801 or 802?

mjp81

Hi Guys,

First post, so I'll give you a little outline of my situation:

Was working at a small property company for the last 8 years (since 18!) starting off as general IT techie, eventually running all IT operations on my own. Supporting about 60 users across 5 branches, lans and wans, windows server & exchange. Nothing too flashy, relatively rudimentary stuff. Big fish in a very small pond, you know?

So anyway, the company goes to the wall, and I'm unemployed! Although I have read CCNA and MCSE books over the years, I never got round to doing the exams, I just learned what I needed to know at the time.

I've got the CBT Nuggets vids for 801 (bought it a couple of years ago), but now that I'm booking the exam ready for the big job hunt, I'm seeing that 801 is going to be retired soon and replaced by 802. Which one should I be going for?

I'm guessing employers would like to see the latest cert, but I don't have the money to fork out for entirely new courseware for the 802 exam - not that there's much out yet anyway!

Would I be better off sticking to what I've got and taking the 801 exam, or should I learn the 801 courseware, buy a book on 802 and fill in the gaps between the two exams and take 802? Or is the syllabus so different that I shouldnt even be comtemplating it?

Any help and advice very much appreciated.

Thanks

jediknight

I would say it really depends on your current level of knowledge in networking and Cisco hardware. You should head to the Cisco site and look at the current exam objectives for the 801 and see how much you remember. Also register at the CCNA prep center here:

http://forums.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/PrepCenter?page=main

and get access to some practice exams and some great information that will help get you ready.

You figure the 801 is going to expire in November, so you have to figure out how much you know and how much you don't. If you feel it will come back to you once you get back into the books, have a good amount of experience (which it seems like you do), and have good study system, you could certainly take the 801 and pass. Otherwise I would say don't try and rush yourself and take the CCENT/CCNA route. It seems though you could do the 801 and pass in my opinion though.

In the end as long as you have a CCNA and know what you are doing, it's all the same for employers as you have to re-certify in 3 years anyway

LOkrasa

Employers will not know if you took the 801 or 802... Your employment verification will just say CCNA.

mjp81

Thanks for the replies.

LOkrasa - True, it will be the same letters, but I was thinking it might help in interviews if I was to drop in the fact that I'd passed the latest exam. Anything to push me ahead of the competition!

jediknight - I think you're right, and I'm swaying towards just sticking with what I've got and taking the 801. I do I have a fair bit of experience, and I think I should get through it reasonably ok. I've also got plenty of time to study. I'm trying my best to stay away from daytime TV because I know how addictive that stuff is! I am living the unemployed dream to a degree though by growing a beard...

Unless anyone can come up with an unbeatable reason to take 802, I think I'll take both your advice and take 801.

I'm thinking a week to go through the coursework then I'm going to jump in and take the exam. I'd like more time, but I need a new job more!

Netstudent

Well you have 2 months. If you don't have a job and if you have no distractions and you can study 3 or 4 hours a day, then it's definately possible to pass. You will need a good sim or some gear to pass the "hands-on" part of the test. You can at least cram for 2 months and try to take the 801.

wait2dominate

LOkrasa wrote:

Employers will not know if you took the 801 or 802... Your employment verification will just say CCNA.

Bingo. I was discussing this with people at work recently and they said the same thing.

mmreed

mjp81 wrote:

Unless anyone can come up with an unbeatable reason to take 802, I think I'll take both your advice and take 801.

I'm thinking a week to go through the coursework then I'm going to jump in and take the exam. I'd like more time, but I need a new job more!

I am faced with the same question, and I am going for the 802 due to the fact that it no longer has ISDN, and much of the older technology. The 801 exam has questions where the answers are based on old information such as: fast ethernet is used in which two of the distribution layers? Access, Distribution, and Core... the 801 answer is Dist and Core.. which in todays world is totally wrong... FastEther in todays world is access and maybe distribution... while most dist and core is gigabit and higher...

So Im thinking that the older info 801 is based on might snag me when thinking in todays times.

PLus the 802 has wireless, and other new tech topics that are fresh with me.