BGP topics in BSCI...?

hhasund

Hi,

I am studying for BSCI, and I am using Cisco's Official Exam Certification Guide, fourth edition. In addition to this book, I have the video course from Trainsignal. this has been going well up until I recently started on BGP. The book covers a lot less than the Trainsignal videos. I mean A LOT less. The book doesn't say anything about route reflectors, confederations or communities, it hardly mentions filtering and it only covers some of the attributes by showing them in a list and telling you to remember them...

My question is - how deeply does the 642-901 cover BGP?
From the official Cisco book I get the impression that it is not covered deeply at all, while Trainsignal spends over four hours of video on BGP.

Please help...

miller811

From my experience, the official exam guide was designed for someone with prior knowledge of the material, who just needed a refresher to sit for the exam. The official study guide will go into more detail from the ground up. The Lab guide is also needed for this exam in my opinion.

This was the first professional level exam I took and while in the testing center I quickly realized, that is why they are called PROFESSIONAL level exams.

hhasund

Thanks, miller811.

I guess I have to get the study guide, too. Lots of things to remember on the BSCI, that's for sure.

-hh

BADfish10

With miller 100%
The Lab guide is a key book as hands on is important in the BCSI.
you will also find as i did the Exam Certification Guide is not nicely writen for beginners. it is good but only realy started becoming any use after going through CBT Nuggets and some Cisco online Docs to get the grounding first.

Hope you all the best with the reading.

Cheers

J

btowntech

miller811 wrote: »

This was the first professional level exam I took and while in the testing center I quickly realized, that is why they are called PROFESSIONAL level exams.

+1

Almost just wanted to walk out, but realized this was a learning experience (plus at the time had a free retake offer).

mikej412

hhasund wrote: »

how deeply does the 642-901 cover BGP?

I think they lightened the BGP Load in the BSCI exam when they changed from the 642-801 exam to the current 642-901 exam.

The BSCI exam blueprint Exam Description mentions "Configuring basic BGP" and the task list just shows

Implement BGP for enterprise ISP connectivity

• Describe the functions and operations of BGP.
• Configure or verify BGP operation in a non-transit AS (e.g., authentication).
• Configure BGP path selection. (i.e., Local Preference, AS Path, Weight or MED attributes).

But you always have to take the topic list with a "grain of salt" since they qualify right at the beginning of the Exam Topic section

The following information provides general guidelines for the content likely to be included on the exam. However, other related topics may also appear on any specific delivery of the exam.

While some of the TrainSignal material could be "left over" from the older version of the exam -- most of it probably is still "fair game" for the current exam.

And as already mentioned -- if you skipped the Cisco Press BSCI Authorized Self-Study Guide and went straight to the Cisco Press BSCI Exam Certification Guide, you've probably missed covering a bunch of material you may need to study, learn, and know for the exam.

I also agree that the BSCI Lab Portfolio book is also a good investment to help you pass the exam. The more hands on practice you get before the exam, the easier the exam is going to be to pass.

mens

so this one and this should be ok then?

kryolla

read this book and you should be good

Internet Routing Architectures

mikej412

mens wrote: »

so this one and this should be ok then?

Yes, those are the ones!!

kryolla wrote: »

Internet Routing Architectures

This is THE BOOK for the CCIP BGP exam -- even though it's not an "exam book."

But for the BSCI exam, I'd give the those BSCI books a try first, and then hit up Doyle's BGP chapters if you feel you want more BGP. If you still feel like you need "even more BGP" -- then this is THE BOOK. But with IPv6, Multicast, IS-IS, etc on the BSCI exam, you may not need (or want) this much BGP