CCENT advice

one of my options is whether to study for the ccent and assuming i pass that go onto ccna. I have very little networking experience other than comptia network+ which i passed last month. I have no exposure to cisco devices.

i did read somewhere on chris bryants website that CISCO are changing their exams. Not sure whether this would effect me or the study guides i buy but would the following be a good book to buy?

http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587202174

i do have cbt nuggets ccna course but its dated 2007.

and whats the best way to get experience troubleshooting cisco stuff? please bear in mine i dont have the funds to buy cisco equipment.

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Comments

alan2308

MrXpert wrote: »

one of my options is whether to study for the ccent and assuming i pass that go onto ccna. I have very little networking experience other than comptia network+ which i passed last month. I have no exposure to cisco devices.

i did read somewhere on chris bryants website that CISCO are changing their exams. Not sure whether this would effect me or the study guides i buy but would the following be a good book to buy?

CCENT 640-822 Network Simulator: Software Download

i do have cbt nuggets ccna course but its dated 2007.

and whats the best way to get experience troubleshooting cisco stuff? please bear in mine i dont have the funds to buy cisco equipment.

As far as I know, Cisco has not announced any changes to the CCENT or the CCNA. There have been some other exams changed recently, but not the CCNA/CCENT. And if they do change anything, there is always a grace period to still take to older exam for those who have already started working on it. With that in mind, the current CBT Nuggets are still valid and still highly thought of.

I've never tried that product, so I can't comment on it. But I can highly recommend freeccnaworkbook.com. It walks you through downloading and setting up GNS3 (a free Cisco emulator) and takes you through all of the exam topics. If you can't get any hands on with actual gear, this is the next best thing.

Starting from zero in the Cisco world, I would go with this book. Todd Lammle's book is also well thought of, but I don't think it has the same level of detail.

Hypntick

I just read through both CCENT books. The Odom one is the one you'll want, the Sybex one is okay but if you read it first you'll be a little confused and want more explanation. The Cisco press sim is fairly decent, does what you'll need it to do for this test.

TesseracT

don't worry about any software simulators, if you can get a copy of an IOS load up Dynmapics/GNS3 and deal with the real thing (or as real as you can get without the hardware).

People have completed the CCIE before using virtual routers hooked up to real switches. As long as you can get the IOS it's definately the best way to go...

cyberguypr

Hypntick wrote: »

I just read through both CCENT books. The Odom one is the one you'll want, the Sybex one is okay but if you read it first you'll be a little confused and want more explanation.

+1. I finished Odom's book last week and just started Lammle's.

MrXpert

TesseracT wrote: »

don't worry about any software simulators, if you can get a copy of an IOS load up Dynmapics/GNS3 and deal with the real thing (or as real as you can get without the hardware).

People have completed the CCIE before using virtual routers hooked up to real switches. As long as you can get the IOS it's definately the best way to go...

forgive me for my total ignorance(i have hardly any real world corporate networking experience and no nothing about cisco) but is IOS the software interface for cisco switches and routers? it looks like a command line interface?
and when you say get a copy of IOS do you mean buy a cisco switch which has IOS loaded on it?

jtdk985

MrXpert wrote: »

forgive me for my total ignorance(i have hardly any real world corporate networking experience and no nothing about cisco) but is IOS the software interface for cisco switches and routers? it looks like a command line interface?
and when you say get a copy of IOS do you mean buy a cisco switch which has IOS loaded on it?

yes IOS is a command line based operating system thats run cisco products. you need a copy of the IOS software to run GNS3, if you dont have access to IOS software, you can find packet tracer online somewhere and download packet tracer labs that will test your knowledge on what youve read. start with the books though, if you dont know what IOS is, you need to read more asap!

MrRyte

Don't know if you know about this website:
Router Alley - Guides

It's been more than helpful to me.

MrXpert

MrRyte wrote: »

Don't know if you know about this website:
Router Alley - Guides

It's been more than helpful to me.

That is an awesome guide and I will certainly make use of it. Thank you all for your help