- Joined
- Nov 12, 2002
- Location
- Rootstown, OH
Doing this myself currently, so this is my personal experience I just wanted to share some tips, do's, and don'ts for anyone interested. If you have questions or additional comments, feel free to share, and I'll try to address anything you bring up.
You may want to skip some sections, I've put titles in bold so you can jump to what topic might interest you.
On Certifications and the IT industry
A lot of professionals you'll find in IT don't put stock in certifications. Some people give them a bad name by not being very good technically, but being able to cram and pass an exam, thereby reflecting poorly on their certifications. However some places are the opposite - especially managed services companies, outsourced IT companies, and other places which sell their IT solutions/services to other companies. These places love certifications, often requiring them of their employees, requiring them to get more, and hiring based off of certifications someone already has.
There are 2 reasons for a managed service company to be big on certifications: It is a selling point, and it saves them a ton of cost. They use the certifications as a selling point to win contracts and obtain new clients, by reflecting they are qualified for the work with highly skilled staff. It saves them a ton of cost because in order to maintain certain vendor partnership levels, they must maintain a certain level of certification for their employees, which enables them to obtain product/service at a deeply discounted rate. These are reasons why certifications are important to them.
Should certifications be important to you? Depends. If your boss likes the idea, yes. If you have great work experience they may not be necessary to continue advancing, but doing a cert can fill knowledge gaps in areas you may work in but with items you don't normally configure/test/manage on a daily basis. If you want to ensure your resume looks good, certs are also a good idea. If you are unemployed or if you haven't worked in the field recently, obtaining a certification demonstrates that you are updating skills and you are relevant.
I'm doing it for the following reasons:
- Make my resume stronger
- I'm unemployed, but not sitting idle
- It's been a few years since I've been in IT, so I want to reflect that I'm staying current and I am apt at applying the skills I've learned to new areas
- I like to learn on my own, so self study for certification is enjoyable
- I want to make more money
- CCNA is one of the most respected pursuits by technical people - it is hard to "brain dump" and pass a CCNA, you pretty much have to be legit to get the certification. This is in contrast to various Microsoft and other certifications which generally don't draw as much respect from peers.
What is CCENT?
If you want any Cisco certification, everyone basically starts out with CCENT. It is the first half of the CCNA, which is the pre-requisite to all of Cisco's other advanced certifications.
How do I get CCENT?
You can get your CCNA in one test (200-120), which covers all material in ICND1 and ICND2 (Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices). However it costs the same as the 2 test route, which has one test for ICND1 (100-101) and another for ICND2 (200-101).
In my opinion, it doesn't make any sense to do the one test route, unless you are highly experienced and highly confident you will pass. There's no economic benefit to the one test route, and there is twice as much material you need to consume and retain for the test.
Additionally, by going the 2 test route, you can more quickly get your first certification - study for and pass the ICND1 100-101 test, and you get your CCENT.
What to use to study for CCENT?
This is my route and recommendation, as I feel it has worked well in preparing me.
Materials:
CBT Nuggets Videos: Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101
Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide - Published May 2013 (Ensure it is the 2013 version, which is updated to reflect the modern updates in Cisco's test topics)
GNS3
Cisco IOS
Transcender Practice Exam 100-101
Videos: The CBT Nuggets videos are great. They will ease you into the topic, and give you a great overview of what you need to know and how to apply it. It's like an instructor led course. The best benefit is being able to see things applied and demonstrated through the CLI, which helped me in internalizing and understanding how the topics are applied. It helped me pull everything together and feel confident about the breadth of material. 23 hours of video is a lot so you will need to try to schedule time and stick to it.
Cert Guide: This is what will get you the depth you need to pass the test, and ensure you retain the material. The book is over 1000 pages, which is intimidating, but it has 30 chapters which cover topics that are mostly only 25 pages each - when broken into chapters, it is very manageable. It includes questions at the start of each chapter which let you test yourself to see if you know that section already, so you can skim/skip it. It also includes summaries of key topics, which help in reviewing and ensuring you retained what you just read... At the end, these will also help to ensure you remembered what you need to and are ready for the exam.
