List of testable subject material

Nevins

I've been studying for the CCNA for years but untill now I've never really put forth the effort to really do hundreds of labs and put full on months of effort on only the CCNA. I've decided that I wish to take the ICND1, ICND2 path because it has more of a separation of topics than CCNA meaning that I can focus on one thing at a time and worry less about memorization. Anyways I was wondering if there was a master list someone has compiled of things that are on the ICND1 & ICND2 tests?

What I'm basically looking for is some sort of checklist that I can go over and say I know each section of it so when it gets time to do the exam I'm confident that I pass before I get into the room.

*BB*

Cisco's site has the break down on whats on the CCENT and ICND2 exams. Thats all you need.

mikej412

CCNA - Career Certifications & Paths - Cisco Systems

Follow the links for the specific exam(s) over to the Cisco Learning Network, and log in (get a free account if you don't already have a Cisco Guest Level CCO account) to see the topics listed in the exam blueprints.

Once you're logged in, these "direct links" may work for the ICND1 and ICND2 exams....
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-4987
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/docs/DOC-4978

Nevins

I've seen those before and the main problem is those bullet points are not specific enough to be useful for tracking progress.

Example: Describe the purpose and functions of various network devices

Clearly a very broad description using the word various which could basically include an infinite list of network devices. A more clearly example would say:

Describe the purpose and functions of the following devices:

Network Interface Card:
Repeater:
Hub:
Bridge:
Switch:
Router:
ASA:
PIX:
IDS:
SAN:
Client:
Server:
CSU/DSU:

But as it turns out the term various could include or not include way more or less than that. Network Devices on the other hand are the least of your worries as it's pretty easy to describe the functions of those devices. But not only is that list non-descriptive it also leaves things out completely! My example for this is well known, registered and dynamic ports. Nowhere in the ICND1 Exam topics blueprint does it say you need to memorize port numbers and more importantly it doesn't tell you which ones you need to memorize. From my standpoint who's to say that Cisco isn't going to randomly test that 513/TCP is rlogin? Well known ports number from 1-1023 should I memorize all of them?


Tech exams clearly thinks this is an important subject they went ahead and made a practice test for it:
http://www.techexams.net/coexam/review.php?exam=#

Do you see what I'm getting at here? That list is completely useless as a planning and preparedness guide. It might as well be one bullet point that says: Understand how networking works

Which is fine as an overall goal but means dick all as a study guide. Don't mistake me as someone looking for a brain ****(I don't bring sand to the beach). I know the goal here is to have a broad knowledge base but passing that off as a study guide is an absolute joke. You'll get much much more out of something when you know that your missing something important and that you should study and understand it.

Clearly you jest?

*BB*

If you were to get the ICND1 and ICND2 books, each one of those sections is broken down in the table of contents and described thoroughly as you go through the book. The tests are a broad range of material and its all material that you should know. They are going to give you the information you need. Dont read into it more than that.

No, you are not going to need to memorize what all those ports are, but there are ports you are going to need to know along with the port ranges and the books do a good job of informing you of those.

Forsaken_GA

Pick up a book and do some reading, the forum is full of recommendations. Then pick up some practice test software (I recommend Transcender) and see how well you perform on it before you set foot into the exam center. Transcender, at the least, will give you a realistic idea of how ready you are for the real thing.

And if you're using study material that shows you how to configure something, it's a pretty good idea to go ahead and do that configuration yourself, whether it be through hands on hardware, or through some sort of simulator.

Don't overthink it, spend that energy you're using on worrying about what to study for the exam and use it actually studying and you'll make some progress. And there's no rule about learning more than you actually need to know for the exam... it's a common thing for CCNP candidates to read the CCIE level texts for a deeper understanding, and it's not uncommon for CCNA candidates to read CCNP and CCIE level texts.

