CCNA course in NewHorizons (Dublin)

rofl85

Hey, just wondering if anybody would be able to comment on the 5 day CCNA courses on offer by NewHorizons?
I have recently completed the Network+ CompTIA exam and want to do something a bit more in-depth.
(Note: i am currently at Network+ level, having completed it recently. I found the content very easy. I understand the CCNA differs a lot though. The reason i took the Network+ was to give myself a good understanding on network fundamentals)
I am not sure if the course content can be sufficiently taught in a 5 day period (or 10 days if studying the ICND1 and ICND2 seperately, which is what i intend to do).

Anybody previously take the CCNA course with NewHorizons, how did you find it?
And, would you recommend it?

Thanks!

Cuddlesworth

I did it through self study but 5 days for the CCNA should be possible with some home read up before the exam.

T-K-O

There is a lot of content in the CCNA and for a person to pass after 5 days with little experience would be some achievement IMO.

horgan_p

In 5 days all you're doing is braindumping.

Kinet1c

I also have to agree that 5 days is purely allowing you to pass an exam, not learn the material. If you subsequently get questioned in an interview you'll likely fall flat on your face.

Cuddlesworth

horgan_p wrote: »

In 5 days all you're doing is braindumping.

Assuming you have homework too, you're looking at 40+ hours for what is basically the entry point for Cisco. Looking back, I might have invested 50 hours into the CCNA with self study.

You can braindump in 30 minutes, not five days.

horgan_p

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

You can braindump in 30 minutes, not five days.

Now that I'd pay to see

T-K-O

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Assuming you have homework too, you're looking at 40+ hours for what is basically the entry point for Cisco. Looking back, I might have invested 50 hours into the CCNA with self study.

You can braindump in 30 minutes, not five days.

I would have to agree with some of the other guys, A 5 day course is for dumping or the incredibly gifted.

Looking back I often wonder how it took me ~6 months but that is with the benefit of experience!

I also remember, at the time the concepts were new and there was a lot of material.

Guys coming from a standing start could realistically spend weeks getting their head around certain topics.

30 minutes for Braindumping, I.E reading a few hundred questions hoping that 50 might come up. I too would like to see that.

Cuddlesworth

horgan_p wrote: »

Now that I'd pay to see

Not wanting to get into the specifics of it, but with a sample size of 300 questions I can memorise the answers in 30 minutes. I "might" in the past have done so right before the exam, achieving 100%.

Then as said above, you walk into a interview and fall flat on your face since you know and understand nothing. Lesson well learnt there.

horgan_p

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Not wanting to get into the specifics of it, but with a sample size of 300 questions I can memorise the answers in 30 minutes. I "might" in the past have done so right before the exam, achieving 100%.

Then as said above, you walk into a interview and fall flat on your face since you know and understand nothing. Lesson well learnt there.

Fair play to you , I couldn't do it.

Krusader

Got my CCNA after doing a full-time course with New Horizons, 35 hrs a week for 12 weeks
Exams were handy with that sort of time put in learning

Found tutors pretty good. We did a lot of practical in Packet Tracer and spent a lot of time doing subnetting

moc moc a moc

There's too much material covered in the CCNA for it all to stick if you fly through it in a few days. That's like trying to sprint your way through a marathon.

I'd recommend self-studying until you cover the material reasonably well (BTW, check out the free video training available at ine.com) and then, if you feel it warrants the cost, take the course as a refresher close to the exam.

Jay_Low

The CCNA bootcamp course is usually for Network engineers that know their stuff and want to get a certification. I wouldn't recommend a five day bootcamp course for newbies. I done a fourteen week course with ccna.ie and that even that was difficult to learn everything in the time frame. The ccna plays a big emphasis on practical hands on work as well as networking theory...

rofl85

Thanks everyone for all the advice. A lot of good points made.

At this stage, i think the best way forward is as moc moc a moc stated i.e. self study and then take the refresher course if it is needed closer to the time of the exam.

My one fear with self study is the lack of lab experience which is what initially drew me to the course on offer by newhorizons.
With that in mind, Jay_Low, how did you find the fourteen week course on offer by ccna.ie with respect to hands on experience?
The timeframe (14 weeks) sounds a lot better than 5 days to digest the course content.

Again, thanks to everyone for their input on this topic!

T-K-O

rofl85 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for all the advice. A lot of good points made.

At this stage, i think the best way forward is as moc moc a moc stated i.e. self study and then take the refresher course if it is needed closer to the time of the exam.

My one fear with self study is the lack of lab experience which is what initially drew me to the course on offer by newhorizons.
With that in mind, Jay_Low, how did you find the fourteen week course on offer by ccna.ie with respect to hands on experience?
The timeframe (14 weeks) sounds a lot better than 5 days to digest the course content.

Again, thanks to everyone for their input on this topic!

