CCNP Switch ...... Done !!

CoolhandlukeCoolhandluke Member Posts: 118
in CCNP
score: 879

OMG that exam was nightmare. I was over an hour in and only on question 20, made me panic a little. I have not had a time management problem on any exam previously but this one I felt under a lot of time stress. Once I got over a few sims I felt better and finished with 20 mins spare.

For anyone taking this exam ....... good luck !
[CCENT]->[CCNA]->[CCNP-ROUTE]->COLOR=#0000ff]CCNP SWITCH[/COLOR->[CCNP-TSHOOT]
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Comments

  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    Congrats!
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
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  • KelkinKelkin Member Posts: 261 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Good job!
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  • down77down77 Member Posts: 1,009
    Congrats on passing the exam! Make sure to keep up with the studies as you move on to the next topic
    CCIE Sec: Starting Nov 11
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  • VAHokie56VAHokie56 Member Posts: 783
    Excellent job Bruh, onto ROUTE or TSHOOT?
    .ιlι..ιlι.
    CISCO
    "A flute without holes, is not a flute. A donut without a hole, is a Danish" - Ty Webb
    Reading:NX-OS and Cisco Nexus Switching: Next-Generation Data Center Architectures
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  • ShanmanShanman Member Posts: 223
    Congrats. I will be starting my studies on this exam as soon as I finish up school in the spring. Do you have any pointers for me?
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  • MrBrianMrBrian Member Posts: 520
    Congrats on your pass! You do ROUTE yet?
    Currently reading: Internet Routing Architectures by Halabi
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  • vinbuckvinbuck Member Posts: 785 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Awesome...I've heard SWITCH is a tough one. What materials did you use and what pointers do you have within NDA?
    Cisco was my first networking love, but my "other" router is a Mikrotik...
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  • jamesp1983jamesp1983 Member Posts: 2,475 ■■■■□□□□□□
    congrats man! I bet it feels good.
    "Check both the destination and return path when a route fails." "Switches create a network. Routers connect networks."
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  • CoolhandlukeCoolhandluke Member Posts: 118
    Moving on to ROUTE next
    Ordering the book(s) today but will do some light reading over Christmas and kick into it full force in the new year.

    With regards to the materials/exam I read the SWITCH OCG (David Hucaby) around 3 times, and the SWITCH Foundation learning guide twice. I watched CBT Nuggets 2-3 times and the as I got close to my test Labbed like a mad man.

    I have 2x3550's and 2x2950's in my lab (+ a couple other routers).

    Thank god for Packetlife where I was able to get some hands on practice with private vlans over the last week or two.

    Not sure how close this will be to the NDA but some of the material surprised me as it was related more towards some things in ICND2 (which I did a year ago, so I was rusty). All I can say for the exam is that if you can lab everything without any reference materials you should do fine, its just quite intensive.
    [CCENT]->[CCNA]->[CCNP-ROUTE]->COLOR=#0000ff]CCNP SWITCH[/COLOR->[CCNP-TSHOOT]
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  • ShanmanShanman Member Posts: 223
    Thank you for the feedback. I have been putting my lab together for the Switch exam and I have the same as you 2x 3550 and 2x 2950... Do you think that not having the access to switches that can do private vlans is a big deal? I am having a hard time coming up with the cash for a 3750 at the moment.
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  • CoolhandlukeCoolhandluke Member Posts: 118
    Save your cash. Book into packet life a few times. It will take 10-15 mins to set it up 3 ports in a private vlan. Just do that a few times and it'll be fine.
    [CCENT]->[CCNA]->[CCNP-ROUTE]->COLOR=#0000ff]CCNP SWITCH[/COLOR->[CCNP-TSHOOT]
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  • nelnel Member Posts: 2,859 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Congrats man!
    Xbox Live: Bring It On

    Bsc (hons) Network Computing - 1st Class
    WIP: Msc advanced networking
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  • pertpert Member Posts: 250
    Shanman wrote: »
    Thank you for the feedback. I have been putting my lab together for the Switch exam and I have the same as you 2x 3550 and 2x 2950... Do you think that not having the access to switches that can do private vlans is a big deal? I am having a hard time coming up with the cash for a 3750 at the moment.