For your complaint about well known port numbers, use a little common sense. While it's certainly possible that they could pull anything off the list, look at in conjunction with the other technology being tested. NAT is on the blueprint, so it's a fairly safe assumption that you'll need to know the port numbers of services which are commonly NAT'd. It's a very safe bet that you should know the port numbers for POP3, IMAP, SMTP, HTTP, and HTTPS. Chances are pretty good that you already know all the port numbers they're likely to test you on just from simple every day usage. I'm betting if I asked you to rattle off the port numbers for telnet, ssh and rdp, you'd get at least two of them right.

The only sources which can give you a definitive checklist of what will or won't be tested for on the exam are those which are willing to break the NDA. The Cisco exam blueprint is the only official list of topics that Cisco puts out. Some topics are a bit ambiguous? Welcome to the real world, where sometimes there's the Cisco answer, and there's the actual answer (they're not NEARLY as bad as Microsoft though).

I'm going to be a little bit mean here, but it's not with any malicious intent - You say you've been studying for the CCNA for years. Whether that's the literal truth, or a bit of hyperbole, you should have been well exposed to it's topics by now, enough to ascertain to what level you need to focus your studies. Otherwise you haven't been really studying for years, you've been studying for hours spread out of a few years time. If what you're looking for is a list that will allow you to memorize and regurgitate what it's going to test you on, you may want to consider another career. Cisco's aim isn't to train monkeys, it's to train people who can think. If you learn the fundamentals and the rules of how everything plays with each other, then it doesn't matter what the questions are.

*BB*

well said.

Nevins

Pick up a book and do some reading, the forum is full of recommendations.

I think your assuming a lot about me that you don't know. I've got the resources and I use them. I pretty much ace all the practice tests that I've attempted and plan on taking the real test very soon. I was actually more or less looking for things that I don't know and should know because I don't want to be one of those people that pass the test with the minimum score. Over the years I've been studying it wasn't only for this test it was so I could function at work. The only reason I took interest in it recently is because I became unemployed and figured it would be worth looking into. In high school I took the CCNA classes, in college I graduated with a degree in network management which had a heavy focus on Cisco networking and then I got a job as the network admin/general I.T. person for a distribution plant where memorizing port numbers wasn't exactly useful information so for the most part I had to relearn non-critical information specifically for the test. So I did study hard for years, then I didn't use some of the information trained in the CCNA and then I started studying again and here I am now. If you asked me what I think I would get on an exam if I took it right now I would most-likely say I would pass. But that's just it it's hard to tell when the study guide is so ambiguous that ANYTHING could be on it.

Here are the main resources that I currently use:

CCNA 640-802 Network Simulator (All ICND1 labs done)
CCNA Exam Certification Library Third edition (All ICND1 done)
CCNA Guide to Cisco Networking Third Edition (Read it a long time ago re-skimming it for good measure)
GNS-3 home simulator


I've got rack equipment on order.
I've got about 200+ hours over the last 3 months logged watching video training.
I can honestly say I'm at the point where I think I'm ready to take the test and pass it I just worry that I'm missing something because there is nothing to clearly state what is on the test.


But the fact is I have no idea why I have to defend myself, I simply asked for a study guide that is indeed an actual study guide. Your way out of line telling me to pick another career path. The only thing you know about me is I want more information. Also don't get confused I know my port numbers that was simply an example to show how poor and useless that "study guide"(if you chose to consider it that) actually is. The idea behind a "Study Guide" is you use it to reference and guide your studies... I would never reference something so ambiguous because there is no point.

Forsaken_GA

Nevins wrote: »

I think your assuming a lot about me that you don't know.

Of course I am, you didn't leave me much choice. You say only that you've studied for years, but only recently put any effort into that study. You make no mention of the resources you've used, and you come asking for a checklist of material Cisco can test you on. When pointed at the exam blueprint, you go into a lengthy rant about how it's ambiguous.

Now, that second post was rather articulate. It gave me the impression that you're fairly smart, and that you do have the ability to communicate. The conclusions I drew from those two posts are that you have a tendency to procrastinate (which is something you admitted yourself) and that you like to argue. I can relate, as those are characteristics I also possess.

