Only a couple of hours to go! UPDATE: PASSED!

reeves122

I know I don't post very much but I am an active visitor on this site. I've learned quite a lot from reading all of your posts so thank you for that!

Anyway, I'm just a couple of hours away from my first attempt at the 640-802.
For those who wonder, here is what I've used to prepare:
- ICND1/2 CBT Nuggets
- CCNA Cisco Press library from Wendell Odom
- CCNA Study Guide from good ole' Lammle (definitely my favorite book!)
- CCNA Portable Command Guide (A very good little book!)
- Cisco IOS in a nutshell
- Cisco IOS Cookbook
- Network Warrior
- Mastering Cisco Routers (sybex)

Yes, i've read all of these in the past year or so. I've read Lammle's book probably twice or three times. Also taken the practice exams with the ICND1/2 Library (very hard!) and Lammle's book.

Here is my lab setup:
3x 2501's
1x 2514
1x 2620 (NM-4A/S)(WIC-1T)
1x 2611XM (WIC-1T)
1x 2511 Access Server
2x 2950
1x 2912
2x 1912

I used the 2620 as a FR Switch (among other things) and it worked quite well!

Overall I feel prepared for this thing. I know it's hard and I hear about people failing it many times so i'm trying not to get overly optimistic.

We shall see in a couple of hours though! Thank you all again for everything.

DrFlash

Good luck

nel

Good luck man!

let us know how you get on either way!!

peanutnoggin

Good luck!

mikej412

Good Luck!

gojericho0

You'll be fine. You have really prepared yourself. Good Luck!

miller811

You look like you are well on your way.
This is where planning and preparation pays off.
Good luck

ITdude

Sounds like you are well prepared. Try to relax and keep an eye on your time. Let us know how it turned out.

Good luck!

reeves122

Okay, just got back.

PASSED!
933/1000

Guys let me tell you. This exam is HARD. Don't just know the theory, know why things happen and what should happen under all circumstances. Get your hands dirty with a live network to see how things actually work. I studied for a year and read all those books and I can say it was still very difficult.

Anyway, as for what's next?
I have about three semesters left before I graduate with a BBA in Management Info Systems so I'd really like to get a couple more certs to add to my resume before then. As for which ones? I have no clue. I need to figure out which would be most appealing to a company hiring a fresh college graduate. Still thinking about a MCSA with Security+ elective which should be easy to do before I graduate. Or, I could do what I probably should do and venture into the realm of the CCNP.
Anyone with thoughts on this?

Anyway, thank you all for your support and I wish you the very best with your ventures!
Thanks,

Justin

sprinkl3s

my best suggestion would be some work experience (more then likely help desk) but any work experience you can get your hands on.

NPA24

Excellent work!!!

reeves122

Thank you for the advice. I am currently in a technical support position with a small company that services hundreds of school computer-type labs. So you could call me help desk I guess. The labs are windows domains with about a dozen workstations and a domain controller.
I also help manage the internal network which consists of about 5 servers of which include Exchange, ISA, IIS, MSSQL, and a couple of domain controllers.

I've learned a HECK of a lot in this position but I have debated on looking for an internship with a larger company.

kriscamaro68

Congrats on the pass and good job with the high score thats awesome.

dazerski

Noooooooo! Don't say it's hard!! now im all scared again :P just kidding, gratz on your pass That is definitely something to be very proud of!

Take care

nel

congrats man, great score! celebrate in style!

mikej412

reeves122 wrote:

PASSED!

Congratulations!

Unless you can get an internship that lets you get some Cisco Networking Experience, adding the MCSA to your existing experience may be your best bet. You'd have the MCSA/CCNA combo (even without Cisco work experience) that could still get your resume yanked from a pile.

If you could squeeze in the BSCI and BCMSN exams closer to graduation, those would help refresh most of the CCNA Knowledge and Skills you've acquired. That could help if you were interviewing after graduation for networking positions.

Once you have a certification and move on to others, remember to periodically review the material so that you don't have to go on a wild cramming spree to try and brush up your knowledge and skills for an interview.

ITdude

Congratulations! If it wasn't a bit difficult you wouldn't appreciate it's worth as much...

Good job.

ROMGabe

Congrats!

