CCNA

denlaw · 14-11-2014 2:08am #1

Is it worth getting in Ireland??
also is a lab worth getting or would a packet tracer do for CCNA..
the reason I ask is that I'm taking the icnd1 after Xmas and i find using PT boring at times...

wandererz · 14-11-2014 2:59am

That's a difficult one to answer.

In terms of gaining basic networking knowledge that will serve you well in the future, then yes it is worth getting.

In terms of getting a job, you would have stiff competition with that alone without any experience.

Regarding a LAB, it's always good to get actual kit to work on.
If that's not an option then an emulator should be good enough.

Last time i checked GNS3 was decent enough, but that was a long time ago

http://www.gns3.com/

denlaw · 14-11-2014 1:00pm

wandererz wrote: »

That's a difficult one to answer.

In terms of gaining basic networking knowledge that will serve you well in the future, then yes it is worth getting.

In terms of getting a job, you would have stiff competition with that alone without any experience.

Regarding a LAB, it's always good to get actual kit to work on.
If that's not an option then an emulator should be good enough.

Last time i checked GNS3 was decent enough, but that was a long time ago

http://www.gns3.com/

thanks for that...;)

CountyHurler · 22-11-2014 10:44pm

I got the CCNA in a couple of months..

ICND1 is a lot easier as it is more relevant.
ICND2 is not hard but it's just hard to get your head round the routing protocols and redundancy protocols cos I will probably never use either in the job that I am in. (though I somehow got 1000 in that one)..

I used:
- CBT Nuggets videos for both courses.. Both excellent.
- Cisco Packet Tracer .. did up three and four router configurations for Frame Relay, OSPF, NAT, DHCP and just kept going through them numerous times.
- Exam Collection sample exams. A lot of people have a very pious attitude towards these. Firstly, I dont think there is any point in just learning off the answers, but you need to know the TYPES of questions that come up on the exam.
- Official Cisco book for CCNA.
- Looked up a few videos for topics that I didnt think were covered well in the books.

zweton · 22-11-2014 10:54pm

are you using your ccna on the job now that you have it?
i passed mine yesterday. but i dont think i will use it.
p.s what area of i.t are you in?

CountyHurler · 23-11-2014 6:26pm

Hi Zweton, well done on the exam.. I'd be interested to hear your opinions on the exams and in particular the simulation questions.

I work for a small company in Kildare who provide IT services for businesses in the Kildare/Dublin/Sometimes national regions... My day to day work would generally involve: Server Installation(including virtualized servers), Backups, Email, Sharepoint, Broadband/E-Fibre Firewall installation, PC Cloning/re-installing/fixing...

With regard to the CCNA, there is probably nothing that I will use from the ICND2 in my day to day work. But the core networking stuff from ICND1 is something I think every network engineer should know...

zweton · 23-11-2014 8:54pm

yeah for sure.

CountyHurler · 23-11-2014 9:46pm

I'd be interested to hear your opinions of the simulations questions in the exam...

I thought about doing the CCNP, but there really is absolutely nothing in them that I would use.. The guy in the certification place said that he's had about 1000 CCNAs through the doors but only about 20 CCNPs.... said it would be a good path to take....

Unfortunately I have the same issue with the Windows exams.. I did the Server 70-410 exam, a lot of which is useful... but the other two exams 70-411 and 70-412 are completely useless.... 7 chapters on advanced Group Policy... no thanks..

zweton · 23-11-2014 9:51pm

how was 70-410?

Krusader · 24-11-2014 7:09pm

CountyHurler wrote: »

I'd be interested to hear your opinions of the simulations questions in the exam...

I thought about doing the CCNP, but there really is absolutely nothing in them that I would use.. The guy in the certification place said that he's had about 1000 CCNAs through the doors but only about 20 CCNPs.... said it would be a good path to take....

Unfortunately I have the same issue with the Windows exams.. I did the Server 70-410 exam, a lot of which is useful... but the other two exams 70-411 and 70-412 are completely useless.... 7 chapters on advanced Group Policy... no thanks..

70-411 has useful topics like WSUS, WDS, DFS and GPOs.

You don't have to take the 70-412, you can do these instead of it and you'll still receive the MCSA

Exam 346: Managing Office 365 Identities and Requirements,
Exam 409: Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V and System Center
Exam 462: Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases

Evd-Burner · 29-04-2015 10:49am

I know this thread has gone quiet but I was homing somebody could give me a bit of advice. I want to complete the CCNA in the hope of changing careers to work in a Data Center as a technician within the next 6-8 months. Although I am not looking to apply as a network technician I have been told that it will help immensely in getting in the door. Plus I have a genuine interest in networking. I do some networking and security with my current company but I haven't done much since taking a few modules in college 5 years ago.

I am planning to self study as the courses are too expensive.

1. Does obtaining the ICND1 & 2 combine to give the CCNA or is there a 3rd exam? (From what I have read it seems to but I just want to be sure)

2. Can anybody recommend a Cisco book to start studying?

3. Are there any sample exams online?

denlaw · 29-04-2015 3:28pm

Evd-Burner wrote: »

I know this thread has gone quiet but I was homing somebody could give me a bit of advice. I want to complete the CCNA in the hope of changing careers to work in a Data Center as a technician within the next 6-8 months. Although I am not looking to apply as a network technician I have been told that it will help immensely in getting in the door. Plus I have a genuine interest in networking. I do some networking and security with my current company but I haven't done much since taking a few modules in college 5 years ago.

I am planning to self study as the courses are too expensive.

1. Does obtaining the ICND1 & 2 combine to give the CCNA or is there a 3rd exam? (From what I have read it seems to but I just want to be sure)

2. Can anybody recommend a Cisco book to start studying?

3. Are there any sample exams online?

1. Two exams if you go the icnd route, one if you go the ccna way..both the same..

2. CCENT Study Guide: Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (Exam 100-101 ICND1)
3. measureup is supposed to do some, i dont know if there are any free ones knocking about..

Krusader · 29-04-2015 8:20pm

I'd weigh in with Wendell Odoms Official Cert guide and also Jeremy Ciora's CBT Nugget videos
They're great resources

CCNA

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