CCNA Boot Camp

MartinCoxx

Hi Guys

My company are going to pay for me to attend an intense classroom based training program. The company I'm choosen to train with is Firebrand Training, has anyone ever heard of these? Anyone trained with them? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

I'm not totally relying on the boot camp to gain knowledge (I'm studying for the knowledge, not the cert alone), I'm trying to study for 3 - 4 hours per day in the meantime, leading up to the course. I really wouldn't be happy training just to pass an exam. I want to be someone who knows their **** lol, not a wannabe.

The course I'm going on seems pretty intense, 14 hour days, 6 days straight, but I suppose if it's interesting stuff, the time will fly by!

Wish me luck!

Martin

mikej412

MartinCoxx wrote: »

My company are going to pay

That's what we want to hear when people go these bootcamps

MartinCoxx wrote: »

I'm not totally relying on the boot camp to gain knowledge (I'm studying for the knowledge, not the cert alone), I'm trying to study for 3 - 4 hours per day in the meantime, leading up to the course.

Definitely a good plan. Most good boot camps will suggest a study plan before attending since they know they will be throwing lots of material at the students.

The best way to do it is to study on your own to learn the material (and exam topics) -- and use the bootcamp as a review before you take the exam

If you have access to hardware (or a simulator) you're going to want to do more than just read before you get to the bootcamp. While you'll probably have a pod of equipment at the bootcamp, you don't want to be touching the hardware or be seeing a real command line for the first time when you get there.

These are the books I'd usually recommend for self-study:
Odom Certification Library AND Todd's Sybex book (6th Edition)

Wendell Odom Cisco Press CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (CCNA Exam 640-802), 3rd Edition

Todd Lammle's CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide: Exam 640-802, 6th Edition

Todd's book is a "fun read" -- so if you can get through that (and the exercises) you may be able to follow along the entire bootcamp without ever getting lost.

The Odom books cover more than you'd need for the bootcamp -- but these are the books that also build the foundation for future Cisco studies. If you get through them before your class you'll probably understand and learn a lot more from the bootcamp -- and retain a lot more knowledge from both your studies and the bootcamp.

MartinCoxx wrote: »

The course I'm going on seems pretty intense, 14 hour days, 6 days straight, but I suppose if it's interesting stuff, the time will fly by!

Hopefully it will be boring because you learned everything before the class

MartinCoxx wrote: »

Wish me luck!

Good Luck -- but hopefully if you prepare well you won't need it.

MartinCoxx

Hi Mike

Big thanks for replying!

I've just ordered the Todd Lammle book on your recommendation. The Cisco Press one seems a little pricey at around £30+. I'll see how I go on with the other one for now.

I'm also using the CBT Nuggets series for the CCNA with Jeremy Something, which seems really good. He can really explain things in an easy to understand way.

I'm really determined to not just be an exam passer, I want this as my new career path, so a paper cert isn't really going to cut it! My motivation for this is dissatisfaction with my current role, the clock is ticking, so I'll be dedicating as much time as possible to the CCNA. Hopefully I can get it done within a reasonable time scale. Before Christmas, or am I being too ambitious?

Martin