CCENT is my next goal

Ok! I'm hooked! I thought I wanted to take a huge break from certs for a few months but All I can keep thinking about lately is which cert I want to achieve next. Well, that decision came easy to me this weekend.

I was loaned the Sybex CCENT study guide and given access to a nice routing a switching lab at my father in-laws house. So I thought I would start out small with Cisco and see how it goes... It's been 8 years since I had my CCNA course, so I'm not sure how much I remember.

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Mishra

I think I might like to do the CCENT (but the CCNA is far out) just as a "I'm not Cisco stupid" mark on my resume. I'm just not sure when as I also want my MCSE... I was thinking about doing it after my MCSA because I really think it should be quick.

I've studied for it 2 different times, once in 2007 and once in 2004-2005 so I think I should be able to pick up on the material really quick.

Good luck and its good you aren't taking a break.

ajs1976

We recently had some issues with one of the other vendors that handles the Cisco work for our clients, so I am going to be looking into at least the CCENT later in the year.

nel

yep, me 2. im going to start my ccna after this university year. i wanted to finish my mcse but for some reason the MS stuff isnt cutting it for me at the minute! not sure why but i just feel more interested in the cisco side at the minute.

snadam

great minds think alike? I was considering some cisco cert after my mcsa or mcse...

best of luck megadeth!

sthomas

I have been debating on wether to take the two exam route for the CCNA and get the CCENT or just take the one exam route. I am leaning toward getting the CCENT and then the CCNA because it seems to me there is a lot of info packed into the CCNA so it would be easier for me to divide it up into two exams.

nel

I have been debating on wether to take the two exam route for the CCNA and get the CCENT or just take the one exam route. I am leaning toward getting the CCENT and then the CCNA because it seems to me there is a lot of info packed into the CCNA so it would be easier for me to divide it up into two exams.

yeah me 2, im leaning towards the 2 route because i want to learn the material properly and i think i will be able to break it down and manage it better that way somehow.

ajs1976

I'm looking at the two exam route to help ingrain the knowledge a little better. Do the CCENT and then 6-12 months later do the CCNA.

Megadeth4168

Thanks everyone.

I started going through the Sybex book and it looks good, I guess I won't know for sure until I take the exam... I'm going at a bit slower pace than I was with my MS certs so I'm thinking 2 months study on this. Depends on how much I remember from my classes years ago

Mishra

Megadeth4168 wrote:

Thanks everyone.

I started going through the Sybex book and it looks good, I guess I won't know for sure until I take the exam... I'm going at a bit slower pace than I was with my MS certs so I'm thinking 2 months study on this. Depends on how much I remember from my classes years ago

I had a WAN class in college and read the whole Sybex book. I then had 5-10 hours of lab time with a bunch of really nice equipment when I was working at a NOC. I found the Sybex book really easy to understand and because I understood the entire book (did great on the practice questions and was teaching the WAN class instead of being the student) I thought I was prepared for the exam (I wasn't using the internet at that point). I bombed the CCNA making a 620 and was disappointed in Sybex because they didn't go at all deep enough into the subjects.

Edit: Oh and I don't blame Sybex for making me fail, I definitely under-estimated the exam and took it pre-maturely because I was able to quit the job.

I read the Cisco Press books after that and they truely went into the detail that the CCNA required. The Sybex book was nice but not nearly enough.

Just thought I would share as you reading that reminded me of what I did.

doom969

snadam wrote:

great minds think alike? I was considering some cisco cert after my mcsa or mcse...

best of luck megadeth!

I've been reading on and off Cisco stuff for a couple months. I started studying seriously about 4 weeks ago, playing with actual routers, switches, etc... I was "Cisco dumb" before, but at the CCENT level, its mostly just getting a feeling of IOS, basic routing and switching, etc... (Altough I used some ccna stuff for subnetting studies while studing for 70-291) I'm getting ready to take the exam next week, so I'm sure those of you who already studied or did course will pick this really quick.

Anyways, I used both he Odom and the Lammle books, and I must say I found the Sybex book by Tod Lammle much Better. I goes into more details and gives many example of commands, the proposed labs are also much more instructive.
Oh, and even at the CCENT level, an actual router and/or switch is invaluable !

Good luck to everyone !

shednik

Megadeth4168 wrote:

Thanks everyone.

I started going through the Sybex book and it looks good, I guess I won't know for sure until I take the exam... I'm going at a bit slower pace than I was with my MS certs so I'm thinking 2 months study on this. Depends on how much I remember from my classes years ago

Megadeath I would also definitely recommend the Cisco Press and Chris Bryant's study package, especially Chris's package if you don't have your own hardware since he gives you rack time to go with it but both are great resources.

coffeeking

Works in progress:

70-290, GRE, Security+ & Linux+

Masters of InfoSec (researching schools)

Hey Shednik, will you willing to pass on some information on good schools for InfoSec. I am planning to get my Masters in InfoSec in later future, few years down the road. But, it would be good to look at some schools for right now.

dynamik

coffeeking wrote:

Hey Shednik, will you willing to pass on some information on good schools for InfoSec. I am planning to get my Masters in InfoSec in later future, few years down the road. But, it would be good to look at some schools for right now.

http://www.capella.edu/

That's where JD got his, and I'm considering going that route in about a year when I finally wrap up my undergrad.

shednik

dynamik wrote:

coffeeking wrote:

Hey Shednik, will you willing to pass on some information on good schools for InfoSec. I am planning to get my Masters in InfoSec in later future, few years down the road. But, it would be good to look at some schools for right now.

http://www.capella.edu/

That's where JD got his, and I'm considering going that route in about a year when I finally wrap up my undergrad.

I was considering 3 different schools 2 local in Pittsburgh here and Capella...I just made my decision this morning actually and I was accepted to Capella. So I start there in August their online program seems excellent and luckily my employer gives me a good amount of money each year for school

. I can give some more details of my reasons later today as I have to run to a meeting....so let me know exactly what info you're looking for.