Mike Valentine has been in the IT field for 12 years, focusing on network design and implementation. He is currently a Cisco trainer with Skyline Advanced Technology Services and specializes in Cisco Unified Communications instruction as well as CCNA and CCNP courses. His accessible, humorous, and effective teaching style has demystified Cisco for hundreds of students since he began teaching in 2002. Mike has a bachelor of arts degree from the University of British Columbia, and he currently holds the MCSE:Security, CCDA, CCNP, CCVP, CTP, Convergence+ and CEH certifications. In addition to the popular Exam Cram 2: CCNA book, Mike has contributed to and served as technical editor for the Cisco Press titles CCNP ONT Official Exam Certification Guide and CCNA Flashcards and is currently on the courseware development team for the new Cisco UCAD (Unified Communications Architecture and Design) course.
Andrew Whitaker (M.Sc., CISSP, CCVP, CCNP, CCSP, CCNA, CCDA, MCSE, MCTS, CNE, CEI, CEH, ECSA, Security+, A+, Network+, Convergence+, CTP) is the Director of Enterprise InfoSec and Networking for Training Camp, an international training company that helps certify thousands of IT professionals each year through its unique accelerated learning model. His expert teaching for Training Camp has garnered coverage by The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Certification Magazine, and Business Week magazine. In
addition to coauthoring Exam Cram 2: CCNA, Andrew coauthored the Cisco Press title Penetration Testing and Network Defense and has contributed articles on Cisco certification for CertificationZone. Andrew is currently working on authoring and technical editing other book projects.
IntroductionIntroduction
Welcome to CCENT Exam Cram! Whether this is your first or your fifteenth Exam Cram series book, you'll find information here that will help ensure your success as you pursue knowledge, experience, and certification. This introduction explains Cisco's certification programs in general and talks about how the Exam Cram series can help you prepare for Cisco's CCENT/CCNA Exams, whether you choose the dual- or single-exam path. The materials in this book have been prepared with a very clear focus on testable concepts, configurations, and skills. As much extraneous material as possible, beyond what is needed for background comprehension, has been eliminated so that the book is a distillation of the necessary knowledge to take—and pass—the Cisco CCENT exam. The two sample tests with answer keys at the end of the book should give you a reasonably accurate assessment of your knowledge. We have also included labs to give you the critical hands-on practice you will need to master the simulator questions on the CCENT exam. Read the book, understand the material, practice the scenarios, and you'll stand a very good chance of passing the test.
Exam Cram books help you understand and appreciate the subjects and materials you need to pass Cisco certification exams. Exam Cram books are aimed strictly at test preparation and review. They do not teach you everything there is to know about a topic. Instead, we present and dissect the topics and key points we've found that you're likely to encounter on a test. We've worked to bring together as much accurate information as possible about the latest CCENT exam.
Nevertheless, to completely prepare yourself for any Cisco test, we recommend that you begin by taking the Self-Assessment that is included in this book, immediately following this introduction. The Self-Assessment tool will help you evaluate your knowledge base against the requirements for a CCENT under both ideal and realistic circumstances.
Based on what you learn from the Self-Assessment, you might decide to begin your studies with some classroom training, some practice with the Cisco IOS, or some background reading. On the other hand, you might decide to pick up and read one of the many study guides available from Cisco or third-party vendors on certain topics, including the CCNA Exam Prep from Que Publishing. We also recommend that you supplement your study program with visits to http://www.examcram2.com to receive additional practice questions, get advice, and track the CCENT/CCNA program.
We also strongly recommend that you practice configuring the Cisco devices that you'll be tested on, because nothing beats hands-on experience and familiarity when it comes to understanding the questions you're likely to encounter on a certification test. Book learning is essential, but without a doubt, hands-on experience is the best teacher of all! This book includes a CD that you can use to practice your skills.
Taking a Certification Exam
After you've prepared for your exam, you need to register with a testing center. The CCNA certification can be taken in either one or two steps: The single-exam option is the 640-802 exam and costs $125. The two-exam option requires you to take both the 640-822 ICND1 and 640-816 ICND2 exams, at a cost of $100 each. Passing the ICND1 exam certifies you as CCENT; subsequently passing the ICND2 exam certifies you as CCNA. In the United States and Canada, tests are administered by VUE. You can contact VUE at http://www.vue.com.
To sign up for a test, you must possess a valid credit card or contact either VUE for mailing instructions to send a check (in the United States). Only when payment is verified or your check has cleared can you actually register for the test.
To schedule an exam, you need to call the number or visit the web page at least one day in advance. To cancel or reschedule an exam, you must call before 7 p.m. Pacific standard time the day before the scheduled test time (or you might be charged, even if you don't show up to take the test). When you want to schedule a test, you should have the following information ready:
Your name, organization, and mailing address.
Your Cisco test ID.
The name and number of the exam you want to take.
A method of payment (As mentioned previously, a credit card is the most convenient method, but alternative means can be arranged in advance, if necessary.)
After you sign up for a test, you are told when and where the test is scheduled. You should try to arrive at least 15 minutes early. You must supply two forms of identification—one of which must be a photo ID—and sign a nondisclosure agreement before you will be admitted into the testing room.
All Cisco exams are completely closed book. In fact, you are not permitted to take anything with you into the testing area, but you are given a blank sheet of paper and a pen (or in some cases, an erasable plastic sheet and an erasable pen). We suggest that you immediately write down on that sheet of paper all the information you've memorized for the test. In Exam Cram 2 books, this information appears on a tear-out sheet inside the front cover of each book. You are given some time to compose yourself, record this information, and take a sample orientation exam before you begin the real thing. We suggest that you take the orientation test before taking your first exam, but because all the certification exams are more or less identical in layout, behavior, and controls, you probably don't need to do this more than once.
When you complete a Cisco certification exam, the software tells you immediately whether you've passed or failed. If you need to retake an exam, you have to schedule a new test with VUE and pay another $100 or $125.
Note - If you fail a Cisco test, you must wait five full days before you can take it again. For example, if you failed on Tuesday, you would have to wait until Monday to take it again.
Tracking Your Certification Status
As soon as you pass the Cisco CCNA single exam, or both the ICND1 and ICND2 tests, you are a CCNA. (Passing the ICND1 test certifies you as CCENT, the new entry-level Cisco networker certification). Cisco generates transcripts that indicate which exams you have passed. You can view a copy of your transcript at any time by going to the Cisco website and going to the certifications tracking tool. This tool enables you to print a copy of your current transcript and confirm your certification status.
After you pass the necessary set of exams, you are certified. Official certification is normally granted after three to six weeks, so you shouldn't expect to get your credentials overnight. The package for official certification that arrives includes
A certificate that is suitable for framing, along with a wallet card.
A license to use the applicable logo, which means that you can use the logo in advertisements, promotions, and documents, as well as on letterhead, business cards, and so on. Along with the license comes information on how to legally and appropriately use the logos.
Many people believe that the benefits of Cisco certification are among the most powerful in the industry. We're starting to see more job listings that request or require applicants to have CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, and other certifications, and many individuals who complete Cisco certification programs can qualify for increases in pay and/or responsibility. As an official recognition of hard work and broad knowledge, one of the Cisco credentials is a badge of honor in many IT organizations.
How to Prepare for an Exam
Preparing for the CCENT/CCNA test requires that you obtain and study materials designed to provide comprehensive information about the product and its capabilities that will appear on the specific exam for which you are preparing. The following list o...