GNS3: This lets you create virtual routers and networks, running on a real Cisco IOS. It is identical to running actual Cisco hardware, without buying Cisco hardware... You can get cheap switches for $50 or so off ebay, that are a bit dated but are completely sufficient to practice your skills on. I opted to go the virtual route, because it meant I didn't have to screw with hardware or make room for it anywhere in my house. So GNS3 will let you learn to configure and troubleshoot as though you were working with a real network, by running the real Cisco IOS. There are paid network simulation products similar to GNS3, some of them even provide practice lab situations and topologies, however they are often more limited, and they cost money - GNS3 can do everything but it takes work, and you are trying to learn anyway so work is good.
Cisco IOS: In order for GNS3 to be of any use, you need a Cisco IOS (the operating system that runs on Cisco hardware). Unfortunately, there is no official way to get a Cisco IOS and run it in GNS3. Anyway you obtain a Cisco IOS, you are violating the TOS/EULA from Cisco. You can search and obtain the IOS online, which is what everyone does who uses GNS3, including many, many networking professionals and those preparing for the test. Everywhere you read they tell you to just search, because they can't provide an IOS. I haven't read of anyone getting in trouble for using GNS3 or an IOS in this way, and I don't believe its Cisco's intent to discourage lab use and learning - their EULA is likely written as is to protect their interests and production environment piracy. While they don't say they okay it, I think by their inaction, they demonstrate they support fair use in a lab environment for the purpose of testing and learning their products.
How to study for CCENT?
Videos: I started with the videos, as it was less intimidating than the book and showed me the lay of the land. It also increased my confidence as after watching the video I felt like I grasped the concepts.
GNS3: I then setup GNS3 with a basic network topology and configured some routers to talk to each other. I then connected that virtual topology to my home network, so my real home machines could talk to the virtual routers over the network. I am working on actually configuring, re-configuring, and troubleshooting as I work through the book currently. You'll want GNS3 at the ready so you can actually gain experience with configuration - by doing, you will have a better chance at understanding and remembering all the commands you need to know to pass the test.
Other: This is unnecessary. I also setup vmware, nested hyper-v within it, and setup a few virtual hosts and servers on both so I have more machines to fill out the virtual lab - this is unnecessary, but I also wanted to polish up on my vmware experience, and get more familiar with Server 2012 and HyperV. I installed a domain controller in the virtual environment, configured various services, and have it running like a simulated small office environment.
Book: Read the book. I didn't skip the introduction part, which is roughly 75 pages itself - but it lays out how the book works, how its structured, and how to approach studying and tracking your progress. I am following it exactly, and I feel its approach works good for not just getting through the topics, but ensuring you understand them and retain them. I complete the tasks at the beginning and end of each chapter, which helps to ensure I absorb everything. The book is really indispensable in my opinion, as reading and doing as you go along is really important to developing the skills you need. I apply what I read in GNS3, and also at times, I fire up one of the CBT nuggets videos on a certain topic and go through the configuration while the presenter does in my own virtual equipment.
Transcender: I used transcender to get an MCP cert back in 2008. I had a lot of experience in desktop administration, so I did nothing to study except complete transcender tests a few times, and when satisfied I was getting really good scores, I went and passed the real test. I bought the 100-101 Transcender package, which includes a voucher to take the exam - it cost $250, so basically $150 for the exam voucher and $100 for the practice exam software. The exam software includes over 250 questions, and it will enable you to test yourself on the material you cover before actually taking the test - I wanted to ensure I passed in one attempt, and they give you a one pass guarantee where you can get your money back for transcender if you don't pass. This was worth it to me, as I can't afford to drop $150 on a test I fail right now - but to be confident I will pass, its a good investment for me.
What not to do
Just a few things here, in my opinion:
- Don't pay for any network simulator product. GNS3 is the best, and there's a huge and very active community out there for it unlike the paid products.
- Don't pay for any book, unless its the official cert guide I mentioned. It's reasonably priced, and no other book can be better at ensuring you know everything you need to.
- Don't plan on just taking the test and passing. There is enough material, that even if you do networking every day, there are probably some knowledge gaps and you will need to study to brush up on areas you don't use regularly.
You could get away without using a practice exam. The book does a good job at ensuring you actually know the material after reading it, and at doing a final review... But I like the extra confidence of the practice exam so I did that anyway.
Conclusion
So basically, this is my approach. This is a difficult pursuit, especially without any experience within Cisco IOS, as there are a lot of commands and configuration options - Cisco recommends a couple years of network experience before attempting the test. However, despite starting from scratch this is working for me. I need to finish the book, but I expect I'll be ready in about 2 weeks.
