Best Book?

flipmad

I plan on going to Barnes and Noble and starting reading for this exam. I read some threads where people were very critical about the books they read for this cert. Anyone have any advice of which book is easily read, thorough, but not too much overkill?

Thanks in advance.

mikem2te

blake15 wrote: »

I plan on going to Barnes and Noble and starting reading for this exam. I read some threads where people were very critical about the books they read for this cert. Anyone have any advice of which book is easily read, thorough, but not too much overkill?

Thanks in advance.

The Cisco Press Authorized Self-Study Guide is pretty good.

CiskHo

mikem2te wrote: »

The Cisco Press Authorized Self-Study Guide is pretty good.

Agreed. Its the only book I used to pass the CCNA:S.

Bl8ckr0uter

CiskHo wrote: »

Agreed. Its the only book I used to pass the CCNA:S.

Same here. The only book I needed.

flipmad

Thanks guys. I will go grab this book tonight. Again, this site continues to impress me with the amount of help i receive.

flipmad

I went to Barnes and Noble and they had Cisco Press - CCNA Security Exam Certifcation Guide by Michael Watkins (July 0. It was not the Authorized Self Study Guide so I didnt get it. Is there a difference. I am googling also.

flipmad

Ok, glad I didnt buy it..

Here is what I should be looking for right?

Implementing Cisco IOS Network Security (IINS): (CCNA Security exam 640-553) (Authorized Self-Study Guide) (Hardcover) by Catherine Paquet (April 27, 2009)

Guess I will have to buy it online. They didnt have it at borders either

notgoing2fail

blake15 wrote: »

Ok, glad I didnt buy it..

Here is what I should be looking for right?

Implementing Cisco IOS Network Security (IINS): (CCNA Security exam 640-553) (Authorized Self-Study Guide) (Hardcover) by Catherine Paquet (April 27, 2009)

Guess I will have to buy it online. They didnt have it at borders either

Ok so the one by Michael Watkins isn't worth it? Is that the one people were critical of?

What's the difference between an Authorized Self Study and the Official Exam Certification Guide by Michael Watkins?

Forsaken_GA

notgoing2fail wrote: »

Ok so the one by Michael Watkins isn't worth it? Is that the one people were critical of?

What's the difference between an Authorized Self Study and the Official Exam Certification Guide by Michael Watkins?

in general, authorized self study guides are more comprehensive and cover more material. exam cert guides are meant as reviews before you actually go take the exam and usually only hit the high points. So if you're learning from scratch, the exam cert guides are not good things to use as your primary resources of learning if you actually want to pass the exam. There are some exceptions, but that's the normal paradigm

notgoing2fail

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

in general, authorized self study guides are more comprehensive and cover more material. exam cert guides are meant as reviews before you actually go take the exam and usually only hit the high points. So if you're learning from scratch, the exam cert guides are not good things to use as your primary resources of learning if you actually want to pass the exam. There are some exceptions, but that's the normal paradigm

ahhh, ok. Never knew that....So is there an authorized book for CCNA by Cisco Press? Because I've been using Wendell Odom's books but his is "Official Exam Certification Guide".

So does that mean there's even a more in-depth set of CCNA books out there?

peanutnoggin

notgoing2fail wrote: »

So is there an authorized book for CCNA by Cisco Press? Because I've been using Wendell Odom's books but his is "Official Exam Certification Guide".

So does that mean there's even a more in-depth set of CCNA books out there?

I don't think there is a CCNA Authorized Study Guide. But the CCNA book by Todd Lammle is an excellent compliment to the Wendell Odom book. HTH

~Peanut

mikej412

notgoing2fail wrote: »

So does that mean there's even a more in-depth set of CCNA books out there?

Odom is the exception to the rule. His Exam Cert Guide is more than just a refresher or review for the CCNA. Odom's books are soooooooooo good and in depth that I feel bad for Stephen McQuerry -- the author of the Authorized Self Books for the CCNA.

