Is my Study Material Way Out Of Date?

CiscoNewb

Hi all,

I am currently studying for the CCNA. I began the process 2 years ago by buying the books and did little else but have now decided I want to do it seriously.
My only concern now is that I am studying off the CCNA 1 and 2 and CCNA 3 and 4 Cisco Press Networking Academy Program Revised Third Editions.
How out of date are these and am I going to have to buy new material?

Thanks in advance.

phantasm

I have the CCNA 1 & 2 Third edition and I found it to be mostly useless. Some of the info is still good, but the new exam tests on material not covered in those books. Some of the new material is Security, Wireless, IPv6 and the SDM I believe.

Here is the exam blueprint for the new 640-802 exam: https://cisco.hosted.jivesoftware.com/community/certifications/ccna/ccna_exam?view=overview

mikej412

About 25% of the CCNA material changed. You may as well get the Odom Cisco Press CCNA Certification Library -- since you need it to cover the new material.

CiscoNewb

mikej412 wrote: »

About 25% of the CCNA material changed. You may as well get the Odom Cisco Press CCNA Certification Library -- since you need it to cover the new material.

I will get the odom library. I am half way through the current books that I have. Is it a good idea to complete those books and then complete the odom ones to refresh what I have done already and to also cover the new material?

Thanks,

Ian.

phantasm

CiscoNewb wrote: »

I will get the odom library. I am half way through the current books that I have. Is it a good idea to complete those books and then complete the odom ones to refresh what I have done already and to also cover the new material?

Thanks,

Ian.

I would stop reading the old books. They cover material not on the new CCNA exam. No point to learn what you're not going to need. For example, ISDN.

mikej412

You should always use a couple different sourses to study, so unless you plan to also get the Sybex CCNA book you could still finish reading the CCNA Academy books.

IGRP is only useful for the historical viewpoint and background for EIGRP -- and it's no longer tested in the CCNA.

ISDN isn't tested in the CCNA -- but could still be useful in the future if you have an interest in any of the Cisco Voice Tracks. But don't spend lots of time on it or bother buying an ISDN simulator and routers with ISDN Interfaces.

If you plan on taking the two exam route to earn the CCENT, in addition to the CCNA, then you need to read more than the CCNA 1 and 2 books for the ICND1 exam. The ICND1 exam gets into more routing and basic switching than the old INTRO exam did. The CCNA 1 and 2 books had repetition on some of the basic topics to give students a good foundation of the fundamentals for their future studies. To be safe, finish the CCNA Academy books and then read the Odom ICND1 book to make sure you got everything covered for the ICND1 exam.

Odom's ICND2 book should cover the new topics added into the CCNA/ICND2 exam like Security and Wireless and go over the more advanced topics that now show up at the CCNA level (rather than the CCNP).

Hands-on practice was important for the old CCNA exam(s) and is probably even more important now.

Mishra

I totally read this thread title as "Is Study Material a Way Out of a Date?" hehe

CiscoNewb

Thanks to everyone for all the help with this.

Mishra wrote: »

I totally read this thread title as "Is Study Material a Way Out of a Date?" hehe

HeHeHe. Like it.


"read the Odom ICND1"

Hi Mike. Thanks for all the advice. Is this book a part of the Odom Cisco Press CCNA Certification Library?

mikej412

CiscoNewb wrote: »

Is this book a part of the Odom Cisco Press CCNA Certification Library?

Yes - CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (CCNA Exam 640-802), 3rd Edition - $47.99

The two books contained in this package,
CCENT/CCNA ICND1 Official Exam Certification Guide, Second Edition, and
CCNA ICND2 Official Exam Certification Guide, Second Edition,
present complete reviews and a more challenging and realistic preparation experience. The books are updated to cover all the new 640-802 exam objectives, such as security, wireless, IPv6, and troubleshooting.

Neeko

It's worth covering the TCP/IP, subnetting, Managing IOS, RIP etc subjects because that is all covered in the new curriculum, but be sure to read the newer book too because there are some differences such as first and last subnets being accepted. Also completely new subjects being covered such as SDM, SSH and there is now switching in ICND1.

I had the 3.1 revision books and was going to take the old curriculum exams because due to me being enrolled on a short course at an academy in 07 I had retired exam codes that were going to be available until the end of July this year.

Then I realised the new curriculum is far more up to date and cuts out a lot of undeeded facts about electrical wiring and the physics behind it. The new curriculum is much better.