I took the ICND2 today

Not the best exam experience...

An early sim took me about 25-30 minutes as it would just not respond to the commands I was entering. The config necessary was acheivable with several different commands, but there was only one specific command the sim would actually take any notice of. I'm not even talking completely different commands just slightly different parameters that acheive the same result, it was that fickle.

I have configured the same scenario at home and every command I tried works perfectly fine. I was just sat there thinking what the hell is happening, why wont it work? I started looking elsewhere for problems that didn't exist. Pretty horrible feeling but I couldn't move on because what needed to be corrected was simple, it just wouldn't let me fix it. Got there in the end but a terrible way to get going, thanks to Cisco for providing an unrealistic and stubborn Sim.

So, I was screwed on timing from early on and had to rush through and with a only a few minutes left I hit a big simlet on the second to last question. At that point I thought man this isn't going to be my day. Every sub question on the simlet required different troubleshooting and I barely had a second spare to think properly, it was the hardest question I've ever come accross on the CCNA track - practice or real questions. I managed it but ran out of time for the last question.

I can't tell you how relieved I was when I saw 876 on the screen

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

networker050184

Neeko wrote: »

Not the best exam experience...

An early sim took me about 25-30 minutes as it would just not respond to the commands I was entering. The config necessary was acheivable with several different commands, but there was only one specific command the sim would actually take any notice of. I'm not even talking completely different commands just slightly different parameters that acheive the same result, it was that fickle.

I have configured the same scenario at home and every command I tried works perfectly fine. I was just sat there thinking what the hell is happening, why wont it work? I started looking elsewhere for problems that didn't exist. Pretty horrible feeling but I couldn't move on because what needed to be corrected was simple, it just wouldn't let me fix it. Got there in the end but a terrible way to get going, thanks to Cisco for providing an unrealistic and stubborn Sim.

So, I was screwed on timing from early on and had to rush through and with a only a few minutes left I hit a big switching simlet on the second to last question. At that point I thought man this isn't going to be my day. Every sub question on the simlet required different troubleshooting and I barely had a second spare to think properly, it was the hardest question I've ever come accross on the CCNA track - practice or real questions. I managed it but ran out of time for the last question.

I can't tell you how relieved I was when I saw 876 on the screen

Congrats!

pipemajor

'bout 4 more weeks then I tackle ICND2...

pipemajor

BTW, I also have noted Cisco tends to put the longest (and most difficult) sims early in the exam. Perhaps their attempt to get you flustered early.

And yes, it is GREATLY frustrating when a configuration process you know like the back of your hand, won't work. I'm always careful to type in the full command name.

mikej412

Neeko wrote: »

I can't tell you how relieved I was when I saw 876 on the screen

So that means you passed, right?

Congratulations!!

Sounds like you could use a Celebration

right now!!

mikej412

pipemajor wrote: »

I'm always careful to type in the full command name.

That's good advice. I was taught to learn (and use) full command in the Cisco CCNA Network Academy classes -- and to use the ? help or TAB command completion when trying shortcuts for the first time on "unknown" equipment.

Different versions of IOS and different IOS Feature Sets may have different commands available, so if you just learn the "shortcuts" -- rather than the full commands -- you may run into problems some day.when the "shortcut command" you type in doesn't work.

human151

sounds like you had an exciting test. Congrats on the pass.

Neeko

mikej412 wrote: »

That's good advice. I was taught to learn (and use) full command in the Cisco CCNA Network Academy classes -- and to use the ? help or TAB command completion when trying shortcuts for the first time on "unknown" equipment.

Different versions of IOS and different IOS Feature Sets may have different commands available, so if you just learn the "shortcuts" -- rather than the full commands -- you may run into problems some day.when the "shortcut command" you type in doesn't work.

It wasn't due to shorthand commands, they were complete and fully legit. Obviously I can't say what it was so its hard to describe without context. If I could tell you you'd see why I was so confused and sent up the garden path with my pants down

And yes Mike 876 was a pass, I wont be celebrating properly until tomorrow but I might have a few early ones tonight to top the day off, which even with the exam stress was successful

mikej412

Neeko wrote: »

It wasn't due to shorthand commands, they were complete and fully legit.

I had one of "those" on a CCIP exam SIM. I lost a whole 6 seconds while I pondered my options when "the command" didn't work. I then hit the up arrow and edited my previous command line to use the "other option." To this day I still curse Cisco when I think of those lost 6 seconds -- which is now up to about 3+ minutes including the cursing.

I think there was also another recent thread about this. If tab or ? doesn't work, then Cisco is testing you to see if you know what the "full command" is. If a command or command option isn't available or doesn't work when you use it -- Cisco wants you to "do it the other way." But that's still pretty much what I was told by the "old timers" who did the 640-607 CCNA exam (back in the day when I was just a Cisco Pup).

You should learn the commands and some of the more popular options -- and when, where, and how to use them. Just memorizing commands and command sequences isn't really the way to learn Cisco.

mikej412

Wait!! This was the ICND2 exam -- so it's not just an exam pass celebration!! This is a full blown

CCNA

CELEBRATION!!

Congratulations on the CCNA!!