I've got the resources and I use them. I pretty much ace all the practice tests that I've attempted and plan on taking the real test very soon. I was actually more or less looking for things that I don't know and should know because I don't want to be one of those people that pass the test with the minimum score. Over the years I've been studying it wasn't only for this test it was so I could function at work.

See? Now this information is much better. I will say that your concern with passing something higher than a minimum is unfounded, and rather egotistical. Verification reports from Cisco don't list your scores, only whether your certification is valid or not. Your score makes absolutely no difference, only whether or not you pass does. So sure, they could pop a question on you wanting to know what's the port for rlogin. And you may miss that question. That's not likely going to cause you to fail, unless you also can't subnet, explain what a MAC address is, or configure RIP.

But the fact is I have no idea why I have to defend myself, I simply asked for a study guide that is indeed an actual study guide.

By your own admission, you have exactly that. And you've judged that it's not good enough to pass the CCNA, without ever having taken the CCNA. And no, you did not ask for a study guide.

This is what you said:

Anyways I was wondering if there was a master list someone has compiled of things that are on the ICND1 & ICND2 tests?

What I'm basically looking for is some sort of checklist that I can go over and say I know each section of it so when it gets time to do the exam I'm confident that I pass before I get into the room.

That is not a study guide, you were asking explicitly for a list of topics covered on the exam. And you were pointed to the exam blueprint. And you responded that wasn't good enough. Your question was answered, you just didn't like the answer you were given.

The only thing you know about me is I want more information. Also don't get confused I know my port numbers that was simply an example to show how poor and useless that "study guide"(if you chose to consider it that) actually is. The idea behind a "Study Guide" is you use it to reference and guide your studies... I would never reference something so ambiguous because there is no point.

And I reiterate - the exam blueprint topics show what's fair game. The bottom line is that yes, Cisco can go for esoteric trivia if they so chose. Any book you get is based off of that blue print and expanded upon by the authors to include what you're likely to be tested on, but there's no guarantee. The only folks who can provide you with a guaranteed list of topics that will be on the exam are in violation of the NDA.

Now, chances are pretty good your exam certification library covers more than enough to let you pass the exam. Sure, you may get one or two questions thrown at you that weren't covered in any material you've studied with. It may simply be that the authors of the material felt it was unlikely you would be asked about it, or it may be a beta question that doesn't count against your score anyway. Missing a couple multiple guess questions isn't going to put you at risk of failure, and honestly, as long as your fundamentals are strong, you've probably got a good chance of reasoning out the answer, or at least being able to toss out enough of the other answers to get it down to a coin flip. You may also see things like the information you're used to seeing to solve a problem presented in a different way or maybe they ask a question in a way that has you thinking one thing, but it's actually asking for another. Just taking a few minutes to sit and reason out what they're actually asking you for will usually make the answer obvious.

Again, I'll recommend to you Transcender. With the exception of one exam, they have the best prep software I have ever seen. It is very indicative of what you will see on the exam, and will likely be harder than the real thing. They provide a full explanation as to why the answer is what it is, as well as a reference for further study if you doubt their answer. It is, in my opinion, the best way to check your readiness for the real thing, and it gives you immediate feedback on your weak areas, as well as the information you need to shore those areas up.

But when it comes down to it, the CCNA is simply not that deep. ICND1 will cover similar topics to the Net+ exam, with a boatload of subnetting tossed in. You're not going to be expected to know what line encoding is used for a link, or give them a list of what Cisco products support Auto-MDIX or anything like that. You will be expected to be able to explain on a superficial level what a router is, what a switch is, and what a bridge is. You're overthinking it, and giving the exam far, far too much credit.

mikej412

Nevins wrote: »

That list is completely useless as a planning and preparedness guide.

Maybe if you used the list with a study source like Odom's Cisco Press Books and/or Todd's Sybex book.

When you read the chapter that cover's network devices, you look at the topic list and have one of those wonderful study moments where you realized something is important and you add it to your notes.

Your other option is to get something like the Cisco Press Quick Reference Sheets that just drops the "important concepts" -- and is useful as a refresher (or a hint) for the material you've studied or already studied.