Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification Exam
You’ve studied hard you’ve practiced your configurations you’ve used your flash cards over and over again and finally, the big day is here. Your first certification exam!
For many Cisco certification candidates, their first exam is the CCNA Composite exam or one of the two exams that make up the CCNA, the Introduction To Networking exam or the ICND (Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices) exam.
Walking into a testing center for the first time can be a nerve-wracking experience. You’ve got enough on your mind just keeping all that new information straight without worrying about what the testing experience will be like.
You’re not there to take the exam. You’re there to pass the exam. With this aggressive attitude in mind, let’s take a look at what you should expect (and not expect) when taking your first Cisco certification exam.
Be Early and Bring Your ID.
If the testing center is not in a part of town that you drive to in the morning, and you’ve got a 9 AM exam, you may find the traffic is much heavier that time of morning than you expected. Driving up to the testing center 10 minutes late is not a good way to get started. If you’ve never been to the center before, check their website for directions, or call them for directions. If at all possible, drive to the center the night before your exam.
Make sure to bring your wallet or purse. You cannot take the exam without proper identification. You’ll probably be asked for two forms of ID, one of which must be a picture ID.
Test Your Marker & Dry Erase Board
The testing center will give you a dry erase board and a marker. Make sure that the marker has a fine point when you’re answering subnetting questions or performing a hexadecimal-to-binary conversion, that will come in handy.
Cisco policy states that you are no longer allowed to use paper during the exams.
The Testing Room
Despite the best efforts of VUE and Prometric, some testing center rooms are afterthoughts. I strongly advise that if you’re taking your exam at a technical school, ask to see the testing room BEFORE you sign up for the exam. If it looks like a converted broom closet, it probably is. Those rooms also tend to be right next to classrooms, which can result in distracting noise during your exam.
If your testing center specializes in giving computer-based exams rather than classes, you’re probably in good shape. Again, feel free to drop by the testing center before your exam to take a peek at the testing room. Most testing rooms have a window that employees use to keep an eye on testers, and you should be able to take a peek through the window.
When you go in, you’ll be asked to enter your social security number as your testing ID. Once you do that, the exam engine starts running. However, this doesn’t mean the test starts.
The Survey
When you take a Cisco exam, you’ll first be presented with a survey. The survey consists of 10 – 20 questions asking about your background, preparation methods, and comfort level with different technologies. This is a good time to catch your breath before starting the exam. The survey will only take about five minutes, and this time does not count against your exam time.
Pay Attention To The Exam Tutorials
You’ll then be presented with an exam tutorial, showing you how to answer the different types of questions Cisco may ask. While most of these questions types are common sense (multiple choice, single answer, fill-in-the-blank), I strongly urge you to pay special attention to the router simulator question tutorial.
The simulator questions carry more weight than the other questions indeed, it’s almost impossible to pass the CCNA exams if you totally miss the simulator questions. While the interface for these exams is intuitive, sometimes students who fail their exam complain that they were not given enough information to answer the question. The real problem is that they didn’t look in the right place for that information. It’s not hidden, but spend a few minutes with the tutorial and do not go forward until you’re comfortable with the simulator interface.
The Exam Itself
Finally, the exam starts! Remember, you’re not being asked anything you don’t know. If you have prepared correctly with the right tools, you’ll have a passing grade on your screen before you know it.
Speaking of that grade, you’ll be presented with it about five seconds after you answer the final question. Cisco exams no longer allow CCNA and CCNP candidates to go back once a question is answered, so be prepared for that.
Knowing what to expect when you go into the testing room for the first time will magnify your chances of success. Work hard (and smart!) while studying, achieve a combination of theoretical knowledge and hands-on work with real Cisco routers, and you are on your way to exam success!
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
Showing posts with label certification. Show all posts
Showing posts with label certification. Show all posts
Saturday, December 27, 2008
What Certification Should You Pursue After The CCNA ?
Once you've got your CCNA, you're ready to move on to the next level, the Professional certifications. For years, Cisco had one Professional certification, the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification. Over time, Cisco has expanded this level of certifications to include the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) and Cisco Certified Voice Professional (CCVP).
With security and voice being the two most rapidly expanding areas of today's networks, some new CCNAs consider going after the CCSP or CCVP without first adding the CCNP to their resume.
While it's temping to hurry up and get a Cisco security or voice certification, the best thing you can do for your networking career is achieve your CCNP certification first, then decide on the CCVP or CCSP.
Why? Because the CCNA is just the tip of a very large iceberg when it comes to routing and switching. It's a very important accomplishment, and the CCNA is indeed the foundation of your networking career, but you need to add on to that level of understanding routing and switching before moving on to more specialized areas.
Two examples are OSPF and BGP. You learn about the theory of OSPF and some basic and intermediate configurations of that protocol in your CCNA studies, but the knowledge you acquire of OSPF in your CCNP studies is invaluable. As for BGP, there is no BGP in the CCNA curriculum, but it is a great idea to have some BGP knowledge in today's networks. It's also good for your career.
I know it is a huge temptation to go after the security and voice certifications while not paying attention to the CCNP. Do yourself a huge favor and add the tremendous amount of routing and switching knowledge needed for the CCNP to your knowledgebase, and you can then move on to the CCSP or CCVP. Even better, you'll be better prepared to climb the biggest certification mountain around - the CCIE!
With security and voice being the two most rapidly expanding areas of today's networks, some new CCNAs consider going after the CCSP or CCVP without first adding the CCNP to their resume.
While it's temping to hurry up and get a Cisco security or voice certification, the best thing you can do for your networking career is achieve your CCNP certification first, then decide on the CCVP or CCSP.
Why? Because the CCNA is just the tip of a very large iceberg when it comes to routing and switching. It's a very important accomplishment, and the CCNA is indeed the foundation of your networking career, but you need to add on to that level of understanding routing and switching before moving on to more specialized areas.
Two examples are OSPF and BGP. You learn about the theory of OSPF and some basic and intermediate configurations of that protocol in your CCNA studies, but the knowledge you acquire of OSPF in your CCNP studies is invaluable. As for BGP, there is no BGP in the CCNA curriculum, but it is a great idea to have some BGP knowledge in today's networks. It's also good for your career.
I know it is a huge temptation to go after the security and voice certifications while not paying attention to the CCNP. Do yourself a huge favor and add the tremendous amount of routing and switching knowledge needed for the CCNP to your knowledgebase, and you can then move on to the CCSP or CCVP. Even better, you'll be better prepared to climb the biggest certification mountain around - the CCIE!
The Value of IT Certifications in Career Development
Information technology (IT) is the branch of engineering dealing with the use of computers and telecommunications, developing and maintaining systems as well as retrieving, storing and transmitting information. Therefore, any person wanting to develop a career in IT should be aware of the value of IT certifications.
Through education and certification, professionals gain the skills, knowledge, and validation needed to be recognized as an expert in diverse products or technologies. MCSE Certification, CCNA Certification, A+ Certification, and SAP Certification are just a few of the many credentials an IT professional may achieve.
Microsoft certification programs are considered to be the major advancement to gain both professional and education background. There are several Microsoft certifications currently available for both onsite or offsite training; being MCSE Certification, one of the most frequently requested certifications.
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification prove an individual's expertise in designing and implementing the required infrastructure for any type of business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2000 platform and Microsoft Windows Server System.
Demand for the network administration job function is another branch of IT, which has grown significantly, the same as candidates applying for this certification, particularly CCNA Certification.
The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) indicates a foundation in apprentice knowledge of networking with certified professionals able to install, configure, and operate WAN, LAN, and dial access services for small networks with 100 nodes or fewer
Operation and configuration services also includes but are not limited to use one but several of the following protocols: Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, IP, IGRP, VLANs, RIP, and Ethernet, Access Lists.
IT Certifications in career development add valuable credentials for IT professionals in a competitive industry where a certification for jobs like these is needed at the same time that learning is necessary due to the constant changing business environments
A+ Certification prove the competency of entry-level service technicians in the computer industry and it is an internationally recognized testing program sponsored by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
This certification is different from the others because it is not promoted by one company only, but by a whole group of PC manufacturers and other companies in the hardware market and its acceptance as an industry-wide credential offers additional benefits.
The ultimate goal of all IT certifications is in the development of your professional career is validating a specific experience required by the network and systems administrator job role for any small, middle or large company.
SAP Certification is one of the few credentials in the world of business with additional value only issued to those professionals who demonstrated their abilities by passing demanding, process-oriented exams through rigorous study or direct experience.