Satcom

trackit

let me get this straight... you entered legitimate command, checked with ? and tab that all the options you are entering are present on the sim, and the command just didnt work? i would say this is not fair game. If cisco wants you to do things in some certain way then they should eliminate commands or command options that they dont want you to use from the sim imo. That way you can at least know that the command or option is not avalible and you have to do it some other way and you will not try to find some "problem" that isnt there...

Anyway, congrats on the pass! I will sit for ICND2 in a week

Neeko

trackit wrote: »

let me get this straight... you entered legitimate command, checked with ? and tab that all the options you are entering are present on the sim, and the command just didnt work? i would say this is not fair game. If cisco wants you to do things in some certain way then they should eliminate commands or command options that they dont want you to use from the sim imo. That way you can at least know that the command or option is not avalible and you have to do it some other way and you will not try to find some "problem" that isnt there...

Anyway, congrats on the pass! I will sit for ICND2 in a week

I can't remember whether I checked with ? and tab but I always use these so I most likely did. But regardless, sims complain when you enter a command that isn't supported. It took the commands no problem because the syntax of what I was entering was exactly the same as what eventually worked. Its just one variable in the command could be a number of different values that all reach the same required end result, or at least they would on a real IOS. I've confirmed that by labbing it at home but I knew that anyway, its simple config.

This is what got me, it wasn't a short command or an unsupported command. Syntactically it was the same command that eventually worked, just with a different value in one part.

I can't say more than that and I guess I should quit moaning about it since I passed fairly comfortably anyway, but it certainly made the exam far more uncomfortable than it should have been.

@ Mike and everyone else, thanks

drew2000

I had the same experience a few weeks ago - I was also happy to pass. I had a tough early sim that didn't take my commands OR I didn't get the commands right.

I knew it was at least 70% correct, but not 100%.

Oh well!

Drew

trackit

Neeko wrote: »

I can't remember whether I checked with ? and tab but I always use these so I most likely did. But regardless, sims complain when you enter a command that isn't supported. It took the commands no problem because the syntax of what I was entering was exactly the same as what eventually worked. Its just one variable in the command could be a number of different values that all reach the same required end result, or at least they would on a real IOS. I've confirmed that by labbing it at home but I knew that anyway, its simple config.

This is what got me, it wasn't a short command or an unsupported command. Syntactically it was the same command that eventually worked, just with a different value in one part.

I can't say more than that and I guess I should quit moaning about it since I passed fairly comfortably anyway, but it certainly made the exam far more uncomfortable than it should have been.

@ Mike and everyone else, thanks

i wonder if this your way of doing things really was 100% correct alternate answer... Sometimes people do somethig that accomplishes the objective more or less, but its still not correct. I mean something similar to not applying standard access-list closest to the destination or something... Depending on the wording of the objectives it can more or less accomplish them but its still clearly wrong.

Too bad you cant share your scenario due to NDA

it would be interesting to know what was happening there...

I guess i will see next friday if there is any simulations on my test that can have multiple 100% correct answers

billscott92787

I think I have an idea what you are talking about but I won't state it lol. There are a few commands out there that actually the IOS will accept, and won't tell you that it isn't going to "work" even though you used the right command, you may not have put it into the "right" place so to say. Sounds like you had an exciting exam. I have to say that I hope mine isn't as exciting as yours was lol. You did a great job though with rushing through, you deserve a pat on the back! Congrats

trackit

you know what

now that i think of it i might have an idea what was going on

did it have something to do with routing protocols? if this was what i think it was then your answer actually was wrong, its just IOS "fixes" it for you in real world but simulation does not and thats understandable cause thats the point of the exam, to test if you know how it really works. The fact that in real world IOS fixes some command parameters for you is just for convinience, in case you enter it wrong.

Neeko

Edit - its just impossible to explain without saying too much.

Megadeth4168

Congrats!

I remember taking my ICND2, they did the same thing! They gave me a difficult sim early on that took me about 13 minutes.... I remember watching the time, because I was going by the 10 minute rule. I knew I was close though, so I took the extra couple minutes. You do feel rushed after that though.

AlexMR

I was in the same situation as OP in one of the two tests I took. But what i can remember now is that what i was trying to do was later proven incorrect, by myself. I cant remember exactlly now but I think it was a router-on-a-stick solution...or OSPF troubleshooting. Cant remember now.

I do remember taking an incorrect approach and being saved (or at least led to the right one) because what i thought was not an available command.

it made me think about the CCIE LAB exam and how difficult it should be without invalid commands taken out from the IOS for an specific exam topic...

Congrats on the pass!

typesh

Congrats!!!!!!!

trackit

well, i took my ICND2 today, i scored exactly the same as ICND1 (972 with passing score of 825). To be honest i found this exam little tougher than ICND1, but i didnt get any ambigous simulations like some discribed. All the sims were pretty straighforward, but maybe i just knew what i was doing

(ok ok, forgive me my cocky comment, im just happy right now lol

)

Neeko

trackit wrote: »

well, i took my ICND2 today, i scored exactly the same as ICND1 (972 with passing score of 825). To be honest i found this exam little tougher than ICND1, but i didnt get any ambigous simulations like some discribed. All the sims were pretty straighforward, but maybe i just knew what i was doing (ok ok, forgive me my cocky comment, im just happy right now lol )

Congrats