    Save your money and just study that chapter till you understand it. Buying a 3750 to practice setting up private VLANs is a huge waste of resources.
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  • tokhsstokhss Member Posts: 473
    I agree, buy a 3750 bc 1. you like shiny toys, and 2. its required for whatever test your going for, l think the ccie-voice requires it.
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  • bermovickbermovick Member Posts: 1,135 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Coolhandluke wrote: »
    Moving on to ROUTE next
    Ordering the book(s) today but will do some light reading over Christmas and kick into it full force in the new year.

    With regards to the materials/exam I read the SWITCH OCG (David Hucaby) around 3 times, and the SWITCH Foundation learning guide twice. I watched CBT Nuggets 2-3 times and the as I got close to my test Labbed like a mad man.

    I have 2x3550's and 2x2950's in my lab (+ a couple other routers).

    Thank god for Packetlife where I was able to get some hands on practice with private vlans over the last week or two.

    Not sure how close this will be to the NDA but some of the material surprised me as it was related more towards some things in ICND2 (which I did a year ago, so I was rusty). All I can say for the exam is that if you can lab everything without any reference materials you should do fine, its just quite intensive.

    I've heard a lot of negative things regarding the Switch FLG, and Amazon's reviews are pretty poor too. Do you think the FLG helped much? I've avoided getting it cause I don't want to waste the $ if it's as poor as it seems.
    Latest Completed: CISSP

    Current goal: Dunno
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  • CoolhandlukeCoolhandluke Member Posts: 118
    bermovick wrote: »
    I've heard a lot of negative things regarding the Switch FLG, and Amazon's reviews are pretty poor too. Do you think the FLG helped much? I've avoided getting it cause I don't want to waste the $ if it's as poor as it seems.


    Some of the material goes into alot of depth that isn't needed for the exam (but worth knowing anyway). Some of the detail is very poorly written and the questions/answers are wrong and make you second guess what you have been studying. In my opinion the OCG is the best primary material for the exam but reading the FLG will definitely help cement the concepts and goes that extra mile. Be cautious with it though because some of it is very poorly written.
    [CCENT]->[CCNA]->[CCNP-ROUTE]->COLOR=#0000ff]CCNP SWITCH[/COLOR->[CCNP-TSHOOT]
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  • laclac Member Posts: 27 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Congrats. Have my switch exam scheduled for the 2nd of Jan.
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  • 416_guy416_guy Member Posts: 70 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Coolhandluke wrote: »
    Some of the material goes into alot of depth that isn't needed for the exam (but worth knowing anyway). Some of the detail is very poorly written and the questions/answers are wrong and make you second guess what you have been studying. In my opinion the OCG is the best primary material for the exam but reading the FLG will definitely help cement the concepts and goes that extra mile. Be cautious with it though because some of it is very poorly written.

    I thought it was the other way around. The OCG wasn't that great but the FLG is better. =\
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  • NetwurkNetwurk Member Posts: 1,155 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Congrats on the pass, great job!

    icon_thumright.gif
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  • ptlinvaptlinva Member Posts: 125
    Wow, looking at the those shiny new skins on those 3750's...!! WOW, how can you pass those up?

    They sure do look good... but I'm like the guy banging on the grocery store window hollaring that I'm out of Miracle Whip.

    BTW, it seems that the more I study for the CCNP switch test, the more there is to study... Sometimes I feel so confident that I'm going to be taking it soon and then I go take a practice test somewhere and I'll do lousy and it knocks me back down a few notches.

    I was hoping to be ready in January but I believe I'm changing my goal to Febuary now. I can't afford to have to retake it.

    Good Luck!

    Your friend in Virginia,
    Paul
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  • ssavoyssavoy Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I would not waste my $$ on the 3750 unless you just want one (I dont blame you). Simply memorizing the PVLAN syntax is enough to get by for the exam. The most important thing is remembering the fundamentals of the community and isolated PVLANS, and the interactions.
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