CCNA course in 5 days: Price, difficult, worth it?

Hey

I've seen a CCNA course with 3 different ways and all courses being a length of 5 days:

ICND1= 1170€ (the exam is more or less a additional 200€)
ICND2 = 1340€ (Same as above)
CCNA-PW = 1620€ (This includes both the ICND1 and 2. Express course. The exam price same as above)

My length of knowledge of networks I've always considered to be OK: I'm weak with subnets but can configure a small home network. DNS can also tick me off sometimes. I don't know differences between CNAMES, A, etc (well, I DO but I don't control it if you ask me right on the spot)

So are the prices good? Is 5 days enough? Should I go for both at the same time or one at a time?

Thanks!

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Comments

nbeacham

I personally wouldn't waste my money on a boot camp type course. Some may have a different opinion, but in mine, it's much easier to study at your own pace. In the boot camp setting you are moving from one topic to the other to quick to really grasp the concepts. Sure you could pass the test, but how much of that information will you retain at the end of the test?
It's kind of like people using **** sites to study, sure you get the information, but you just don't fully understand it. You aren't putting in quality time with each topic.

jsb515

I would say hold off on the bootcamps and take up some other resources like the INE CCNA bootcamp they are doing free for this month. Also check into the CBT Nugget videos. The money you spend on the bootcamps you could use towards study material and taking the test and if you fail take it again because the money you spent to take the first time helped give you better understanding of your weak areas and you know what to expect. So save your money, buy books and other learning materials, and take the test in a few months. Its much benefitful for you to actually learn it and have a full understanding.

YFZblu

riahc3 wrote: »

Hey

I've seen a CCNA course with 3 different ways and all courses being a length of 5 days:

ICND1= 1170€ (the exam is more or less a additional 200€)
ICND2 = 1340€ (Same as above)
CCNA-PW = 1620€ (This includes both the ICND1 and 2. Express course. The exam price same as above)

My length of knowledge of networks I've always considered to be OK: I'm weak with subnets but can configure a small home network. DNS can also tick me off sometimes. I don't know differences between CNAMES, A, etc (well, I DO but I don't control it if you ask me right on the spot)

So are the prices good? Is 5 days enough? Should I go for both at the same time or one at a time?

Thanks!

Considering the content of your first post - No, 5 days will not be enough.

You mention things like DNS, CNAMES, etc...That is not part of the CCNA curriculum.

Some CCNA topics: Ethernet, TCP/IP stack, Subnetting, IP addressing, VLSM, RIP, RIPv2, EIGRP, OSPF, Frame Relay, WAN concepts, STP, RSTP, VLANs, IPv6, and a number of other things.

I feel like a week-long bootcamp would be more beneficial if you had already been studying on your own, and you wanted to take the bootcamp to solidify your already good understanding of the topics - or if you had experience / were recertifying. But if you're starting from scratch, imo a week isn't going to cut it.

Qord

The only value I see in classes like that is if you're ready to take the test already (or just need to recertify) and need a quick refresher. If you don't already know the material, it's not going to be of much long term help.

If the price of classes like this was right (a lot less than that) I might consider it a few weeks before I plan to renew my CCNA. Outside of that kind of scenario, I'd never recommend it.

riahc3

Thanks to all of you.

I've seen the CB Nuggets video for Network Fundamentals (MS) but I asked (here too) and repliers said that it wasn't enough. So I imagine that for a harder exam like CCNA it won't be enough either.

spiderjericho

If you haven't invested any time into studying CCNA and only have prior networking knowledge, then you might possibly pass the exam after completing the boot camp, but you won't retain the information from the boot camp nor will the boot camp delve as deeply as the certification kit, INE/CBT Nuggets videos or Cisco Network Academy courses.

All that will happen is the instructor will briskly go through slides, have you take "practice" test questions (which are usually brain **** of the actual exam).

I'm a dumb Yankee, so I don't know what pound equates to the American dollar, but from using a conversion calculator the cost equates to $2,600 American Dollars.

So what you're paying for is "time." If you have the time, it would be cheaper and more beneficial to buy the certification guide and possibly a supplemental like Boson exam and a video series (Bryant Advantage/CBT Nuggets/Etc) with using a real lab/rack rental/GNS3/Packet Tracer. This would probably cost a third or quarter of the cost. However, it would probably take two months, but you'd probably understand CCNA.

MAC_Addy

I would invest in at least 1 book. I'd recommend the CCNA book by Todd Lammle. I used this for my ICND1 and passed. You can split up the areas for the ICND1 and 2 on this book. If you need the chapter numbers, let me know and I can provide them.

You don't necessarily need hardware for the ICND1/2, but it'll definitely help. Since you seem like you don't have too much knowledge of networks I'd suggest that you get Packet Tracer and/or GNS3 to lab out your work.

You also mention that you're weak on subnetting, but can setup a home network. Home networks are the simplest of all networks, pretty much a home router will do this for you. I suggest that you don't try a cut corners with a 5-day course (this is just a waste of money). There are all sorts of free study guides out there and there's an excellent subnetting thread on here.

pinkydapimp

I would say it depends on your situation. But like those above said. I wouldnt expect to retain all that knowledge from 5 days. However, if you use it to anchor your studying then that may be a great way to reinforce everything after studying.

I am doing a bootcamp in June. However, my company is paying for it(so why not!). But i am in the process of studying for it now so that it can use the boot camp to anchor my studies.