You may want to skip some sections, I've put titles in bold so you can jump to what topic might interest you.
On Certifications and the IT industry
A lot of professionals you'll find in IT don't put stock in certifications. Some people give them a bad name by not being very good technically, but being able to cram and pass an exam, thereby reflecting poorly on their certifications. However some places are the opposite - especially managed services companies, outsourced IT companies, and other places which sell their IT solutions/services to other companies. These places love certifications, often requiring them of their employees, requiring them to get more, and hiring based off of certifications someone already has.
There are 2 reasons for a managed service company to be big on certifications: It is a selling point, and it saves them a ton of cost. They use the certifications as a selling point to win contracts and obtain new clients, by reflecting they are qualified for the work with highly skilled staff. It saves them a ton of cost because in order to maintain certain vendor partnership levels, they must maintain a certain level of certification for their employees, which enables them to obtain product/service at a deeply discounted rate. These are reasons why certifications are important to them.
Should certifications be important to you? Depends. If your boss likes the idea, yes. If you have great work experience they may not be necessary to continue advancing, but doing a cert can fill knowledge gaps in areas you may work in but with items you don't normally configure/test/manage on a daily basis. If you want to ensure your resume looks good, certs are also a good idea. If you are unemployed or if you haven't worked in the field recently, obtaining a certification demonstrates that you are updating skills and you are relevant.
I'm doing it for the following reasons:
- Make my resume stronger
- I'm unemployed, but not sitting idle
- It's been a few years since I've been in IT, so I want to reflect that I'm staying current and I am apt at applying the skills I've learned to new areas
- I like to learn on my own, so self study for certification is enjoyable
- I want to make more money
- CCNA is one of the most respected pursuits by technical people - it is hard to "brain dump" and pass a CCNA, you pretty much have to be legit to get the certification. This is in contrast to various Microsoft and other certifications which generally don't draw as much respect from peers.
What is CCENT?
If you want any Cisco certification, everyone basically starts out with CCENT. It is the first half of the CCNA, which is the pre-requisite to all of Cisco's other advanced certifications.
How do I get CCENT?
You can get your CCNA in one test (200-120), which covers all material in ICND1 and ICND2 (Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices). However it costs the same as the 2 test route, which has one test for ICND1 (100-101) and another for ICND2 (200-101).
In my opinion, it doesn't make any sense to do the one test route, unless you are highly experienced and highly confident you will pass. There's no economic benefit to the one test route, and there is twice as much material you need to consume and retain for the test.
Additionally, by going the 2 test route, you can more quickly get your first certification - study for and pass the ICND1 100-101 test, and you get your CCENT.
What to use to study for CCENT?
This is my route and recommendation, as I feel it has worked well in preparing me.
Materials:
CBT Nuggets Videos: Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101
Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Cert Guide - Published May 2013 (Ensure it is the 2013 version, which is updated to reflect the modern updates in Cisco's test topics)
GNS3
Cisco IOS
Transcender Practice Exam 100-101
Videos: The CBT Nuggets videos are great. They will ease you into the topic, and give you a great overview of what you need to know and how to apply it. It's like an instructor led course. The best benefit is being able to see things applied and demonstrated through the CLI, which helped me in internalizing and understanding how the topics are applied. It helped me pull everything together and feel confident about the breadth of material. 23 hours of video is a lot so you will need to try to schedule time and stick to it.
Cert Guide: This is what will get you the depth you need to pass the test, and ensure you retain the material. The book is over 1000 pages, which is intimidating, but it has 30 chapters which cover topics that are mostly only 25 pages each - when broken into chapters, it is very manageable. It includes questions at the start of each chapter which let you test yourself to see if you know that section already, so you can skim/skip it. It also includes summaries of key topics, which help in reviewing and ensuring you retained what you just read... At the end, these will also help to ensure you remembered what you need to and are ready for the exam.
GNS3: This lets you create virtual routers and networks, running on a real Cisco IOS. It is identical to running actual Cisco hardware, without buying Cisco hardware... You can get cheap switches for $50 or so off ebay, that are a bit dated but are completely sufficient to practice your skills on. I opted to go the virtual route, because it meant I didn't have to screw with hardware or make room for it anywhere in my house. So GNS3 will let you learn to configure and troubleshoot as though you were working with a real network, by running the real Cisco IOS. There are paid network simulation products similar to GNS3, some of them even provide practice lab situations and topologies, however they are often more limited, and they cost money - GNS3 can do everything but it takes work, and you are trying to learn anyway so work is good.