Through education and certification, professionals gain the skills, knowledge, and validation needed to be recognized as an expert in diverse products or technologies. MCSE Certification, CCNA Certification, A+ Certification, and SAP Certification are just a few of the many credentials an IT professional may achieve.
Microsoft certification programs are considered to be the major advancement to gain both professional and education background. There are several Microsoft certifications currently available for both onsite or offsite training; being MCSE Certification, one of the most frequently requested certifications.
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification prove an individual's expertise in designing and implementing the required infrastructure for any type of business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2000 platform and Microsoft Windows Server System.
Demand for the network administration job function is another branch of IT, which has grown significantly, the same as candidates applying for this certification, particularly CCNA Certification.
The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) indicates a foundation in apprentice knowledge of networking with certified professionals able to install, configure, and operate WAN, LAN, and dial access services for small networks with 100 nodes or fewer
Operation and configuration services also includes but are not limited to use one but several of the following protocols: Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, IP, IGRP, VLANs, RIP, and Ethernet, Access Lists.
IT Certifications in career development add valuable credentials for IT professionals in a competitive industry where a certification for jobs like these is needed at the same time that learning is necessary due to the constant changing business environments
A+ Certification prove the competency of entry-level service technicians in the computer industry and it is an internationally recognized testing program sponsored by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)
This certification is different from the others because it is not promoted by one company only, but by a whole group of PC manufacturers and other companies in the hardware market and its acceptance as an industry-wide credential offers additional benefits.
The ultimate goal of all IT certifications is in the development of your professional career is validating a specific experience required by the network and systems administrator job role for any small, middle or large company.
SAP Certification is one of the few credentials in the world of business with additional value only issued to those professionals who demonstrated their abilities by passing demanding, process-oriented exams through rigorous study or direct experience.
The Hidden Benefit Of Computer Certifications
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 “truly earned”? First, I’m referring to those little documents out there generally referred to as “braindumps”. 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 “B”. 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 “okay, Chris has lost his mind. I should HOPE the test is demanding?”
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 hands-on 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 hands-on 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!
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 “truly earned”? First, I’m referring to those little documents out there generally referred to as “braindumps”. 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 “B”. 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 “okay, Chris has lost his mind. I should HOPE the test is demanding?”
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 hands-on 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 hands-on 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!
The Future Of Computer Certification Exams
The format and difficulty of computer certification exams is constantly changing. When I took my first certification exam (Novell NetWare 3.1x CNA, January 1997), there was no such thing as a simulator question, and my practical skills really were not tested. The exams then were much heavier on memorization.
One factor that helped make up for that was that the Novell exams were adaptive. If you missed a question on a particular topic, you would continue to be asked questions about that topic until you got it right. You couldn't afford to be weak in any topic, because the exam would most likely find that out and keep hitting you with questions on that topic until you failed.
Adding to the stress, after a certain number of questions your exam could end at any time. You had no idea how many questions you would get, just that you would get at least 15. Every time you hit the "next" button after question 15, you didn't know if you'd get another question or if the exam would suddenly end and give you a pass or fail response.
Times have changed. Cisco has led the way in introducing simulator questions to their exams, where the candidate is presented with a simulation of a router or network and asked to perform tasks that someone who is ready to earn that certification should be able to perform. This is a much better test of competency than the exams were eight years ago.
What will be the next "big jump" in computer certification exams? To earn the world's most difficult technical certification, the CCIE, the candidate must first pass a rigorous 100-question qualification exam, and must then pass a practical lab exam. The candidate is presented with an exacting set of network requirements and must build that network on a pod of Cisco routers and switches in less than eight hours.
This is just personal opinion and not "insider information", but I believe the day will come when the CCNA, CCNP, and other Cisco certifications will require some kind of hands-on practical lab to earn the certification. What better way to test competency than to have to perform tasks on real Cisco equipment? There would be more overhead for Cisco with this kind of testing, since lab equipment and lab proctors would be needed, but the already-prized CCNA and CCNP would become that much more valuable in the workplace if employers knew that to earn that certification, the job candidate had to pass a hands-on exam.
This would benefit the candidates as well, since it would do an even better job in protecting their investment in time and money. This could also be the next step in ferretting out candidates who try to get past the CCNA and CCNP exams via braindumps. As I always tell my students and customers, when you're standing in front of that router or switch, there is no multiple choice ... you either know it or you don't!
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
One factor that helped make up for that was that the Novell exams were adaptive. If you missed a question on a particular topic, you would continue to be asked questions about that topic until you got it right. You couldn't afford to be weak in any topic, because the exam would most likely find that out and keep hitting you with questions on that topic until you failed.
Adding to the stress, after a certain number of questions your exam could end at any time. You had no idea how many questions you would get, just that you would get at least 15. Every time you hit the "next" button after question 15, you didn't know if you'd get another question or if the exam would suddenly end and give you a pass or fail response.
Times have changed. Cisco has led the way in introducing simulator questions to their exams, where the candidate is presented with a simulation of a router or network and asked to perform tasks that someone who is ready to earn that certification should be able to perform. This is a much better test of competency than the exams were eight years ago.
What will be the next "big jump" in computer certification exams? To earn the world's most difficult technical certification, the CCIE, the candidate must first pass a rigorous 100-question qualification exam, and must then pass a practical lab exam. The candidate is presented with an exacting set of network requirements and must build that network on a pod of Cisco routers and switches in less than eight hours.
This is just personal opinion and not "insider information", but I believe the day will come when the CCNA, CCNP, and other Cisco certifications will require some kind of hands-on practical lab to earn the certification. What better way to test competency than to have to perform tasks on real Cisco equipment? There would be more overhead for Cisco with this kind of testing, since lab equipment and lab proctors would be needed, but the already-prized CCNA and CCNP would become that much more valuable in the workplace if employers knew that to earn that certification, the job candidate had to pass a hands-on exam.
This would benefit the candidates as well, since it would do an even better job in protecting their investment in time and money. This could also be the next step in ferretting out candidates who try to get past the CCNA and CCNP exams via braindumps. As I always tell my students and customers, when you're standing in front of that router or switch, there is no multiple choice ... you either know it or you don't!
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
Taking A Look At Cisco's CCVP Certification
I hardly have to tell you how important voice technologies are in today's networks; what we all need to keep in mind to maximize our career potential is how important knowing voice is going to be tomorrow.
We've always got to look forward in IT, both in our work and out studies. Cisco, always the pioneer in technical certifications, now offers a Cisco Certified Voice Professional certification that is gaining a lot of attention from IT professionals looking to add to their skills and their resume.
Cisco's CCVP track is a rigorous five-exam track that requires you to earn your CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification before getting started. The five exams cover a myriad of topics - they're not giving this one away! Here are the exam numbers and codes you'll need to know to register for the exams:
642-642 Quality Of Service (QOS)
642-432 Cisco Voice Over IP (CVOICE)
642-425 IP Telephony Troubleshooting (IPTT)
642-444 Cisco IP Telephony (CIPT)
642-452 Cisco Voice Gateways (GWGK)
Many newly-minted CCNAs wonder if they should pursue this or the Security Professional certification immediately after getting their CCNA. I recommend that a new CCNA pursue and achieve the CCNP before going after these more-specialized certifications. While it is not required by Cisco, the routing and switching knowledge your will acquire on your way to the CCNP will be invaluable to your career as well as being helpful with your CCVP pursuits.
Besides, these certifications won't be going anywhere soon. Think of how valuable you will be with a CCNP, CCVP, and CCSP!
To your success,
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
We've always got to look forward in IT, both in our work and out studies. Cisco, always the pioneer in technical certifications, now offers a Cisco Certified Voice Professional certification that is gaining a lot of attention from IT professionals looking to add to their skills and their resume.
Cisco's CCVP track is a rigorous five-exam track that requires you to earn your CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification before getting started. The five exams cover a myriad of topics - they're not giving this one away! Here are the exam numbers and codes you'll need to know to register for the exams:
642-642 Quality Of Service (QOS)
642-432 Cisco Voice Over IP (CVOICE)
642-425 IP Telephony Troubleshooting (IPTT)
642-444 Cisco IP Telephony (CIPT)
642-452 Cisco Voice Gateways (GWGK)
Many newly-minted CCNAs wonder if they should pursue this or the Security Professional certification immediately after getting their CCNA. I recommend that a new CCNA pursue and achieve the CCNP before going after these more-specialized certifications. While it is not required by Cisco, the routing and switching knowledge your will acquire on your way to the CCNP will be invaluable to your career as well as being helpful with your CCVP pursuits.
