CBTNuggets?

I just got ahold of the CBT nuggets for the CCNA. Just wanted to ask you guys what you thought of it or if you have used it? How did it or didn't it help you to prepare for the CCNA?

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impelse

I am using Trainsignal and Learnkey, they are excelent, and also I use Sybex to study, Some themes that I did not understand with the book I understand it with the videos. If you used both system you willl improve your learning exp.

Raul

sexion8

I've got CCNP, CCVP, CCSP package nuggets, and they're pretty good. For me its more like dissecting things I already do normally in the course of work and explaining the fundamental (stale cracker like) RFC stuff I've refused to read for years so they're so and so. It's good to find a topic you know little of though for example, I don't have a VPN concentrator yet, so the CCSP nugget has helped me get an idea of what to expect... As for books... Geez I won't go into them. I started with CCIE reading material, not CCNA reading since I was already working in the industry... Get a minor lab going and read as much as you can and try to understand it all the "Cisco" way

mikej412

I'm not a "video person" but I think both the CBT Nuggets and Trainsignal CBTs have an excellent Bang-for-the-Buck ratio!

The Learnkey was good but expensive. It looks like they haven't been updated in a while for Cisco, and only the CCNA seems to be available now -- but the price has dropped from really expensive to tolerable.

zenlakin

Was just curious and I know there are links around giving some advice for equipment to get for the ccna. I was just curious what you guys would suggest in the way of lab equipment for me to pass the CCNA? Thanks.

zenlakin

Just to build on what I have been finding. Would this be a good setup? Or is this overkill?

<<link removed by moderator -- see below>>

sexion8

Better if you're looking to save.
this eBay Link

Else, you could go with a mixture of 25xx, 26xx, and some switches. You could build your own lab for cheaper trust me.

Me, if I had to rebuild my lab and wanted to save space (my home lab is close to rivaling work), I'd go with 2 3620's (one for MGCP stuff for CCVP studies), 1 2524, 1 2511 (terminal server) 2 2501's, a cat 5509 (think ATM, FDDI practice), and maybe a 3500xl...

At home I added a Pix, a 3640, and am waiting on a 2511...

So as it stands:
1 3810, 1 3810v, 1 3620, 1 3640, 4 2501's, 1 2524, 1 Cat 5000, 1 Cat 2902, 1 Cat 2924, 2 7960's (got them less than wholesale since we resell them) too many wics I haven't bother installing or playing with yet...

sexion8

Also...

http://tinyurl.com/2xglgp

A sleeper if you plan on learning QoS stuff. It's still a router akin to a 3620 no matter how you cut it.

zenlakin

The first link you posted would get me through the CCNA right? I figure I can always add on later for when I am ready to tackle the ccnp.

sexion8

Yes, but... BUT... If you plan on progressing, you might as well dish out and build your own lab. It comes out cheaper in the long run which is why I stated going with a modular router (2524 even) because you could always come back around and slap some wics in them and keep them for further studies.

mikej412

zenlakin wrote:

<<link removed by moderator -- see below>>

I nuked the link.....

runs a clean certification site here, and I don't think he'd like to have the searchengines linking this site to that guy on eBay....

The hardware is overpriced, but if you swapped out the 1900 with a 2950, then it would be a good kit for CCNA/CCNP.... should include a 2520/2521/2522/2523 to use as a frame-relay switch.

The guy selling the hardware in that link seems to have dumped his way to his CCNA/CCNP and is also "hyping his system." I first started to wonder when he says the current labs don't "coincide with the Actual Test Questions...." His system seems to be "do labs based on the **** questions" -- but if you're cheating by using a ****, why build a lab in the first place?

But he does promise you'll pass.... and not that you'll actually learn anything... so I assume he also provides the **** with "his system."

That's why I nuked that link..... now if I could just stop laughing....

zenlakin

Ok. Thanks very much for the input. I definitely don't want to just memorize some questions on a **** and pass the test as I want to have real knowledge so I can apply it to further certifications and to the real world in a job. So if I were to pick up the equipment from the first link you posted I should be able to have everything to start with and pass the ccna exam? I just don't want to buy some equipment and then later on find out that I didn't have everything I needed. I also will probably not buy the kit from the link but rather take what is in the kit and see if I can buy each piece at a time and hopefully save a little $$.

mikej412

Everyone has opinions about lab equipment... and simulators -- did you go through the links in the CCNA Forum FAQ?

