Cisco CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide (With CD-ROM) [Hardcover]

Amir Ranjbar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 16, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0735709955 | ISBN-13: 978-0735709959 | Edition: 1st

A primary text for intermediate level courses in Cisco certification and network support.Cisco CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide offers a comprehensive coverage of the Cisco CCNP Support Exam #640-606. The ONLY Cisco Systems-endorsed study guide, it covers all major topic areas and objectives for the exam. The book focuses on review of the concepts involved in diagnosing, isolating, and correcting network problems. Review and practice thoroughly cover five major areas, including 1. Troubleshooting resources, tools, and methodology, 2. Understanding Data-Link Layer troubleshooting, fast switching methods, and buffering technologies, 3. Network Layer protocol troubleshooting, 4. Troubleshooting Catalyst 5000 switches, and 5. Troubleshooting WAN connections. Foundation summary sections concisely outline major concepts for quick reference. Scenario based exercises and chapter 'ending review questions reinforce retention and recall of exam topics. Finally, over 200 additional practice questions on the companion CD enable students to build and take random sample tests. The robust test engine provides students with a variety of features, including progress tracking, answer randomization, testing by topic area or in a simulated exam environment, and various study modes that review answers and refer to electronic text to reinforce concepts.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The official self-study test preparation guide for the CCNP Support exam

Coverage of all CCNP Support exam topics enables you to identify and improve your knowledge gaps before the exam date. You'll learn to:

* Utilize various support resources, including network media test equipment, network monitors, protocol analyzers, CiscoWorks software, simulation and modeling tools, and Cisco
* Identify data link layer troubleshooting targets, analyze show command output, and examine connection sequences for TCP/IP, IPX, and AppleTalk environments
* Apply troubleshooting tools such as Debug and Logging, and understand internal router operations, reachability testing, and troubleshooting commands appropriate for performance degradation and crash cases
* Isolate and correct network failures in TCP/IP, IPX, and AppleTalk environments
* Troubleshoot Catalyst 5000 switches by understanding Catalyst LEDs, Trunking, VTP, Catalyst show commands, and common router problems in interVLAN routing environments
* Manage Frame Relay and ISDN BRI connections with special sets of show and debug commands

CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide is a comprehensive self-study tool for the CCNP Support exam, which tests your ability to diagnose, isolate, and correct network failures and performance problems. Written by a certified Cisco Systems(r) instructor who teaches the Cisco(r) Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT) course on a regular basis, this book covers all the major topics on the CCNP Support exam, allowing you to master the exam concepts. In this comprehensive overview of network troubleshooting, you'll learn how to identify troubleshooting targets, use troubleshooting tools, and manage IP, IPX, AppleTalk, Catalyst(r), Frame Relay, and ISDN BRI connections.

Each chapter of CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide focuses your study and tests your knowledge of the subjects through specially designed assessment and study features. "Do I Know This Already?" quizzes assess your knowledge and help you decide how much time you need to spend on each section within a chapter. The well-organized Foundation Topics sections detail all the exam topics you need to master. Each chapter includes a Foundation Summary section that highlights essential concepts for quick reference. Challenging chapter-ending review questions and exercises test your knowledge of the subject matter, reinforce key concepts, and provide you with the opportunity to apply what you've learned in the chapter. In addition, a final chapter of scenarios pulls together concepts from all the chapters to ensure you can apply your knowledge in a real-world environment. Finally, the companion CD-ROM's robust testing engine enables you to take practice exams that mimic the real testing environment, focus on particular topic areas, randomize answers for reusability, track your progress, and refer to electronic text for review.

CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide is part of a recommended learning path from Cisco Systems that can include simulation and hands-on training from authorized Cisco Learning Partners and self-study products from Cisco Press. To find out more about instructor-led, e-learning, and hands-on instruction offered by authorized Cisco Learning Partners, please visit cisco/go/authorizedtraining.

Companion CD-ROM
This companion CD-ROM contains a test bank with over 200 practice questions.

