Sim questions - ICND2

fieldmonkey

So after completing all the questions on the Boson practice exam, I have come to the conclusion that I really stink at the SIM questions... Though I got the questions wrong I was on the right path. I didn't feel confident about my answers, but merely going down a road, ummm kind of based on instinct, not really noting anything that would validate my reasoning or thinking.

I also spent like close to 20 minutes on one, and upward of 10 minutes on the other two.

Any suggestions for studying for the SIM questions that will come up on the ICND2?

I guess there will be at least one, but is there a minimum/maximum that one could reasonably expect?

irishpunk

Best way to get better at sims is to lab it up my friend. Configure your acls ospf eigrp stp vlans nat etc. Practice your show commands, cdp, and debugs. A great exercise is to build a network then break it, gives you chance to see how things look when they're not working correctly. As far as the number of sims its random so its hard to say but I think somewhere between 1-5 is a reasonable expectation. Personally I would be happy if my ICND2 consisted of 25 sim questions and nothing else.

take care,
Sean

mikej412

The exam blueprint lists the exam topics, including lots of "configure" and "troubleshoot" and "verify" ... etc ... topics that seem to imply "hands on knowledge." From your studies you should know what the possible tasks and configurations are covered by those exam topics -- if you don't, then you need to head back to the books and the lab (or simulator or emulator).

You should lab up the examples and exercises in the books while you're studying -- and it will also help you remember and understand the "theory stuff."

The more hands on lab practice you do while studying and preparing for the exam, the easier the exam becomes. Using a real hardware lab (either at home, school, work, rented, or borrowed) is the preferred -- but simulators like Boson & Odom's Cisco Press CCNA Simulator will "get the job done."

Dynamips (with Dynagen or GNS3 front ends) doesn't do switching that well, so you want to integrate it with real switches -- but the time spent putzing around trying to get it working doesn't count as study time.

notgoing2fail

mikej412 wrote: »

but the time spent putzing around trying to get it working doesn't count as study time.

LOL yeah, a couple weeks ago when a friend introduced me to GNS3, I thought it was fantastic. And it really is, but limited. I wanted to set it up to connect to my real lab but couldn't figure out.

Finally after an hour or so I said forget it! I could have spent that last hour studying a chapter in my CCNA book!!