Customer Reviews

CCNA Exam Cram 2 (Exam Cram 640-821, 640-811, 640-801)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

-Nothing on configuring Static Routes
-Nothing on configuring Default Routes
-Nothing on configuring OSPF
-Nothing on OSPF Neighbor Discovery/Neighbor Relations
-Nothing on OSPF Designated Router Election
-No coverage of Spanning Tree commands
-No coverage of NAT/PAT [Inside/Outside-Private/Public]
-Utilizes the NativeOS 1900 commands; the exam objectives on cisco.com SPECIFICALLY state that the exam NO LONGER COVERS 1900 commands, but now has been updated to the 2950/3550 IOS syntax
-Substandard coverage of Remote Access configuration

About the only positive thing I can say about this book is that it would probably be enough for ONLY the 821 INTRO exam, BUT NOT sufficient for the 801 Comprehensive or 811 ICND.

I want to make a comment about the EXAM CRAM2 books for the CCNA tests. The book titled EXAM CRAM2 CCNA by James Jones and Sheldon Barry is the book for people who are taking the 821 and 811 tests. The book titled EXAM CRAM2 CCNA Practice Questions by Jeremy Cioara and Chris Ward is the book for people who are planning to take the 801 test.

Both books are good for their intended target audiences. EXAM CRAM2 books are relatively inexpensive, and they always provide good value for your dollar.

This review is of the EXAM CRAM2 CCNA book by James Jones and Sheldon Barry. The book has ten chapters. The first chapter is an overview of certification testing in general, and Cisco tests in particular. The next six chapters cover the Intro test (640-821), and the last three chapters cover the Interconnecting test (640-811). Then, there is a practice test (55 questions) for the 821 Intro test, followed by a 60-question practice test for the 811 Interconnecting test. Finally, there is a 55-question practice test for the 801 CCNA test. The correct answers, with explanations, are given for all questions.

If you are planning to take the 801 test, you probably shouldn't bother with the Jones and Barry book. You need to get the EXAM CRAM2 CCNA Practice Questions book by Jeremy Cioara and Chris Ward. Also, if you are planning to take the single-test option (640-801), you should get the CCNA: Fast Pass book by Todd Lammle, and also the CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide Fourth Edition which is also by Todd Lammle. The Lammle books are published by Sybex.

If you are planning to take the two-test option (821 and 811), then you should get the Jones and Barry book. Also, if you are going to take the two-test option, you should get the two Odom books and the two McQuerry books. The Odom and McQuerry books are all published by Cisco press.

Whether you are planning to take the one-test option (640-801) or the two-test option (640-821 and 640-811), I think the Flashcards book by Rivard and Doherty can be very helpful.

This book has a good part and a bad part. The first part of the book contains information that you should already know if you are studying to take the CCNA. The second part, the stuff that supposedly covers the CCNA material - SUCKS!!! And since this book is about earning the CCNA, I can not recommend it to anyone.

I intended to use this book to go from the start to finish actually using a real Cisco router. The material is so chopped up and scattered through this book that you can't find anything actually helpful.

I would recommend any other book other than this one. There has to be something better than this.

B U Y E R B E W A R E !!!!

This book is LOADED WITH FLAT OUT MISTAKES ! I just can't believe that a book could have this many MISTAKES! Practice Questions with the WRONG answers! Text with spelling and technical errors! Obviously this book never went through a Technical Review before publishing. It says "Edited by Ed Tittel" I think Ed was asleep when he edited this book! I have used the Exam Cram Books for A+, Network+ and they are on the money for someone like me that has experience and just wanted review. STAY AWAY FROM THIS ONE !

