JockVSJock's progress towards CCNA

JockVSJock

Greetings, gonna post my progress here towards the CCNA.

I am studying from the following:
-CBT Nuggets CCNA
-Cisco CCNA Exam Library, 3rd Edition
-CCNA Study Guide, from Sybex (T Lammie), 6th edition

Today, I read the 1st chapter from the Cisco book. Pretty straight ahead and stuff that was already covered from studying from the Network+. I have a feeling it won't be straight ahead like this for the rest of the book.

laidbackfreak

Jock do you have access to a LAB ?

and your not wrong things certainly get a lot more interesting along the cisco path

are you going the 1 or 2 exam path?

schpenxel

JockVSJock wrote: »

Greetings, gonna post my progress here towards the CCNA.

I am studying from the following:
-CBT Nuggets CCNA
-Cisco CCNA Exam Library, 3rd Edition
-CCNA Study Guide, from Sybex (T Lammie), 6th edition

Today, I read the 1st chapter from the Cisco book. Pretty straight ahead and stuff that was already covered from studying from the Network+. I have a feeling it won't be straight ahead like this for the rest of the book.

personally i watched the videos first. from there i read some of the books/did some practice stuff.. then watched them again. for me it took a second time for some things to sink in.

it gets a bit more complicated than the first few chapters

JockVSJock

laidbackfreak wrote: »

Jock do you have access to a LAB ?

and your not wrong things certainly get a lot more interesting along the cisco path

are you going the 1 or 2 exam path?

I'm in the process of kicking the tires on getting a lab setup. Will post info on that once I get it.

Gonna try to do the 2 test at once...We'll see...

JockVSJock

Read the 1st Chapter today of the Lammle book. Did some highlighting and need to go back and take some detailed notes.

Seeing some of the Network+ stuff that I've already covered, so some of this is a review.

JockVSJock

Bought all of the equipment for my lab:

2 2500 routers
1 2600 router
2 2900 switches

Was able to test them all out and they seem to work ok at this point in time.

Picked them up via ebay for less then 400.00, from the following seller:

Cisco CCNA CCENT CCNP CCIE Home Lab Training Kit

thenjduke

Jock,
Trust me there is a huge change from Network+ to Cisco world. There is a huge difference from Microsoft to Cisco. You will enjoy your Cisco studies. I have not put my books down yet. I am going straight through to the CCNA exam itself because do not want to split it up.
Earl

billscott92787

I haven't taken the networking + exam. But, I have read the objectives. There are "some" similiarities between some of the "basic" content. But, you definitely will start to see a difference. If you liked learning about networking when studying for the networking+ then I would guarantee you will love Cisco. I can't get enough of my books and haven't stopped reading them since I started around 6-7 months ago. I too am taking the one exam route. I scheduled for November 21, 2009 @ 10:00 am. I could "possibly" move it up, if I feel that I am ready before then. But, I have a few specific entities I haven't covered too much yet, I want to cover, and do some practice exams.

JockVSJock

A good friend of mine forwarded this website to me:

Main Page - CT3

Some good Cisco info on it.

billscott92787

I think if you keep studying what you are studying and lab a good bit, you will be fine. I would recommend picking up the ICND1 and ICND2 books if you are willing to purchase anymore reading material. I have read the ICND1 and I'm reading the ICND2 along with watching videos as well and practicing anything hands on that I see in the books. They are excellent books and definitely thoroughly explain things. You can get a good deal from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Official-Certification-Library-640-802-Guide/dp/1587201836/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252236336&sr=1-1 the complete set is only $37.79. They also include some practice questions and things and they include the Boson Practice Test software, which includes a serial key for the full practice test questions.

JockVSJock

Note: CCNA won't be my main thrust, the MCSA will be because I work with that stuff day-to-day. Will try to get some studying in on the weekends.

I was able to finish the 1st chapter on Sybex book. Also wrote up a bunch of terms under
Flashcards: The world's largest library of printable flash cards

billscott92787

Are you trying to do the 1 test (640-802) or the two test option? CCENT and then CCNA? How long are you giving yourself to prepare?

JockVSJock

billscott92787 wrote: »

Are you trying to do the 1 test (640-802) or the two test option? CCENT and then CCNA? How long are you giving yourself to prepare?

Would like to do both test at the sametime. However see my remark above, my main focus is the MCSA because that is what my job revolves around.

Once I knock that I, I'll turn my FT attention to the CCNA.

JockVSJock

Back in the saddle again on the CCNA, I'm decided not to do the MCSA because when going to buy my voucher for 70-270, Server 2003 is going to be sunset as of July this year.

Today: I quiz and reviewed my notes/terms on Chp 2 and 3 from Odom's Book.

I have notes/terms all the way up to chp 6 and also some on chp 12 for subnetting.

For next week, I would like to write up my notes/terms on chp 12 and start working subnetting questions on a daily basis.

tim100

Take a look at the Cisco Learning Network Site:

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/co...fications/ccna

Click on Study/Learn. They have some good study material along with simulations and videos.

JockVSJock

For 5/1:

-Quiz and Review Chp2 and Chp3.

Still trying to commit the following to memory:

-unicast
-broadcast
-multicast

For the coming week, will focus on the following chapters from Odom

-Chp 7
-Chp 12

Also, I'm trying to fix one of the faceplates on a router that I have. I tried to following the following info:

How to repair a Cisco router faceplate | NetworkWorld.com Community

Wasn't able to get it to work, the plastic wall anchors weren't long enough and I couldn't get them to stay in the holes where the plastic once went where it kept the faceplate on.

Any recommendations?

JockVSJock

For 5/3

-Quiz and Reviewed Chp 2, 3 and 4
-Start to writeup notes for Chp 12 Subnetting

Selfmade

make sure you include practice exams as a part of your study efforts so you can assess your weak areas and focus on those to help you do better.