Besides, these certifications won't be going anywhere soon. Think of how valuable you will be with a CCNP, CCVP, and CCSP!
To your success,
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
Securing Your Network And Your Career With Cisco's CCSP Certification
You don't need me to tell you that security is the #1 concern in today's networks. With that in mind, your career path must include some security certifications, or you will be left behind.
Cisco's Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) certification demands a candidate be well-rounded and well-versed in Cisco security measures. Besides the difficultly we've all come to expect from a Cisco exam, this five-exam path covers every major aspect of network security (from Cisco's viewpoint, anyway!)
You must hold a valid CCNA certification to earn your CCSP.
Typically, the first exam CCSP candidates take is Securing Networks With Cisco Routers An Switches (SNRS), followed by Securing Cisco Network Devices (SND). After you've nailed these two exams, which obviously focus on devices more familiar to CCNAs and CCNPs, you'll be faced with three exams that are more specific to Cisco security devices.
Your PIX knowledge will be tested with the Securing Networks With PIX and ASA (SNPA) exam, followed by the Implementing Cisco Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) exam.
In October 2005, the final exam is scheduled to change from a VPN exam (CSVPN, Cisco Secure Virtual Private Networks) to Securing Hosts Using Cisco Security Agent (HIPS). If you're just getting started on the CCSP track, you'll be taking the HIPS exam. (Insert your own joke here.)
The CCSP is valid for three years; to recertify, you'll need to pass the 642-541 CSI exam or any CCIE written exam. As always, this is subject to change, and you should bookmark Cisco's Learning page (found off the main Cisco webpage) to make sure you're aware of the latest changes to Cisco certification and recertification requirements.
Not only must you know how to secure your network, you also need to secure your current job and the possibilities for your future. By pursuing and obtaining the CCSP, you will do all three at once.
Cisco's Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) certification demands a candidate be well-rounded and well-versed in Cisco security measures. Besides the difficultly we've all come to expect from a Cisco exam, this five-exam path covers every major aspect of network security (from Cisco's viewpoint, anyway!)
You must hold a valid CCNA certification to earn your CCSP.
Typically, the first exam CCSP candidates take is Securing Networks With Cisco Routers An Switches (SNRS), followed by Securing Cisco Network Devices (SND). After you've nailed these two exams, which obviously focus on devices more familiar to CCNAs and CCNPs, you'll be faced with three exams that are more specific to Cisco security devices.
Your PIX knowledge will be tested with the Securing Networks With PIX and ASA (SNPA) exam, followed by the Implementing Cisco Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) exam.
In October 2005, the final exam is scheduled to change from a VPN exam (CSVPN, Cisco Secure Virtual Private Networks) to Securing Hosts Using Cisco Security Agent (HIPS). If you're just getting started on the CCSP track, you'll be taking the HIPS exam. (Insert your own joke here.)
The CCSP is valid for three years; to recertify, you'll need to pass the 642-541 CSI exam or any CCIE written exam. As always, this is subject to change, and you should bookmark Cisco's Learning page (found off the main Cisco webpage) to make sure you're aware of the latest changes to Cisco certification and recertification requirements.
Not only must you know how to secure your network, you also need to secure your current job and the possibilities for your future. By pursuing and obtaining the CCSP, you will do all three at once.
Passing The Cisco CCNA Exam: An Illustrated Guide To Router Modes
When you're getting started on your CCNA studies, learning the different router modes is key to passing your Intro and ICND exams. But keeping those modes straight can be very difficult. (At least it was for me!) Let's take a look at the various router modes you'll need to know about to pass your CCNA, and use IOS Help to illustrate the different uses of each mode.
The first mode you'll see on a router (if the person before you logged off as they should have) is user exec mode. This is also the default mode a user is placed into when using Telnet to connect to a router. The prompt will look like this:
R1>
You can't write or add to a configuration in this mode, but you can run quite a few show commands. This is a good mode to have users in who need to see the configuration, but shouldn't be allowed to change it.
To get to the next level, type enable at the user exec prompt:
R1>enable
R1#
Notice that the prompt changed. This mode has two names, the official one being privileged exec mode. It's more commonly referred to as enable mode, since "enable" is what you type to get into this mode.
This mode gives you more options for show and other commands, but you still can't configure anything. To configure global commands, use "configure terminal", or "conf t", to enter global configuration mode.
R1#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)#
The prompt has changed again, and now global configuration commands such as hostname and no ip domain-lookup can be entered.
From here, you've got a lot of options, but we'll look at three you need to know for your CCNA exams. To apply configuration commands to an interface, enter interface configuration mode, as shown here:
R1(config)#interface serial0
R1(config-if)#
You must be in global config mode to get into interface config mode you cannot go from enable mode straight to interface configuration mode.
R1#interface serial0
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
Interface configuration mode allows you to apply an IP address to the interface, as well as many other commands related to frame relay, ISDN, and dynamic routing protocols.
For the CCNA, you need to know about two other configuration modes. To configure console commands (such as password protection), enter line configuration mode as shown here:
R1#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)#line console 0
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
The prompt "(config-line)" indicates that you're in line configuration mode. Your console line is not the only line you'll be configuring for the CCNA, though your vty lines are used for incoming telnet connections and must be configured in a similar fashion.
R1#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)#line console 0
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
R1(config-line)#line vty 0 4
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
Notice that you do not have to exit one interface mode to go to another one. Let's say that you've configured your vty lines and now want to put an IP address on your Ethernet interface. You don't have to go out with ctrl-z and then start again you can go straight to interface config mode from line config mode. Just make sure you see the prompt change!
R1(config-line)#line vty 0 4
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
R1(config-line)#interface ethernet0
R1(config-if)#ip address 15.1.1.1 255.255.255.0
When you're preparing for CCNA exam success, there's a lot to absorb. Just take it one piece at a time, get some hands-on experience to go with your theory, and before you know it you're moving around in the different Cisco router configuration modes without giving it a second thought. Keep studying and your CCNA exam success is assured!
The first mode you'll see on a router (if the person before you logged off as they should have) is user exec mode. This is also the default mode a user is placed into when using Telnet to connect to a router. The prompt will look like this:
R1>
You can't write or add to a configuration in this mode, but you can run quite a few show commands. This is a good mode to have users in who need to see the configuration, but shouldn't be allowed to change it.
To get to the next level, type enable at the user exec prompt:
R1>enable
R1#
Notice that the prompt changed. This mode has two names, the official one being privileged exec mode. It's more commonly referred to as enable mode, since "enable" is what you type to get into this mode.
This mode gives you more options for show and other commands, but you still can't configure anything. To configure global commands, use "configure terminal", or "conf t", to enter global configuration mode.
R1#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)#
The prompt has changed again, and now global configuration commands such as hostname and no ip domain-lookup can be entered.
From here, you've got a lot of options, but we'll look at three you need to know for your CCNA exams. To apply configuration commands to an interface, enter interface configuration mode, as shown here:
R1(config)#interface serial0
R1(config-if)#
You must be in global config mode to get into interface config mode you cannot go from enable mode straight to interface configuration mode.
R1#interface serial0
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.
Interface configuration mode allows you to apply an IP address to the interface, as well as many other commands related to frame relay, ISDN, and dynamic routing protocols.
For the CCNA, you need to know about two other configuration modes. To configure console commands (such as password protection), enter line configuration mode as shown here:
R1#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)#line console 0
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
The prompt "(config-line)" indicates that you're in line configuration mode. Your console line is not the only line you'll be configuring for the CCNA, though your vty lines are used for incoming telnet connections and must be configured in a similar fashion.
R1#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
R1(config)#line console 0
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
R1(config-line)#line vty 0 4
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
Notice that you do not have to exit one interface mode to go to another one. Let's say that you've configured your vty lines and now want to put an IP address on your Ethernet interface. You don't have to go out with ctrl-z and then start again you can go straight to interface config mode from line config mode. Just make sure you see the prompt change!
R1(config-line)#line vty 0 4
R1(config-line)#password cisco
R1(config-line)#login
R1(config-line)#interface ethernet0
R1(config-if)#ip address 15.1.1.1 255.255.255.0
When you're preparing for CCNA exam success, there's a lot to absorb. Just take it one piece at a time, get some hands-on experience to go with your theory, and before you know it you're moving around in the different Cisco router configuration modes without giving it a second thought. Keep studying and your CCNA exam success is assured!