Passed CCNA 6 years ago and now need to recertify. Had really like Exam Cram 6 years ago so I ran out and bought the latest version. What a difference 6 years made in quality! There are so many errors in the practice tests I had to go through them all, fix the errors and then make another attempt. C'mon guys, the 5TH PRINTING! 2 CCNA's could have fixed all the errors. Have used Exam Cram in the past (up to 5 yrs ago) and they were good. Obviously, the rate at which they churn out these books has seriously affected their quality. And yes, I downloaded the errata. It only covers up to the 3rd printing. One more thing, the cd by PrepLogic only holds a "demo" version of the tests. Includes 1 55 question sample test and then asks you to go buy the others.
I'm off to buy the Sybex CCNA book (Todd Lammle). I had this one 6 years ago and the reviews say its still really good.

I have to give the book some credit for explaining some of the basic concepts that act as a foundation for the stuff you learn later on. An example of this is the high level explanations of distance-vector vs link-state routing protocols etc.

On the flip side of things this book does a terrible job with getting down to the specifics that you are going to need to know for the exam. An example of this is the section on VLAN's and switching.

The book covers some of the basics like telling you that you have to set up a trunk to span a VLAN across multiple switches, but gives very little or no detail on how to go about doing it.

It has just one page explaining what VTP is, but again does not even mention how to configure or troubleshoot it.

The majority of the information in this book is very high level and makes no effort to really go in the depths of configuring and troubleshooting you are going to need for the exam.

If you are really new I can't say that you won't gain anything from this book, but I can say that both your time and money is likely better spent elsewhere.

I suggest instead the Sybex CCNA book. I have version 4 (it is now v5), but the book seems to map to the exam pretty closely and the topics are tactfully covered.

The Sybex book + Boson CCNP Router sim should give you a pretty solid foundation for the exam.

There are errors in this book.

Not enough - indeed any - attention is paid to important parts of the CCNA exam, particularly router configuration, WAN configuration, NAT etc, which feature a heavily in the exam itself.

It may be OK if you are doing INTRO (821), rather than ICND (811) or the CCNA itself (801), however the book does claim to be for all three.

If you get it "for free" from Safari, it may be worth reading as a primer. Some "real" books however are recommended instead.

This book is strong on theory and enumerating the specifics of the OSI model. It functions well as a dictionary and thesaurus for the exam. However, it falls flat in that it covers virtually nothing in regards to routing configurations - which make up the critical portion of the exam. Cisco makes ROUTERS after all - routing is amost half of it.

If you want to pass the CCNA:

1. Get practical experience doing routing and ISP work with Cisco routers. If you can't get that, buy lab time and get the experience there. If you cant buy lab time, get simulation software. NetSim or the venerable RouterSim would be a good start. There is no substitute for practical experience, but extensive lab work might come close.

2. Get another book for the CCNA because this one wont get you anywhere. The official Cisco press books are much better, or the
ones from McGraw-Hill. But for god's sake, dont bet the farm on this one.

I thought that this book might be something like a last minute revision before taking the test, more like cram-session as the name implies, but it is anything but that. The order of the chapters is way tooo weird. WAN protocols in Chapter 4 followed by TCP/IP and then switching and routing... WOW!! The author also goes into great details to explain things that arent required for a "Exam Cram", fails to provide any real examples and overall the material provided in the book is very trivial. This book is for someone who wants to learn a few basics about networking, NOT for someone who plans to tackle the CCNA.

I recommend CCNA Fast Pass by Todd Lammle as a last minute revision ONLY after reading Cisco's CCNA Companion Guide (2 books) and Todd Lammle's CCNA Study Guide.

Well if R2D2 had properly read and therefore reviewed this book he would have discovered that:
1) It covers 3 exams.
2) One of the exams is slightly more complicated than Network+ and is 50% of the CCNA Certification.
3) That the other half of the CCNA qualification covers thru to specific Cisco related matters.

The book helps you either with the two stage approach to the CCNA Certification or the single exam. Which ever way yo go to get your certification it covers both avenues.

Unless of course you are C3PO whom does not need to read or properly think what the book actually covers which is a bit of a pity since it tells you on the cover. Doh!