Thinking about CCDA

Guys,

First time i've posted in here. Last year I got my CCNA(infact 1 year to the date) and got my first real Network Engineer job in September. Was suppose to be a Level 1 but basically throw in the fire as the person I was suppose to learn from was a level 3 and was fired after 3 weeks. So basically for almost a year i've been trying to learn on my own. I started trying to get the BSCI exam to get my CCNP. I've taken the test 3 times and failed all 3 times. Feel like i know the material but just can't get over the hump. Little frustrated and taking the summer off.

After talking with a co-worker he has convinced me to maybe take a break from CCNP and go for CCDA. he said it might help with the overall structure of Networking and with some of the projects we have going on. What do you think. Should I stay the course and try to get the BSCI or do you think I should take a side bar and maybe go for my CCDA to change things up?

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Comments

networker050184

If you don't have any motivation to continue the BSCI you should probably move on as you will probably slowly fade off anyway. On the other hand, you have spent a lot of time preparing for this exam and you would likely have to learn a lot of it over again if you ever go back to it.

liquid6

great idea to do the CCDA, i think it can be nice to learn some of the best practices and start to look at things from another angle.

Also, if you use switches in your job more than routers (like I did)it was much easier for me to tackle the BCMSN after my CCNA and then I went onto the BSCI.

Just about finishing off the BSCI,
I think getting some different study material, even CCIE level CBTs/student guides/labs just on the routing protocols is probably a good idea to help push you along if you want to tackle the BSCI again. I find it really hard to re-read a book.

just a couple random thoughts, don't get discouraged!!!

nicklauscombs

how far off were you on your attempts? were certain areas trouble for you on the attempts or did you do poorly across the board? also what study materials have you been using.

personally I think you should continue on if you give up now it will be that much harder to come back to.

kafifi13

I think the highest i got was around 700. To be honest i felt really strong with EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, IS IS...probably the hardest thing for me was stuff like multicasting, IPV6. I have the TCP/IP books vol. 1 and 2. Thinking about reading those and see how i do. I'm also waiting to see if my work will just send me to a training class. probably be a waste since i pretty much put in all of my time and this would be more like a review class or just to focus on my weak points.

I'm a little torn. I really feel like i've come so far but i'm getting to the point where i don't feel motivated to do it. And yes I work alot more with Switching than I do with routing. I guess i really need to take some time and figure otu what I need to do.

Slowhand

kafifi13 wrote:

I think the highest i got was around 700. To be honest i felt really strong with EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, IS IS...probably the hardest thing for me was stuff like multicasting, IPV6. I have the TCP/IP books vol. 1 and 2. Thinking about reading those and see how i do. I'm also waiting to see if my work will just send me to a training class. probably be a waste since i pretty much put in all of my time and this would be more like a review class or just to focus on my weak points.

I'm a little torn. I really feel like i've come so far but i'm getting to the point where i don't feel motivated to do it. And yes I work alot more with Switching than I do with routing. I guess i really need to take some time and figure otu what I need to do.

If you have Routing TCP/IP volume I and II, I'd say your best bet would be to give those a read before you give up. It's amazing how much information you can get out of them that's "beyond the exams", and they're actually quite entertaining. Whatever you choose to do, be it continue with CCNP or work on CCDA, I wish you all the best and good luck.

ITdude

Well this is probably a judgement call. If it were me, I would probably perservere with the BSCI since you have invested so much time already. BSCI is a bunch of material that is really crucial to understand (like it all is

), you may find it difficult to get back up to speed if you let it slide. On the other hand, you might look at things from a different perspective if you take a little break and approach it from a different angle. Doyle's books are excellent even though targeted mostly for CCIE, they offer a wealth of info for aspiring CCNPs too.

As mentioned above, if you stick with it, try different resources from your current ones. If you are having trouble comprehending some of the material possibly CBT Nuggets can help. Jeremy has a way of making things clearer. He should not be used as a sole resource because he doesn't go into enough detail on some things.

On the other hand going for the CCDA, is also an excellent endeavor. If you understand the design principles and the nuts and bolts of routing and switching, you will have come a long way towards mastery of the material.

Whatever you choose, don't be shy to ask questions here. Someone will for sure have a way of explaining the principle so that you will understand it better.

Good luck!

Paul Boz

Finish your CCNP. You don't want to have a handful of associate level certs with a lot of experience. If you're running the show where you are you will have good experience from that job and you should get certifications that reflect that. When you take the exams they give you a breakdown of how you did on each technology. Take the specific areas you do poorly in and work on them until you are good at them. That is the only way to pass the exams.

ITdude

Paul Boz wrote:

Finish your CCNP. You don't want to have a handful of associate level certs with a lot of experience. If you're running the show where you are you will have good experience from that job and you should get certifications that reflect that. When you take the exams they give you a breakdown of how you did on each technology. Take the specific areas you do poorly in and work on them until you are good at them. That is the only way to pass the exams.

Sounds like good advice.

kaijaz

Hello;
I just need some information regarding CCDA Certification, I am intrested to attempt CCDA exam! But i dont have CCNA certification at all so am i eligible to sit for CCDA? though i never found from Cisco Website that CCNA is elegibility requirement for CCDA! but i have enough knowledge of Cisco. And on Cisco Official Web Site it is not mentioned that CCNA Certification is mandatory to appear for CCDA Exam Only CCNA and BCMSN level knowledge is needed for the CCDA certification exam.

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le0/le4/learning_certification_type_home.html

Waiting for advice!
BR;

mikej412

How much lab/hands on work have you done for your BSCI studies?

The important thing is not to take a break from your studies (more than 3 days) -- so if you wanted to try something different before you started in on Routing TCP/IP, you should decide quick.

I think studying for DESGN could be good for giving you a better design framework and an idea of the wishy-washie business stuff that goes in the computer networks you wind up with. You may appreciate and have a new found respect for BSCI after the DESGN exam.

The down side is that DESGN could be "strange" -- and if you have problems with that exam you could be scared for life and never want to take another Cisco exam again.

kaijaz wrote:

Only CCNA and BCMSN level knowledge is needed for the CCDA certification exam.

That's correct -- we finally had someone here take the DESGN exam and earn the CCDA -- without having the CCNA first. It's an Associate level exam, so the CCNA Certification is NOT a requirement for the CCDA.