general questions about cisco path

trackit

Hi!

Right now im busy with MS certifications, but in the future im interested in some Cisco and networking certs also. So i was wondering, how do you guys prepare for cisco certification path? Do you all have some cisco equipment to practice on? Or is there another way to get some hands on experience? (i heard that cisco exams are especially tough to pass without extencive hands on practice). I heard about some emulator software (Dynamips/Dynagen)... any experience with it or possibly some other emulator?

And also, how tough are cisco exams, lets say compared do MS stuff for example... a lot tougher? How much hours (approx) do you put into studying for 1 of CCNP exams?

tiersten

Firstly, you need to get CCNA before you can get CCNP so you should start off in the CCNA forum first.

trackit wrote: »

Do you all have some cisco equipment to practice on? Or is there another way to get some hands on experience?

You can buy equipment, buy a simulator or use an emulator.

A simulator is literally that. It doesn't actually run any of the real software. It is just simulating the interface. It will not have full support for every command and it may be buggy. There are several vendors for Cisco simulators including Cisco themselves.

Dynamips is the only emulator currently available. See below about dynamips.

trackit wrote: »

I heard about some emulator software (Dynamips/Dynagen)... any experience with it or possibly some other emulator?

Dynamips will emulate some of the older Cisco routers. It requires a copy of the relevant IOS from a real router however. The actual dynamips software is legal but Cisco state that using IOS with an unlicensed or non Cisco device is not legal.

GNS3 is the GUI frontend for dynamips. Dynagen is a CLI frontend for dynamips.

Dynamips can't and won't emulate a switch properly however. It has a very basic implementation of a switch built into it but most of the advanced features you will just aren't implemented. If you want experience with a switch then you must get a real switch or get a simulator.

trackit wrote: »

And also, how tough are cisco exams, lets say compared do MS stuff for example... a lot tougher? How much hours (approx) do you put into studying for 1 of CCNP exams?

Depends on the person.

mikej412

You can find some answers in the CCNA FAQ

The more hands on practice you get, the better you'll probably do on the Cisco Exams.

Simulators can get you through the CCNA Exam(s) -- and have the advantage of being portable -- but on job interviews you'll be going up against people who learned and studied with real equipment (home, school, or work labs or job experience).

Boson, while still buggy after all these years, is still probably the "best" -- as long as you stick to their scripted labs, which are pretty complete for most of the tasks you NEED TO LEARN for the CCNA.

Cisco Press is finally offering another option -- but they've missed their delivery dates for the last 6 months or so. But they are offering the "CCENT download version" now, with a "free download" of the ICND 2 part when it finally becomes available later (last I saw April 1st :lol ) -- plus it's cheaper the "full package price" until the ICND 2 part (and the full product) ships.

Dynamips requires the use of a real IOS file -- and doesn't do switching well.