JockVSJock

I have the following books:
-Odom Cisco
-Lammle Cisco

Where do you get the practice exams/labs?

Selfmade wrote: »

make sure you include practice exams as a part of your study efforts so you can assess your weak areas and focus on those to help you do better.

thenjduke

I have my MCSA/MCSE and then went onto my studies for Cisco and going to take my second part of test next month around June 5th. I thoughts about doing the upgrade exams for Windows 2008 before going CCNA and I went CCNA route. Let me tell you I barely want to look at Microsoft stuff anymore. I am starting to enjoy Cisco and I begun to use more of Linux. I am leaning more in Cisco world but I did take my upgrade exams and what a joke those test were.

JockVSJock

5/5

-2 20 minutes sessions of quiz and review of Chp 4
-Re-Read Chp 7 and will need to take notes before end of week
-Took notes on Chp 12 Subnetting, however I feel that my notes are not complete and may
have to re-read this chp a number of times

Selfmade

JockVSJock wrote: »

5/5

-2 20 minutes sessions of quiz and review of Chp 4
-Re-Read Chp 7 and will need to take notes before end of week
-Took notes on Chp 12 Subnetting, however I feel that my notes are not complete and may
have to re-read this chp a number of times

first then claim victory!!!!

JockVSJock

5/6

Did quiz and review for chp2, 3 and 4. I also did the exam questions in Odom's book. Chp 2 is ok, however I need to revamp my notes for 3 and 4 because I missed quite a few questions.

Selfmade

JockVSJock wrote: »

5/6

Did quiz and review for chp2, 3 and 4. I also did the exam questions in Odom's book. Chp 2 is ok, however I need to revamp my notes for 3 and 4 because I missed quite a few questions.

Nothing wrong with that, at least you know what your weak points are, better to find those out now rather than when you sit the exam

JockVSJock

5/7

Cleaned up chp 3 and 4 notes
Played the Cisco Binary game

5/8

Took notes over Chp 7
Played Cisco Binary game again

Goals for this week:
-Notes Chp8 & Chp9
-Continue to quiz and review

JockVSJock

For 5/10

Read Chp 8, need to writeup notes

JockVSJock

5/11

At work now, instead of surfing the internet, I'm trying to practice my subnetting.
Also still quiz and reviewing chp 2 and 3. I am still not at the point able to site all of this
material ok.

Chp 3, I'm still getting hung up on the unicast, broadcast and multicast.

xenodamus

Keep it up - I find it hard sometimes to read the same chapter several times but I always pick up on little things I didn't see before when I do.

JockVSJock

5/12
-Quiz and reviewed Chp 2 and Chp 3 before work and during lunch break
-While at work converted ip addresses to binary and also wrote out CIDR Table a few times
-Wrote up notes on Chp 8 from Odom's Book

Was also wondering:
Do the access, core and distributions switches indicate these are those types?

Selfmade

don't quote me on this but i think for core layer switches, they are likely to be layer 3 switches, but that's not gospel, because you can have a layer 3 switch as an access layer switch if you wanted. A switch that can do layer 3 is called a multi-layer switch. You will learn more about that in CCNP I believe, because they cover MPLS and stuff like that.

Multilayer switch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There's no real difference, it just depends on how you design your network. Switches operate at layer 2 unless they are multilayer switches as mentioned before.

Hierarchical internetworking model - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

that's basically a quick summary of the hierarchial model, basically core layer has the most powerful processing equipment, because it is the high speed backbone of the network. It also provides redundancy in case of a failure at the top of the network, which is pretty important in large networks.

The distribution is the "smart" layer where all the routing and filtering happen.

The access layer is the end devices on the network. If you look at wikipedia it will tell you that Layer 3 switches can be found on the access layer if they are so desired.

So basically I hope that answers your question, you can find Layer 3 switches in the core, distribution, or access layers.

JockVSJock

Selfmade wrote: »

don't quote me on this but i think for core layer switches, they are likely to be layer 3 switches, but that's not gospel, because you can have a layer 3 switch as an access layer switch if you wanted. A switch that can do layer 3 is called a multi-layer switch. You will learn more about that in CCNP I believe, because they cover MPLS and stuff like that.

Multilayer switch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There's no real difference, it just depends on how you design your network. Switches operate at layer 2 unless they are multilayer switches as mentioned before.

Hierarchical internetworking model - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

that's basically a quick summary of the hierarchial model, basically core layer has the most powerful processing equipment, because it is the high speed backbone of the network. It also provides redundancy in case of a failure at the top of the network, which is pretty important in large networks.

The distribution is the "smart" layer where all the routing and filtering happen.

The access layer is the end devices on the network. If you look at wikipedia it will tell you that Layer 3 switches can be found on the access layer if they are so desired.

So basically I hope that answers your question, you can find Layer 3 switches in the core, distribution, or access layers.

Actually, I also have the Cisco CCNA book by Lammle and in the 1st chp (I need to start taking notes and doing quiz/review from this book too) he breaks down the different types of Cisco equipment: Access, Core and Distribution.

Core Layer

Core Layer is literally the core of the network. At the top of the hierarchy, the core layer is responsible for transporting large amounts of traffic both reliably and quickly.

The core is likely to see large volumes of traffic, so spped and latency are driving
concerns here.

Distribution Layer

Sometimes referred to as the workgroup layer and is the communication point between
the access layer and the core. The primary functions of the distribution layer are to provide routing, filtering and WAN access and to determine how packets can access the core, if needed.

The distribution layer is the place to implement policies for the network

Access Layer

The access layer control user and workgroup access to internetwork resources. The access layer is sometimes referred to as the desktop layer