I passed my ICND2 test this morning with a score of 930, and can't be happier!! I still had 30 minutes to go.
A little background of how I got here. I started my current job 5 years ago and had no networking experience at all. I had a lot of help desk support so I was hired for that. Well I ended up getting thrown in the middle of doing network upgrades at different Nascar tracks that we own. Talk about being in over my head. I had no clue what a subnet was, or even what a switch really looked like! I was actually putting configs on switches before I even knew what the commands were.
I am the type of person that doesn't like not knowing what I am doing. So I started reading about Cisco in my spare time. I then decided I should go one step further and get my CCENT. Took about 6 months of reading, and watching videos and took the test. Passed with no issue. I ended up telling myself I would take 1 month off then start for ICND2. Well that 1 month turned into 2.5 years later!!
3 months ago I received an email from Cisco saying my certification was going to expire and I knew it was coming up. So I studied for a week and took the ICND2 exam and failed by 1 question
I knew I needed to go over things a little closer this time especially OSPF. Where I work we use EIGRP so I am familiar with it. I ended up waiting 2 more months and really studied for it, and this morning I passed
To me the exam wasn't too hard it was really the wording that got to me. They truly do try to trick you. Below is what I ended up doing the last 2 months to study:
- Odoms books - Very detailed and dry, but good info
- CBT Nuggets Video - Excellent to watch and not boring. Easy to grasp.
- Chris Bryant - By far the best thing I have read/watched. He has his course on udemy.com and worth every penny!
- This web site
- Real Cisco equipment to practice
I am lucky as I can use real equipment at my work all day long. So learning commands is easy as I do them nearly every day.
I think I going to go for wireless next as I have been in charge of all our WLAN controllers at the tracks, and to be honest once again I am in over my head. I can configure them and all, but really don't know what I am doing and don't like that feeling.
Any questions feel free to ask.
Thanks,
Ken~
