Customer Reviews

Cisco CCNP Certification Library (4 Book Box Set)

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

 

 

I bought this set of books to refresh my memory, compare it against my experience and to see in which area I have to study to be able to pass the tests for CCNP. Overall I would normaly rate them higher, but all 4 books need extensive editing. I found many errors, even in areas I didn't have that much experience. More then once I would read something on one page and then on the next page it would opposite of what was just said. Very often the examples are wrong too. In the Routing book for example it talks about static routes and using passive-interface on a BRI interface, yet the example shows in the top BRI as physical interface, but the bottom of the example and the text after the example talks about Serial 0.

The same goes for the included test software with study mode and test exam. There are many questions for which you should select more then one answer, but they set the answers to only one selectable. Or in one case at least the question had two possible answer choices, but none was marked as the right answer.

I sent several times feedback to Cisco Press and checked their website if they have maybe an update for the books or software, but nothing so far. Nor has any of my feedbacks being answered.

All in all the books did help me to prepare myself for the tests and pass all successfull on the first try, but I credit much to my general knowledge about networking and parallel reading other documentation...

This box set is really the only thing you need to purchase for CCNP certification. I'd read these books over Sybex's every day of the week and twice on Sunday. **Note: I really DID read these books all week, and then would read straight through twice on Sunday!!** Yes, this book has errors, they all do. Check the publisher's site for errata. Although at times they can be very dry, technical, and perhaps convey more information then needed on certain topics, more is certainly preferable to less. I really like the essay questions at the beginning and end of the chapter, they make sure you *know* the material covered and the exam objectives. If nothing else, purchase this set for the 200+ question quiz engine contained in each of the 4 books. Unlike Sybex's, these AREN'T the questions in the book. If you score well on the multiple choice flashcard program, it's exam time.

Jayson Tobias
CCNP CCDP

I think this is the first book I've ever seen where the author's name is misspelled on the cover - the Routing book spells it "Claire" Gough, but all the other references are to "Clare". That's not really substantive, but it's indicative of the kind of problems in the text. I just passed the routing exam today, but I spent more study time than I wanted to trying to figure out how things really worked, and which parts of the book were right and which were in error. I've written to Cisco Press twice, and another reviewer has written several times starting several months ago; there's a section for errata on [...], but nothing for this book as of today. I don't know whether that means that there are so many errors they've just given up, or maybe they've cut back on staffing. In any case, I got the third printing - I'll be curious to see if they correct the author's name on the cover in future printings.

Clare Gough did a great job. I highly recommend this study guide to any "would be" CCNP. The layout is well thought out...Plenty of explanation on test subject coincides with "Case Study" that can increase your understanding of the subject. Also, CD contains Many extras such as a robust test engine, a complete e-book, and many more...

just one left...

You can go at Cisco Exams from a totally braindump mindset or you can go for the "just know everything so you'll be prepared" mindset.

The latter approach is the one these books take. They will require some dedication, rereading, and scrounging on Cisco.com but if you diligently apply yourself, the exams are passable. This is the harder path, but ultimately this way the knowledge will be more useful.

The books were inconsistent in their quality. The routing book was awful and full of glaring errors -- way too many. That's what's bringing the average down. Yes, the information was all there, but I'd rather use a book that didn't make me waste so much time parsing tortured grammar and figuring out what the examples really SHOULD be.

The other three books were adequate.

I found it odd that the switching book covered LANE but it was not on my exam.

The support book was sadly lacking in scenarios -- a book like this screams for them, but I'll give it passing marks because it had very few errors, and I believe it tells you pretty much what you need to know.

The practise exam CD's included with each book were useful. If they had about twice the number of questions each and got rid of the misconfigured questions, they'd be more useful.

The previous reviewer is wrong about these books being outdated. With the exception of ISIS being added to the BSCI exam (and you can download it free) the material covered hasn't changed: Cisco has just updated their question banks and is constantly adding more sim-type questions, while weeding out the loser questions and getting away from the "memorize till your brain hurts" mentality...

I purchased this set last year and so far I have taken only Routing and Remote Access Exams, I'll be taking the Switching exam this coming Wednesday. These books are the only ones you need if you want to pass the difficult exams. Though you cannot expect that everything in the exam will be discussed here, you need a bit of common sense and work experience to get past through all of them. I passed the two exams in one try using these books as my sole study guide. These books cover more details of the exam topics than the Sybex one I think. I agree with the description above saying that Routing is the weakest among the books. Though Gough tried really hard to present the topics, something was still missing. I suggest you read the books cover to cover, answer all the test questions in the book and in the CDROM and if you could, get a BOSON software as well. That will surely help. Good luck!~

i can't even begin to tell you how many mistakes ive found. on one page 109 i found over 12 mistakes (serious!). what i really have trouble with is her use of generalisations in explaining concepts. in describing LSAs being sent from router A to B she refers to router a and b as a router to the receiving router, well which is a and which is b. its funny that she can talk so technical but expects you to know what shes talking about by refering to a specific router in the diagram as the router. at least for the purpose of visulations she should state which router she's talking about, she does that constantly. i was lost in chapter 5 because she refered to a broadcast domain as a segment, the appropriate term should be broadcast domain. segment, although correct, is too general of a term, and not once does she explain that there are multiple levels of DRs and BRs within an area. her only concept is that of one DR and one BR, which confused me for a while. i doubt she has any teaching experience, because she speaks in theory and without good example. many of the scenarios are loaded with typos and very general depictions. take scenario 5-1 for example, it's very confusing because the summarization is backwards for that kind of a structure. she is showing addresses getting more general down the heirarchy and more specific towards to frame cloud, which contradits chapter 3 completely and IS INCORRECT. take page 239 as another example, lots and lots of typos. she has prefixes of 20 for two of the addresses but the router printout above shows a mask of 255.255.255.240 for all, which equals a prefix of 28. a prefix of 20 would be 255.255.240.0. just plain sloppy. i love these other books in the set, but this routing book is something i would read without doing her scenarios (half are wrong) and go by the sybex book as a finisher, or what im doing and that is to buy the more comprehensive books for OSPF and EIGRP, i hear their very good. I just can't beleive that books from CISCO PRESS are this polluted with typos and contradicitons. Shame on you Cisco. its quite evident how bad their editing is, i mean on the cover it's claire gough, but everywhere else it's spelled clare. i want my money back for all the time i spent writing and scratching in this book while pulling my hair out.

while i agree wholeheartedly with the other reviews on the number of errors in the books (specially the routing one), i must say they were good enough for my to study and pass all 4 tests. but as always, a second sourse of info is always good to have. the web (...)is a great place to confirm any piece of info you might think is wrong in the book.

Yes. There are normal study guides. I find quite a few mistakes in commands syntax. But it's not edge if you use cisco equipment to exam prepare.. I pass Routing exam without any problems (grade 908). And now prepare to Switching Exam.

Don't forget read careful exam topics (from Cisco site) - These books contain superfluity of information (ex. EIGRP for IPX,Appletalk) - not necessary to pass exam.

Sorry for my english. Good like.

This book does not cover the new exams that have been revised as of September, 2002. Don't bother, wait for the next release.