Passing The CCNA and CCNP: Three Myths About Cisco Exams
One of the drawbacks to the Internet is that it allows myths and "friend of a friend" stories to spread quickly, and usually the story becomes more exaggerated as it's passed along. Cisco exams are no exception. Here are three often-repeated myths and exaggerations regarding the CCNA and CCNP exams.
1. The survey you fill out before the exam determines the questions you'll get. Before you actually start your exam, Cisco presents you with a survey asking how you prepared and how comfortable you feel with certain technologies. It's a little awkward to rate yourself on Frame Relay, ISDN, etc., especially since the exam you're about to take covers those subjects. It's human nature to think that these questions impact your exam, but they do not.
I've seen posts on the Net saying that if you rank yourself as "great" in a subject, your exam will have harder questions on that topic, and if you rank yourself lower in that same subject, your exam will be filled with questions on this topic. Cisco has debunked this myth, so get it out of your mind. Don't think too much when you're filling out the survey.
2. If you miss a question, the exam keeps asking you about that topic until you get one right. This is known as "adaptive testing", and Cisco does not use this kind of testing in its exams. Your questions are drawn from a large question pool before you start the test. Those of us who remember adaptive testing from Novell exams years ago don't particularly miss this kind of testing! (For those who haven't taken an adaptive exam, you never knew how many questions you were going to get, only that there was a minimum around 15 questions. Your exam could end at any time after that. Nerve-wracking!)
3. If you use an extra command in the simulator questions, it'll be marked wrong. The Cisco simulator engine in the CCNA and CCNP exams acts just as a router or switch would. You are not going to be penalized for using an extra command. If the engine doesn't accept a command, you'll be told that when you use it. Just configure it as you would a router or switch.
When you walk into the exam room totally prepared with a combination of theoretical knowledge, hands-on experience, and configuration troubleshooting skills, you are ready to pass. Don't let Internet gossip distract you from the task at hand -- passing!
1. The survey you fill out before the exam determines the questions you'll get. Before you actually start your exam, Cisco presents you with a survey asking how you prepared and how comfortable you feel with certain technologies. It's a little awkward to rate yourself on Frame Relay, ISDN, etc., especially since the exam you're about to take covers those subjects. It's human nature to think that these questions impact your exam, but they do not.
I've seen posts on the Net saying that if you rank yourself as "great" in a subject, your exam will have harder questions on that topic, and if you rank yourself lower in that same subject, your exam will be filled with questions on this topic. Cisco has debunked this myth, so get it out of your mind. Don't think too much when you're filling out the survey.
2. If you miss a question, the exam keeps asking you about that topic until you get one right. This is known as "adaptive testing", and Cisco does not use this kind of testing in its exams. Your questions are drawn from a large question pool before you start the test. Those of us who remember adaptive testing from Novell exams years ago don't particularly miss this kind of testing! (For those who haven't taken an adaptive exam, you never knew how many questions you were going to get, only that there was a minimum around 15 questions. Your exam could end at any time after that. Nerve-wracking!)
3. If you use an extra command in the simulator questions, it'll be marked wrong. The Cisco simulator engine in the CCNA and CCNP exams acts just as a router or switch would. You are not going to be penalized for using an extra command. If the engine doesn't accept a command, you'll be told that when you use it. Just configure it as you would a router or switch.
When you walk into the exam room totally prepared with a combination of theoretical knowledge, hands-on experience, and configuration troubleshooting skills, you are ready to pass. Don't let Internet gossip distract you from the task at hand -- passing!
Friday, December 26, 2008
Passing The CCNA And CCNP: Cisco Home Lab FAQ
There is a real revolution today among CCNA and CCNP candidates. More and more of you are turning your back on "router simulators" and putting your own CCNA and/or CCNP Home Lab together, which is the best way to totally prepare to pass these tough Cisco exams.
I get hundreds of emails every month from CCNA and CCNP candidate who are putting together their first lab or adding to their existing one. I'm always glad to help with suggestions, and I thought I'd list five common questions regarding home labs here.
Do I have to spend thousands of dollars?
No! There are vendors all over the web, as well as on ebay, who sell used Cisco routers and switches to Cisco exam candidates like you every single day. They sell kits that consist of multiple routers and switches, as well as single routers and switches. You can add one piece at a time, or make a larger investment. You can spend just a few hundred dollars and put together a very nice lab.
What's an "access server"?
It's not what it sounds like. When I first heard the term, I thought of a typical server like we see in LANs every single day. An access server is actually a Cisco router that allows you to connect to multiple other routers and switches without continually moving the rolled cable around.
You don't have to have an access server right away, but once you add a few more routers and switches to your lab, you'll get tired of moving the rollover cable from console port to console port. (The console port is used to directly connect your PC to the router.) You'll find an access server is easy to set up and configure, and will save you quite a bit of time.
What's a "frame relay switch"?
Again, it's not quite what it sounds like. A frame relay switch is not a switch; it's a Cisco router that has been configured to serve as a frame relay provider in your home lab.
This is very close to being a "must" for your home lab. You don't need it right away if your budget allows for only one or two routers to get started. To truly practice frame relay map statements and see the effect of different frame relay statements, you'll need a Cisco router to serve as a frame switch. Again, the configuration is easy, and having a frame relay switch in your home lab will give you practice that will be invaluable on exam day.
Do I need a switch? What switch should I buy?
I recommend you get at least one switch in your lab; two if your budget allows. Make sure that at least one of your switches has an IOS; 1900 switches do not have an IOS and while they're better than not having a switch, they're not going to give you the practice you need to pass the CCNA and CCNP. Look to the 2500 family of switches.
I want to build my CCNP lab and then use it for the CCIE. What should I buy?
It's impossible to tell what technologies and devices will be on the CCIE lab, even if you zip through the CCNP and then take the IE within six months. Cisco refreshing the CCIE lab blueprint every six months, and different technologies can be taken off the lab. While Cisco gives plenty of notice that these changes are going to take effect, it can be a big pain in your wallet if Cisco takes something off of the exam after you spend a bundle to add it to your lab.
As an example, Cisco is in the process of removing ISDN and ATM from the CCIE Routing & Switching lab. If you bought an ATM switch for your lab, you've got an expensive paperweight right now. While you may be able to practice your core protocols on a CCIE home lab, it's going to be difficult and expensive to keep your home lab totally current with the Cisco lab blueprint.
The decision to put together your own CCNA or CCNP home lab is the best decision you can ever make - and I speak from experience. With home labs becoming less expensive every day, it's becoming more affordable as well. Start looking into used Cisco router vendors today (ebay is a great place to find some vendors, as is Google), and you can be practicing on REAL Cisco routers and switches soon - and be totally prepared for CCNA and CCNP exam success.
I get hundreds of emails every month from CCNA and CCNP candidate who are putting together their first lab or adding to their existing one. I'm always glad to help with suggestions, and I thought I'd list five common questions regarding home labs here.
Do I have to spend thousands of dollars?
No! There are vendors all over the web, as well as on ebay, who sell used Cisco routers and switches to Cisco exam candidates like you every single day. They sell kits that consist of multiple routers and switches, as well as single routers and switches. You can add one piece at a time, or make a larger investment. You can spend just a few hundred dollars and put together a very nice lab.
What's an "access server"?
It's not what it sounds like. When I first heard the term, I thought of a typical server like we see in LANs every single day. An access server is actually a Cisco router that allows you to connect to multiple other routers and switches without continually moving the rolled cable around.
You don't have to have an access server right away, but once you add a few more routers and switches to your lab, you'll get tired of moving the rollover cable from console port to console port. (The console port is used to directly connect your PC to the router.) You'll find an access server is easy to set up and configure, and will save you quite a bit of time.
What's a "frame relay switch"?
Again, it's not quite what it sounds like. A frame relay switch is not a switch; it's a Cisco router that has been configured to serve as a frame relay provider in your home lab.
This is very close to being a "must" for your home lab. You don't need it right away if your budget allows for only one or two routers to get started. To truly practice frame relay map statements and see the effect of different frame relay statements, you'll need a Cisco router to serve as a frame switch. Again, the configuration is easy, and having a frame relay switch in your home lab will give you practice that will be invaluable on exam day.
Do I need a switch? What switch should I buy?
I recommend you get at least one switch in your lab; two if your budget allows. Make sure that at least one of your switches has an IOS; 1900 switches do not have an IOS and while they're better than not having a switch, they're not going to give you the practice you need to pass the CCNA and CCNP. Look to the 2500 family of switches.
