A few general questions

I just finished my ccna a few weeks ago. I would now like to pursue CCNP.

1. I'm assuming most start with the 642-801 BSCI test? I heard this is the most difficult out of all of them. Is this correct?

2. How long does it usually take to complete each test? I put in aobut 6 hours a day

3. Whats better to use . Sybex or Cisco Press? I've always had luck with Sybex...just curious for the CCNP?
Thanks

4. Any idea when Cisco plants to update objectives?

Thanks

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Comments

Drakonblayde

Well, it's the only one I've taken so far, but yes, BSCI is hard. Much harder than the CCNA.

I didn't really start studying for the BSCI until January (finished CCNA in October, took the rest of the year off since it was into the holiday seasons, and I had just moved, changed jobs, etc etc... had enough chaos in life without the CCNP throwing more in hehe). I generally study at work (working in a Cisco shop gives me that luxury when we don't have any real work to do), time per day varies. I took a month longer prepping for it than I wanted to.

As far as study materials, I used the Cisco Academy Curriculum, and the Sybex book. I read the Sybex book first, and was disgusted with it because I felt it glossed over a few details and assumed a higher level of knowledge than was necessary for the exam. After taking it, I have reevaluated my opinion. You do need to know some of the more advanced stuff in the Sybex book, but it by itself will not prepare you for this exam. Honestly, no set of study material will help you if you're just trying to memorize answers. The BSCI isn't a straightforward exam where it asks you questions about the technology and you regurgitate memorized answers. It gives you problems, you provide the solutions, so you *have* to know the material. All your study material will give you a foundation from which your analytical ability will be able to kick in and answer the questions on the exam.

Oh, and just for grins, I went back and looked over a TK for the BSCI yesterday. Boy, do I feel sorry for any dumb SOB that uses those to study for BSCI. They will be soooo lost.

As for when they plan to update, I dunno, who knows, it may be a while. They may just diversify their certificaiton process even further... for example, instead of updating the CCNP to handle VOIP, they just created the CCVP instead.

dissolved

Thanks for your comments. What exactly is the cisco academy cur? A series of books???

I'm with you on the TK's. They are pretty lame. I took 9 months to get my CCNA, just so I could fully absorb every little thing.

Thanks

shadown7

dissolved wrote:

Thanks for your comments. What exactly is the cisco academy cur? A series of books???

The Cisco Academy Curriculum is actually Cisco approved training at schools and tech centers. Cisco has books that they write for this and they also have online material to go long with the books. They split the CCNA up into 4 semisters. After the first two semesters you should be ready to take the CCNA Intro exam which is just half of the CCNA cert. After the last two semesters you should be ready for the CCNA ICND exam. Now, this is for the people who want to go the two test route. But, that doesn't apply to you since you already have your CCNA.

Best of luck,

Keith

dissolved

thanks for the explanation

Drakonblayde

There's also a CCNP curriculum, one semester for each exam.

dissolved

Drakonblayde wrote:

There's also a CCNP curriculum, one semester for each exam.

Is that what you did for the first test of ccnp???

wildfire

If you have the budget for it use the Cisco curriculum. It can be fairly expensive. It all depends on your level of experience, if you work with Cisco stuff then you should just be topping up your knowledge, as someone mentioned BSCI is damm hard, CCNA you can learn parrot fashion and pass. Not BSCI it requires through understanding.

I see you said you are going to put 6 hours a day in ! man thats dedication, I studied about 15 hours a week and sat the exam after 1 month. I only passed by the skin of my teeth!

I would stick to Cisco press on this one, Sybex seems to lack some topics, its section on IS-IS is weak!

Are you getting hands on with routers? I think thats essential, CCNA can be done with simulators, BSCI cant.

As for the other CCNP exams Ive passed BCMSN which I found fairly easy. and Ive been studying on and off BCRAN for ages but havent got round to taking the exam (I should really).

As updating, It was only updated about 18 months ago so I would say that the current exams will be safe for another year. Even if you sit 2 out of the 4 and the update the exams, your old exams will still count towards the CCNP for a period of time.

Drakonblayde

Yeah, I did use the academy curriculum for the first exam, it was fairly helpful, the labs included with it are useful. Of course, I'm in a unique position, being the one who setup my Academy's internal web server, and who still maintains it, I have access to all of Cisco curriculums. The teacher doesn't mind if I use his lab to further my own advancement. Sometimes it's good to be the teachers pet

And yeah, Sybex's IS-IS section is very lacking, particularly in it's explanation of OSI addressing.

About the only thing I'd say good about the Sybex book is that it's BGP section is very thorough, where I found the Cisco Academy to be lacking. The Academy doesn't cover route reflectors, confederations, or communities, which is dumb IMHO. The Academy does an excellent job of covering route optimization (distribute lists, prefix lists, redistribution, route maps, etc)

dissolved

Is the 642-891 Composite still available to take? I notice its just two ccnp exams in one? Is this not recommended?

Thanks

Webmaster

I wouldn't recommended it over the two separate exams, cause they are too different. I think they created it mainly as the recertification requirement for the CCNP. Though the BCMSN is not 'that' much material, the BSCI exam is. Doing both without a whole lot of previous experience would make it more difficult to to both at once imo.