Early present to myself, passed ICND1 today with a 973, I studied pretty heavily for about 6 weeks straight. I do not have a background in networking but I do touch on some networking task at my work, but nothing equipment related.
Study Materials:
- Cisco Press Official Certification Guide
- Chris Bryant’s CCNA Boot Camp Videos
- Boson NetSim 10
- Boson ExMax Test
Word of Advice:
- Make a study plan, set a date, and stick with it
- Practice, Practice, Practice, and then Practice some more
- Did I mention Practice?
- Doesn't matter what practice test you use, but take several to get a feel (Boson are the most realistic, but way more detailed than what is expected for you to know on the exam (IMHO))
- Use this forum to your advantage, I did!
Test Tips:
- Know subnetting as if your life depended on it
- Any and all show commands are your friend
- Know OSPF and its configuration
- NFLB everything (Network Address, First Address, Last Address, Broadcast Address), thanks “Byronicbluez”, great tip!
- Pace yourself and don’t rush, some questions are harder than others, so time really does end up balancing out.
Let me know if I can help with anything else (be mindful of the NDA). I have week-long break over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday that I plan to enjoy (with a little less stress now), then back to it for ICND2.
