CCDA(R) Exam Certification Guide (CCDA Self-Study, 640-861) (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)

~ Anthony Bruno (Author), Jacqueline Kim (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Every partner company of Cisco Systems needs a number of Cisco-certified people on its staff. While the basic Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam will satisfy basic Cisco requirements, the Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) indicates more rigorous training and greater capability. Job applicants with CCDAs will outshine CCNAs every time. CCDA Exam Certification Guide will help you earn your CCDA rating, obviously, but goes beyond mere test preparation by explaining the concepts that govern the behavior of Cisco data networking equipment. Look in this book--authorized by Cisco, and written with the help of a number of its employees--for the background material you need in order to make sense of product manuals and command-line help.

The authors begin each chapter with a quiz that's meant to gauge your understanding of a subject (IPv6 addressing, for instance) and thereby help you spend your study time wisely. A reader who commits to working through a particular chapter is first presented with increasingly detailed information, beginning with general concepts and theories and ending with specific product details and procedures, where they're applicable. Chapters end with quizzes that contain questions in the style of the exam, and the book's final 10 percent or so is devoted to case studies that illustrate how the CCDA techniques taught elsewhere might be put into practice. Overall, CCDA Exam Certification Guide comes across as a careful and comprehensive treatment of the published CCDA exam objectives, and a volume that will reward diligent study. --David Wall

Topics covered: The subjects covered on the Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) exam (640-861). These include design methodologies, LAN and WAN design principles, addressing and routing, and integrated security.

Product Description

The official test preparation guide for the CCDA 640-861 DESGN exam

• Review topics in the CCDA 640-861 DESGN exam for comprehensive exam readiness
• Prepare with proven study tools like foundation summaries, and pre- and post-chapter quizzes to ensure mastery of the subject matter
• Get into test-taking mode with a CD-ROM testing engine containing over 200 questions that measure testing readiness and provide feedback on areas requiring further study

The first step in the Cisco Systems certification networking design track, CCDA (Cisco Certified Design Associate) certification requires that a candidate pass the CCDA 640-861 DESGN exam. CCDAs have the skills needed to determine customer requirements for security, scalability, and network management; design a network structure that meets customers' needs; identify how to build a network prototype; and link Cisco's products in an end-to-end manner.

CCDA Exam Certification Guide (CCDA Self-Study), Second Edition is designed for professional networkers and students who are pursuing CCDA certification. As such, the book will cover all the exam topics upon which candidates will be tested in this new version of the CCDA exam. Each chapter uses all the necessary components to help a reader prepare for the exam, including "Do I Know this Already" quizzes that assess knowledge; Foundation Summary sections that highlight essential concepts; exam topic lists for easy reference; and end-of-chapter review questions. The final chapter in the book contains scenarios that help readers prepare for the exam.

A companion CD-ROM contains more than 200 questions intended to provide testing preparation and feedback on areas for further study.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 696 pages
• Publisher: Cisco Press; 2 edition (October 17, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587200767
• ISBN-13: 978-1587200762
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #774,581 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a title with very few typos and errors!, February 29, 2000

By	Daniel Altbaum "Daniel Altbaum" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: CCDA Exam Certification Guide ((CP) CERTIFICATION) (Textbook Binding)

I was very impressed with the layout and content of this book. I was even more impressed with the lack of typos (except for a couple), normally found in so many Cisco Certification books.

I have read the Sybex "CCDA" book and the Cisco Press "Designing Cisco Networks" book cover to cover. This new CCDA book is straight to the point, clear and concise. I highly recommend it for CCDA exam preparation. The exam objectives are listed in each chapter, and the material follows the format nicely.

I can only hope that Cisco Press continues to put out books like this...clear and to the point!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It will get you started and/or a great review, January 18, 2004

By	"zephy316" (West Central, OH United States) - See all my reviews

Having recently taken the CCDA exam I was interested in seeing how the CCDA Self-Study Exam Certification Guide would have helped me in my preparations. What I found is that authors Bruno and Kim do a good job in covering most if not all the exam objectives. However, they lack in providing the depth of knowledge needed to adequately prepare an individual for the exam.

Typical of most Cisco Press self-study exam prep guides each chapter starts off with a "Do I Know This Already?" quiz. These do a wonderful job in providing the reader a quick way to gauge what they know in that particular area.

The chapters then proceed to the Foundation Topics, a Foundation Summary, and finally a Q&A section. I found that the majority of chapters do an adequate job in presenting the information you will need to not be totally lost on the exam.

Ok, now the crux of my evaluation. I don't believe I could use this book solely to study and pass the CCDA exam. The book provides an excellent introduction to all of the topics covered on the exam but just does not do so in as much depth as the exam requires.

One particular area is the area of network design and also network design methodology (chapters 1 and 2). The authors spend about 30 pages of text describing what about a third of the exams consist. Let me be honest here, those areas were ones that I struggled with, particularly discerning between a technical/business goal/restraint, so maybe I am jaded.

To be balanced, the material covering IPv6 was excellent in its minimalist approach. It was much easier to read than the 30 or so page whitepaper, "The ABC's of IPv6". Also the section on the Enterprise Composite Network model was concise and the diagrams were wonderful.

In general I think this book would be great to read as both an introduction to the material and also as a review the weekend before the exam. The case study in the last chapter gives you plenty of review material and a way to model what you might find in the real world. The CD containing the entire book in PDF format and 200 practice questions would also be helpfully in reviewing/preparing for the exam. The diagrams and illustrations are clear and help in digesting the material.

For my money, I don't think you can buy enough material to prepare for the CCDA exam. I am a CCNA, a CCDP, and a Cisco Voice specialist and found the CCDA exam to be one of the harder exams that I have taken from Cisco (Biochemistry has them all beat). This guide won't solely get you through the exam it will certainly help get you started and/or help you review.

I would also suggest Diane Teare's Cisco Press book CCDA Self-Study, Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (ISBN 1587051419) and Priscilla Oppenheimer's Top-Down Network Design (ISBN 1578700698) as books to also use in studying for the CCDA exam. They provide a much more in-depth coverage of most of the material.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth The Price Of Admission..., April 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: CCDA Exam Certification Guide ((CP) CERTIFICATION) (Textbook Binding)

This book is concise & well written, although you may want to read another book first (i.e. Todd Lammle's CCDA book) to get the in depth exposure, and then use this one to fine tune what you learned.

The CD was a great overview, although I didn't see many of the CD questions on the actual test. But then, that's not the way Cisco operates...use this book to learn the material, "apply" what you've learned on the test, and you'll do just fine.

And, yes...I did pass the test on my first try!