A few CCNP questions/clarifications

Zimpo said:

Hey all,

I thought this might be a good place to ask. As I mentioned in another thread here, I recently passed the CCNA. I plan on continuing this now to CCNP, and have already started studying. I do have a few questions about the exam that I haven't been able to find, so I'm gonna ask you guys!

Q1: The CCNP consists of four exams. The order I take the exams doesn't matter.

correct but cisco recommend you do them in an order, as it makes more sense when studying that way

Does it matter how far apart from each other I take the exams? In other words, if I pass the BSCI, do I have to pass the next within a certain amount of time? Does passing one exam, when not for recertification, reset the 3 year active cert timer?

Q2: Cost! I don't see how much it is to take the exam anywhere! One school that I took a CCNA course lists CCNP too and has a $500 exam fee that is optional, but I'm not sure if that covers all four exams, or only the first?

each time you pass a 642 exam (ccnp), it re-validates your 640 (ccna) for another 3 years. however, the ccnp exams are valid for 3 years, so apparently you need to complete all 4 exams in the 3 years, otherwise you would have to re-certify the recently expired exam. however by then the syllabus may have changed so you may have to learn some slightly new things!

Q3: Any recommendations on which order to tackle them in? I have begun studying for the BSCI to start with.

i did the bcmsn first, since i really enjoyed studying that. pretty much EVERYTHING i learnt in that exam i can apply to my current role pretty much on a day to day basis. etherchannels, trunking, vlans and wireless. there is no set order, but cisco recommend an order. if you have already started studying the routing then push on with that until its done

Q4: Any recommended study guide? For the CCNA I took a 40-hour class, and then read through the Sybex book and a few study materials I found online. I also have the Boson NetSim CCNA. For the CCNP, I've been using CBT nuggets but would like some reading material as well.

i went to night college to study the ccna, since i was in full time work managing a performance exhaust fabrication business (bit of a change!).. then, after a gap of a few years i literally read the whole cybex book and took the exam.

for the ccnp, i attended a week course (not worth the money! work paid almost £2000 for the course, and i didnt really feel the benefit at that time) after the course i watched the whole cbt nuggets video's, and then read the official exam study guide and passed the exam.
now ive done that, im going to do the routing but to study this time, i will only be reading the exam study guide and watching the videos so that jeremy can explain stuff i dont understand get by reading.

with all that material available, i dont see the need to attend a course for the ccnp's. if work want to put me on another course, im going to request they give me a week off to read and self study. the courses only skim through the topics, as does cbt nuggets. the book goes into every details which you need, not necessarily for the exam but to know for real life anyway.
its a good feeling when you are in a meeting when someone is throwing solutions at you stating 802. numbers and you know exactly what theyre going on about.
Thanks!

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Zimpo said:

Thanks for the answers, PPE! I'd be happy to bounce ideas off of each other. Are you ordering the cisco press routing book?

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Zimpo said:

Sweet. let me know if you feel it's a worthwhile book!

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