And Todd's book is GREAT for subnetting -- and worth the price just for that. Then toss in that it's a "fun read" has good lab exercises and is a great review for the exam and Stephen doesn't stand a chance.


Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, Part 1 (ICND1): CCNA Exam 640-802 and ICND1 Exam 640-822, 2nd Edition
Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, Part 2 (ICND2): (CCNA Exam 640-802 and ICND exam 640-816), 3rd Edition

After the CCNA, then usually the Authorized Self-Study (renamed to Foundation Series in the new CCNP) is the ONE book you MUST read to gain the knowledge & skills for the exam. A lot of people make the mistake of reading the "Review Book" (the Exam Certification Guide -- or Certification Guide) and then try the exam and get a big surprise when they fail.

notgoing2fail

mikej412 wrote: »

Odom is the exception to the rule. His Exam Cert Guide is more than just a refresher or review for the CCNA. Odom's books are soooooooooo good and in depth that I feel bad for Stephen McQuerry -- the author of the Authorized Self Books for the CCNA.

And Todd's book is GREAT for subnetting -- and worth the price just for that. Then toss in that it's a "fun read" has good lab exercises and is a great review for the exam and Stephen doesn't stand a chance.


Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, Part 1 (ICND1): CCNA Exam 640-802 and ICND1 Exam 640-822, 2nd Edition
Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, Part 2 (ICND2): (CCNA Exam 640-802 and ICND exam 640-816), 3rd Edition

After the CCNA, then usually the Authorized Self-Study (renamed to Foundation Series in the new CCNP) is the ONE book you MUST read to gain the knowledge & skills for the exam. A lot of people make the mistake of reading the "Review Book" (the Exam Certification Guide -- or Certification Guide) and then try the exam and get a big surprise when they fail.

Thanks Mike, that was actually my beef with Wendell, I kinda felt like he was TOO detailed. Not that that's a bad thing, but I can completely see why his CCNA book would be suffice...

I can't wait for the Foundation books, I'm so pumped! I'm actually studying the CCNA:S for the time being just because I don't want to get into the CCNP just yet without those books....

geezer

notgoing2fail wrote: »

Ok so the one by Michael Watkins isn't worth it? Is that the one people were critical of?

What's the difference between an Authorized Self Study and the Official Exam Certification Guide by Michael Watkins?

Avoid the Watkins cert guide. Very hard slog, to get through it and feels like a marathon at high altitude. It is full of errors and even after updating the errata there are more errors. I got tired of contacting them to be honest. The chapter on Firewalls - CBAC and ZBF is incredibly poorly written and doesn't cover configuring via SDM nor does the book show CLI configuration of syslog. This book now has some technical printouts stapled to pages, just to let you know how much is missing!

I am nearly through the book and it does cover some things ok but found the need to frequently 'google' for more info and use CBT nuggets too (one problem he makes though is saying tripleDES 3DES-EDE is to encrypt, encrypt and encrypt but should be En, Decrypt and Encrypt )

Hoping to pass soon but would have liked to have tried the Self-Study guide but got this before and now not long left...

Wish me luck!

notgoing2fail

geezer wrote: »

Avoid the Watkins cert guide. Very hard slog, to get through it and feels like a marathon at high altitude. It is full of errors and even after updating the errata there are more errors. I got tired of contacting them to be honest. The chapter on Firewalls - CBAC and ZBF is incredibly poorly written and doesn't cover configuring via SDM nor does the book show CLI configuration of syslog. This book now has some technical printouts stapled to pages, just to let you know how much is missing!

I am nearly through the book and it does cover some things ok but found the need to frequently 'google' for more info and use CBT nuggets too (one problem he makes though is saying tripleDES 3DES-EDE is to encrypt, encrypt and encrypt but should be En, Decrypt and Encrypt )

Hoping to pass soon but would have liked to have tried the Self-Study guide but got this before and now not long left...

Wish me luck!

Good luck and thanks for the insight!!! I have no intentions on getting Watkins book now or ever!!!

