Study Methods

wedge1988

Hi All,

Havn't posted here for a while, but im back

- Basically, I need some of your experiences and help.

I've been studying on and off for the CCNA for the past year (Since the start of last September in fact) and am now, finally coming to the feeling of "I know this now" stuff. If you get me. You do, right?

So, Heres the Gist. I've been using GNS3 and Free CCNA Workbook for the labs. Also, I have the Boson NetSim labs, which i have been going through (They have a Much less level of detail than the GNS3 Labs, Is this a good or bad thing? I dont know. Obviously good if you don't mind spending extra inordinate amount of time on your CCNA and are training for the CCNP.. but i digress.

I have been using the Boson free exams that come with the ICND 1 & 2 Books, and am now getting around 80% (I aim to get to 90% before i book my exams)

So, now that's been explained (Probably horribly) here are my questions

1. Shall i do the ICND1 then ICND2 or just the CCNA exam (Bearing in mind ive been learning for both)

2. Do you guys have any study plans? I did microsoft certs for 3 years, and they never needed me to do a fat lot in terms of lab prep. GUI or no GUI, some of the stuff was as or even more complex than some CCNA topics.

3. Do you guys get fed up with test centers? There are never any close enough, they either close or you get to one to find it has problems, such as building works, or a stupidly small room. $:\$

Anyway, cheers

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Comments

NightShade03

wedge1988 wrote: »

1. Shall i do the ICND1 then ICND2 or just the CCNA exam (Bearing in mind ive been learning for both)

2. Do you guys have any study plans? I did microsoft certs for 3 years, and they never needed me to do a fat lot in terms of lab prep. GUI or no GUI, some of the stuff was as or even more complex than some CCNA topics.

3. Do you guys get fed up with test centers? There are never any close enough, they either close or you get to one to find it has problems, such as building works, or a stupidly small room. $:\$

1) I personally broke them apart and did the ICND1 and then ICND2. I studied for both but thought that it would be easier to take the tests separately and really just focus more on the core topics for each exam. There is also some overlap so it helps to re-enforce what you have already learned too. That being said you would have to take two exams, twice the price, and twice the questions. If you truly fell comfortable with all the exam topics (which it sounds like you are) then I say go for the CCNA in one shot. Totally your call though.

2) Breaking from Cisco to run through Juniper at the moment. Very similar information though.

3) Testing centers suck. Period. There is only one center in NYC that I like, but the place is run like the NSA...you can't bring in anything, they wand you down with a metal detector, etc. I just look at testing centers like a necessary evil

wedge1988

Thanks NightShade

Yeh i do agree with the breaking topics down bit. I may just pay for them seperately to give me piece of mind, and to focus more on them, as i've been using microsoft stuff 10 years, and cisco 1 year haha!

Juniper looks awesome, but then i have a thing for anything that has 0 and 1 in it

(y)

swild

I plan on picking back up on my CCNA before the end of the year. I haven't touched it in about 7 months. I plan on doing the single exam just to be done with it. I have yet to fail an exam because I way over study. I was so nervous going into my CISSP exam thinking that I didn't know the material well enough, but then finished the test in 2:45 and passed.

I plan on using GNS3 when I pick back up. I have only been using the Boson that came with the books and am just not impressed with it. I expect that they teach enough for the CCNA level exam, but I want to go all the way to CCDE and CCIE: Security. I don't think that knowing more is ever a hinderance.

There are 2 prometric testing centers in my town. One is an actual Prometric Center and that one sucks. really really sucks. They have messed something up each time I went there. I took 4 tests there and had to go 5 times because one time they had no record of me testing that day and had no spare computers.

Then I went to the only Vue testing center in my town and while it is in a tiny room with 4 computers, no a/c (just a fan blowing in the A/C from the next room), dim lighting, uneven floors, and various flora and fauna growing in the corners, I will choose that place everytime. they have never once messed anything up. I also now know that they are a prometric testing center so I will be going there exclusively. Competency over comfort every time.

wedge1988

Thanks Swilde.

Im not sure, I think the boson test for the CCNA are fine, but ill proabbly buy the pro boson exams for the CCNP. CCIE, well that's something to decide in the future.

I think, sometimes i need to put more effort in. Perhapse if i make a study rota, and tick it when i do a session. But then, it's always down to what i study. $:\$

Ill probably just take the full exam.

Anyways, ill keep at it

one day..

NightShade03

I like to print out the objectives to whatever exam I'm studying for and use that as motivation. I will highlight the objective as I read through and understand it the first time. After I really know a topic and feel confident I cross if off completely. Being able to mark the sheet really drives the motivation factor

By the time the objective sheet is fully crossed out you should be all ready.

Blackout

NightShade03 wrote: »

1) I personally broke them apart and did the ICND1 and then ICND2. I studied for both but thought that it would be easier to take the tests separately and really just focus more on the core topics for each exam. There is also some overlap so it helps to re-enforce what you have already learned too. That being said you would have to take two exams, twice the price, and twice the questions. If you truly fell comfortable with all the exam topics (which it sounds like you are) then I say go for the CCNA in one shot. Totally your call though.

2) Breaking from Cisco to run through Juniper at the moment. Very similar information though.

3) Testing centers suck. Period. There is only one center in NYC that I like, but the place is run like the NSA...you can't bring in anything, they wand you down with a metal detector, etc. I just look at testing centers like a necessary evil

You should take a test on the base im at

The testing room has 15 computers, both times I have tested there was only two people in the room the administrator of the test and myself.