Coming back for CCNA

Hushang

Hey all, I have been a member on these forums for years. I got my CCNA in June of 06, but because of life events I was unable to go for my CCNP, and my CCNA expired as of June of 09. I am now able to peruse my Cisco career again. I have not been keeping up to date with the changes in the technology, does anybody have suggestions as to where I should start studying, what I should focus on, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

mikej412

Just some topics have changed -- ISDN, IGRP gone from the exam. And some topics have "moved down" from the CCNP -- I think multiarea OSPF may now be covered in ICND2. Otherwise things are more or less same.

Check the exam blueprints to make sure you know what topics are important for the exam(s). The regular Cisco Certification website pages will lead you over to the Cisco Learning Network (Cisco CCO guest level and Cisco Learning Network accounts are free).

If you do the 2 exam option, you get the CCENT for passing ICND1 and the CCNA when you pass ICND2. If you just do the CCNA you just get the CCNA. The single exam price went up, so the cost is the same for taking the 2 exams vs the 1 exam (at least in the US).

The latest Odom Cisco Press CCNA Certification Library is still the single best source to prepare for the exam -- and to prepare the higher Cisco Certifications.

Todd's Sybex book is still a "fun read" and your best bet for brushing up on your subnetting skills (along with some time at subnettingquestions.com - Free Subnetting Questions and Answers Randomly Generated Online). You may want to start with this one -- and if you're "feeling lucky" it may be enough to refresh your Cisco memory and pick up most of the "new" material you'll need for the exam.

As always -- the more time you spend in the Lab studying and trying things, the easier the exam becomes. Check out Dynamips or GNS3 -- front ends for Dynamips which is an emulator that lets you use real IOS images to run emulated routers (with simulated hardware) on your PC (or PCs). Real hardware is still probably the best, but toss some real switches together with Dynamips and you can build a lab almost good enough for the CCIE.

Chris Bryant is still there with the "Chris Bryant Advantage" -- and his ultimate study guides for CCNA/CCNP -- and maybe even now for the "new" CCNA Specializations (Voice, Wireless, Security). The CCNA is the prerequisite for the CCNA Specializations.

CBT Nuggets and Trainsignal Videos are still popular for the "video training" crowd.

Hopefully I've hit the highlights and pointed you in a couple directions to get you back on the "Cisco Track"

Welcome Back!!

Hushang

Thanks for the feedback Mike. I ordered the CCNA certification Library, CCNA Exam Cram, and CCNA IOS Survival guide off of amazon, I also got the updated version of Chris Bryant's Trainsignal. When I had initally passed my CCNA I used Trainsignal, Exam Cram, and a few other online sites, GN3 looks very promising so cheers for mentioning that.

billscott92787

Train Signal is definitely great. I used it along with the Exam Certification Library to pass my CCNA on 10/08/2009. I have been watching the Train Signal videos for my CCNP BCMSN studies as well. Chris Bryant does an excellent job of explaining things and he always gives me a laugh because somewhere on some video he says something that is just off the wall. I was watching my BCMSN video on enabling layer 3 capabilities on multi-layer switches and he said, "The first step in troubleshooting multilayer switch routing is to ensure that Ip routing is enabled. He then showed how to enable it, ip routing at global configuration level."


Then he says, "AND THAT'S IT, YOU WON'T GET NO BIG MESSAGE, THE PIGEONS WON'T GO FLYING." I about feel off of my chair laughing when he said that.

Hushang

hahahaha, he does make some funny comments from time to time. Keeps the videos a little more interesting.