How long for CCNA?

Hi all

I know this is a bit of a general question but how long would it take to attain the CCNA?

I have very quiet periods at work with lots of scope to study there. I also get a LOT of time off work, more study time there too.

CCNA is something I've thought of doing when I've finished MCSA in 3 or 4 months. Handy to add to my CV?

And also, what format do the exams come in?

Thaks

Charlie.

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Comments

markzab

It really depends on the individual I think.

I've heard of some people taking a month from start to finish. I've also heard of it taking close to a year for others.

Inc

VantageUK wrote:

Hi all

I know this is a bit of a general question but how long would it take to attain the CCNA?

I have very quiet periods at work with lots of scope to study there. I also get a LOT of time off work, more study time there too.

CCNA is something I've thought of doing when I've finished MCSA in 3 or 4 months. Handy to add to my CV?

And also, what format do the exams come in?

Thaks

Charlie.

Approximately 1 week. Schedule exam, 3 days later take it, after a week - electronically downloadable certificate is yours.

"For my local test center 3 business days are needed for scheduling".

markzab

Inc wrote:

VantageUK wrote:

Hi all

I know this is a bit of a general question but how long would it take to attain the CCNA?

I have very quiet periods at work with lots of scope to study there. I also get a LOT of time off work, more study time there too.

CCNA is something I've thought of doing when I've finished MCSA in 3 or 4 months. Handy to add to my CV?

And also, what format do the exams come in?

Thaks

Charlie.

Approximately 1 week. Schedule exam, 3 days later take it, after a week - electronically downloadable certificate is yours.

"For my local test center 3 business days are needed for scheduling".

mikej412

VantageUK wrote:

how long would it take to attain the CCNA?

Well... you have a couple of options, so I'd say around 90 minutes for the 640-801 CCNA single exam option. Or 2 hours and 15 minutes for the 640-821 INTRO (75 minutes) and 640-811 ICND (60 minutes) 2 exam option. But it could be a day or two (or 3-4 days if you take the exam on a Friday) before your Cisco ID is assigned and your CCNA Certification can be validated by Cisco.

And then add in your travel time to test center, your study time, and the time spend reading the CCNA Forum FAQ. Don't leave scheduling your exam to the last minute -- sometimes you can get in with just a phone call to the test center, other times there may not be any good time slots available anywhere close to you.

Someone with lots of Cisco hands on work experience may just need to read the Sybex book and learn or brush up on things they don't see or use in their environment -- maybe a week?

Someone who has an MCSA and some networking experience, could -- if they are motivated and dedicated and have a Cisco Lab or CCNA Lab Simulator already laying around -- get through the Odom Cisco Press Books and the Sybex book in one month. A more leisurely pace could take a 2-3 months.

A total newbie to networking and IT could be motivated and still get it done in a month... but 4 months to year would be more common.

VantageUK wrote:

And also, what format do the exams come in?

Cisco has the CCNA Prep Center which has a web version of the "pre-exam demo" you get to see before taking the Cisco exams. It covers the 7 (or so) type of exam questions -- Multiple Choice, Simulation, Simlet, Testlet, Drag 'n Drop, etc...

Here it is.... the Certification Exam Tutorial -- one of the links on the Exam Blueprint pages.

markzab

You guys are kidding, right? I don't think he was talking about actual test time. I think he meant study time only.

mikej412

markzab wrote:

You guys are kidding, right? I don't think he was talking about actual test time. I think he meant study time only.

10,000 stand-up comedians out of work -- that's why most of us here decided to go for the CCNA!

And I did say to add in the study time.... and even gave some valid sample ranges.

NightShade1

If you really want to understand concepts and everything then it will take you maybe a year if you do a proper studying.

Doing labs and all that consume time.... it not just about studying theory tho...

markzab

mikej412 wrote:

markzab wrote:

You guys are kidding, right? I don't think he was talking about actual test time. I think he meant study time only.

10,000 stand-up comedians out of work -- that's why most of us here decided to go for the CCNA!

And I did say to add in the study time.... and even gave some valid sample ranges.

I'm probably just a bit slow tonight.

optimus

Inc., I hope that you did not mean for someone with no experience, that they would be able to study for and take the CCNA exam with only one week of study time. If you did, that has to be one of the worst posts regarding CCNA preparation that I have ever seen on this forum. Even a person able to retain information at a high rate would have trouble with a one week program. That is for people that only want to memorize questions, and don't want to learn anything.

NightShade1

optimus wrote:

Inc., I hope that you did not mean for someone with no experience, that they would be able to study for and take the CCNA exam with only one week of study time. If you did, that has to be one of the worst posts regarding CCNA preparation that I have ever seen on this forum. Even a person able to retain information at a high rate would have trouble with a one week program. That is for people that only want to memorize questions, and don't want to learn anything.

