Starting CCDA - books

in CCDA & CCDP
Hi there,
I passed my CCDA in December and am tackling CCDA next. I've bought the official certification guide and am considering buying the SWITCH Foundation learning guide. Those of you who have passed the CCDA exam - what other study materials would you recommend?
I purchased the CBT Nuggets videos for the CCNA but thought that was the biggest waste of money ever. The content was very light, I found the Cisco Press books to be very good.
My plan is to take the design path, I'll knock out the SWITCH, ROUTE and ARCH exams after CCDA.
I passed my CCDA in December and am tackling CCDA next. I've bought the official certification guide and am considering buying the SWITCH Foundation learning guide. Those of you who have passed the CCDA exam - what other study materials would you recommend?
I purchased the CBT Nuggets videos for the CCNA but thought that was the biggest waste of money ever. The content was very light, I found the Cisco Press books to be very good.
My plan is to take the design path, I'll knock out the SWITCH, ROUTE and ARCH exams after CCDA.
ROUTE Passed 1 May 2012
SWITCH Passed 25 September 2012
TSHOOT Passed 23 October 2012
Taking CCNA Security in April 2013 then studying for the CISSP
Comments
I've found the book Diane to excellent.
Amazon.com: CCDA 640-864 Official Cert Guide (4th Edition) (9781587142574): Anthony Bruno, Steve Jordan: Books
Amazon.com: Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (DESGN) Foundation Learning Guide: (CCDA DESGN 640-864) (3rd Edition) (Foundation Learning Guides) (9781587204241): Sean Wilkins: Books
Latest blog post: Let's review EIGRP Named Mode
Currently Studying: CCNP: Wireless - IUWMS
My guess is that you guys did CCNP first then went back and knocked off CCDA. Did you find that CCNP level Switching knowledge was required as stated?
ROUTE Passed 1 May 2012
SWITCH Passed 25 September 2012
TSHOOT Passed 23 October 2012
Taking CCNA Security in April 2013 then studying for the CISSP
CCDA is a lot of theory and no real configuration, but I think it would hard to design something like HSRP/GLBP if you never heard of it before. It might be good enough to search through cisco.com documentation concerning any topics you are not very familiar with, but that is up to you.
As far as switch book recommendations, not too sure as I took the old BCMSN test.
Latest blog post: Let's review EIGRP Named Mode
Currently Studying: CCNP: Wireless - IUWMS
Thanks.
True, but couldn't it be a chicken and egg type thing...I'm really into theory and I thought it was a vital part of the CCNA exams with ICND1 being mostly theory. Personally, I would rather learn all of the theory first and then tackle implementation. I'll definitely take your advice and do further research work my way through the content. I guess I could always go back and do SWITCH/ROUTE if I run into difficulty...But career-wise it's better if I can nail CCDA within the next 3-4 months.
ROUTE Passed 1 May 2012
SWITCH Passed 25 September 2012
TSHOOT Passed 23 October 2012
Taking CCNA Security in April 2013 then studying for the CISSP
Best of luck on whichever path you choose.
Think it'd be a lot easier if you do it after CCNP or at least reading and labbing the ROUTE and SWITCH books.
I used the Diane Teare Ciscopress book for the 640-873 exam alond with loads of reading up on the Cisco SRND documents along with doing some basic network design at work.
Check out the documents in specific technology areas here Design Zone/SRND - Main Page - Cisco Systems
It's definitely a more advanced book, and it's not targeted specifically at the CCDA or CCDP, but it's a great read and will absolutely help bring it all together for the exam.
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Definitely agree with this, I got this book and it's fantastic!
Latest blog post: Let's review EIGRP Named Mode
Currently Studying: CCNP: Wireless - IUWMS
The 864 OCG and 861/863 updated CBT nuggets are what I used. They do mention the Top down network design book in the nuggets series and I think i'll get hold of it as I know in the future i'll do the ARCH exam and have to design/implement networks in my current job (although it's nothing like methodologies in CCDA due to senior managemnet intervention!).
Definitely would be easier doing the CCDA having done CCNP first though.