I want to build my CCNP lab and then use it for the CCIE. What should I buy?
It's impossible to tell what technologies and devices will be on the CCIE lab, even if you zip through the CCNP and then take the IE within six months. Cisco refreshing the CCIE lab blueprint every six months, and different technologies can be taken off the lab. While Cisco gives plenty of notice that these changes are going to take effect, it can be a big pain in your wallet if Cisco takes something off of the exam after you spend a bundle to add it to your lab.
As an example, Cisco is in the process of removing ISDN and ATM from the CCIE Routing & Switching lab. If you bought an ATM switch for your lab, you've got an expensive paperweight right now. While you may be able to practice your core protocols on a CCIE home lab, it's going to be difficult and expensive to keep your home lab totally current with the Cisco lab blueprint.
The decision to put together your own CCNA or CCNP home lab is the best decision you can ever make - and I speak from experience. With home labs becoming less expensive every day, it's becoming more affordable as well. Start looking into used Cisco router vendors today (ebay is a great place to find some vendors, as is Google), and you can be practicing on REAL Cisco routers and switches soon - and be totally prepared for CCNA and CCNP exam success.
Passing Cisco’s CCNA and CCNP Exams: Traceroute
In preparation for your CCNA and CCNP exam success, you've got to learn to troubleshoot Cisco routers. And while ping is a great basic IP connectivity tool, it doesn't give you all the information you need to diagnose network connectivity issues.
Let's say you have six routers between CityA and CityB. You send a ping from A to B, and get this return:
R1#ping 172.1.1.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.1.1.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
.....
Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)
The five periods indicate that there is no IP connectivity to CityB. Problem is, that's about all ping tells you. You can have 5 or 50 routers between the two points, so how can you tell which downstream router has the problem?
That's where traceroute comes in. Traceroute sends three datagrams with a Time To Live (TTL) of 1. Those datagrams will timeout once they hit the first router in the path, and that router will respond with an ICMP Time Exceeded message.
In response, the sending router sends three more datagrams, but these have a TTL of 2. This means that the next router in line will send back ICMP Time Exceeded messages. This process continues until the final destination (CItyB) is reached the output of the command shows us the path the data took:
Router1#traceroute 271.1.1.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Tracing the route to 271.1.1.1
1 20.1.1.1 4 msec 4 msec 4 msec
2 30.1.1.1 20 msec 16 msec 16 msec
3 271.1.1.1 16 msec * 16 msec
How does this help troubleshoot a problem? Let's say that the second router in this path, 30.1.1.1, doesn't know how to get to 271.1.1.1. The output would look like this:
Router1#traceroute 271.1.1.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Tracing the route to 271.1.1.1
1 20.1.1.1 4 msec 4 msec 4 msec
2 30.1.1.1 20 msec 16 msec 16 msec
3 * * *
This indicates that the router at 30.1.1.1 doesn't know how to get to the final destination. Now you have a better idea of which router has an issue!
Now here's the bad part: you're going to get 30 lines of three asterisks, and until you abort this traceroute, you're going to just watch those asterisks go across the screen. There's an abort sequence that the router mentions in the first line of the console output, but the router doesn't tell you what it is! So I will - this top-secret sequence is TWICE, one right after the other.
That keystroke takes a little getting used to, but a CCNA or CCNP can do it! Add this command to your Cisco skill set, and it will serve you well both on the CCNA and CCNP exams and your real-world networks. And you'll impress your friends by knowing how to stop a traceroute!
Let's say you have six routers between CityA and CityB. You send a ping from A to B, and get this return:
R1#ping 172.1.1.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.1.1.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
.....
Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)
The five periods indicate that there is no IP connectivity to CityB. Problem is, that's about all ping tells you. You can have 5 or 50 routers between the two points, so how can you tell which downstream router has the problem?
That's where traceroute comes in. Traceroute sends three datagrams with a Time To Live (TTL) of 1. Those datagrams will timeout once they hit the first router in the path, and that router will respond with an ICMP Time Exceeded message.
In response, the sending router sends three more datagrams, but these have a TTL of 2. This means that the next router in line will send back ICMP Time Exceeded messages. This process continues until the final destination (CItyB) is reached the output of the command shows us the path the data took:
Router1#traceroute 271.1.1.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Tracing the route to 271.1.1.1
1 20.1.1.1 4 msec 4 msec 4 msec
2 30.1.1.1 20 msec 16 msec 16 msec
3 271.1.1.1 16 msec * 16 msec
How does this help troubleshoot a problem? Let's say that the second router in this path, 30.1.1.1, doesn't know how to get to 271.1.1.1. The output would look like this:
Router1#traceroute 271.1.1.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Tracing the route to 271.1.1.1
1 20.1.1.1 4 msec 4 msec 4 msec
2 30.1.1.1 20 msec 16 msec 16 msec
3 * * *
This indicates that the router at 30.1.1.1 doesn't know how to get to the final destination. Now you have a better idea of which router has an issue!
Now here's the bad part: you're going to get 30 lines of three asterisks, and until you abort this traceroute, you're going to just watch those asterisks go across the screen. There's an abort sequence that the router mentions in the first line of the console output, but the router doesn't tell you what it is! So I will - this top-secret sequence is TWICE, one right after the other.
That keystroke takes a little getting used to, but a CCNA or CCNP can do it! Add this command to your Cisco skill set, and it will serve you well both on the CCNA and CCNP exams and your real-world networks. And you'll impress your friends by knowing how to stop a traceroute!
Microsoft Certification: Farewell To The MCSE
Microsoft is in the middle of a major push to overhaul its certification program. Last year, they announced the new Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA) certification, which is not a written exam but rather a practical exam that will be graded by a board of examiners. Just applying for the certification will require 10 years' experience in IT as well as three years of practical experience as a network architect.
For those of us not quite ready for that, Microsoft has announced that it's also going to revise other certifications. The MCSE that we've all come to know and love is going to be a thing of the past. In its place will be a series of specialization exams and IP Professional certification tracks.
If you're currently an MCSE or working it, don't worry, you have plenty of time to adapt to the new tracks. Microsoft's official word is that the new certification structure will be implemented when the next Windows server/client version is released. For those holding MCDBAs, your current certification will remain valid and you'll have a chance to upgrade to the new certification with SQL Server 2005.
Those of us who have been on the certification track for a while remember the outcry when Microsoft planned to phase out the much-maligned NT 4.0 certification in the move to Windows 2000. There was quite an outcry from many certified individuals who felt MS was being unreasonable in their timetable and planned lack of support for the 4.0 certification. Whether you agree with Microsoft's planned changes, I urge you to visit Microsoft's certification site regularly to keep up with these changes.
Whether you choose to pursue any of these new tracks is your decision, but you owe it to yourself and your career to know about the new tracks. Change is inevitable in IT and the IT certification world, and you must be aware of these changes!
For those of us not quite ready for that, Microsoft has announced that it's also going to revise other certifications. The MCSE that we've all come to know and love is going to be a thing of the past. In its place will be a series of specialization exams and IP Professional certification tracks.
If you're currently an MCSE or working it, don't worry, you have plenty of time to adapt to the new tracks. Microsoft's official word is that the new certification structure will be implemented when the next Windows server/client version is released. For those holding MCDBAs, your current certification will remain valid and you'll have a chance to upgrade to the new certification with SQL Server 2005.
Those of us who have been on the certification track for a while remember the outcry when Microsoft planned to phase out the much-maligned NT 4.0 certification in the move to Windows 2000. There was quite an outcry from many certified individuals who felt MS was being unreasonable in their timetable and planned lack of support for the 4.0 certification. Whether you agree with Microsoft's planned changes, I urge you to visit Microsoft's certification site regularly to keep up with these changes.
Whether you choose to pursue any of these new tracks is your decision, but you owe it to yourself and your career to know about the new tracks. Change is inevitable in IT and the IT certification world, and you must be aware of these changes!
MCSE? CCNA? Choosing The Right Computer Certification For Your Career
When you’re choosing which computer certification to pursue next, you should also be formulating a plan for your career. Your time is precious, and you should never choose to pursue a certification because it’s “hot”. There are some hard questions you should ask yourself before deciding to pursue the CCNA, CCNP, CCVP, CCSP, CCIE, MSCE, or any of the many other vendor certifications that are out there.
Why do I want this certification?
This is the biggest and most important question you should answer before you spend a dime on books or classes.
