BSCI Material

BroadcastStorm

I'm getting ready to gather my material in my pursuit of the BSCI certifications, what books will I need for this? do I need L3 switches for this? I believe this all routing exam?

burbankmarc

Get the cisco press self study guide, and the lab companion. Outside of that you don't really NEED anything else, but the TCP/IP vol I and II are good supplement. All you need for labs is GNS3. You can get a ton of supplement info on cisco's website.

My advice, and I know it seems pretty simple, but read a chapter, and understand it. Don't just read it and not retain it, actually conceptualize all of it. That and apply it all to labs (GNS3).

Good luck, if you understand the material you'll ace the exam.

Aragon1

Hey guys,

Can I know what Exam prep or practice exam materials are given with CCNP cisco press books CD?

Ex: I had got Boson with CCNA book.

BroadcastStorm

burbankmarc wrote: »

Get the cisco press self study guide, and the lab companion. Outside of that you don't really NEED anything else, but the TCP/IP vol I and II are good supplement. All you need for labs is GNS3. You can get a ton of supplement info on cisco's website.

My advice, and I know it seems pretty simple, but read a chapter, and understand it. Don't just read it and not retain it, actually conceptualize all of it. That and apply it all to labs (GNS3).

Good luck, if you understand the material you'll ace the exam.

Thanks for the response, I actually have a real lab to complement with this, a frame relay and 3 2611XM running 12.4 T IOS.

I've always performed lab practice with concepts/exampls that I study, except when I take exams I get jittery and nervous haha.

I can't wait to get started with this, has anyone tried using Todd Lamle's Sybex book for this? I have always liked Sybex books, does it lack info etc. ?

burbankmarc

I used the sybex books for my CCNA, but chose the cisco press books for the BSCI, since I wanted to follow the exam topics as closely as possible.

Also, I have a home lab too, but I didn't touch it when studying for the BSCI. GNS3 offered me flexibility that I just didn't have with my home lab. I was able to get a 22 router lab going in GNS3, running RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, ISIS, and BGP all at the same time. Unless you have a beast of a home lab, you just can't do stuff like that without GNS3.

gorebrush

For the BSCI I would HIGHLY recommend the BSCI Lab Portfolio.

Buy it, and love it.

BroadcastStorm

gorebrush wrote: »

For the BSCI I would HIGHLY recommend the BSCI Lab Portfolio.

Buy it, and love it.

This is what I got so far:

CCNP Building Scalable Internetworks (BSCI 642-901) Lab Portfolio (Cisco Networking Academy) (Paperback)
CBT_Nuggets/Trainsignal

For now I will google indepth concepts that will complement along with my studies kinda like my dictionary.

I'm looking at this book, but have mix bad reviews

http://www.amazon.com/CCNP-BSCI-Official-Certification-Guide/dp/158720147X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264911786&sr=1-1

Forsaken_GA

burbankmarc wrote: »

I used the sybex books for my CCNA, but chose the cisco press books for the BSCI, since I wanted to follow the exam topics as closely as possible.

I liked sybex for the CCNA too. Or, I should say, I liked Lammle. You made a good choice to skip Sybex for BSCI, though. I used them for my first BSCI attempt, and the exam covered stuff that the Sybex book never even mentioned in passing. So I don't trust Sybex anymore, for Cisco exams anyway.

Also, I have a home lab too, but I didn't touch it when studying for the BSCI. GNS3 offered me flexibility that I just didn't have with my home lab. I was able to get a 22 router lab going in GNS3, running RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, ISIS, and BGP all at the same time. Unless you have a beast of a home lab, you just can't do stuff like that without GNS3.

Eh, you can do the vast majority of BSCI topics with 3 routers. I used like 5. I'm not knocking GNS3, but statements like you can't study for BSCI without a monster home lab or GNS3 is blatantly false. You may not be able to follow prepared material exactly to the letter because you don't have the same amount of equipment, but you can certainly create your own scenario's, or adapt the scenario's to what you have to make the technology work. I feel that kind of innovation is a pretty useful skill for a network engineer to have.

billscott92787

I have the text, I ordered the CCNP Exam Certification Library. So all the Cisco Press books for BCMSN, BSCI, ONT, and ISCW. I would say that you definitely need it. The lab portfolio and CBT aren't going to be enough for the exam. I can almost guarantee that. I have been using Train Signal, lab portfolio, and the cisco press BSCI text. To be quite honest, if this is your first CCNP exam, the exams come down to really applied knowledge. I have seen why individuals say that it is better to work in this field before attempting the exam. But, of course these exams can be passed. They are A LOT more difficult than the ICND1 and ICND2 exams.


