How much practical experience is needed for CCNA?

Robhogg

I am starting a Cisco Networking course with the Open University in November, which works through the Cisco Academy curriculum. They say

"Students who complete this course should, with extra study and practical experience, be able to go on and gain the industry recognised certification by taking the CCNA examination."

The course involves four day schools, to allow us to gain practical experience. Also, although my job only involves the most basic networking, my manager said that he would approve of me spending some time (possibly 2-3 days) with the corporate datacomms team.

Would this be enough practical experience, or should I be looking to setting up my own home lab as well? Unfortuantely, Cisco gear does seem to be a lot more expensive here than in the US .

Yours,
Rob

PS: It seems that it will be up to me to arrange to take the CCNA exam - how much does this cost? And can it be done through Pearson Vue centres like the CompTIA ones?

http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/bin/p12.dll?C02T228

mysql1988

none.

I started the ccna without knowing anything about routing and switching.

You will be even suprised to find out that after you get your CCNA, you will even know more stuff than some IT folks who claim to have experience in networkiong. Just go for it.

binarysoul

I wouldn't put too much value in a CCNA when it comes to working in a production environment. Production environments are very diverse, complex, involve many different technologies, and companies do not necessarility follow "CCNA Objectives" to design and manage their networks. That's why companies are not too keen about certifications; they want experience.

I'm currently involved in a network project involing Cisco routers, switches, firewalls and you name it; Although I don't manage them, I know CCNAs there who can't understand the environment. I've completed my CCNA prepration and I must tell you, once you're faced with actual problems, you're going to be stunned like a deer in front high-beam headlights at 2am on a highway

Bottom line, I would say CCNA counts for 10% and experience counts for 90%.

Robhogg

binarysoul wrote:

I wouldn't put too much value in a CCNA when it comes to working in a production environment. Production environments are very diverse, complex, involve many different technologies, and companies do not necessarility follow "CCNA Objectives" to design and manage their networks. That's why companies are not too keen about certifications; they want experience.

Yes, but...

My current job involves the sort of technologies, and setups, that would not be taught on any course. Two different networks, one a tightly locked down domain, using Novell netware, the other uses workgroups and static IP addressing across 55 sites, 500 PCs accessible to the public and controlled via Lorensberg's Netloan, which links in to the Talis library management system for user authentication, then connects to the internet through a proxy originally developed for school use. Four servers that we manage: two Solaris, one Linux and one MS 2003 server. Is that diverse enough for me to gain experience on?

Bottom line, I would say CCNA counts for 10% and experience counts for 90%.

Well, I would still like to get that 10%. I do think that theoretical understanding is important, and that experience + CCNA is probably better than experience - CCNA, Plus it will give me a leg-up in troubleshooting some of the issues that we are faced with regularly.

mysql1988 wrote:

You will be even suprised to find out that after you get your CCNA, you will even know more stuff than some IT folks who claim to have experience in networkiong. Just go for it.

Thanks, mysql.

mwgood

You don't actually need ANY "practical" experience in getting your CCNA, since it is possible to pass the exam by mere study and lab experience alone.

On the other hand - it is certainly advisable that you acquire "practical," on the job experience, in order to prepare you for CCNA-level job tasks.

Also, it should be kept in mind that each certification - for example, CCNA, CCNP, CCDA, CCDP, and even each CCIE track is just a slice of the Cisco Networking landscape - so that getting your CCNA actually demonstrates your potential and accomplishment, which can help determine a company's willingness to invest in you - rather than encompassing the work tasks you will be assigned.

Your work tasks might be 75% non-CCNA material, but getting your certification demonstrates your capability to get the job done.

borumas

I would get some hands on experience but I wouldn't say that it is the end all of passing it, I've been working with Cisco switches and core switches for almost 3 years and I'm having a hard time passing the ICND.

binarysoul

Robhogg,

I wouldn't say that a CCNA is unimportant, in fact it does give you a taste of what networking is like, but after I get my CCNA, I wouldn't stand in a meeting and try to explaing how the network should be redesigned.

50 sites, 500 PCs and four servers? Compare that to a company that has hundreds of thousands of PCs and thousands of servers and hundreds of sites globally. A CCNA would only be able to allowed to check the IP on the router via a non-previlaged account. If you get your CCIE, and have years of experience, then that's another story.

Bottom line, regard CCNA as a side dish not the main course. It looks good on the table, but won't kill your hunger

Robhogg

binarysoul wrote:

I wouldn't say that a CCNA is unimportant, in fact it does give you a taste of what networking is like, but after I get my CCNA, I wouldn't stand in a meeting and try to explaing how the network should be redesigned.

Yep. don't think I would be. But when (as we are at the moment) we are trying to diagnose a sticky network printing problem I would hope to have a clearer idea about how to go about this.

50 sites, 500 PCs and four servers? Compare that to a company that has hundreds of thousands of PCs and thousands of servers and hundreds of sites globally.

Yes, granted. Actually, that's only the small bit that's looked after by my team. The corporate datacomms team (with whom I will probably be able to do a short placement) look after the whole of Leeds City Council's PCs. Not global, but several thousand desktop PCs and a variety of servers.

Bottom line, regard CCNA as a side dish not the main course. It looks good on the table, but won't kill your hunger

I quite agree. There are a number of courses I am planning to take, in different areas of IT, over the next few years, as well as getting all the practical experience I can. Who knows - a couple of years and I may be looking at doing CCIE?

binarysoul

Robhogg,

Seems your'e passionate and committed about your career. Keep up that spirit and let us know about your progress