Cheapest possible BCMSN lab.

AlexMR

I need it. I havent passed BSCI yet but I already started studying for it. Im a little burned out about bsci and still dont feel comfortable to take the exam, but cant also find the strength to study mad hours since i feel i know all the stuff. I just not exam ready....

Suggest the cheapest group of switches that would let me complete the lab portfolio for the BCMSN. I'm thinking about used equipment in ebay.

Thanks!

netn3rd

BSCI is the hardest of the CCNP exams. I honestly think it would be best to finish that first, especially if you've done a significant amount of studying for it. If you stop now you'll probably forget a lot of what you've read and be back at square one so I really don't see the point.

That said, for BCMSN, the lab portfolio uses 4 switches, 2 access and 2 distribution, so you could do it with 2 2950s and 2 3550s. You could get away with 2 3550s and 1 2950 if you wanted to do it as cheaply as possible.

DevilWAH

a few layer 3 switchs (3550's) and a few layer 2 switchs (2950's)

for things like glbp you may need to use the routers you have as the 3550's don't support it. Nither do the 3550's support Prvt-vlans.

but I would say 95% of the topics are supported on a 3550. but those + a few routers + a few layer 2 switches and you have it all.

AlexMR

Tell me about the BSCI, netn3rd. It's unreal the amount of hours I've put to this thing and yet I cant get 90%+ consistently in the testout exam engine. It's just way too much material and at the same time it's the same stuff: routing. .

I wont stop studying BSCI until I finally take the exam and pass it. Im just trying to make the most with my time. To be honest, I feel i know all this inside out, but there is a difference between being able to do all the labs and try to screw them and fix them and have the coonceptual knowledge and all memorized to pass an exam. I just get bored in the final steps towards that point in preparation. When I am bored, it gets really hard to take the books and put 3hours or more per day. I have more time than that and since I am unable to sit for all those hours focused on the bsci I will use the time to keep learning instead of do nothing.

If I need two 3550s then it's out of the question, i wont get a lab. I saw a lot of cheap switches and thought I could do it with those.

It would be a lot cheaper for me to just signup for a class and get access to a nice lab.

Thanks!

DevilWAH

On thing to rember with 3550 and other multi layer switch's is they have built in,

OSPF, EIGRP, BGP and other routing protocols, I am not sure how much use this is in the BCSI.

but when adding a 3550 to your lab you are also getting many of the functions of another router

netn3rd

AlexMR wrote: »

Tell me about the BSCI, netn3rd. It's unreal the amount of hours I've put to this thing and yet I cant get 90%+ consistently in the testout exam engine. It's just way too much material and at the same time it's the same stuff: routing. .

I wont stop studying BSCI until I finally take the exam and pass it. Im just trying to make the most with my time. To be honest, I feel i know all this inside out, but there is a difference between being able to do all the labs and try to screw them and fix them and have the coonceptual knowledge and all memorized to pass an exam. I just get bored in the final steps towards that point in preparation. When I am bored, it gets really hard to take the books and put 3hours or more per day. I have more time than that and since I am unable to sit for all those hours focused on the bsci I will use the time to keep learning instead of do nothing.

If I need two 3550s then it's out of the question, i wont get a lab. I saw a lot of cheap switches and thought I could do it with those.

It would be a lot cheaper for me to just signup for a class and get access to a nice lab.

Thanks!

You might want to check out Chris Bryant's study packages. I failed my first BSCI attempt and then took months to get back to it due to RL stuff. Some topics I retained really well and other stuff I almost completely forgot. I reread the highlighted parts of the cert guide and used Bryant's BSCI materials. He's really done a good job on hitting the core facts you need to have in your head come exam day. He's compressed everything enough that if you highlight on your first read, you can reread all of the material in a day. After you do that a couple times you should be good for the exam. He also has a chapter that is basically just a listing of key facts for the exam. It's quite useful for a last minute review.

For the actual exam itself, I think the most important thing is time management. Don't get caught up in a sim or on any one question for too long. I failed my first attempt largely due to poor time management. I got caught-up in a sim that drained the clock and i let the clock run out with probably 10 questions to go, despite racing through some of my answers at the end. That said, I only just failed which means i got most of the other stuff right. On my second attempt I don't think I gave either sim any more than 5 minutes (and I didn't complete the second one) and I got a 936 or something... If after 5 minutes you're not there or 80% there, hit Next imo.

Btw 3550s aren't expensive anymore. I bought 4 of them for about $210 each and then updated the ios to EI (you can do this on 3550s but not 2950s).

AlexMR

netn3rd wrote: »

You might want to check out Chris Bryant's study packages. I failed my first BSCI attempt and then took months to get back to it due to RL stuff. Some topics I retained really well and other stuff I almost completely forgot. I reread the highlighted parts of the cert guide and used Bryant's BSCI materials. He's really done a good job on hitting the core facts you need to have in your head come exam day. He's compressed everything enough that if you highlight on your first read, you can reread all of the material in a day. After you do that a couple times you should be good for the exam. He also has a chapter that is basically just a listing of key facts for the exam. It's quite useful for a last minute review.

For the actual exam itself, I think the most important thing is time management. Don't get caught up in a sim or on any one question for too long. I failed my first attempt largely due to poor time management. I got caught-up in a sim that drained the clock and i let the clock run out with probably 10 questions to go, despite racing through some of my answers at the end. That said, I only just failed which means i got most of the other stuff right. On my second attempt I don't think I gave either sim any more than 5 minutes (and I didn't complete the second one) and I got a 936 or something... If after 5 minutes you're not there or 80% there, hit Next imo.

Btw 3550s aren't expensive anymore. I bought 4 of them for about $210 each and then updated the ios to EI (you can do this on 3550s but not 2950s).

Thanks for the advice! I must be good to go already. I think I'll book it for this week. I have been getting 85% in the examsim. I have read CHris Bryant guide for a while. Ive read it twice already . I know it inside out. I think the testout stuff is harder than the real deal, because i keep getting questions that i might know the answer but dont really know the reason why...that bothers me.

Im going to book it for next wednesday!

I'll keep u posted!