CCNA Voice Experience

S0crates

Yesterday, I failed the CCNA: Voice exam. Passing was 790 and I got a 766; close, but no cigar.

My lab for the exam consists of the following equipment.
1760-V maxed out
2611XM
3550-24-PWR
2950
4 x 7910
7940
7960
4-port FXS
2-port FXO

After assembling the above lab, I began reading chapters out of the CCNA: Voice book and watching the associated CBT Nuggets video. After 5 or so chapters, I didn't feel I was getting anything extra out of the book, so I decided to just watch the videos and focus on labs. The result is self-explanatory; IMHO, CBT Nuggets does not cover the material well enough to pass the exam. Furthermore, without having a CUE or UC500, I was at a HUGE disadvantage for the exam.

I'm signed up to take the exam again next Wednesday, March 3rd, but may push it off if I don't feel prepared in time. For this run, I will be reading the book cover-to-cover and focusing on CUE and UC500.

For those of you that plan to take the CCNA: Voice exam, I have a few pointers that should be NDA-compliant. (If you feel that any part of this post is beyond the NDA, let me know and I will modify it accordingly)

Do not underestimate the amount of material on the UC500! In fact, you should know every tab, box, button and pop-up in the "voice" area of the interface and know how they compare to the CLI configuration. It seems Cisco would rather ask questions about pictures than about actual configuration. Jeremy Cioara describes each of these tabs in the CBT NUGGETS series, but doesn't go in-depth enough for it to be an effective training tool. I would really like to get a live interface into a UC500, but I dunno if I can pull that one off by next week.

Make sure you know, in depth, all of the possible interfaces and configurations between the router and the CUE module. This includes the IP configuration, all possible dial-peers, MWI, etc.

Anyway, that's that. If you are studying for this like I am, good luck!

mikej412

S0crates wrote: »

I have a few pointers that should be NDA-compliant.

Sounds like common sense study/blueprint advice to me.

S0crates wrote: »

Do not underestimate the amount of material on the UC500!

Last time I checked the exam blueprint I think almost every line said UC500 -- so if you can't afford one you definitely want to look at all the pictures in the book and watch Jeremy a few times.

Definitely worth stressing -- know your UC500 series software interface/options.

CME on a 1760-V or 2600XM (with AIM-CUE if you can afford it) is the "low cost" fall back option.

S0crates wrote: »

Make sure you know, in depth, all of the possible interfaces and configurations between the router and the CUE module.

Unless they've kicked up the Unity on the CCVP, you probably need to know more Unity Express for the CCNA:Voice than you need Unity for the CCVP. The UC500 series is the SMB (Small-Medium Business) option, so you need to learn the entire "one stop solution" if you want to replace the old Key Systems -- and voice mail is a must have for most companies (and an automated attendant is a "nice to have" if the price is right).

Cost can be a factor -- so if you skip the hardware (AIM-CUE or NM-CUE), you've got to spend more time looking at pictures and configurations in the book (and watching Jeremy) to make up a bunch of the missing "hands on."

Good Luck on the rematch!!

And remember -- most of us here have only said that the CCNA:Security exam is the "easy one" or "easier than the CCNA"

chrisone

One source of study aid you have that you did not mention using was the BOSON Simulated exam , that came with the Cisco press CCNA Voice book when you bought it. Install that bad boy, down load the exam and go through it untill you have memorized and understood all the questions and answers. the answers on that test are awesome because they give you and explanation why its the answer and a chapter index to look it up in the book.

I bet you will pass after you have mastered the Boson simulated exams. I would push the exam to the night of the fight! March 13, the paquiao vs clottey fight, then when you pass you can celebrate by watching the fight! it will be a great night for you!

S0crates

I just installed the boson software. It will be a big help. Some good suggestions here. Thanks everyone.

