bare minimum materials requirement to pass CCENT/CCNA

currently enrolled in the 1st of the 4 ccna cisco network academy course(net fundamentals). our community college doesn't have any hardware for students hands on lab...so instead we are learning via the packet tracer.

my question is:

with the 2 recommended texts(odom/lamle) and the packet tracer, will these be suffice to pass the exam? or is the physical hardware an absolute necessary to pass the ccent and eventually the ccna?

please advise and your replies are always much appreciated.:)

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Comments

alan2308

The classes, the books, and Packet Tracer will get you through the CCNA if you put the effort in. Physical hardware is not a necessity any more, Packet Tracer (and other similar software) is more than adequate to get you through all of the topics on the exam.

I still suggest, as always, to try to find a way to get some hands on at some point along the way. It doesn't have to be right away though. Even if your budget only allows for a single $15 2500 series router, you'll get some benefit from it.

networker050184

The physical equipment is not absolutely necessary to pass the exam. However, it is required to get the real world skills employers are going to want you to have. There are plenty of things that need to be learned to be good at this stuff then simply typing commands into the CLI. For example memory upgrades, physical connectivity, IOS upgrades, etc. Putting a physical lab together has many benefits that people tend to over look.

Turgon

dangtran09 wrote: »

currently enrolled in the 1st of the 4 ccna cisco network academy course(net fundamentals). our community college doesn't have any hardware for students hands on lab...so instead we are learning via the packet tracer.

my question is:

with the 2 recommended texts(odom/lamle) and the packet tracer, will these be suffice to pass the exam? or is the physical hardware an absolute necessary to pass the ccent and eventually the ccna?

please advise and your replies are always much appreciated.:)

Those academy courses cost money dont they? They should be giving you access to equipment.

You can pass with a couple of books and practice exams. A newly minted CCNA is a trainee and a liability without hands on practice so try and get some.

impz

Those materials pretty much should allow you to pass the exam.

You could also check these out:

CBT Nuggets video series for CCNA (they do cost a bit of $$)
Trainsignal video series for CCNA (they do cost a bit of $$)
Chris Bryant "Ultimate CCNA study package" (just $25)CCNA CCNP Cisco Security Certification Exam, CCNA Boot Camp CBT

On a side note, if you are paying for that CCNA course and they aren't providing you with real cisco gear to practice on, you should consider dropping that course and use that money to buy cisco hardware instead

gosh1976

I thought I read somewhere that institutions were required to have a minimum of equipment in order to take part. That sucks that the place doesn't even have a few routers and switches to take turns on.

alan2308

gosh1976 wrote: »

I thought I read somewhere that institutions were required to have a minimum of equipment in order to take part. That sucks that the place doesn't even have a few routers and switches to take turns on.

I thought so too, and decided to take a look after you brought it up. This is what I found out of the academy's FAQ. I don't see the document in the tools section that it references any longer, but it was a spreadsheet listing router by router and switch by switch what the classroom should have at a minimum. They had a big outage for an upgrade over the weekend, so the doc may have been lost during that.

Equipment
Q. What are the equipment requirements for CCNA Discovery and CCNA Exploration?
A. For equipment requirements, please reference the equipment lists located on the Tools page for either CCNA
Discovery or CCNA Exploration on Academy Connection. Since equipment availability, prices, and discounts
vary by theater and region, you should contact your technical manager for specific information. For your
convenience, the technical managers are listed here by region:
Asia Pacific – John Lim ((johnlim@cisco.com)
Europe, Middle East, and Africa – Michael Furminger (Hmfurming@cisco.comH)
Latin America – Kevin Johnston (Hkejohnst@cisco.comH)
United States and Canada – Karen Alderson (Hkalderso@cisco.comH)

Q. Can Cisco Packet Tracer be used to replace the lab bundles for the CCNA curricula?
A. No, Cisco Packet Tracer is not a replacement for lab equipment. We recommend the use of physical
equipment for hands-on learning. This is a key differentiator relative to other programs. Cisco Packet Tracer
simulations, which are embedded in the CCNA curricula, are supplemental and designed to provide learning
opportunities within environments that cannot be replicated in the classroom.

kurosaki00

I havent passed ccna, I actually failed the 640-816 around a year and half ago
will try again on summer before my ccent expires lol

I graduated from cisco network academy (actually they included the physical hardware here so... i dont know) and my biggest recommendation is, besides all the freaking labs they will give you, like seriously they will give you OVER 9,000! labs, buy either lammle or odom books (if both better) and know everything in those books.

If you only go with the academy course, there will be surprises.
So go on the safe side and read and know the books too.