If your primary goal in earning a certification is the money you feel companies will throw at you after you get it, make sure to do your research first. Basing your certification pursuits on a salary survey can lead to some serious frustration on your part. Don’t get me wrong, I like money. J But those surveys can be very misleading. There’s really no such thing as an “average” salary in IT. Job responsibilities and requirements vary greatly from company to company, to the point where a “network admin” may make $25K at one job and $75K at another. You can see where such variations in pay can lead to some misleading statistics. (And if you’re thinking of attending a tech school whose main pitch is “look at all the money this cert can get you”, ask a lot of questions about how they arrived at this amount.)
A positive answer to this question works wonders. If you have a plan for your career, you’ll know how this certification can fit into your plans. If you don’t know what you’re going to do with it when you get it, or worse, don’t have a plan for your future, you may be wasting your time. Ask yourself the hard questions now – you won’t regret it.
How does the vendor protect my investment of time and money?
Let’s face it: earning your certification costs time and money. You’ve got to set time aside to study, you’ll need books, perhaps a class, etc. If you’re spending that money and time, it should be to make yourself more valuable in the workplace.
The vendor should also have a vested interest in keeping your certification valuable. Take Cisco, for instance. I was at a bit of a career crossroads a few years ago. Should I pursue my masters degree, or pursue the CCIE? I took a strong look at both choices, and I knew that Cisco works endlessly and tirelessly to protect the value of their certifications. While other major vendors have made strides to do so, I felt Cisco did the best job of protecting the value of their certifications. That’s why I felt secure in the investment of my finances and time into a major Cisco certification, and I’ve never made a better decision.
Before making a major investment into a computer certification, consider the steps that a vendor does or does not make to protect your investment.
Computer certifications have helped me tremendously in building my IT career. By asking the right questions, and taking a hard look at your motives and plans before pursuing a given certification, they can do the same for you.
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
Why do I want this certification?
This is the biggest and most important question you should answer before you spend a dime on books or classes.
If your primary goal in earning a certification is the money you feel companies will throw at you after you get it, make sure to do your research first. Basing your certification pursuits on a salary survey can lead to some serious frustration on your part. Don’t get me wrong, I like money. J But those surveys can be very misleading. There’s really no such thing as an “average” salary in IT. Job responsibilities and requirements vary greatly from company to company, to the point where a “network admin” may make $25K at one job and $75K at another. You can see where such variations in pay can lead to some misleading statistics. (And if you’re thinking of attending a tech school whose main pitch is “look at all the money this cert can get you”, ask a lot of questions about how they arrived at this amount.)
A positive answer to this question works wonders. If you have a plan for your career, you’ll know how this certification can fit into your plans. If you don’t know what you’re going to do with it when you get it, or worse, don’t have a plan for your future, you may be wasting your time. Ask yourself the hard questions now – you won’t regret it.
How does the vendor protect my investment of time and money?
Let’s face it: earning your certification costs time and money. You’ve got to set time aside to study, you’ll need books, perhaps a class, etc. If you’re spending that money and time, it should be to make yourself more valuable in the workplace.
The vendor should also have a vested interest in keeping your certification valuable. Take Cisco, for instance. I was at a bit of a career crossroads a few years ago. Should I pursue my masters degree, or pursue the CCIE? I took a strong look at both choices, and I knew that Cisco works endlessly and tirelessly to protect the value of their certifications. While other major vendors have made strides to do so, I felt Cisco did the best job of protecting the value of their certifications. That’s why I felt secure in the investment of my finances and time into a major Cisco certification, and I’ve never made a better decision.
Before making a major investment into a computer certification, consider the steps that a vendor does or does not make to protect your investment.
Computer certifications have helped me tremendously in building my IT career. By asking the right questions, and taking a hard look at your motives and plans before pursuing a given certification, they can do the same for you.
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
Life After Certification - What to do after you have passed the test
Okay you have now passed your certification test, congratulations! Now what? How is this going to actually improve your life, your career? Have you thought about your plans after you have passed the test? For many taking a certification exam is only a stepping stone to true success.
The first thing I would do even before pursuing a certification is to have a plan on how this is actually going to help you in your career. Just because you have passed the test does not mean you are an expert. You must first prove it to the rest of the world. How do you do this?
Sit down at your computer or desk and write out your career goals for the next year, five years, ten years and your entire working career. How does this certification fit into those goals? Can you use it to establish more credibility as an expert?
The first step I would take is to start writing tutorials on the subject matter that you claim to be an expert in. Post these tutorials to your own website, blog or eZine distribution websites. the more you write about a subject the more likely a person is going to consider yourself an expert in the field and the certification just backs that up as well. The more visibility you receive the more likely you are to get clients that are willing to pay for your services.
The second step I would take is not to stop studying! The best thing for you to do is learn as much as possible about your subject matter and to stay on top of it. Each time you learn something new write about it. This not only helps you stay visible but shows that you are up to date with the latest technology. If you are studying for another certification or an upgrade to your existing one learn all you can about the material and then start writing tutorials that teaches others on the same subject. Not only will this help reinforce what you have already learned but it could lead to increased job offers and other opportunities.
The third step would be to visit as many newsgroups as possible to put your knowledge to the test. By helping others this way you reinforce what you have learned and again gain valuable exposure in the field.
Lastly I would find a local user group in your area and start volunteering for it. This will greatly increase the number of contacts you can network with and make your name known in the community. Do not have a user group in your area? See if you can start one and start speaking about your area of expertise to a local crowd. Later I would connect with other regional user groups to see if they are looking for speakers and then start speaking at these user groups.
For many the certification test is the place where most people stop in their careers and then complain that this test did not really help them. The test is merely a stepping stone in establishing more credibility. The rest is up to the individual. You reap what you sow. Certification only contains some of the seeds that you need to plant in order to become truly successful.
The first thing I would do even before pursuing a certification is to have a plan on how this is actually going to help you in your career. Just because you have passed the test does not mean you are an expert. You must first prove it to the rest of the world. How do you do this?
Sit down at your computer or desk and write out your career goals for the next year, five years, ten years and your entire working career. How does this certification fit into those goals? Can you use it to establish more credibility as an expert?
The first step I would take is to start writing tutorials on the subject matter that you claim to be an expert in. Post these tutorials to your own website, blog or eZine distribution websites. the more you write about a subject the more likely a person is going to consider yourself an expert in the field and the certification just backs that up as well. The more visibility you receive the more likely you are to get clients that are willing to pay for your services.
The second step I would take is not to stop studying! The best thing for you to do is learn as much as possible about your subject matter and to stay on top of it. Each time you learn something new write about it. This not only helps you stay visible but shows that you are up to date with the latest technology. If you are studying for another certification or an upgrade to your existing one learn all you can about the material and then start writing tutorials that teaches others on the same subject. Not only will this help reinforce what you have already learned but it could lead to increased job offers and other opportunities.
The third step would be to visit as many newsgroups as possible to put your knowledge to the test. By helping others this way you reinforce what you have learned and again gain valuable exposure in the field.
Lastly I would find a local user group in your area and start volunteering for it. This will greatly increase the number of contacts you can network with and make your name known in the community. Do not have a user group in your area? See if you can start one and start speaking about your area of expertise to a local crowd. Later I would connect with other regional user groups to see if they are looking for speakers and then start speaking at these user groups.
For many the certification test is the place where most people stop in their careers and then complain that this test did not really help them. The test is merely a stepping stone in establishing more credibility. The rest is up to the individual. You reap what you sow. Certification only contains some of the seeds that you need to plant in order to become truly successful.
Keeping Calm On CCNA / CCNP Exam Day
When you wake up on exam day, one of two things is going to happen. Well, yes, you're going to pass or fail. But what I'm thinking of comes before that, and has a lot to do with how you perform on exam day.
You're either going to have a tremendous feeling of anticipation or the dreaded feeling of being nervous about it.
Anticipation is a great thing to feel on exam day. You're driving to the exam center, excited about the exam. You're much like a football player, slapping another player on the helmet or the shoulder pads before the game starts. (Warning: Don't try this on the exam proctor.) You know there's a challenge ahead, but you're looking forward to it. In your mind, you're already victorious you're at the testing center only to make it official.
Conversely, there's nothing worse than being nervous or feeling unprepared before the exam. I've driven up to an exam center and seen exam candidates doing some last-minute cramming in their car. Sadly for them, if there's something you were unprepared for at 8 AM on exam day, you're still going to be unprepared when you go into the test center, no matter what you read in the car at the last minute. You don't see football players studying their playbook on the sideline before the game starts.
