Back on the CCDA Wagon! UPDATE: Passed

I decided rather than scrap my studies for CCDA, I'm going to cram it in the next two weeks. I've almost finished the book and will begin doing the case studies this weekend. I skipped all the case studies so I could take a crack at them after learning everything she has to offer.

I'll be asking lots of questions here I'm sure as I get closer to my date, but does anyone have any advice for the last week or two of studying for CCDA? I'm still very unfamiliar with the testing style since it's going to be theory and no labs, so any advice helps!

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GT-Rob

Its an interesting exam I guess. Its like CCNA but without the sims, and without the config questions.

If you have the quick reference sheets, go over those. Take a look at the case studies in the Cisco Press book.

Also make sure you know how to do voip bandwidth requirements calculations! :P

darkerosxx

There's so many calculations in this chapter.

You mean this one?

Trunk capacity = (number of simultaneous calls to be supported) * (bandwidth required
per call)

GT-Rob

No, its more to do with pre-call.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk652/tk698/technologies_tech_note09186a0080094ae2.shtml

darkerosxx

Do you know of any easy way to remember all that information? That's a lot of information and calculations. I assumed I would need to know the information and how to do the calculations, but not know them by heart!!

darkerosxx

Having gone over most of the BCMSN topics by now, I would suggest anyone going for the CCDA to look at Wireless, VOIP, and Security in a BCMSN book or video series! It will really help you out.

Looking forward to taking CCDA soon!

wat08

darkerosxx wrote:

Looking forward to taking CCDA soon!

How soon is "soon"?

Daniel333

Good luck!

mamono

I believe that this is one of those times when Transcender comes to the rescue!

http://www.transcender.com/dept.aspx?dept_id=120400

I think that for this type of exam, it will be imperative that practice questions be used over and over and over and over and over and over until the formulas are do clearly imprinted in your mind that you start to see them in your dreams and while you drive to work. People's faces will have the outline of formulas.

darkerosxx

wat08 wrote:

darkerosxx wrote:

Looking forward to taking CCDA soon!

How soon is "soon"?

I had to put it off again. When I get close to taking it, I end up not being able to finish my study strategy, so I have to put it off.

It will likely be a few months before I can take it at this point.

darkerosxx

Got my CCDA scheduled for Tuesday!

nel

Woah, big change of heart there! but good luck mate!

malcybood

Good luck,

Know your VoIP, Security and design models inside out!

This exam gave me brain strain with the amount of info you need to remember!

wat08

Hahah, damn you, you beat me to it! Well, good luck to you, sir. I hope you post an in-depth analysis of your impression of the level of difficulty!!! PLEASE!

darkerosxx

wat08 wrote:

Hahah, damn you, you beat me to it! Well, good luck to you, sir. I hope you post an in-depth analysis of your impression of the level of difficulty!!! PLEASE!

Haha, I'll do my best. Appreciate the good luck wishes!

darkerosxx

Well, I passed and earned CCDA this morning!

The exam really was rough. Much more rough than I expected and I'm thinking they made it so rough to make it compare to the CCNA in difficulty even though they're working with mostly theory.

It had obscure terms and theories that I don't think are necessary to say you're a design associate. I won't say anything specific, but I remember most of the obscure things were in the Cisco Press Quick Reference Sheets. If you look at something in there or in the Diane Teare book and think "Oh I probably don't need to know that", that's exactly something you should study.

My strategy was to study the overall theory(quickly read the Diane Teare book), then study it again(read it again plus the Quick Reference Sheets), then study the little things I thought weren't necessary(scour both books for definitions/terms/formulas), then do that again(scour the books), then go back over the theory(quickly read over the Diane Teare Book and the Quick Reference Sheets)...that's why I kept having to put it off because I never had time to make that a full stream of study time. I think if you follow this strategy using both books, you'll do well. I can't say anything for the other CCDA book by Cisco Press because I didn't use it. I was taking a risk there, but I just didn't have the time to read it.

The case studies in the Diane Teare book won't help you for the exam (in my opinion), but will definitely make you a better Design Associate. They're really good and I think it helps you see how the theory/technology relates to real life situations. I highly suggest doing them.

Good luck to anyone else going for the CCDA! It was definitely fun for me and I'm happy I did it. I feel like I know a lot more about networking design and what to look for in equipment based on what customers want/need.

dynamik

Congratulations!

Thanks for the detailed feedback.

ITdude

Congrats! It is indeed a fun exam. If you ever have it in your plans, you will LOVE the ARCH exam material, too!

networker050184

Congrats!

shednik

congrats on the pass!!

darkerosxx

ITdude wrote:

Congrats! It is indeed a fun exam. If you ever have it in your plans, you will LOVE the ARCH exam material, too!

Cool! Would you suggest, when I get that far, to go for the ARCH before or after BCMSN/BSCI?

mikej412

Congratulations!

I think some people are just genetically predisposed to have issues with the DESGN exam.

ITdude

darkerosxx wrote:

ITdude wrote:

Congrats! It is indeed a fun exam. If you ever have it in your plans, you will LOVE the ARCH exam material, too!

Cool! Would you suggest, when I get that far, to go for the ARCH before or after BCMSN/BSCI?

I would definitely wait till you pass both of those exams and preferable the entire CCNP track if you are going that route. The design aspects will make a whole lot more sense if you do so. Plus for me it provided a view that helps put together and give you a better perspective of the bigger picture(at least it did for me).

mamono

Congratulations! Nice feedback!

I'm a bit twitchy thinking about studying for this exam, I'll get around to it eventually.

wat08

Congrats man. Did you have any background in voice before tackling this exam?

darkerosxx

wat08 wrote:

Congrats man. Did you have any background in voice before tackling this exam?

No. Voice was actually my lowest scoring section.

miller811

Congrats, I hope to be right behind you on passing this exam. I am about 5 weeks in and hope to complete it around the 1st.

darkerosxx

Thanks again for all congrats!

FYI: Passing the CCDA *does* refresh CCENT/CCNA. My recertification dates were all extended to December 9, 2011.