Thursday, June 26, 2008

Cisco Newbie - Start on the CCNA

Want to start getting into routers etc so looking at doing some cisco stuff? Think you need to start on the CCNA? but dont really know where or know of any real books that can teach you this from scratch? Here is a guideline for the Cisco newbies to start on the CCNA.

Q: Looking at doing some cisco stuff?

A: Cisco's Career Certifications & Paths information can be found here.
Cisco also has a CCNA Prep Center -- it might impress you, or it might scare you away -- but worth a look to get an idea of what Cisco makes available.

Only one comment on the prepCenter. When watching the flash, dont take their word when they say that linux is an operating system. One who says that linux is an OS, states that his knowledge of operating systems converging to zero (especially linux based).

Q: Don't really know where or know of any real books that can teach you this from scratch.

A: The books you'll hear the most about around here are:
Sybex - Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide -- by Todd Lammle. Should be on the 5th edition. Great for learning subnetting. Missing some info, but there are one or two new update chapters available for download.
Cisco Press - The CCNA 640-802 books by Wendell Odom. Probably the CCNA Official Exam Certification Library.
You can check out all the Cisco Press Books (and the link to the simulator) at the Cisco Press Web site.
Hands-on practice is important.... but you can get by with the simulator for the CCNA.

Q: Are the exams expensive?

A: The CCNA 640-802 exam is $125.
There is also the 2 exam option (INTRO and ICND). There should be link at the CCNP Prep Center that explains it. I think those are $100 each.

Certay is the online Certification Expert, which provide testking and pass4sure the real questions and correct answers since 2001

That should be enough links to keep you busy for the rest of the night.

Source: TechExams