*BB*

geezer wrote: »

I am nearly through the book and it does cover some things ok but found the need to frequently 'google' for more info....

Exactly. I've got a binder with stuff that I felt needed a bit more substance. And you are right about the errors. They are all over the place.

Forsaken_GA

notgoing2fail wrote: »

Thanks Mike, that was actually my beef with Wendell, I kinda felt like he was TOO detailed. Not that that's a bad thing, but I can completely see why his CCNA book would be suffice...

Yeah, since this was in regards to CCNA books, I probably should have mentioned that Odom was the exception to the rule when it came to authorized self study vs exam cert guides. His QoS book is, essentially, the bible of QoS.

And as you step up your learning you'll find there's no such thing as too detailed. The one thing that annoys *me* at times with Odom is that he tends to repeat himself, but I choke it down, as I remember that it's actually a pretty good teaching tool. I remember a class with one speaker, who explained that he was indeed going to repeat himself on some points, usually stating the same thing three times in a row, because studies have shown that if you repeat something three times, you're more likely to remember it, and the people listening are also more likely to remember it.

shaqazoolu

geezer wrote: »

Avoid the Watkins cert guide. Very hard slog, to get through it and feels like a marathon at high altitude. It is full of errors and even after updating the errata there are more errors. I got tired of contacting them to be honest. The chapter on Firewalls - CBAC and ZBF is incredibly poorly written and doesn't cover configuring via SDM nor does the book show CLI configuration of syslog. This book now has some technical printouts stapled to pages, just to let you know how much is missing!

I am nearly through the book and it does cover some things ok but found the need to frequently 'google' for more info and use CBT nuggets too (one problem he makes though is saying tripleDES 3DES-EDE is to encrypt, encrypt and encrypt but should be En, Decrypt and Encrypt )

Hoping to pass soon but would have liked to have tried the Self-Study guide but got this before and now not long left...

Wish me luck!

That's the only book I used to pass the test, but the point about having to Google a LOT is true. There were a lot of things that needed more elaboration. I didn't even crack the self-study guide so I can't speak to it but it sounds like it's the way to go. I think the Transcender practice test engine was the difference-maker for me.

viper75

blake15 wrote: »

Ok, glad I didnt buy it..

Here is what I should be looking for right?

Implementing Cisco IOS Network Security (IINS): (CCNA Security exam 640-553) (Authorized Self-Study Guide) (Hardcover) by Catherine Paquet (April 27, 2009)

Guess I will have to buy it online. They didnt have it at borders either

That's the book I bought for CCNA.S. I didn't hear good things about the Michael Watkins book.

notgoing2fail

geezer wrote: »

Avoid the Watkins cert guide. Very hard slog, to get through it and feels like a marathon at high altitude. It is full of errors and even after updating the errata there are more errors. I got tired of contacting them to be honest. The chapter on Firewalls - CBAC and ZBF is incredibly poorly written and doesn't cover configuring via SDM nor does the book show CLI configuration of syslog. This book now has some technical printouts stapled to pages, just to let you know how much is missing!

I am nearly through the book and it does cover some things ok but found the need to frequently 'google' for more info and use CBT nuggets too (one problem he makes though is saying tripleDES 3DES-EDE is to encrypt, encrypt and encrypt but should be En, Decrypt and Encrypt )

Hoping to pass soon but would have liked to have tried the Self-Study guide but got this before and now not long left...

Wish me luck!

There's a website I found called: Typoze.com - Changing the literary world!

They allow users to vent their frustrations with typos and grammatical errors. They post some funny pictures on twitter too of mistakes....

Stotic

I purchased the exam certification guide rather than the other one because I wanted the exam simulation questions cd included with it.

logicmyfoot

yes "Implementing Cisco IOS Network Security (IINS): (CCNA Security exam 640-553) (Authorized Self-Study Guide) (Hardcover) by Catherine Paquet" is absolutely recomended
iam using this book [ onto my 2 chapter]. The best i can vouch for this book is English is not my natvie language still the book is great for studying.