cisco newbie

amyamandaallen

Hi,

Want to start getting into routers etc so looking at doing some cisco stuff ( must be insane as Im lead to think its very difficult !! )

Think I need to start on the CCNA? but dont really know where or know of any real books that can teach me this from scratch. I work as the network admin in my office so can find my way around most things like lans/wans etc. I also setup the branch routers to access the internet/citrix ( just 3com or netgear ones ). However we have a 3rd party look after our site to site router and our cisco stuff.

Help with any info please as Im a little bewildered

BTW are the exams expensive?

mikej412

amyamandaallen wrote:

looking at doing some cisco stuff

Cisco's Career Certifications & Paths information can be found here:
http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/learning_career_certifications_and_learning_paths_home.html

Cisco also has a CCNA Prep Center -- it might impress you, or it might scare you away -- but worth a look to get an idea of what Cisco makes available.
http://www.cisco.com/go/prepcenter

amyamandaallen wrote:

Think I need to start on the CCNA? but dont really know where or know of any real books that can teach me this from scratch.

The books you'll hear the most about around here are:

Sybex - Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide -- by Todd Lammle. Should be on the 5th edition. Great for learning subnetting. Missing some info, but there are one or two new update chapters available for download.

Cisco Press - The CCNA books by Wendell Odom. Probably the CCNA Official Exam Certification Library.

You can check out all the Cisco Press Books (and the link to the simulator) at the Cisco Press Web site:
http://www.ciscopress.com/markets/detail.asp?st=44711

Hands-on practice is important.... but you can get by with the simulator for the CCNA.

amyamandaallen wrote:

BTW are the exams expensive?

The CCNA 640-801 exam is $125

There is also the 2 exam option (INTRO and ICND). There should be link at the CCNP Prep Center that explains it. I think those are $100 each.

That should be enough links to keep you busy for the rest of the night.

amyamandaallen

many thanks

270 to pass next friday then cisco gives me another chance to avoid the wife

exkor5000

only one comment on the prepCenter.

When watching the flash, dont take their word when they say that linux is an operating system.

One who says that linux is an OS, states that his knowledge of operating systems converging to zero (especially linux based).

I am surprised I see this on a cisco website... thumbs down, really

sprkymrk

exkor5000 wrote:

only one comment on the prepCenter.

When watching the flash, dont take their word when they say that linux is an operating system.

One who says that linux is an OS, states that his knowledge of operating systems converging to zero (especially linux based).

I am surprised I see this on a cisco website... thumbs down, really

I guess you better contact these folks and correct them...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=define%3Alinux

Kinda like the "What's a hacker" definition. Hacker, craker, phreaker, black hat, gray hat, white hat, whatever. Public perception defines words and terms as they evolve from original concepts.

mikej412

sprkymrk wrote:

I guess you better contact these folks and correct them...

I need to get a copy of that memo! Gosh, when I think about all those years I thought I was programming on UNIX operating systems..... Oh no -- and worse -- I thought I was networking UNIX operating systems!

Or is this just a Linux thing? Does it affect any type of code that runs in a kernal? Are the real-time operating systems affected too (which are nothing but kernal)? The Microsoft operating systems use kernels -- are they affected by this too? Is there a web link with all the updated terms?

I hate it when there is a paradigm shift and no one tells me!

Oh -- but that does explain why all the college english majors working in human resources have been tossing my resume -- I shall strike all references to "operating system" until I get the memo.

I just love "fly-by" off-topic postings by new guys.

sprkymrk

mikej412 wrote:

sprkymrk wrote:

I guess you better contact these folks and correct them...

I just love "fly-by" off-topic postings by new guys.

I think he means well, he seems to be a good resourse on linux stuff which is welcome. Just gotta watch the linux dogma stuff.
No offence exkor5000, we're just having fun here.

mikej412

sprkymrk wrote:

No offence exkor5000, we're just having fun here.

Yeah... and he did spend time at the prepcenter to find that, I'm not even sure which flash that could be in.... but a definite Linux purist

The Linux forums have been pretty quiet....

Hey, wait -- we're being bad too. Shouldn't we be helping someone pass their next CCNA attempt, rather than having fun? Or do we get the weekends off? But aren't weekends prime study time?

sprkymrk

Right you are! I'm headed to the mall bookstore (books-a-million) now, to study while the family shops.

amyamandaallen

Im thinking of shelling out for the CBTNUGGETS Cisco CCNA DVD. Anyone used this and is it any good? Also heard the examcram2 book has a simulated router program? correct?

thanks

sprkymrk

amyamandaallen wrote:

Im thinking of shelling out for the CBTNUGGETS Cisco CCNA DVD. Anyone used this and is it any good? Also heard the examcram2 book has a simulated router program? correct?

thanks

You'll almost never go wrong with CBTNuggets videos. If nothing else it adds variety to the normal study routine of "read read read". There are a couple of free CCNA videos you can check out here:
http://www.cbtnuggets.com/webapp/videos
I don't know if the Exam Cram has a router sim, but I think the Sybex book by Todd Lamle has a basic one that should get you the feel of the Cisco IOS, at least you used to be able to buy a "Platinum Edition" of it that did, not sure if that still hold true.