It's all about preparation. I regularly tell my students and customers that you don't pass a Cisco exam (or any other vendor exam) the day you take it. You pass when you turn the TV off for weeks before the exam to study you pass when you spend time and money to attend a class or buy a book or training video you pass when you give up a weekend to get some hands-on experience. That's when you pass. The exam score you get is simply feedback on your exam preparation.
There's a great saying "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance". That describes to a "T" what your strategy to pass the exam must include. Put the time in well before exam day and you'll reap the rewards on the big day. If you're just planting the seeds of knowledge in your car the morning of the exam, don't expect much of a harvest.
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
You're either going to have a tremendous feeling of anticipation or the dreaded feeling of being nervous about it.
Anticipation is a great thing to feel on exam day. You're driving to the exam center, excited about the exam. You're much like a football player, slapping another player on the helmet or the shoulder pads before the game starts. (Warning: Don't try this on the exam proctor.) You know there's a challenge ahead, but you're looking forward to it. In your mind, you're already victorious you're at the testing center only to make it official.
Conversely, there's nothing worse than being nervous or feeling unprepared before the exam. I've driven up to an exam center and seen exam candidates doing some last-minute cramming in their car. Sadly for them, if there's something you were unprepared for at 8 AM on exam day, you're still going to be unprepared when you go into the test center, no matter what you read in the car at the last minute. You don't see football players studying their playbook on the sideline before the game starts.
It's all about preparation. I regularly tell my students and customers that you don't pass a Cisco exam (or any other vendor exam) the day you take it. You pass when you turn the TV off for weeks before the exam to study you pass when you spend time and money to attend a class or buy a book or training video you pass when you give up a weekend to get some hands-on experience. That's when you pass. The exam score you get is simply feedback on your exam preparation.
There's a great saying "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance". That describes to a "T" what your strategy to pass the exam must include. Put the time in well before exam day and you'll reap the rewards on the big day. If you're just planting the seeds of knowledge in your car the morning of the exam, don't expect much of a harvest.
Chris Bryant
CCIE #12933
It’s 2008. Do You Know Where Your IT Career Is?
Whether you're thinking of starting a career with computers and information technology, or thinking about earning a professional certification such as the CCNA or MCSE to accelerate your career, there is no better time to start than today. Silicon Valley is hiring again, and while we all can't work for Google, IT hiring is at its highest level in years and the opportunities for driven, motivated individuals are unlimited.
I also know that for many of us, the holiday season is a good excuse to put off those studies! "I'll study for the CCNA after Thanksgiving..." "I'll start working on my CCNP after the New Year..." Well, guess what - the new year is here.
It's 2008. Where is your IT career? Are you actively studying to earn a certification, or are you still thinking about it? Are you attending a school to break into the IT field, or are you still thinking about it?
Newton's First Law Of Motion states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object at motion tends to stay in motion. This is true of careers as well, including yours. Where do you want your career to be in one year? Do you want to have earned several certifications in that time, therefore advancing your career, or do you want to be in the exact same place you are today?
The only person who can make this decision is you. And I can speak from experience that when you begin putting your career into motion - the possibilities are unlimited. But you have to get started - today!
I also know that for many of us, the holiday season is a good excuse to put off those studies! "I'll study for the CCNA after Thanksgiving..." "I'll start working on my CCNP after the New Year..." Well, guess what - the new year is here.
It's 2008. Where is your IT career? Are you actively studying to earn a certification, or are you still thinking about it? Are you attending a school to break into the IT field, or are you still thinking about it?
Newton's First Law Of Motion states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object at motion tends to stay in motion. This is true of careers as well, including yours. Where do you want your career to be in one year? Do you want to have earned several certifications in that time, therefore advancing your career, or do you want to be in the exact same place you are today?
The only person who can make this decision is you. And I can speak from experience that when you begin putting your career into motion - the possibilities are unlimited. But you have to get started - today!
How To Earn Cisco’s Firewall Specialist Certification
Security is a hot topic in today's networks, and will continue to be for a long time to come. With that in mind, you must consider adding a Cisco security certification to your resume and firewall skills to your skill set.
It's quite a jump from the CCNA to the CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional), and Cisco has made that leap more manageable by adding Specialist certifications. These certifications can give quite a boost to both your resume and your skill set, and act as a great "stepping stone" to the CCSP.
At present, Cisco offers four VPN/Security certifications, those being Cisco Firewall Specialist, Cisco IPS Specialist, Cisco VPN Specialist, and Cisco VPN/Security Sales Specialist. Since every WAN engineer has contact with Cisco firewalls on a regular basis, we'll take a closer look at this popular certification first. (And those who want to be WAN engineers had better learn something about firewalls, too!)
At the writing of this article (October 21, 2005), Cisco is offering an option for each of the two exams you'll need to pass to earn this certification. For the first exam, you can take either the 642-551 SND (Securing Cisco Network Devices) or 642-501 SECUR (Securing Cisco IOS Networks). The final day to register for the SECUR exam is December 19, 2005.
For either, you'll need to be able to answer questions regarding the proper use of Cisco security devices; how to configure security on a Cisco switch and on a router, including syslog logging, AAA, ACLs, and security for router services and interfaces.
The choices for the second exam are the 642-522 SNPA (Securing Network with PIX and ASA) and 642-521 CSPFA. Topics for these exams include , IPSec, NAT, firewalls, AAA, and policy mapping. (As always, you should check for the latest exam blueprints at Cisco's website. Click "Learning And Events" on the main page, www.cisco.com).
The only prerequisite for this certification is that you must hold a valid CCNA certification.
As always, getting some hands-on experience is the best way to prepare for your Cisco exams. (Your employer is going to get a little upset if you practice your configs on his or her PIX. It would be a good idea to have a good lawyer, too.) There are online rack rental services that include Cisco security devices in their pods.
Cisco certifications are a great way to help protect your career as well as your network. The more you know, and the more varied your skills, the more valuable you are to your present and future employers. Use your CCNA as a foundation, and keep building on your skills!
It's quite a jump from the CCNA to the CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional), and Cisco has made that leap more manageable by adding Specialist certifications. These certifications can give quite a boost to both your resume and your skill set, and act as a great "stepping stone" to the CCSP.
At present, Cisco offers four VPN/Security certifications, those being Cisco Firewall Specialist, Cisco IPS Specialist, Cisco VPN Specialist, and Cisco VPN/Security Sales Specialist. Since every WAN engineer has contact with Cisco firewalls on a regular basis, we'll take a closer look at this popular certification first. (And those who want to be WAN engineers had better learn something about firewalls, too!)
At the writing of this article (October 21, 2005), Cisco is offering an option for each of the two exams you'll need to pass to earn this certification. For the first exam, you can take either the 642-551 SND (Securing Cisco Network Devices) or 642-501 SECUR (Securing Cisco IOS Networks). The final day to register for the SECUR exam is December 19, 2005.
For either, you'll need to be able to answer questions regarding the proper use of Cisco security devices; how to configure security on a Cisco switch and on a router, including syslog logging, AAA, ACLs, and security for router services and interfaces.
The choices for the second exam are the 642-522 SNPA (Securing Network with PIX and ASA) and 642-521 CSPFA. Topics for these exams include , IPSec, NAT, firewalls, AAA, and policy mapping. (As always, you should check for the latest exam blueprints at Cisco's website. Click "Learning And Events" on the main page, www.cisco.com).
The only prerequisite for this certification is that you must hold a valid CCNA certification.
As always, getting some hands-on experience is the best way to prepare for your Cisco exams. (Your employer is going to get a little upset if you practice your configs on his or her PIX. It would be a good idea to have a good lawyer, too.) There are online rack rental services that include Cisco security devices in their pods.
Cisco certifications are a great way to help protect your career as well as your network. The more you know, and the more varied your skills, the more valuable you are to your present and future employers. Use your CCNA as a foundation, and keep building on your skills!
How To Become A Cisco VPN Specialist
There's quite an emphasis on security in today's networks, and that's reflected in Cisco's certification tracks. Cisco offers a CCIE Security track and the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) intermediate-level certification, but there is no real equivalent to the CCNA on the security side. Instead, Cisco offers several different Security Associate certifications.
The good news is that you’ve got a lot of security specializations from which to choose; the bad news is that you’ve got a lot of choices! In choosing a specialization, take some time to choose a certification that will be of practical use to you in your current position or in your “dream job”.