The difference between the CCNA lab and CCNP lab usually just a couple of routers.

The ideal starting CCNA would have 4 routers and 3 switches. But skip the cheap 1900s unless you already have one laying around as a door stop.

One of the routers should be at least a 2610. There is an IOS version that lets you do Router-on-a-Stick with the 10 megabit interface.

2 routers could be the 25xx ethernet models.

If you want to "go cheap" to start, skip the frame-relay 252x router and use one of the 2500s as the frame-switch when needed.

3 switches makes it easier to learn VTP (and STP).... but you can decided once you start reading books to see how much sense it makes to you (and your budget). The 2900s are okay. You'd want at least one 2950 for the CCNP.... so you could start shopping now for deals (my 12 port 2950 was $153 & my 2900 was $22 - not including shipping).

zenlakin

Would an efficient route to go be two 2524’s, two 2610’s, and three 2950’s. Or for the switches could I go with two 2900’s and a 2950? I don’t want to spend a lot of money right at the moment due to my current budget. What do you think would be a decent budget to have for a mid to high range ccna setup?

zenlakin

What about this?

http://www.ciscokits.com/cube/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=54&ccSID-b4c410adddf67168ce2ac0e2807326f8=553b82bd70ecc50e354ce6d4b7129316

kadshah

I have the CBT nuggets CCNA videos. I watch these videos
whenever i don't understand a concept. The trainer Emilo really knows his stuff.
If you are new to CCNA I highly recommend these videos.

Spudage

I downloaded a CBTNuggets DVD for the outgoing CCNP exams about 6months ago and it was absolutely horrible.

I also however downloaded a CBTNuggets DVD for CCVP recently and it was very very good.

It entirely depends on the instructor in the video. In the case of the CCNP video it sounded like someone reciting a text book with no real experience, whereas the CCVP one seemed to know it all - and know how to explain the topics in an interesting way.

sexion8

Spudage wrote:

In the case of the CCNP video it sounded like someone reciting a text book with no real experience,

You know... I'll reiterate, I started studying already having professional experience and knowledge via practice, deployment, actually DOING, participating (NANOG, C-NSP, SecurityFocus, etc), and the majority of the books have little impact on the things I've done and do in the real world. None, not even the CCIE scenarios and labs. What I am learning from those books are nothing more than the fundamentals of what CISCO THINKS should be done. Being its a Cisco exam, who am I to complain.

Yesterday I fired up the Cisco CCIE Security exam simulator. 65 questions. I ran through them in about 15 minutes flat. No looking at diagrams and I scored a measley 62% (http://www.infiltrated.net/practiceExams/CCIE-Jan19th2007.jpg) when I went back to see what I missed, I missed selecting multiple answers and chose one answer. The diagrams? ... I didn't even look but got all of them right.

What I took the time to notice about Cisco's methodologies for this exam is a bit of trickery mixed in with their own scenarios... One question that made me sort of chuckle that I missed went something like this:

Which is routeable?

a) RIP
b) OSPF
c) IS-IS
d) All of the above
e) NetBEUI

(Bear in mind this is not the actual question but as close as I can remember it) Anyhow I selected a, b and c instead of "all of the above" When I skimmed through it and I saw NetBEUI, red flag went up between it and those which are routeable... Needless to say ""All of the above is what Cisco deemed the correct answer. Being I was skimming through this (somewhere about 3.5 questions per minute) I should have taken the time to really read what was going on. So while you may think the CCNP nugget wasn't fruitful, its likely you weren't looking at it for what it's worth... A framework nothing more.

Spudage

sexion8, I have no idea how anything you just typed has any relevance to the text of my message that you quoted.

All I was saying is that the CCNP video I saw had absolutely nothing extra to offer on top of reading a text book (and the exam blueprint) yourself.

You jumped on the defensive as if you are the instructor in the videos.