How essential is an actual hardware lab?
theanimal
Member Posts: 77 ■■□□□□□□□□
in CCNA & CCENT
I am a reservist and my MOS deals with networking, we covered all of CCNA, though we didn't take the cert test.
I got a job as a NOC tech and during the downtime at night, I am studying for my CCNA using CBT Nuggets, which I know people say isn't the greatest, but after 9 months of schooling, I feel as if I just need a decent refresher on some of the subjects.
My question is, if you study the material online and in plenty of books, and use network sims, is it essential to practice on a physical hardware lab to pass the CCNA?
And what about the other certs, I would like to get my CCNA-V and CCNA-S, and eventually my CCNP. With enough reading and study, without having a physical test lab, would they be achievable?
Thanks.
I got a job as a NOC tech and during the downtime at night, I am studying for my CCNA using CBT Nuggets, which I know people say isn't the greatest, but after 9 months of schooling, I feel as if I just need a decent refresher on some of the subjects.
My question is, if you study the material online and in plenty of books, and use network sims, is it essential to practice on a physical hardware lab to pass the CCNA?
And what about the other certs, I would like to get my CCNA-V and CCNA-S, and eventually my CCNP. With enough reading and study, without having a physical test lab, would they be achievable?
Thanks.
Comments
-
sizeon Member Posts: 321You dont need a lab to pass the CCNA. Just get packet tracer and your good to go.
-
theanimal Member Posts: 77 ■■□□□□□□□□You dont need a lab to pass the CCNA. Just get packet tracer and your good to go.
Thanks.
What about the CCNA:V,S,W? Or CCNP? -
NetworkVeteran Member Posts: 2,338 ■■■■■■■■□□Building a home lab is not essential for passing the CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE.With enough reading and study, without having a physical test lab, would they be achievable?
No home lab doesn't eliminate or even lessen the requirement to get in plenty of practice. -
theanimal Member Posts: 77 ■■□□□□□□□□NetworkVeteran wrote: »Building a home lab is not essential for passing the CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE.
With enough reading and study and practice, they are achievable.
No home lab doesn't eliminate or even lessen the requirement to get in plenty of practice.
Thanks a lot, that was just what I was hoping to hear.
Now by practice, I assume you mean things such as Packet Tracer and practice exams? I'd hate to derail this thread, but being as I'm already here, I might as well ask. I'm currently in a NOC position, and as I saw someone posted in some other thread, the duties can vary from sitting and answering phones all the way up to engineer projects. I do enjoy this and would like to move up to more of an engineer/analyst field, and probably more security oriented. Would there be any other certs that would be great to get besides the Cisco ones? -
Patel128 Member Posts: 339In my opinion it may not be necessary, but it does help a great deal. Actually having the physical machines running, that you will be working on at work to me seems like a must. Plus building a lab is a great learning experience.Studying For:
B.S. in Computer Science at University of Memphis
Network+
Currently Reading:
CompTIA Network+ Study Guide - Lammle -
theanimal Member Posts: 77 ■■□□□□□□□□In my opinion it may not be necessary, but it does help a great deal. Actually having the physical machines running, that you will be working on at work to me seems like a must. Plus building a lab is a great learning experience.
That is why I was curious, on the job side of things, I see a lot of employeers or managers on here saying that if the employee has no practical experience, then it's a no-go. I have no experience and no certs, though I went through the full Cisco CCNA courses. When I landed in the job, I had no problems piecing everything together and going at it, and as I said, some of the jobs end up being stuff the engineers and analyst would normally do.
On the cert side of things I do not want to go into it thinking I will have no problems though, heh. So I will definitely study my ass off, and if I manage to, get myself some equipment for a lab. -
NetworkVeteran Member Posts: 2,338 ■■■■■■■■□□Now by practice, I assume you mean things such as Packet Tracer and practice exams?
For CCNP/CCIE, I'm thinking more along the lines of a real IOS--IOU, GNS3, or renting rack time.
Practice tests aren't essential. They're sometimes helpful.
In my opinion it may not be necessary, but it does help a great deal.
Actually having the physical machines running, that you will be working on at work to me seems like a must.Plus building a lab is a great learning experience.
-
NetworkVeteran Member Posts: 2,338 ■■■■■■■■□□That is why I was curious, on the job side of things, I see a lot of employeers or managers on here saying that if the employee has no practical experience, then it's a no-go.
-
SteveO86 Member Posts: 1,423Packet Tracer is extremely buggy. I haven't used packet tracer is years so I don't know how much it has improved but back then it was pretty horrible.
I'd take the time and setup GNS3, if real hardware is out of reach. I used GNS3 for a while but then I just got a little tired of the setup/performance/bugs. GNS3 is buggy but it's no where near as buggy as my experience with Packet Tracer.
Just my 2 cents.My Networking blog
Latest blog post: Let's review EIGRP Named Mode
Currently Studying: CCNP: Wireless - IUWMS -
theanimal Member Posts: 77 ■■□□□□□□□□Animal, are you a 25B by chance?
I wasn't quite sure what that was until a google search, hah. But no, I am USMC 0651. -
JeanM Member Posts: 1,117Lots of people pass w/o a physical lab for CCNA and even CCNP, but it sure doesn't hurt you any to have physical hands-on as well. Some things you just can't "learn" in packet tracker or gns3 etc... like physical hardware/boot/loader etc issues and cabling.
imho2015 goals - ccna voice / vmware vcp.