CCDA Why Not??

matt333

i have the CBT nugget videos (640-863) and Cisco Press CCDA 640-864 pdf... i was going to go for MCITP:EA next but ive lost interest (5 tests mahh ill do it later) and find cisco study material more interesting...
my question is CCNA -> CCDA whats the transition like and if there are higher level concepts that are covered in the CCNP that i would have to know before hand.

azaghul

My track to CCDA was, CCNA -> CCNA:Voice, CVOICE & CIPT1 then CCDA (I was on the road and "hardwareless", and didn't want to waste that time).

Knowing more about LAN switching helps, definitely look at CCNP:Switch (the CCDA study guide recomends it).

The CBT Nuggets (640-863) were built on a previous incarnation of the exam, and while good, seems a bit "thin", so I'd suggest looking at CCDP:Arch just for a more in depth look at design. I also used INE's CCDA offering as I like to get material from more than one source for a different slant on the same material.

SteveO86

As long as you take your time through everything and fully understand each chapter, you'll do fine. Just read up on everything mentioned in the 640-863

matt333

Thanks hopefully i can blow through it.. im pretty motivated, I just need the time ... the design track looks really cool maybe get the CCNP along the way

mattlee09

How are your studies going? Have you found any major gaps between your CCNA knowledge and what's required in CCDA? (I think BGP, for instance, etc.)

I'll be starting the book later this week myself and hope to be CCDA by the end of June at the latest.

MickQ

I've just got my CCNP, and I'm starting into Exchange 2010 and reading over the CCDA when I need a break.
So far it's highly advisable that you read the Switch course. There's a lot in it which will definitely make life easier for understanding the CCDA reasoning behind things.
My reasons for doing the CCDA? The CCDP comes after it, and since I've got Route and Switch done, it's only ARCH (and CCDA) left

Roguetadhg

yeah, the sharing tests help. It's nice that way that cisco boiled everything down. But I wonder if they did it too much?

MickQ

Yes and no. They got rid of a lot of the clutter of wifi, voice and security and left them in their own tracks, which is good. The CCIP now has more specific exams (being retired at the end of October). It really comes down to the balance of knowing the various technologies being supported. If you're working on VOIP, then you hardly need wireless.