About the Author

Amir S. Ranjbar is an instructor and senior network architect for Global Knowledge, the largest Cisco training partner. He is a certified Cisco Systems instructor who teaches the CIT course as well as the ICND, BSCN, BCRAN, OSPF, and BGP courses. Amir has a bachelor's degree in computing and information science and a master's degree in knowledge-based systems from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. He currently holds the CCNP designation and is preparing for the CCIE(r) examinations.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 475 pages
• Publisher: Cisco Press; 1st edition (November 16, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735709955
• ISBN-13: 978-0735709959
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,492,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive CCNP Support Exam Cert book, December 22, 2000

By 

"psince" (Sherman Oaks, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cisco CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide (With CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

I can't understand how Amazon allows incredible books like this to be trashed and not have any back up. I respectfully disagree, and say that this is the only book that has helped me in my training and study for the CCNP exams. The Cisco CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide gave me a great review of the concepts involved in diagnosing, isolating, and correcting network problems that I have encountered, and no other book has done this. My biggest challenge was in Network Layer protocol troubleshooting. My issues were solved with The Cisco CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide from Cisco Press. Thank you Cisco Press and thank you Mr. Ranjbar!!

I challenge anyone to pick up this book and prove me wrong. Go into a book store if you are unsure, but be aware that this is the only book that helped me. I can't say enough good things about it (although it is a little dry). It's obvious that the author is very well connected in the Cisco community. I thought I had thought of everything, and then he gives some real world examples that blew me away. And I also have to give credit to Cisco Systems for creating this line of books. Every single exam, I have passed because of their books. I am also trying the Cisco Interactive Mentor (CIM) line of products as well and love them, but that's another story.

It sounds like the negative comments are coming from a disgruntled employee at Cisco (why would any be disgruntled??), or maybe another book publisher. That's unfortunate, because this book helped me in more ways than I can say thank you. I also think it was underpriced (for what that's worth, but that will be our little secret).

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not good preparation for the exam, January 18, 2004

By 

K. Burham (Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: CCNP CIT Exam Certification Guide (CCNP Self-Study, 642-831) (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)

I am a CCNP as well as a Cisco Academy Instructor. I've taken 7 Cisco tests and this is the worst preparation book I've encountered so far. My gripes with this book are:

(1)After properly studying this book you CAN NOT walk in to the exam with the absolute confidence that you will pass. You may pass, you may not. In my opinion this is unacceptable for an "Exam Certification Guide".

(2) Several items on the exam were not covered even briefly in the book. Aka, you will be blindsided by topics on the exam that the book doesn't mention.

(3) The included quiz CD-ROM has several defective questions. ie. the answer that is right in the book is wrong on the CD-ROM, the question asks you to view exhibit 1 where there isn't any, etc... Did no one at Cisco Press proofread each question at least once before finalizing the CD?

(4) The quiz CD-ROM supposedly contains 225 unique questions. In taking the 50 question practice exam 10+ times, I encountered only about 100 unique questions. It seems the same questions get asked again and again, making your answers more reflex than knowledge.

(5) The questions in the book and on the CD-ROM are much much simpler than those on the exam. They don't provide any indicator at all of if you are ready for the exam.

Please note that most of the reviews here contain the disclaimer, "This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title". The Exams and books do change drastically between versions, not always for the better.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A work of art, a must have for work and pass the exam !!, February 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Cisco CCNP Support Exam Certification Guide (With CD-ROM) (Hardcover)

I passed the CCNP Support Exam 640-506 on Feb 18 2001. I had purchased Amir Ranjbar's book 3 weeks ago,last week of Jan 2001. I also bought CORIOLIS support Exam Cram by Matthew Luallen. The following is what I did to pass the exam.

1. I read Mr. Ranjbar's book cover to cover 11 Chapters. Second time around I read the Q&A in each section and the Foundation Summary in each Chapter. ( Excellent layout ). Third time around I just paid attention to the screen print out of all commands, there are many and Mr. Ranjbar has done a great job of explaining various sections of the output. Great diagrams of the ISDN, Internal architecture of 7000 & 7500 series Routers, and troubleshooting scenarios. These are actual printouts of the commands just visualize you are looking at a screen on a PC, and you will be fine. This book is GREAT !!! on the job too, it is practical.

2. Tear out the cram sheet on the Coriolis exam cram book. it has 103 commands and brief description of each, this is imperative to know,laminate this sheet at office depot for one dollar. Keep this laminated sheet with you wherever you go, good for rush hour commute, waiting at Dentist's office etc. Keep looking at it every day, it will make sense in a week or so.

3. 3-4 days before the exam, just read the Coriolis book 13 short and easy reading fun chapters, take the exam at the end of the book, keep in mind that the actual exam is much more harder than that, fill in the blanks are great.

4. Take the exam on the test engine provided by Mr. Ranjbar's CD that comes with his book, keep taking the exam until you start getting above 90% and close to 100%. If you fllow the above directions, with discipline, dedication and hard work you can pass this exam too. Good Luck to You.