Cisco CCNA Certification: Don’t Overreact To Exam

Cisco CCNA Certification: Don’t Overreact To Exam Version Changes

by: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

CCNA Certification: Don’t Overreact To Exam Version Changes

Whenever a Cisco exam version changes, thereกs always a lot of chatter about it on the web. The CCNA exams are no exception.

One comment I see often goes like this: ก I hear Cisco is going to change Intro / ICND / CCNA exam versions soon, so Iกm not going to start studying yet. Iกll wait until the new exam comes out.ก Do not let this happen to you. While some large publishers would have you think these exams change tremendously from one version to another (กupdated for the latest exams!ก), the simple fact is that the Intro, ICND, and CCNA Composite exams simply don’t change much from version to version.Sure, the questions change.

The only people who should be nervous about that are those who are trying to braindump their way to a technical certification.The topics covered on the CCNA exams don’t change much at all.

You know you’re going to have to demonstrate knowledge of LAN switching, ISDN, Frame Relay, routing protocol behavior, RIP, IGRP, EIGRP, and OSPF. Perhaps some of the more advanced topics will change, but these will be minor changes at best. Cisco announces these changes on their website well in advance (and youกll read about them here, too), so you won’t be left with no time to study.

Whatever you do, don’t fall into the กversion changeก. Don’t spend $100 $150 to hurry up and take an exam before you’re ready because of an upcoming version change.When you’re ready, you’re ready. Time spent learning is never wasted. Get started NOW.

About The Author

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage. The Bryant Advantageกs website offers FREE ebooks and tutorials for the CCNA and CCNP exams, FREE subscriptions to กCisco Certification Centralก, and sells the best CCNA and CCNP prep courses and books on the market today. Visit his site at www.thebryantadvantage.com today!

[email protected]

This article was posted on January 04

by Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

The Hidden Benefit Of Computer Certification

The Hidden Benefit Of Computer Certification

by: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

The web is covered with stories regarding the benefits of professional computer certification, and most of them are backed up with salary surveys and the like. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with making more money and having better job prospects, there’s one benefit of certification that many candidates forget about.

Confidence.

You can’t pay your rent with confidence; you can’t pay for gas with confidence; you can’t pay for ANYTHING with confidence, right? So who cares, right?

Wrong. The confidence you build from truly earning a certification, whether it’s an MCSE, CCNA, or CCIE, cannot be purchased, borrowed, or stolen. It has to be earned.

What do I mean by ขtruly earnedข? First, I’m referring to those little documents out there generally referred to as ขbraindumpsข. If you buy one of these things and happen to skate by a certification exam, did you learn anything? No. Did you learn anything? No. Are you going to be effective on the job? No. As I tell my students, when you’re standing in front of a server or router that isn’t working, and all eyes are on you to troubleshoot the problem, the correct answer is not ขBข. There is no multiple choice.

Secondly, I’m referring to the hope that the certification you earn was earned by taking a demanding exam.

Now, you’re probably thinking ขokay, Chris has lost his mind. I should HOPE the test is demanding?ข

Yes, you should. There’s nothing more useless than earning a certification that’s easy to get. There’s no feeling of pride, of achievement; furthermore, if everyone else has that certification, what value does it have?

I can speak from experience on this one. Those of you relatively new to the field may never have used NT 4.0, but the MCSE NT 4.0 was the certification that ended up causing a lot of damage to the value of professional certifications. EVERYBODY had one. The tests were repetitive and far too simple, there were no simulation questions, and the exams required no real handson experience.

As a result, my MCSE NT 4.0 had little value. I also felt no sense of pride in achieving it.

Thankfully, exam vendors and authors seem to have learned their lesson. Cisco exams are not easy to pass, and the initial Cisco certification, the CCNA, demands handson knowledge and experience. Microsoft is (finally) adding simulator questions to their certification exams as well, and the MCSE exams have gotten tougher as well.

So if you should happen to fail an exam along the way to the top – and almost all of us do – just keep in mind that if the exams were not demanding, they would have no value.

After all, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it!

About The Author

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage. The Bryant Advantage sells the worldกs most comprehensive CCNA Study Guide in PDF format for only $15 and is the ONLY company specializing in CCNA and CCNP rack rentals, allowing candidates for these certifications to gain vital handson experience with full racks of Cisco routers and switches with labs and prices designed just for them. Lots of FREE CCNA and CCNP tutorials and articles, too! Visit his site at www.thebryantadvantage.com today!

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 10

by Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

CCNA ICND & CCNA INTRO or 640801: How to Choose?

CCNA ICND & CCNA INTRO or 640801: How to Choose?

by: SemSim CCNA Training

With the latest version of the CCNA exam, Cisco offers two possible exam track options of either one or two exams.

1) The Single Exam Approach

Exam Number: 640801 CCNA

The exam consists of 5565 questions over 90 minutes and covers all CCNA exam topics

The topics covered on the exam include:

Planning and Designing

Implementation and Operation

Troubleshooting

Technology

2) The Two Exam Approach

Exam Numbers: 640821 and 640811

The two exam approach consists of 640821 exam (Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies, or CCNA INTRO) and 640811 (Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, or CCNA ICND)

640821 CCNA consists of 4555 questions over 75 minutes and covers the topics:

Planning and Designing

Implementation and Operation

Troubleshooting

Technology ·

640811 CCNA consists of 4050 questions over 60 minutes and covers the topics:

Design and Support

Implementation and Operation

Technology

Either approach will allow you to successfully become a CCNA after passing the required exams. There are advantages to taking either of the exam tracks and these include:

Single Exam Approach (640801 CCNA) Advantages:

Only one exam required to become a CCNA and it covers all topics

More time efficient than taking two exams

More cost effective than taking two exams. Exam cost when taking this approach is $125.00 US versus $200.00 US for the Two Exam approach.

Who Should Take The Single Exam Approach?

Take the Single Exam Approach to the CCNA if:

You cannot afford the expenses of the two exam approach

You are looking to reduce the time spent obtaining the CCNA

If you are well prepared for the exam topics on the CCNA exam than the single exam approach is the way to go. This approach is generally recommended for more experienced candidates such as those who have experience with networking technologies.

Two Exam Approach (CCNA ICND & CCNA INTRO) Advantages:

Exam is broken up into 2 smaller sections of CCNA exam topics

Allows more time to learn and understand topics of each exam

Excellent for candidates new to Cisco technology

Who Should Take The Two Exam Approach?

Take the Two Exam Approach to the CCNA if:

You can afford the expenses associated with the cost of the two exams

You are new to Cisco technologies and networking basics

You will be successful following either approach if:

You have a complete understanding of all CCNA exam topics

Have experience with router configuration/simulation

Have completed numerous configuration examples and questions on CCNA topics

The CCNA exam is the precursor to other higher level Cisco certifications. Successfully completing the CCNA exam will allow a candidate to pursue other Cisco certifications such as:

CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional)

CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional)

CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert)

About The Author

SemSim.com provides training resources for Cisco certification exams: CCIE, CCNP, CCNA, CCDP, CCDA. It offers FREE learning resources to students such as study guides and router simulation labs at itกs online learning center located at: http://www.semsim.com/ccna/learn.html

http://www.SemSim.com : Making Cisco certification easy!

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 04

by SemSim CCNA Training