Starting to Study after a week off from passing the CCNA

Hey guys,

I wanted to know what you think of the Cisco Press books. Are they pretty good for preparing for the BCMSN? I'm going to tackle this exam first and then move to the BSCI next. I'm also going to probably watch the train signal videos from Chris Bryant as well, and the CBT Nuggets videos. How long would you say it would take to prepare for the exam studying 2-4 hours per day.

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mikej412

billscott92787 wrote: »

I wanted to know what you think of the Cisco Press books. Are they pretty good for preparing for the BCMSN?

Unless you get sent to the official training course or know someone who's gone (and lets you borrow their Student & Lab guides), the Cisco Press books are pretty much the "only game in town." The Cisco Press books -- along with checking out the Cisco Documentation for exam topics you're still not comfortable with and plenty of hands on lab work -- should be more than enough to learn what you need to know, and to pass the exam.

Nuggets, TrainSignal, Chris Bryant's Ultimate Study Guides are pretty much supplemental or additional material you can turn to if you're a "video person" or need additional study time/materials.

Unless you've been working with most of the technology (and Cisco equipment) for years, make sure you start with the Self-Study guide -- then move onto the Certification Guide.

human151

hello. Good luck with your studies. I stumbled upon some good training you may be interested in. It is CCNP Class on Demand from

CCNP Bootcamp, CCNP Training | Internetwork Expert

I have been studying for BSCI and the training is really great so far so I would assume for BCMSN the quality is just as good. I also looked at the Lab work book for the BCMSN and it is very detailed and is about 100 pages. If you enter the code OCT09 at check out, the CCNP training is only $346.

I'm really liking this training. Just my two cents.

I also have the official Studies guides from CP. I will also probably get a subscription to safari online so I can read some other networking books without buying each one.

Best of luck.

dynamik

Why'd you wait a week?

AlexMR

dynamik wrote: »

Why'd you wait a week?

I dont get it. I was asking myself that question so repeatedly that I couldnt cooncentrate on the rest of the thread

.

I was checking out the TesOut material for the BSCI and it seems very good. What I like the most is that they have a mmoney back guaranteed if you dont pass the exam after watching. reading and labbing with their material. I find it interesting because they say the material cann be completed in 40-50hours per subject/exam.

I'm taking a different approach now that is the one suggested by Chris Bryant, and it is staying in the same chapter until I master it. I did just that with OSPF and it toook me 4days...maybe 17hours. I took the OSPF exam i thought it was easy. I did all the siimulations and they were easy. I doubt I am sooo prepared, maybe they are just too easy, but since the BSCI has such a high mortality rate for first time takers, i think it might be a good idea to get a pass guaranteed offer. what really grabbed my attention about testout is that they have the videos, written material, LABs that look very much like the actual routers and also an exam engine. If you get 90% twice in their exams they say you will pass the actual exam guaranteed. Very interesting.

My sources currently are Cisco Press self study guide, Chris Bryant's guide, routing TCP/IP and the lab portfolio.

billscott92787

dynamik wrote: »

Why'd you wait a week?

I had to wait for my cisco press books to come in the mail

I didn't get paid until this past Friday. So, I purchased the books and paid extra to have them overnight shipped

Alex, that's pretty interesting. I may have to check them out. They sound pretty decent. I wonder how much crap they try to give you if you wouldn't pass after using their material and try to get your refund.

AlexMR

Bill, they say you have to send two reports showing that you scored 90% twice in their exams and the failed exam report.

I dont anyone who used the material. I saw the OSPF chapter and i think it's very solid. The sims look like the real IOS. I did find some of the questions a little easy but after taking the chapter exam I only scored 80% which is "pass" according to them but since they require 90% for for the warranty I think it is better to assume that pass is 90%.