I actually know someone that studied CCNA for 2 weeks and passed without any **** or anything(i personally know him its a friend and i know he wouldnt use that im 100% sure of that) he is just too smart.... lol then studied for CCDA another 2 weeks or 1? i think and passed also... but he almost fail this one he was near the passing score lol.

The funny part is that he is not interested in networks

all he likes its programming in java... he just did this because he needed those certifications for his work in his intership to graduate of the university.

Jeezes he could ve been a CCIE now with no problems and help me in my studies!!!! :P but too bad he doesnt like this...

Inc

optimus wrote:

Inc., I hope that you did not mean for someone with no experience, that they would be able to study for and take the CCNA exam with only one week of study time. If you did, that has to be one of the worst posts regarding CCNA preparation that I have ever seen on this forum. Even a person able to retain information at a high rate would have trouble with a one week program. That is for people that only want to memorize questions, and don't want to learn anything.

I was joking, of course

For me it was 1 semester (still can't let go of university in my mind). Just by coincidence I started studying last year in september and passed exam in february this year. I had previous experience with networking working as a 1st line helpdesk support from 03/2004. I had no cisco specific exposure so it all was new to me.

antonio banderas

LOL @ all these April Fools Day like responses.

A week my ass...

I would say study for @ least 3 months. I have studied off and on for about 3 years, but I will schedule the test for in the near future. Also, depends on how far in the CISCO Certification process you want to go. I will problably go for the CCIE Security Certification. I was thinking about getting the MCSE 2003, but that certification just doesn't have a good enough reputation. I still might get it though.

NightShade1

antonio banderas wrote:

LOL @ all these April Fools Day like responses.

A week my ass...

I would say study for @ least 3 months. I have studied off and on for about 3 years, but I will schedule the test for in the near future. Also, depends on how far in the CISCO Certification process you want to go. I will problably go for the CCIE Security Certification. I was thinking about getting the MCSE 2003, but that certification just doesn't have a good enough reputation. I still might get it though.

Well im not lying when i told you he studied for just 2 weeks and passed CCNA... his IQ is just too high...

garv221

VantageUK wrote:

Hi all

I know this is a bit of a general question but how long would it take to attain the CCNA?

Depends on the individuals experience. I have been engineering Cisco networks for years, I'm sure I could review for a week and pass the exam.

VantageUK

Thanks all.

One more question, how many exams? Thought it was 2.

Cheers

Charlie.

garv221

VantageUK wrote:

Thanks all.

One more question, how many exams? Thought it was 2.

Cheers

Charlie.

The exam can be written as one or two separate exams.

mikej412

VantageUK wrote:

One more question, how many exams? Thought it was 2.

I was serious -- that wasn't an April Fool's day post -- honest!

mikej412 wrote:

Well... you have a couple of options, so I'd say around 90 minutes for the 640-801 CCNA single exam option. Or 2 hours and 15 minutes for the 640-821 INTRO (75 minutes) and 640-811 ICND (60 minutes) 2 exam option.

The Cisco CCNA Certification page shows the options.

JNeko

Just curious, we have been talking about how long it would take to obtain the CCNA, and some have said for complete newbies like around 3 to 4 months with good study habits, maybe even up to a year for the slower learners (like myself), I think this sounds like a reasonable guestimate.

But how many hours a day are clocked in those 3 to 4 months? How many do you guys suggest? I have been studying for a little over a month and have read a Sybex book half way through twice basically now, I feel like I am really starting to understand this and enjoy it! I have probably been putting in around 3 hours a day average on these studies, I feel like perhaps I am going too slow? What about you guys?

I think another factor to consider is if the individual is studying really hard core just to pass the test or to really understand what they are doing. I don't know, it seems like there would be a difference there, at least in mindset, for instance, I really enjoy this, I enjoy the challenge of trying to understand these processes as thoroughly as I can, and don't really feel like I am studying for a test, though I am of course, just a feeling I guess, I'll shut up now.

^-^

fredyfreeder

i am new to networking and i've just finished eigrp module on semester 3, i've started just before xmas . not regular in my study though sometimes over a week without opening a book! ... well i think if you have TIME+BOOKS+LABS 4-6 months is quite enough.
if you follow cisco curriculum program! it is going to waste you time! they like going through something over and over bit by bit...
as far as i see ccna is just straight forward! no magic no hard! the only trouble is trying to memorize it at 100% i think this is where experience comes in!
and as far as semester 3.. i love routing protocols, subnetting.. can't wait to go throught WAN technologies.. the only boring part is ccna1 semester... less practise too much to memorize!
tip:

video tut THEY DO HELP A LOT there's laod of them on net

impelse

I am still studying for the CCNA during 6 months, 1 or 2 hours a day. I am a very slowly learning, I like to understand everything, I reviewed Sybex 3 or 4 times, I did all the labs, I am reading Cisco Press.

Also I used Train Signal cbt, they are great.

Raul