CCNP Virtual Lab Review

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(More customer reviews)I successfully used the CCNA virtual lab to help me pass the CCNA qualification, and I have also used microcontroller simulators for debugging code, so I am not entirely new to simulators. The CCNA one had some problems, but nothing really bad, and helped me a lot. Unfortunately the CCNP simulator is worse, not better. I should emphasise that I have downloaded the patch, and keep checking the errata page but I am still finding, reporting, and getting no furthur feedback on additional problems. Now, it is certainly possible to cause your own problems here, but when you find that for instance you cannot ping devices that are supposed to be directly connected, and you get a message about SPID's from the net detective, you know there is something odd going on. (It is trying to use a nonconfigured isdn interface instead of the serial line that is configured by the lab given.) It needs first to be improved to where the labs as written actually work, then it needs a bit of attention to letting you perform diagnostics using the standard cisco commands so that when you do make a typo in a config, you have some reasonable chance of finding it. (Which is also excellent practice for the support part of things...) As it is, when you strike a bug and start trying to troubleshoot, then report what you have done to support, they come back at you that you are only supposed to do the things given in the labs. (let me quote the box: "Extensive free form configuration options" "design custom labs that focus on your special interests")
So this is a product with a great deal of potential, mostly not realised yet. I really couldn't advise anyone to buy it in the current state. I'd be happy to discuss this via email with anyone, especially the developers so do the obvious to this (disposable!) address ibxbksf001(AT)sneakemail.com to get hold of me. I will also happily withdraw or modify this review as necessary should I receive any furthur information from support.
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Covers All 4 Revised CCNP ExamsIf you're serious about earning your CCNP, you need extensive hands-on experience with routers and switches. Until now, this has required access to expensive network equipment--not to mention the freedom to experiment with it. This updated version of the best-selling CCNP Virtual Lab from Sybex gives you everything you need to prepare yourself for the new CCNP exams. You can practice with this "equipment" on your own, follow suggested labs that cover the entire range of CCNP objectives, and design custom labs that focus on your special interests. An affordable alternative to products and courses costing hundreds, even thousands, of dollars, the CCNP Virtual Lab allows you to work at your own pace, on your own time, so you get the most out of your exam preparation efforts.Equip Yourself with the Knowledge and Skills You Need to Pass the CCNP ExamsBSCI* IS-IS* IP addressing* Interconnecting OSPF areas* EIGRP* Configuring monitoring, troubleshooting, and scaling BGP* Route optimization* Network scalabilitySwitching* Connecting the switch block* Configuring 5000 and 1900 series switches with VTP and VLANs* Working with Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)* Using Spanning Tree with VLAN* Setting up inter-VLAN routingRemote Access* Working with asynchronous connections* Using the Point-to-Point Protocol* Setting up ISDN and dial-on-demand routing* Working with the Cisco 700 Series* Working with Frame Relay* Using NAT (Network Address Translation)* Setting up AAASupport* Troubleshooting Cisco routers and switches* Using problem-solving models* Common data link layer characteristics in campus LANs* Connection sequences in TCP/IP, Novell IPX, and AppleTalk* Using Cisco IOS software commands and debug utilities* Resolving VLAN, WAN, Frame Relay, and ISDN BRI problems

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CCNP ROUTE 642-902 Official Certification Guide (Exam Certification Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)There is a lot of great info in this book. However, so far I've only seriously studied up to Ch 5 and I've seen a lot of typos, many of which affect the understanding you might gain from reading that certain section. Myself and a co-worker have come across multiple mislabeled diagrams and examples, and contradicting statements. It can be quite frustrating to study with this book. The last thing I came across that prompted me to finally write this review was a "Do I know this already?" quiz question that blatantly tells you to choose two answers on a multiple choice, only to flip to the back of the book to the answers section and find only one option as the answer! I actually think its not referring to the same question! These are small things, but they add up, and are very annoying. I have found many more errors in this book, but I won't go into them all. The errors I have found so far only make me wonder how many I didn't notice, or didn't know enough about to know that they were wrong, which could potentially be a lot since I'm trying to learn a good portion of this material for the first time! I am convinced that this book might have been briefly reviewed, but not very well, technically speaking, and not to the detail level I would expect from a "Certification Guide" published by the company issuing the certification.
In closing, I think this book has a lot of great information in it, and Wendell Odom does a great job of explaining things. I just wish it wasn't littered with errors, and that is why I only give it 3 stars.

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Master the CCNP® ROUTE 642-902 exam with this official study guideAssess your knowledge with chapter-opening quizzesReview key concepts with Exam Preparation TasksPractice with realistic exam questions on the CD-ROM CCNP ROUTE 642-902 Official Certification Guide is a best of breed Cisco® exam study guide that focuses specifically on the objectives for the CCNP® ROUTE exam. Senior instructor and best-selling author Wendell Odom shares preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. Material is presented in a concise manner, focusing on increasing your understanding and retention of exam topics. CCNP ROUTE 642-902 Official Certification Guide presents you with an organized test preparation routine through the use of proven series elements and techniques. "Do I Know This Already?" quizzes open each chapter and allow you to decide how much time you need to spend on each section. Exam topic lists make referencing easy. Chapter-ending Exam Preparation Tasks sections help drill you on key concepts you must know thoroughly. The companion CD-ROM contains a powerful testing engine that allows you to focus on individual topic areas or take complete, timed exams. The assessment engine also tracks your performance and provides feedback on a module-by-module basis, laying out a complete study plan for review. Well-regarded for its level of detail, assessment features, and challenging review questions and exercises, this official study guide helps you master the concepts and techniques that will enable you to succeed on the exam the first time. CCNP ROUTE 642-902 Official Certification Guide is part of a recommended learning path from Cisco that includes simulation and hands-on training from authorized Cisco Learning Partners and self-study products from Cisco Press. To find out more about instructor-led training, e-learning, and hands-on instruction offered by authorized Cisco Learning Partners worldwide, please visit www.cisco.com/go/authorizedtraining Wendell Odom, CCIE® No. 1624, is a 28-year veteran of the networking industry. He currently works as an independent author of Cisco certification resources and occasional instructor of Cisco authorized training for Skyline ATS. He has worked as a network engineer, consultant, systems engineer, instructor, and course developer. He is the author of several best-selling Cisco certification titles. He maintains lists of current titles, links to Wendell's blogs, and other certification resources at www.TheCertZone.com. This official study guide helps you master all the topics on the CCNP ROUTE exam, including:Network design, implementation, and verification plansEIGRPOSPFIGP RedistributionPolicy-based routing and IP service-level agreement (IP SLA)BGPIPv6IPv4 and IPv6 coexistenceRouting over branch Internet connections This volume is part of the Official Certification Guide Series from Cisco Press. Books in this series provide officially developed exam preparation materials that offer assessment, review, and practice to help Cisco Career Certification candidates identify weaknesses, concentrate their study efforts, and enhance their confidence as exam day nears.