One of the more popular Security Associate certifications is the Cisco VPN Specialist certification. This two-exam track consists of a Securing Cisco Network Devices (SND, 642-551) exam and a Cisco Secure Virtual Private Networks (CSVPN, 642-511) exam. To earn the Cisco VPN Specialist exam, you must hold a valid CCNA certification.
What should you expect on these exams? On the SND exam, expect to be grilled on basic security features on both switches and routers, as well as VPN 3000 concentrators, PIXes, and IDS/IPS Sensors. You'll need to be ready to configure and troubleshoot basic AAA configurations, access-lists, syslog, AutoSecure, and much more. You should also be solid with IPSec.
IPSec will also be part of your CSVPN exam. As you'd expect, you'll also be expected to be quite good with the VPN 3000 Concentrator series, including browser configuration, creating users and group, the Windows VPN Software Client, and more.
This is a demanding certification that is an excellent addition to your resume and your skill set. For the latest on this and other Cisco certifications, you should regularly visit the Learning & Events section of Cisco's website. As a Cisco certification candidate, it's your responsibility to stay current of any additions and changes to Cisco's certification paths - and it's good for your career!
The good news is that you’ve got a lot of security specializations from which to choose; the bad news is that you’ve got a lot of choices! In choosing a specialization, take some time to choose a certification that will be of practical use to you in your current position or in your “dream job”.
One of the more popular Security Associate certifications is the Cisco VPN Specialist certification. This two-exam track consists of a Securing Cisco Network Devices (SND, 642-551) exam and a Cisco Secure Virtual Private Networks (CSVPN, 642-511) exam. To earn the Cisco VPN Specialist exam, you must hold a valid CCNA certification.
What should you expect on these exams? On the SND exam, expect to be grilled on basic security features on both switches and routers, as well as VPN 3000 concentrators, PIXes, and IDS/IPS Sensors. You'll need to be ready to configure and troubleshoot basic AAA configurations, access-lists, syslog, AutoSecure, and much more. You should also be solid with IPSec.
IPSec will also be part of your CSVPN exam. As you'd expect, you'll also be expected to be quite good with the VPN 3000 Concentrator series, including browser configuration, creating users and group, the Windows VPN Software Client, and more.
This is a demanding certification that is an excellent addition to your resume and your skill set. For the latest on this and other Cisco certifications, you should regularly visit the Learning & Events section of Cisco's website. As a Cisco certification candidate, it's your responsibility to stay current of any additions and changes to Cisco's certification paths - and it's good for your career!
How To Become a Cisco CCNP
Congratulations on your decision to earn your CCNP certification! As a CCIE, I can tell you that Cisco certifications are both financially and personally rewarding.
To earn your CCNP, you first have to earn your CCNA certification. Then you're faced with a decision - take the three-exam CCNP path, or the four-exam path? They're both quite demanding, so let's take a look at each path.
The four-exam CCNP path includes the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks exam (BSCI), Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks exam (BCMSN), Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN), and Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT) exam.
The three-exam path combines the BSCI and BCMSN exams into a single exam, called the Composite exam.
I'm often asked what order I recommend taking the exams in. After earning your CCNA, I recommend you begin studying for the BSCI exam immediately. You will find the fundamentals you learned in your CCNA studies will help you a great deal with this exam. You're going to add to your CCNA knowledgebase quite a bit when it comes to OSPF and EIGRP, as well as being introduced to BGP.
I don't have a preference between the BCMSN and BCRAN exams, but I do recommend you take the CIT exam last. You'll be using all the skills you learned in the first three exams to pass the CIT. It's a very demanding exam, and it's a little hard to troubleshoot technologies that you haven't learned yet!
The CCNP is both financially and personally fulfilling. Once you complete your CCNA studies, take a little breather and then get started on your CCNP studies. The more you know, the more valuable you are in today's ever-changing IT job market.
To earn your CCNP, you first have to earn your CCNA certification. Then you're faced with a decision - take the three-exam CCNP path, or the four-exam path? They're both quite demanding, so let's take a look at each path.
The four-exam CCNP path includes the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks exam (BSCI), Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks exam (BCMSN), Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN), and Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT) exam.
The three-exam path combines the BSCI and BCMSN exams into a single exam, called the Composite exam.
I'm often asked what order I recommend taking the exams in. After earning your CCNA, I recommend you begin studying for the BSCI exam immediately. You will find the fundamentals you learned in your CCNA studies will help you a great deal with this exam. You're going to add to your CCNA knowledgebase quite a bit when it comes to OSPF and EIGRP, as well as being introduced to BGP.
I don't have a preference between the BCMSN and BCRAN exams, but I do recommend you take the CIT exam last. You'll be using all the skills you learned in the first three exams to pass the CIT. It's a very demanding exam, and it's a little hard to troubleshoot technologies that you haven't learned yet!
The CCNP is both financially and personally fulfilling. Once you complete your CCNA studies, take a little breather and then get started on your CCNP studies. The more you know, the more valuable you are in today's ever-changing IT job market.
Four Important Commands For Your CCNA / CCNP Home Lab
More CCNA and CCNP candidates than ever before are putting together their own home practice labs. It's more affordable than it ever has been, and I receive emails daily from new CCNAs and CCNPs who say it's the best thing they could have done to improve their studies.
There are some commands you can configure on your lab routers that won't necessarily be on your CCNA or CCNP exams, but they will make life a lot easier for you. Let's take a look at just a few of these.
The command "no exec" is short, yet powerful. Occasionally you'll have what is referred to as a "rogue EXEC" process tie up a line, and you end up having to continually clear lines, which disrupts your practice. If you have an access server, I highly recommend you configure this command on your lines, as shown here:
ACCESS_SERVER(con)#line 1 8
ACCESS_SERVER(con)#no exec
From your CCNA studies, you know that the command "no ip domain-lookup" prevents a Cisco router from sending a broadcast to find a DNS server anytime you enter something that is not an IOS command - and that includes mistyped commands, which happens to all of us sooner or later. Make sure to run that command in global configuration mode on all your practice routers.
There are two commands I like to configure on the console line on all my practice routers and switches. The first is "exec-timeout 0 0", which prevents you from being kicked out of enable mode and back into user exec after a few minutes of inactivity. (This doesn't sound like much, but you'll get pretty tired of typing "enable" after a while.) The first zero refers to minutes, the second zero to seconds. Setting them both to zero disables the exec-timeout function.
The second command prevents the router from interrupting the command you're typing with a console message. If you've ever been in the middle of typing a router command and suddenly you're interrupted with a logging message, you know that can be pretty annoying. We don't want the router to not display the message, but we do want the router to wait until we're done entering data. The command to perform this is "logging synchronous".
R1(config)#line console 0
R1(config-line)#exec-timeout 0 0
R1(config-line)#logging synchronous
You won't see many of these commands on your exams, but after you configure them on your home lab devices, you'll wonder how you did without them!
There are some commands you can configure on your lab routers that won't necessarily be on your CCNA or CCNP exams, but they will make life a lot easier for you. Let's take a look at just a few of these.
The command "no exec" is short, yet powerful. Occasionally you'll have what is referred to as a "rogue EXEC" process tie up a line, and you end up having to continually clear lines, which disrupts your practice. If you have an access server, I highly recommend you configure this command on your lines, as shown here:
ACCESS_SERVER(con)#line 1 8
ACCESS_SERVER(con)#no exec
From your CCNA studies, you know that the command "no ip domain-lookup" prevents a Cisco router from sending a broadcast to find a DNS server anytime you enter something that is not an IOS command - and that includes mistyped commands, which happens to all of us sooner or later. Make sure to run that command in global configuration mode on all your practice routers.
There are two commands I like to configure on the console line on all my practice routers and switches. The first is "exec-timeout 0 0", which prevents you from being kicked out of enable mode and back into user exec after a few minutes of inactivity. (This doesn't sound like much, but you'll get pretty tired of typing "enable" after a while.) The first zero refers to minutes, the second zero to seconds. Setting them both to zero disables the exec-timeout function.
The second command prevents the router from interrupting the command you're typing with a console message. If you've ever been in the middle of typing a router command and suddenly you're interrupted with a logging message, you know that can be pretty annoying. We don't want the router to not display the message, but we do want the router to wait until we're done entering data. The command to perform this is "logging synchronous".
R1(config)#line console 0
R1(config-line)#exec-timeout 0 0
R1(config-line)#logging synchronous
You won't see many of these commands on your exams, but after you configure them on your home lab devices, you'll wonder how you did without them!
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