Welcoming thoughts from the l337 gallery
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mikesgroovin
HONK if you route packets
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CCNA is always going to be the exact same everywhere if it is considered a "Cisco Academy" because in order to be called a "Cisco Academy and for the students to receive credit then they must follow Cisco's curriculum to a t. They also use the same books, believe it or not. Every CCNA course is 4 semesters. Some could be on a "fast track" rather than take a full calendar semester... but the material should be the same. I took the Fast Tracks for semesters 1, 2 and 3 then the regular track for 4.
Unfortunately, I received my CCNA several years ago so I'm unable to help out with knowledge of the CCENT (new as of late 2006-early 07)
Unfortunately, I received my CCNA several years ago so I'm unable to help out with knowledge of the CCENT (new as of late 2006-early 07)
I appreciate everyone's input about this. I think I've ultimately decided on getting CCENT, skip Security+ then jump right into CCNA. Now the next question, what would be some good training materials? I ordered the most recent CCENT study guide from Sybex and should be here soon. Someone recommend some good virtual labs?
mikesgroovin
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You know that the CCENT is a new addition but the same material, right? A little background... recently, Microsoft and Cisco have added new certification paths that consist of "shorter" methods to obtaining a portion of the larger pictures (MSCE and CCNA) these 2 new paths (MCP and CCENT, respectively) are answers to more or less, what the market is requiring. The CCENT, from a material base is the SAME material from the beginning of the CCNA course... I'm not sure that you understood this, so forgive me if I'm not telling you anything new. Anyway, to put it into a perspective... consider CCENT like the Network+ exam, only with Cisco's name stamped on it. The market is always changing, and new material is being added to the CCNA all of the time... so the market needed to have a shorter "pat on the back" in a manner of speaking for those with a MCSE or CCNA as a primary goal, but just aren't there yet.
If you have the network+ and a guide from Sybex (top 3 self-study companies IMO) then you aren't going to have ANY problem passing the CCENT. Do you have any real work experience at all? Oh, BTW, when you get the CCENT, you will have access to virtual labs from the cisco acad site. At least, we did when we enrolled into the first course of the CCNA. I really doubt that they would deny it for the CCENTs.
I figured that CCENT probably wouldn't cover too much more then Network+, but I'd gandered at the CCNA material and just don't think I have what it takes with my knowledge base. I was disappointed with my total score in the Net+ exam (599 out of 900, needed 554 to pass) because I had studied religiously the self study guide, made 30 pages of notes, flash cards, took practice exams and felt pretty confident. Test time came and I skipped the first 15 questions, I couldn't believe what I had been trying to memorize had almost nothing to do with the exam! I also used a Sybex study guide for Network+ prep. I've got relatively bad dyslexia so I would LIKE to attribute my problem to that but I've got such a screwed up learning curve on any subject. Took me a week to remember basic port numbers and forgot them shortly after I took the test. I need real hands on experience to truly make it stick.
mikesgroovin
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Oh yea, nevermind then. I thought that you were actually looking to go through a CCNA based academy first, then take the exam. Yea, with a 599 on the Network+, personally I wouldn't even think about touching the CCENT yet. I would most certainly study more. My opinion with technology company based certifications... treat them with the same respect as you would with the company that you are willing to present the certification to in your career hunt. If you are placing a CCNA acronym on your resume, I would hope that it wasn't due to memorization. In my opinion, those people...and they exist in HIGH numbers, are just classified as cert hunters. They seem to think that it going to help them with the ratio of other applicants on the table.
Personally, and this may sound cruel... but, anyone that is willing to apply for a job that places them in a DIRECT responsibility with what the CCNA represents...and they simply have no job experience and just memorized a bunch of stuff, I would send back to school... or out of my sight or contact. I really wouldn't want to work with someone that has a CCNA and really doesn't know what they are doing. I've done it before and ended up teaching them about everything more than working... LOL
A CCENT is something a little different though. Do your self study with your Sybex guide and then take practice exams. See how you measure up. If you find that you are still having problems, perhaps try and search for a different guide. I can relate to your learning disability, a lot have it. You certainly WOULD NOT be alone in the work force with other CCNAs ... heck, even CCNPs that have similar symptoms.
Sometimes you also just need something taught to you in a SLIGHTLY different way in order for that light bulb to go off. For instance: When I was in the cisco academy, we were in a fast track while on subnetting. There were about 3 people out of 24 or so that just didn't get it. All it took was for someone else to get up in front of the class to explain it in a SLIGHTLY different way than the instructor and then, POOF..they got it and we moved on.
I would rather be THAT guy rather than another situation I was involved in where I asked someone to walk over to the router and tell me which lights were on and to switch a cable from one port to another. He walked over to a 3750 and said that he needed to clarify what port to switch out again... I said, well for starters, thats a 3750.... you aren't even at the right device... you may want to check out the 1841 over there...
Personally, and this may sound cruel... but, anyone that is willing to apply for a job that places them in a DIRECT responsibility with what the CCNA represents...and they simply have no job experience and just memorized a bunch of stuff, I would send back to school... or out of my sight or contact. I really wouldn't want to work with someone that has a CCNA and really doesn't know what they are doing. I've done it before and ended up teaching them about everything more than working... LOL
A CCENT is something a little different though. Do your self study with your Sybex guide and then take practice exams. See how you measure up. If you find that you are still having problems, perhaps try and search for a different guide. I can relate to your learning disability, a lot have it. You certainly WOULD NOT be alone in the work force with other CCNAs ... heck, even CCNPs that have similar symptoms.
Sometimes you also just need something taught to you in a SLIGHTLY different way in order for that light bulb to go off. For instance: When I was in the cisco academy, we were in a fast track while on subnetting. There were about 3 people out of 24 or so that just didn't get it. All it took was for someone else to get up in front of the class to explain it in a SLIGHTLY different way than the instructor and then, POOF..they got it and we moved on.
I would rather be THAT guy rather than another situation I was involved in where I asked someone to walk over to the router and tell me which lights were on and to switch a cable from one port to another. He walked over to a 3750 and said that he needed to clarify what port to switch out again... I said, well for starters, thats a 3750.... you aren't even at the right device... you may want to check out the 1841 over there...
Unfortunately when it comes to representing the company you were certified with, it is only a test on paper and not a test of experience, in a sense. That's the only problem with self study and no hands on. I would love to get my greedy claws on something I could get some decent hands on. I looked at Boson but they want an arm and a leg for it.
Experience is key, my problem is getting it. I have the motivation for it, but I'm at a loss until I find a place to practice with. The only thing I feel sure of is that I have plenty of troubleshooting experience to draw on when I'm taking the A+ test, which hopefully will be soon. Network+ was new territory for me and was really disappointed with my score and how difficult the exam was after 3 months of near daily prep.
Experience is key, my problem is getting it. I have the motivation for it, but I'm at a loss until I find a place to practice with. The only thing I feel sure of is that I have plenty of troubleshooting experience to draw on when I'm taking the A+ test, which hopefully will be soon. Network+ was new territory for me and was really disappointed with my score and how difficult the exam was after 3 months of near daily prep.
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