Fatbunny

I splurged out on 3745 and a NME-CUE module but no way can I afford a UC500 too and I hate trying to learn things with hands on experience.

mikem2te

Fatbunny wrote: »

I splurged out on 3745 and a NME-CUE module but no way can I afford a UC500 too and I hate trying to learn things with hands on experience.

I did CCNA:V without the CUE and UC500, if I had to choose between the I would have got the CUE module over the US500.

For the test the UC500 is just a memory exercise, there's only about 9 voice tabs in the admin tool and they are pretty easy to remember if you can find some screenshots.

S0crates

The UC500 material was a bit more in-depth than just screenshot memorization on my exam. For instance, the Installer, 9-tabs and all of the "Advanced" tabs may be important to study.

Can someone send me some pictures of the Hunt-Group pop-up windows? Also, can someone explain how these work with more depth than Jeremy did in CBT Nuggets?

I'm scheduled to retake the IIUC exam next Wednesday, the 24th. In the meantime, lots of book reading, Boson, CBT Nuggets and labs.

pitviper

If you haven’t already, check out the lab thread sticky at the top of this forum – The “First Look” lab guide contains a good screen shot of the voice features tab and hunt group members pop-up (p17-18 ). Give it a quick look and post back which areas aren’t clear. I’m sure we can help.

Fatbunny

thanks mikem2te for the notes for this exam, mine were a mess when I finished. I figured the CUE would be a better investment.

@S0crates, at least you know where your weakness is now. However, next time round you will probably not get as many questions on the UC500. Best of luck on this attempt .

raptoger

I want a take this test too. I've built a lab and recently got a brand new UC520 with WiFi and 2801 CME router and some 2620XMs. A couple of IP phones and they are already ringing. I'm hunting a cue module to have it installed in my 2801 router. I gave a first pass to the book and the CBT course and starting a second more slow absorbing pass to prepare for the exam.

chmorin

raptoger wrote: »

I want a take this test too. I've built a lab and recently got a brand new UC520 with WiFi and 2801 CME router and some 2620XMs. A couple of IP phones and they are already ringing. I'm hunting a cue module to have it installed in my 2801 router. I gave a first pass to the book and the CBT course and starting a second more slow absorbing pass to prepare for the exam.

Man I wish I could afford all of that stuff. I plan on taking my exam at the end of the month and have been reading the IIUC exam book, exam prep, and cbt nuggets with my whimpy lab of a 2620 router, 2924xl switch and an emulated 3725. I'm probably going to be buying a 1760-V and an aim-cue in the future if I decide to go voice. The woe's of being a kid in college with just a part time job, NO MONEY. Haha!

raptoger

Man I wish I could afford all of that stuff. I plan on taking my exam at the end of the month and have been reading the IIUC exam book, exam prep, and cbt nuggets with my whimpy lab of a 2620 router, 2924xl switch and an emulated 3725. I'm probably going to be buying a 1760-V and an aim-cue in the future if I decide to go voice. The woe's of being a kid in college with just a part time job, NO MONEY. Haha!

Well, I tell you, this has been a sacrifice for me. I know this is expensive gear but I take it as an investment that is worth doing. I save pennies and nickels and then buy strategically at marked down prices. When done, I can pass them on to the next guy and reclaim my investment, along with my newly found knowledge and Certs

tazdevil

I agree with raptoger, I work under the same rules, I am purchasing gear as an investing in myself and my career, and I resell or pass along to close friends when I am finished. I find this helps with the mind as well, when your spending large sums of money on lab gear. If I could get away with cheaper hardware I use it where I can.

chmorin

tazdevil wrote: »

I agree with raptoger, I work under the same rules, I am purchasing gear as an investing in myself and my career, and I resell or pass along to close friends when I am finished. I find this helps with the mind as well, when your spending large sums of money on lab gear. If I could get away with cheaper hardware I use it where I can.

Well I don't like to sell stuff I have purchased, especially things as useful to practice on as cisco equipment. Who knows what will come in handy when it comes time for CCIE.