Timeframe for finishing CCNP

Crunchyhippo

My number one priority for getting my CCNP is - how long? Although I'm going through a Cisco Networking Academy, I don't want to limit myself to their timetable in getting it. If I can accelerate my studies on my own, I'll do so. My drawbacks are that I hold a FT job and am married with two small children, who do want some of my time (if you can believe that). So how quickly have some of you obtained your CCNP with self-study? I don't want it to take me an entire year to get it if I can buckle down.

dtlokee

The answer depends on your background with networking/Cisco in general and how much time you can devote to studying for the exams. I would say you will need between 100-200 hours of study for each exam, depending on your background. at 20 hours week you could be looking at 1-2 months per exam. 20 hours a week seems like a lot but you can find time. Watch CBT's during lunch instead of going out, listen to audio in the car, things like that.

Crunchyhippo

Audio in the car..... What would you suggest?

networker050184

The amount of time depends on the person. It depends on your capacity to learn and how much knowledge you have prior to starting. I prepared for the BCMSN in about five weeks, but a lot of it was a review for me since I am not new to networking. If you just finished your CCNA and studying for the exam is the only exposure you have to Cisco technologies it will probably take you longer to wrap your head around some of the more advanced topics. The average I've picked up from reading around here is a couple months per exam so about a year for the whole process. Just take your time and your number one priority probably shouldn't be the ammount of time you get it in, it should be about the amount of knowledge you can gain while learning the new technologies. Just my opinion.

EDIT: wow you guys are quick two posts while I typed mine!!

keenon

it took me about 12 -18 months total.. most if that was spent on bcmsn and bsci (4-6months each) .. but after that i got my grove /study method down the last 2 tests were about 30 days each

Ferret999

It has taken me from January till now to get three of the four tests done and this last exam I have rushed a bit more than the rest so I will probably go over all the material again when I finish. So I would say a year is a fair shout to get this stuff done. Much quicker than that unless you have massive Cisco exposure you will have to push yourself really hard.