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CCNP TSHOOT 642-832 Official Certification Guide (Official Cert Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)The latest revision to the CCNP track has removed ONT and ISCW and replaced them with the TSHOOT, or troubleshooting exam. This exam is designed to test your ability to troubleshoot various problems that a CCNP-level engineer will see in their day to day jobs. The Official Certification Guide for the TSHOOT(642-832) exam goes a long way towards preparing you to take the exam. Written by Cisco training veteran Kevin Wallace, this guide hits all the high points of topics found in the TSHOOT exam.
For veterans of the CCNP program, the TSHOOT exam will bring back memories of the old Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting or CIT (642-831) exam. For people new to the CCNP program, this exam should be a lot of fun and a decent way to test your understanding of the way the various technologies in the ROUTE and SWITCH exams work.
The book is divided into 14 chapters that are as follows:
1. Introduction to Network Maintenance
2. Introduction to Troubleshooting Processes
3. The Maintenance and Troubleshooting Toolbox
4. Basic Cisco Catalyst Switch Troubleshooting
5. Advanced Cisco Catalyst Switch Troubleshooting
6. Introduction to Troubleshooting Routing Protocols
7. OSPF and Router Redistribution Troubleshooting
8. Troubleshooting BGP and Router Performance Issues
9. Security Troubleshooting
10. IP Services Troubleshooting
11. IP Communications Troubleshooting
12. IPv6 Troubleshooting
13. Advanced Services Troubleshooting
14. Large Enterprise Network Troubleshooting
15. Final Preparation
Each chapter begins with a "Do I Know This Already? quiz that is fairly standard in Cisco Press exam books. This allows you to skip over chapters that cover topics you may already be well versed in.
The first 3 chapters cover the fundamentals behind how to perform maintenance and troubleshoot effectively. If you are experienced in these things, you probably won't see anything that you haven't seen before. If you don't have a lot of background with Cisco networking, you will want to pay close attention to these first 3 chapters. They lay the foundation that is required to understand the remaining chapters.
The rest of the chapters move from switching, to routing, to security, and on to a variety of other topics that you will deal with in a standard Cisco network. Each of these remaining chapters, except for the last one, will present you with a brief amount of material that is of a foundational nature. If you are expecting a full review of the topics like spanning tree or OSPF, you will be disappointed. The TSHOOT book is not designed for that. You will want to review the ROUTE and SWITCH CCNP exam books first. What you will see in terms of foundational information are quick blurbs about each technology. For example, in the BGP chapter you get a brief reminder of how BGP routes or prefixes wind up in the general IP routing table. You will also get a refresher on how BGP makes its path selection.
After the foundational information, you will immediately move into the various commands that are used to troubleshoot the particular technology in question. According to chapter 15 in the book, 90% of the exam will be centered around the use of various commands to troubleshoot. With that in mind, I would estimate between 30 and 40% of the book is CLI output. The author shows you the various "show" commands that are used along with a variety of "debug" commands you can use as well. The relevant parts of the output are hi-lighted and explained in the standard format you see in many other Cisco Press books. If the author were to include examples of every possible command that could be used for troubleshooting, the book would be 3 times the size it already is. What you will see for sure are the most common commands used to troubleshoot the particular technology each chapter covers.
This leads us into what I think is the most valuable part of the book. Each of these technology chapters end with one or more trouble tickets. A problem is presented along with CLI output from one or more devices. There is enough information given for you to make a guess as to what the root cause of the problem is and how to correct it. The solution is presented following the various CLI screens used to provide troubleshooting information. Each solution is explained fairly well and generally includes additional CLI output to further illustrate the validity of the solution. The chapter wraps up by mentioning key terms as well as providing a list of troubleshooting commands associated with each technology covered in that chapter.
A CD-ROM is included with the book that has 100 practice questions for the TSHOOT exam.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book to read. If you are already functioning at a CCNP level, I recommend you focus on the trouble ticket sections in each chapter. Those sections more than any other will help solidify your understanding of the various route/switch technologies covered in the TSHOOT exam. You will be able to move fairly quickly through this book. I work with just about everything mentioned in this book on a daily basis and was able to finish the book in about a week. I averaged about 2 chapters a day. At around 500 pages, it would seem this book would take longer to read than a week. However, a fair amount of pages consist of CLI screen shots and they take up a lot of real estate in the book. For those who are not well versed in this material but have a basic understanding of the concepts, you should be able to get through a chapter a day with relative ease.

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