Cisco IOS: In order for GNS3 to be of any use, you need a Cisco IOS (the operating system that runs on Cisco hardware). Unfortunately, there is no official way to get a Cisco IOS and run it in GNS3. Anyway you obtain a Cisco IOS, you are violating the TOS/EULA from Cisco. You can search and obtain the IOS online, which is what everyone does who uses GNS3, including many, many networking professionals and those preparing for the test. Everywhere you read they tell you to just search, because they can't provide an IOS. I haven't read of anyone getting in trouble for using GNS3 or an IOS in this way, and I don't believe its Cisco's intent to discourage lab use and learning - their EULA is likely written as is to protect their interests and production environment piracy. While they don't say they okay it, I think by their inaction, they demonstrate they support fair use in a lab environment for the purpose of testing and learning their products.
How to study for CCENT?
Videos: I started with the videos, as it was less intimidating than the book and showed me the lay of the land. It also increased my confidence as after watching the video I felt like I grasped the concepts.
GNS3: I then setup GNS3 with a basic network topology and configured some routers to talk to each other. I then connected that virtual topology to my home network, so my real home machines could talk to the virtual routers over the network. I am working on actually configuring, re-configuring, and troubleshooting as I work through the book currently. You'll want GNS3 at the ready so you can actually gain experience with configuration - by doing, you will have a better chance at understanding and remembering all the commands you need to know to pass the test.
Other: This is unnecessary. I also setup vmware, nested hyper-v within it, and setup a few virtual hosts and servers on both so I have more machines to fill out the virtual lab - this is unnecessary, but I also wanted to polish up on my vmware experience, and get more familiar with Server 2012 and HyperV. I installed a domain controller in the virtual environment, configured various services, and have it running like a simulated small office environment.
Book: Read the book. I didn't skip the introduction part, which is roughly 75 pages itself - but it lays out how the book works, how its structured, and how to approach studying and tracking your progress. I am following it exactly, and I feel its approach works good for not just getting through the topics, but ensuring you understand them and retain them. I complete the tasks at the beginning and end of each chapter, which helps to ensure I absorb everything. The book is really indispensable in my opinion, as reading and doing as you go along is really important to developing the skills you need. I apply what I read in GNS3, and also at times, I fire up one of the CBT nuggets videos on a certain topic and go through the configuration while the presenter does in my own virtual equipment.
Transcender: I used transcender to get an MCP cert back in 2008. I had a lot of experience in desktop administration, so I did nothing to study except complete transcender tests a few times, and when satisfied I was getting really good scores, I went and passed the real test. I bought the 100-101 Transcender package, which includes a voucher to take the exam - it cost $250, so basically $150 for the exam voucher and $100 for the practice exam software. The exam software includes over 250 questions, and it will enable you to test yourself on the material you cover before actually taking the test - I wanted to ensure I passed in one attempt, and they give you a one pass guarantee where you can get your money back for transcender if you don't pass. This was worth it to me, as I can't afford to drop $150 on a test I fail right now - but to be confident I will pass, its a good investment for me.
What not to do
Just a few things here, in my opinion:
- Don't pay for any network simulator product. GNS3 is the best, and there's a huge and very active community out there for it unlike the paid products.
- Don't pay for any book, unless its the official cert guide I mentioned. It's reasonably priced, and no other book can be better at ensuring you know everything you need to.
- Don't plan on just taking the test and passing. There is enough material, that even if you do networking every day, there are probably some knowledge gaps and you will need to study to brush up on areas you don't use regularly.
You could get away without using a practice exam. The book does a good job at ensuring you actually know the material after reading it, and at doing a final review... But I like the extra confidence of the practice exam so I did that anyway.
Conclusion
So basically, this is my approach. This is a difficult pursuit, especially without any experience within Cisco IOS, as there are a lot of commands and configuration options - Cisco recommends a couple years of network experience before attempting the test. However, despite starting from scratch this is working for me. I need to finish the book, but I expect I'll be ready in about 2 weeks.
Last edited:
775 while i had a cold 
