291 decent prep course for CCNA?

rob7278

Does the material covered in the 70-291 provide a decent foundation for getting the CCNA cert? I realize that the 291 does not cover specific Cisco knowledge, but is the general knowledge gained by passing the 70-291 a good head start if I were interested in going for the CCNA?
I wasn't able to find any threads in either this forum or in the CCNA forum, which tends to make me think that the 2 courses aren't complementary of each other.

OoteR

rob7278 wrote: »

Does the material covered in the 70-291 provide a decent foundation for getting the CCNA cert? I realize that the 291 does not cover specific Cisco knowledge, but is the general knowledge gained by passing the 70-291 a good head start if I were interested in going for the CCNA?
I wasn't able to find any threads in either this forum or in the CCNA forum, which tends to make me think that the 2 courses aren't complementary of each other.

They are on two entirely different platforms, the fact that 2k3 can do routing etc doesn't make it anything like a Cisco switch/router etc.

If you want a foundation, I'd do the network+ (or read one of the books.. the test is negligable if you are going towards a CCNA)..

rob7278

thank you, that's what I suspected

Bl8ckr0uter

OoteR wrote: »

They are on two entirely different platforms, the fact that 2k3 can do routing etc doesn't make it anything like a Cisco switch/router etc.

If you want a foundation, I'd do the network+ (or read one of the books.. the test is negligable if you are going towards a CCNA)..

Routing is routing though. I think an introduction to routing protocols is universal, regardless of the platform.

When I took the N+ their were NO routing protocols on the test at all (only routed IP, IPv6 and I think I had an IPX question) so it may not do him as much good. CCENT/CCNA would be a better choice.

brandell

Yeah they are two entirely different animals outside of basic subnetting

celtic_tiger

Depends how much of your efforts were dedicated to subnetting during the 70-291. i had completed 70 percent of the cisco book my self but then decided to comlete the 70-291 before it retires(as i may need a few attempts at this one).

The cisco method of teaching subnetting(cisco press book) is vastly superior to the method taught in ms press book for 70-291 and for the 1cnd1 subnetting will as i hear be a major part of the exam also you will be taught to configure hardware routers and switches using something called the cisco IOS as oposed to a windows gui. IOS is their command line. so no more windows really though understanding hubs, routers switches and their general function should grant you a speedier read for the 1st few chapters after this tough you may find yourself slowing down somewhat.

The exams do compliment each other nonetheless as in the real world we use hardware routers more so than configured rras servers for routing.