Everyone learns differently though. So Good luck!

pinkydapimp

jsb515 wrote: »

I would say hold off on the bootcamps and take up some other resources like the INE CCNA bootcamp they are doing free for this month. Also check into the CBT Nugget videos. The money you spend on the bootcamps you could use towards study material and taking the test and if you fail take it again because the money you spent to take the first time helped give you better understanding of your weak areas and you know what to expect. So save your money, buy books and other learning materials, and take the test in a few months. Its much benefitful for you to actually learn it and have a full understanding.

Do you have more information regarding this?

NetworkVeteran

riahc3 wrote: »

My length of knowledge of networks I've always considered to be OK: I'm weak with subnets but can configure a small home network. DNS can also tick me off sometimes. I don't know differences between CNAMES, A, etc (well, I DO but I don't control it if you ask me right on the spot)

From the perspective of the CCNA, your networking knowledge sounds mostly non-existant. The 5-day express course sounds too short--you will almost certainly require more than ten days to learn this material at a level where you can pass the exam and retain it to show it off in interviews. Taking ICND1 and ICN2 as two separate 5-day bootcamps sounds possible, if you're a quick study at acquiring technical information, and you do your homework after class.

Qord

pinkydapimp wrote: »

Do you have more information regarding this?

CCNA Associate Course - 640-802

nbeacham

Qord wrote: »

CCNA Associate Course - 640-802

Thank you for this Qord, I've been struggling with STP so i'll go over those videos and other things that I need to touch base on.

NOC-Ninja

riahc3 wrote: »

Hey

I've seen a CCNA course with 3 different ways and all courses being a length of 5 days:

ICND1= 1170€ (the exam is more or less a additional 200€)
ICND2 = 1340€ (Same as above)
CCNA-PW = 1620€ (This includes both the ICND1 and 2. Express course. The exam price same as above)

My length of knowledge of networks I've always considered to be OK: I'm weak with subnets but can configure a small home network. DNS can also tick me off sometimes. I don't know differences between CNAMES, A, etc (well, I DO but I don't control it if you ask me right on the spot)

So are the prices good? Is 5 days enough? Should I go for both at the same time or one at a time?

Thanks!

Dont waste your money and time on a CCNA bootcamp. CCNA shouldnt even have a bootcamp.

I learned CCNA with a book, CBT videos, youtube videos, a 4 switches and 2 routers.
You can do it on your own. There's no way you can learn CCNA in 5 days. Its too much to learn for that amount of time especially CCNA is new for you.

TehToG

I think people are missing the point. Bootcamps are for people who need the qualification for their job. If you need the qualification and will be doing the job every day they're ideal.

Problem being that most people see them as an 'easy path' to the cert. If you need to use a bootcamp, self study wont be an option and if you can self study a bootcamp shouldn't be an option.

MAC_Addy

TehToG wrote: »

Problem being that most people see them as an 'easy path' to the cert. If you need to use a bootcamp, self study wont be an option and if you can self study a bootcamp shouldn't be an option.

You hit the nail on the head here mate! This is so true. I've seen it happen on here and in the the real world (I'm talking like TE isn't the real world

). Anyway, I've heard of people wanting to get on a course and 'what's the easiest/quickest way to pass the CCNA'. This is definitely a certification you should be generally interested in and willing to invest some time and definitely willing to actually learn. This certification, even though I haven't taken the ICND2, has already taught me so much. The plan is with the CCNA or ICND1/2 is that you sit down, learn the information and actually understand it - that's Cisco's goal. If you try to brain ****, you'll fail so quickly it's untrue. And I love the fact that people will fail if they ****. Since this, and other exams are theory and practical it helps with the ability to troubleshoot in your head without having to get a book out and find the possible answer.

Roguetadhg

If it's required for your position at work. You probably shouldn't have gotten the job?

If you don't have experience or interested in networking, then a 5 day crash course won't do you much good. While CCNA is the basic, there's still so much theory to go through - STP, Packets, Basics of Routing and Switching, Routing protocols, binary math, access-lists, nat, wireless. There's just so much to do and know beyond just typing in commands and closing up shop. Cisco tests to see if you can understand and put the theory to work in different situations. Which is to say real-world situations and will often times take thinking through the problem which may test more than one theory at the same time.

You may be able to go through the 5 day course, and then self-study with a book. By itself, with little to no experience, you have a lot going against you. Im not saying it's impossible, just highly improbable.

kaldrouby

5 day camp might be good to have a over all understanding but for the money its not worth maybe if it cost less it would be good.

MAC_Addy

The only time I'd recommend a 5-day course is if you qualify under the following:

1: You've studied the concepts and understand them and work pays for it.
2: You've been Cisco certified and your certification expired, and work pays for it.

NetworkVeteran

MAC_Addy wrote: »

The only time I'd recommend a 5-day course is if you qualify under the following:
1: You've studied the concepts and understand them and work pays for it.
2: You've been Cisco certified and your certification expired, and work pays for it.

My criteria would be:

+ You have a short timetable, and the expected compensation outweighs the cost of the training. For example, suppose he is being flown out to interview for a great job, but a CCNA is highly preferred. Bootcamp time! A few grand is a drop in the bucket if your ideal positions pay an extra fifteen or twenty grand or so.

+ Work wants you to go (and pays for it).

TehToG

Roguetadhg wrote: »

If it's required for your position at work. You probably shouldn't have gotten the job?

MAC_Addy wrote: »

The only time I'd recommend a 5-day course is if you qualify under the following:

1: You've studied the concepts and understand them and work pays for it.
2: You've been Cisco certified and your certification expired, and work pays for it.

This is what I was getting at. Sometimes people can be fine using all the cisco kit for years until their company is sold and the they are then asked to have the qualification. (by the new owners)