I totally agree with Forsaken as well, that you can adapt each scenario to meet your lab. I bought equipment when taking the CCNA, because I wanted to get that hands on feeling when it came to configuring stuff. But to be honest, the only thing I really did on the equipment was set up a Frame Relay and run OSPF over it. Everything else I have been using GNS3. But, I can say that I haven't used it to do a "Monster" lab. I normally run about 3-5 routers, and it seems to have been plenty to accomplish everything that I need to be able to accomplish to hit all the topics that are recommended by the lab portfolio.

BroadcastStorm

billscott92787 wrote: »

I have the text, I ordered the CCNP Exam Certification Library. So all the Cisco Press books for BCMSN, BSCI, ONT, and ISCW. I would say that you definitely need it. The lab portfolio and CBT aren't going to be enough for the exam. I can almost guarantee that. I have been using Train Signal, lab portfolio, and the cisco press BSCI text. To be quite honest, if this is your first CCNP exam, the exams come down to really applied knowledge. I have seen why individuals say that it is better to work in this field before attempting the exam. But, of course these exams can be passed. They are A LOT more difficult than the ICND1 and ICND2 exams.


I totally agree with Forsaken as well, that you can adapt each scenario to meet your lab. I bought equipment when taking the CCNA, because I wanted to get that hands on feeling when it came to configuring stuff. But to be honest, the only thing I really did on the equipment was set up a Frame Relay and run OSPF over it. Everything else I have been using GNS3. But, I can say that I haven't used it to do a "Monster" lab. I normally run about 3-5 routers, and it seems to have been plenty to accomplish everything that I need to be able to accomplish to hit all the topics that are recommended by the lab portfolio.

I am currently working as an Infrastructure Admin, I have full access to our network, which spans to multiple sites, although I cannot say that I have a big involvement as of yet with advance stuff.

Do you think having an actual lab helps grasp the knowledge on this exam? even a jr. network engineer requires CCNP sometimes, I wouldn't want to earn CCNP just for the titles, but I am pretty sure somewhere down the road, the concepts and knowledge gain will be useful at a given situation.

I would like to get your feedback on this, I wouldn't want to waste my time and be a paper tiger, and if having real world experience is the case, perhaps Cisco should have put a requirement with this exam like CISSP does?

Aragon1

Hey guys,

Can I know what Exam prep or practice exam materials are given with CCNP cisco press books CD?

Ex: I had got Boson with CCNA book.

burbankmarc

My book didn't come with a cd. However, there are review questions at the end of each chapter...that's about as good is it gets with the self-study guide.

And if any of you want the "monster" lab diagram I think I still have it somewhere. 3-5 routers is a good size for a lab when you're starting to learn the material. For me, at least, doing an overly complicated lab really honed my troubleshooting skills since it took me the better part of the entire day to complete the scenario fully.

SysAdmin4066

BSCI is definitely a rude awakening coming from CCNA. It is difficult to say the least. I agree with all of the comments on the material, I used Train Signal/CBT Nuggets for videos, and the Cisco Press exam guide and lab portfolio. That worked out briliantly, didnt need anything else.

BroadcastStorm

Hey guys, do you recommend taking the new CCNP track, route, switch and tshoot?

I am thinking maybe I should reinforce my knowledge by taking another associate exam perhaps CCDA or CCNA Security?

Please give me your feedback, are the resources for the new CCNP track already available?

mikem2te

BroadcastStorm wrote: »

Hey guys, do you recommend taking the new CCNP track, route, switch and tshoot?

I am thinking maybe I should reinforce my knowledge by taking another associate exam perhaps CCDA or CCNA Security?

Please give me your feedback, are the resources for the new CCNP track already available?

For me it's a difficult one - the timing of the new CCPN could be better, I'm eager to start on the CCNP but according to Amazon the books are due to be released March to May time in the UK. So I have just ordered a BCSI book so I can atleast make a start on the studying, I can't imagine the sylabus changing that much between BCSI -> Switch and BCMSN -> Switch that much. The core EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, RSTP etc will not change.

I have just done CCNA Security and I think it is a good choice if you are looking for something relatively quick to fit in while the new CCNP resources sort themselves out. It appears to touch on a number of topics covered in the CCNP - vlan security, vlan hoping, VACLs, Private VLANs, IPSEC VPNs etc

aldous

BroadcastStorm wrote: »

Hey guys, do you recommend taking the new CCNP track, route, switch and tshoot?

I am thinking maybe I should reinforce my knowledge by taking another associate exam perhaps CCDA or CCNA Security?

Please give me your feedback, are the resources for the new CCNP track already available?

if you've not started i'd hang back a couple of months as the new route and switch are going to be slightly diffrent to bsci and bcsmn. if you've done one of the exams i'd try and finsih it before july, TSHOOT looks evil (in a good way but hard)