Packet tracer is more than enough for the CCNA

Kinet1c

T-K-O wrote: »

Packet tracer is more than enough for the CCNA

Agreed. I also used labs from Pearson.

youllneverknow

Doing CCNA myself, there is no chance in hell you can "get it" in 5 days. You might have the cert but you don't actually understand it therefore you wont get it. whats the point in having the cert in something you don't understand.
Packet tracer is great but its different to having actual devices.

Jay_Low

rofl85 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for all the advice. A lot of good points made.

At this stage, i think the best way forward is as moc moc a moc stated i.e. self study and then take the refresher course if it is needed closer to the time of the exam.

My one fear with self study is the lack of lab experience which is what initially drew me to the course on offer by newhorizons.
With that in mind, Jay_Low, how did you find the fourteen week course on offer by ccna.ie with respect to hands on experience?
The timeframe (14 weeks) sounds a lot better than 5 days to digest the course content.

Again, thanks to everyone for their input on this topic!

Hi Rofl85,
The course had a lot of hands on lab work (about 50/50). The tutor would do a networking lecture on a subject for the first part of the class and the second part of the class would involve building a lab based on what he just discussed. The class size was small too so you could get a decent lab built during the time. Packet Tracer is great but its no substitute for working with live network kit. I have seen some CCNA students panic when they have to configure a real router because all their experience is with packet tracer... If you are serious about becoming a network engineer/sys admin, you need hands on experience...

Cuddlesworth

Jay_Low wrote: »

Hi Rofl85,
The course had a lot of hands on lab work (about 50/50). The tutor would do a networking lecture on a subject for the first part of the class and the second part of the class would involve building a lab based on what he just discussed. The class size was small too so you could get a decent lab built during the time. Packet Tracer is great but its no substitute for working with live network kit. I have seen some CCNA students panic when they have to configure a real router because all their experience is with packet tracer... If you are serious about becoming a network engineer/sys admin, you need hands on experience...

I've got access to more networking kit then most Irish Companies and I fail to see the difference between GNS3 and having home routers. Switches on the other hand....

T-K-O

it will be interesting to see the switching capabilities in the new GNS3

Cuddlesworth

T-K-O wrote: »

it will be interesting to see the switching capabilities in the new GNS3

My understanding is they will still be quite basic. I doubt they will be better than early packet tracer versions.

T-K-O

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

My understanding is they will still be quite basic. I doubt they will be better than early packet tracer versions.

Oh really, I had high hopes. I guess their marketing got a little carried away..

Krusader

T-K-O wrote: »

it will be interesting to see the switching capabilities in the new GNS3

Can't wait to give it a whirl. I donated myself to their kickstarter

heffsarmy

Depends on your experience, 5 days course is a waste of money. No experience, the CCNA requires a good 6 months at least of studying, packet tracer is all you need to pass for the labs. Most of the courses run in Dublin are ****, I done a course on Merrion square for ccna they were crap, 2000euro my company paid so I didn't care. I went to another college in blanchardstown highly recommend for there labs, done ccna security 1600euro another load of ****, lecturer was a sales man for Cisco courses. Best way to pass is official books from Cisco and cbtnuggets videos.

paudieb

I've just obtained my CCNA qualification, having completed the 14-week course with CCNA.ie. I'd highly recommend that course. It's 3 hours per night, one night per week, for 14 weeks. The 1st 1.5 - 2 hours of the class is given over to the theory of one topic per week (or 2 if they are shorter topics). The last hour or so is taken up with a lab to practice the topic for that week.

Lee, the instructor, has a very good style of teaching. The class is very relaxed, with no more than 10-12 people per class and he covers each topic well, and is on hand to deal with any questions during the parctice labs. He also makes himself available every Sunday evening for any calls relating to the course.

If you spend a few hours each week reading up on the course topic that was covered that week, and try the labs on Packet Tracer, then you should be well covered. All required course material and software is provided.

The price is very reasonable too - €995 for the 14-week course.

I did the course from September to December and I decided to take the 2 separate exams - ICND-1 and ICND-2 - rather than the combined exam, so I gave myself 2 weeks after the end of the course to revise my notes and do practice questions from 9tut.com and examcollections.com and passed ICND-1 before Christmas.

I then took a break and in January gave myself another 2 weeks to revise my notes and do practice questions and passed ICND-2.

So for €995 and only 14 nights of classes and a bit of self study I managed to get the CCNA qualification in a very short period of time.

Definitely worth a look as an alternative to some of the other offerings.

horgan_p

@paudieb : I've deleted your post , given its your first post and the only other post from your ip address advertises the fact that you're a trainer. If I'm wrong and you aren't advertising on behalf of your employer then PM me.

paudieb

I've no idea what you are talking about, and I have PM'd you just now.

My post was an honest opinion of a course that I have taken (as a student) very recently in Dublin.

Thanks.