to remember, I fumbled a couple times on practice exams though
• Advertisements or other protocol overhead stuff? Whats the L2/L3 destination for that traffic? What's the default interval each is sent at? OCG doesn't cover either of these on 73-75. Skips it on many other topics but you're expected to know it.
• Counts - Simple stuff like how many hsrp groups can you have? How many member interfaces in the etherchannel types etc.

theodoxa

krjay wrote: »

I took and passed the Switch a couple days ago. My experience is that the blue print is accurate. My problem is that the OCG did not go into enough detail on many topics. One specific example is CDP/LLDP.

It was Stackwise for me.

krjay

Forgot about my frustration with the OCG and stackwise after leaving the exam room... The lab being extremely buggy overshadowed that issue. This is the only exam I've taken so far that I left the room angry, and I haven't failed any yet.

Danielh22185

I just took the test just this last Saturday too. The blue print it indeed accurate but like mentioned you have to be careful of what prep materials you use. Never rely on just one source. The OCG book is a bit flawed. It's pretty obvious the blue print isn't considered as heavily. It does not cover into detail for some items you NEED to know to earn points on the exam and on the other hand it also covers too much junk that is NOT on the exam.

To date the materials I have used:
- OCG
- Old Switch Lab Guide
- Simplified Lab Scenarios
- 101 Labs for CCNP Scenarios
- Countless White Pages
- Boson Netsim Exam Engine
- CBT Videos (official switch videos, other videos such as R/S Troubleshooting Mastery, CCIE L2/Switch Videos)
- Chris Bryant Videos
- Lots of various labbing via GNS3 (usually me testing something to further my understanding)

nickelito

IP SLA is also one of those topics that is in the OCG but is nowhere to be find in the exam topics.
Also, VACL? PACL? Syslog? SNMP?
Either the OCG is really off pitch on alot of topics or the exam topics blueprint is wrong!

krjay

You'll want to read the section on VACL.