Sounds like you were very prepared. BTW, how much does it cost to setup a lab like the one you have? I'm currently reading Lammle's CCENT, but do not have any simulators or HW.

cablegod

reeves122 wrote:

Okay, just got back.

PASSED!
933/1000

Guys let me tell you. This exam is HARD. Don't just know the theory, know why things happen and what should happen under all circumstances. Get your hands dirty with a live network to see how things actually work. I studied for a year and read all those books and I can say it was still very difficult.

Anyway, as for what's next?
I have about three semesters left before I graduate with a BBA in Management Info Systems so I'd really like to get a couple more certs to add to my resume before then. As for which ones? I have no clue. I need to figure out which would be most appealing to a company hiring a fresh college graduate. Still thinking about a MCSA with Security+ elective which should be easy to do before I graduate. Or, I could do what I probably should do and venture into the realm of the CCNP.
Anyone with thoughts on this?

Anyway, thank you all for your support and I wish you the very best with your ventures!
Thanks,

Justin

If I were in your shoes, CCNP would be next then line up a few Juniper certs.

shednik

Congrats but you deserved it with the time it looks that you put into it!!

reeves122

Thank you all for your nice comments! I studied like a crazy person for this thing and it feels really nice for it to be finished.

ROMGabe wrote:

Congrats!

Sounds like you were very prepared. BTW, how much does it cost to setup a lab like the one you have? I'm currently reading Lammle's CCENT, but do not have any simulators or HW.

I was an idiot and bought a package deal from EBay that included the two 1912 switches (big mistake) the 2912 and three 2501's. In retrospect, I could have saved probably $100 and bought everything separately- which is what I did with the other components. I didn't add it all up but if you are curious just look up the average price of each component on EBay. Since that is where I got it all.

I have this really sincere fascination with networking and that's what keeps telling me to start studying for the CCNP but on the other hand I think a MCSA/MCSE might be more beneficial for my resume as a college graduate. Decision, decision! But thank you all for your advice and kind works!

mamono

I would say stick with networking as your core and move from there. Having pulled a very good score on the CCNA exam, center your focus around networking. CCNP, CWNA, and CWSP come to mind. Also, as someone else has said, Juniper certs are also something good to delve into. Congrats!

famosbrown

reeves122 wrote:

Thank you for the advice. I am currently in a technical support position with a small company that services hundreds of school computer-type labs. So you could call me help desk I guess. The labs are windows domains with about a dozen workstations and a domain controller.
I also help manage the internal network which consists of about 5 servers of which include Exchange, ISA, IIS, MSSQL, and a couple of domain controllers.

I've learned a HECK of a lot in this position but I have debated on looking for an internship with a larger company.

Congratulations!! As far as internships go, with a bachelor's degree, you should be able to find many college graduate entry/internship programs in I.T. The Federal government is one of the many big organizations that actively seek candidates with bachelor degrees and start them out with very good pay! Good luck!!

peanutnoggin

Congrats on your passing!

~Peanut Head

Glynixx

Grats Grats Grats!

CiscoCerts

Way to go! Congratulations! Your persistence paid off. How were you on time on your passing exam?

Netwurk

Congrats!

Turgon

reeves122 wrote:

Okay, just got back.

PASSED!
933/1000

Guys let me tell you. This exam is HARD. Don't just know the theory, know why things happen and what should happen under all circumstances. Get your hands dirty with a live network to see how things actually work. I studied for a year and read all those books and I can say it was still very difficult.

Anyway, as for what's next?
I have about three semesters left before I graduate with a BBA in Management Info Systems so I'd really like to get a couple more certs to add to my resume before then. As for which ones? I have no clue. I need to figure out which would be most appealing to a company hiring a fresh college graduate. Still thinking about a MCSA with Security+ elective which should be easy to do before I graduate. Or, I could do what I probably should do and venture into the realm of the CCNP.
Anyone with thoughts on this?

Anyway, thank you all for your support and I wish you the very best with your ventures!
Thanks,

Justin

You have worked hard for this victory. Well done and I wish you the best!

reeves122

CiscoCerts wrote:

Way to go! Congratulations! Your persistence paid off. How were you on time on your passing exam?

Thank you!

I had about 25 minutes left when I finished the last question.