Amazon.com Review
The
CCNP Switching Exam Certification Guide is a fine study guide--and we say that because you'll definitely need to dig in your heels a bit to get the most out of this book, and it's not a primer by any means. But it's the next best thing you'll get to a Cisco class, and if you're prepared to put in your time on this book, it will reward you quite nicely.
The Exam Certification Guide maps closely to the exam objectives and covers them at about the level of depth you can expect to see on the exam--which is no surprise, given that it's written by Cisco. It's also written in a very dense, text-bookish style, and is much closer to an actual user manual than many of the "soft" test preparation books out there. Whether you view this as a plus or minus really depends on your point of view:
*If you're new to switching technology or are a book learner, you may see this book as hard to get through, since the usual "friendly" explanations and padded paragraphs are totally absent.
*If you're a tech who's looking for as much quick information as you can possibly get, or if you're passingly familiar with the tech to begin with, this book will be exactly what you're looking for.
Despite the brevity of what this book does, it explains things well and thoroughly. The writing is clear and concise, even when the concepts may not be, and the wealth of diagrams, flowcharts (this book is big on flowcharts and rightfully so), and tables help clarify and condense the information you need to know for the exam. And, because the information is coming from the horse's mouth, there are fewer technical errors than are usually present in even the best exam books.
If the book can be said to have a flaw for the serious techie, it's that this is a "learning" book, not a "testing" book. You'll definitely understand the concepts, but the questions at the end of each chapter are open-ended (as opposed to the multiple-choice questions you'll see at the testing centers) and don't necessarily prepare the reader for the pressure-cooker process of having to quickly choose between several similar-sounding answers with subtle distinctions. The book itself presents large masses of information without necessarily hinting at what sections are critical for passing the exam and which ones aren't. In that sense, the CCNP Switching Exam Certification Guide prepares you for real life but may fail you on the exam.
However, that's why we say that diligent preparation will save the day. Unlike other books, which focus exclusively on the "quick fix" solutions that get you through the exam but may cause you to make an idiot of yourself in real life, this book is concerned with the whole shebang. It takes more work to absorb the morass of information--but getting part of this book may ultimately be more useful than snarfing down entire, lesser, preparation guides. Recommended. --William Steinmetz
From the Back Cover
The official self-study test preparation guide for the Cisco CCNP and CCDP(r) Switching exam
Coverage of the CCNP/CCDP Switching exam topics enables you to identify and fill your knowledge gaps before the exam date. You'll learn how to:
* >Design, build, and maintain high-speed, multilayer switched networks running Fast and Gigabit Ethernet
* Define common workgroups and configure and manage Virtual LANs with VTP
* Utilize redundant switch links to increase campus network reliability
* Understand ATM and use LAN Emulation (LANE) technology for trunking
* Configure Catalyst(r) switches and Cisco routers to enable inter-VLAN routing, providing complete connectivity across the switched network
* Apply HSRP in the campus environment to provide load sharing and backup capabilities
* Understand and configure basic multicast networks, implementing services at each layer of the network to enable access to multicast groups
* Control network traffic with access policies
CCNP Switching Exam Certification Guide is a comprehensive self-study tool for the CCNP/CCDP(r) Switching exam. This exam evaluates your ability to build campus networks using multilayer switching technologies and to manage campus network traffic. This book covers all the major topics on the Switching exam, enabling you to master the concepts and technologies upon which you will be tested, including switched Ethernet, trunking, multicasting, multilayer switching, VLANs, ATM, LANE, inter-VLAN routing, HSRP, network traffic control, and monitoring and troubleshooting techniques.
Each chapter of CCNP Switching 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 Switching Exam Certification Guide is part of a recommended learning path from Cisco Systems(r) 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(r) Partners, please visit cisco/go/authorizedtraining.
Companion CD-ROM
This companion CD-ROM contains a test bank with over 200 practice questions.
