BGP in the CCNP

Crunchyhippo

Which of the four CCNP tests focuses the most on BGP? I wanted to study up on it, as a possible employer desires that knowledge. I'll find the book for that particular test. Thanks.

networker050184

The BSCI covers all of the routing protocols.

Slowhand

As far as I can tell from the Cisco CCNP page, only the BSCI exam covers BGP. Of course, the CCIP track has the actual BGP exam, which might be more what you're looking for.

joshgibson82

Slowhand wrote:

As far as I can tell from the Cisco CCNP page, only the BSCI exam covers BGP. Of course, the CCIP track has the actual BGP exam, which might be more what you're looking for.

I would agree....if your potential employer is looking for a lot of BGP knowledge, I would take the exam that focuses totally on BGP. The BSCI is just a good start, but leaves out lots of stuff.

mikej412

How much time do you have to study up on BGP?

Internet Routing Architectures, Second Edition - Sam Halabi
Cisco BGP-4 Command and Configuration Handbook (Parkhurst, ISBN# 158705017X)

And Doyle is always a good place to look -- BGP is in Volume 2
Routing TCP/IP, Volume I, Second Edition - Carroll, Doyle
Routing TCP/IP, Volume II - Doyle, DeHaven Carroll

Paul Boz

BGP Design and Implementation from Cisco Press is also a good read.

redwarrior

I'm actually kind of surprised that the CCNP doesn't cover BGP more. I know it is more intensely used by ISP's, but working on a regular basis with MPLS and other WAN links, I end up having to dive into BGP quite often even though I don't work at an ISP. I'm thinking it might be worth taking the CCIP exams after CCNP just to get this extra knowledge.

(Although I guess no one cert can cover EVERYTHING we have to do in the course of our jobs and if it did, would most of us pass it? )

Inc

Somehow I managed to enter the right query in the right place and got an easy accessible IOS configuration guides for all releases.

IOS Configuration guides

This command reference can help out.

Cisco IOS IP Routing Protocols Command Reference

BGP and other IP routing configuration guide for 12.4 (to illustrate what I meant).

Cisco IOS IP Routing Protocols Configuration Guide, Release 12.4

BGP in detail - Technology Q&A, Design, Configure, Troubleshoot

That is what I use in daily tasks for information lookup and also for studying.

GT-Rob

I will 2nd Internet Routing Architectures if you are looking for just BGP advice.

cisco_trooper

BGP is very loosely covered in the BSCI and will most likely leave you disappointed if you go that route. Routing TCP/IP Volume II goes into it pretty well, and someone else already mentioned BGP Design and Implementation - BOTH are very good and BOTH will probably exceed the knowledge that you will need - just the way I personally like it.

Paul Boz

If you like BGP take the BGP or BGP/MPLS Composite. It goes into much deeper detail. I'm preparing for the composite and it's quite fascinating. All of my BGP experience was with a relatively small fiber to the home network and we only had two backbone peers so our BGP was simple. I'm having a blast learning about confederations and large scale peering.