Think I'm ready to test, but....

crawfsh

...I've never taken a Cert test before. I am using the Test Out 640-801 test prep and can pass the post test "nearly" every time I take it. The question I have is about the reliability of the Test Out software. Is the post test a good indication of how well I could do on the actual test? The post test has 66 questions of which you need a 95% to pass. I feel comfortable with what I have learned, but am unsure if it is enough to pass the 640-801 exam. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

boyles23

I would recommend that you use more than one testing source, if test out is your only one currently. The thing about using only one testing source is that you will get the same questions and you will remember them, so the tests gets easier. I would use the ones on this site and any other ones you can get your hands on. That is just my .02, but if you feel comfortable with what you have learned then maybe one source is all you need and I wish you well on the exam.

penguinking

Well, the best prep is just trial and error. Find lab equipment and mess around for a good solid 40 hours. That combined with tests from the Cisco Press and Sybex 5th ed books should be enough if you've done all the reading and you're already doing 95%+ on test-outs.

Netstudent

crawfsh wrote:

...I've never taken a Cert test before. I am using the Test Out 640-801 test prep and can pass the post test "nearly" every time I take it. The question I have is about the reliability of the Test Out software. Is the post test a good indication of how well I could do on the actual test? The post test has 66 questions of which you need a 95% to pass. I feel comfortable with what I have learned, but am unsure if it is enough to pass the 640-801 exam. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

What kind of foundation or backround in networking do you have? I can tell you that testout is not near enough to pass the CCNA. It's no slouch. No matter how many practice tests you take, there will always be surprises and questions you have not seen yet, therefore you have to know your stuff well enough to execute the unexpected. Tesout, combined with some equipment or a SIM, and heavy reading is on the right track.

crawfsh

Thanks for the replies. I have been a Network Admin for 12 years now. At my current job I have the following Cisco equipment that I have personally installed and configured.

(7) 6509 Catalysts, one with the router module (Session 15)
(4) 4006 Catalysts
(10) 3500 series Switches
(5) 2950 Switches
(4) 2600 Routers
( ASA's
(1) PIX 520
(1) PIX 515e

I have attended the Cisco Intro class and the Interconnecting Cisco Devices class in order to perform my job duties above. I have worked with the above equip daily for the past 5 years and am currently updating the backbone to 10Gig. I have never taken a CERT exam though, but would like to give it a go. We have the TestOut entire library of prep disks at work so that is why I am using this software.
I just found this web site last night and have been reading through the various entries. This is a great site. I agreee, I should take a look at other practice tests. TestOut practice tests are good, but I have pretty much memorized the various questions and feel like I need to take some tests from other sources.
Thanks again for everyone's help.

penguinking

^ Oh, well, if you have years of hands-on experience you're good to go with the Sims, which is a great start because sims are worth the most on CCNA. Though, for the sims, I'd still go through and make sure you've mastered the specific functions of all the numerous categories you get with show commands; i.e. you could get asked how OSPF determines its metrics (cost) and where that information is located when performing a show ip ospf command (to the right of the 110 AD field).

However, I'd still purchase a CCNA book from Lammle, 801 or 802 depending on which test you're taking. Be forewarned, however, that the 640-802 contains a lot on SDM, and uses a lot of examples that require a 2811 router (at least $1000). Though you can do a lot of what the 802 requires with just an 1841 as Lammle suggests in his CCNA 802 6th edition text. I haven't taken the 802, however, so I'm no expert. But since it contains a lot of new material, such as SDM, ACLs with SDM, IPv6, the whole gambit of 802.11 WLAN, etc., I'd buy a book. Just read as much as you can because most experienced network guys, despite years of experience, don't really understand the technology behind the deployment of their networks. Which is exactly what Cisco intended AFAIK; you're not supposed to pass CCNA with nothing but hands-on experience. For example, you don't really need to know about the original DoD model if you're a network admin.

shednik

crawfsh wrote:

...I've never taken a Cert test before. I am using the Test Out 640-801 test prep and can pass the post test "nearly" every time I take it. The question I have is about the reliability of the Test Out software. Is the post test a good indication of how well I could do on the actual test? The post test has 66 questions of which you need a 95% to pass. I feel comfortable with what I have learned, but am unsure if it is enough to pass the 640-801 exam. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks

In my personal opinion the TestOut Software was excellent although I've only taken the Intro I found the topics covered very well except for PAT and NAT...I'd look into another test software to be sure but i feel the software did very well...