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Most Recent Articles
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- How To Excel In A Technical Job Interview
Ah, the technical interview. Nothing like it. Not only does it cause anxiety, but it causes anxiety for several different reasons.
How many people will be asking questions? From experience I can tell you there’s nothing like walking into a room and seeing nine people on the other side of the table. - How To Start Your Career In Information Technology
Many newcomers to Information Technology get an overly-optimistic picture of the field from tech school ads that continually make note that "an average MCSE salary is $80.000 a year!".
And if someone's thinking of getting into IT and goes on the internet to do some research, they're met with the opposite end of the spectrum - complaint after complaint about how much IT is a terrible field, you can't break in, there's no room for newcomers, etc. - Your Information Technology Career: Certification Vs. Experience
Whether you're just starting your Information Technology career, or wanting to get further ahead in your current IT career, you have probably thought about earning one of the many popular computer certifications such as the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification, or the MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) cert.
A major point of frustration for individuals pursuing one of these certifications is a possible lack of experience with these technologies. Many future CCNAs or MCSEs simply stop trying to earn their certification, feeling that their lack of experience will hold them back. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Tutorial: A Guide To Cable Types
When you're putting your CCNA and/or CCNP home lab together, you're not just buying routers and switches you're creating a blueprint for success. There is no better way to learn about how real Cisco routers and switches work than to work with the real thing!
Of course, it's not enough to just get the routers and switches you've got to have the right cables and other devices to allow them to communicate. Let's take a look at the different cables and connectors you need to know about when putting together your CCNA and CCNP home labs. - Your Information Technology Career: Beware The Comfort Zone
I've seen it happen time and again to programmers, network engineers and administrators, and other IT personnel. They get a solid IT position, a good-paying job, and they get comfortable. They stop keeping up with the latest technologies, they stop studying, they no longer keep their CCNA, MCSE, and other industry certifications up-to-date.... and then one day, their comfortable job is gone.
Maybe they get laid off, maybe the company moves and they don't want to move with it... but for one reason or another, they're in the worst position possible. They have no job, and they have allowed their IT skills to deteriorate to the point where they are no longer employable.
If you're in IT, you must be constantly learning. You must continually take the long view, and ask yourself three important questions. First, where do you want to be in three years? Second, what are you doing now in order to reach this goal? And finally, if you were laid off today, are your current skills sharp enough to quickly get another job? - Three Ways To Jumpstart Your It Career
We all get stuck in ruts from time to time, and that happens on the job as well. You've thought about doing something different with your information technology career, but just haven't quite gotten around to it yet. Sound familiar?
You can make 2006 the best year yet for your IT career. There are several simple steps you can take to accelerate your career - but you have to take the step, not just think about it! - How To Start A Career In The Computer Field
If you're considering a career working in Information Technology - a fancy way of saying "working with computers" - congratulations! I can tell you from personal experience that it's one of the best decisions you'll ever make. I can also tell you from personal experience that it is never too late to begin!
I started my IT career 10 years ago, and it was a tough decision. I was 34 years old, and really knew next to nothing about computers. I decided to attend a technical school to get my career started, and it was the best decision I've ever made. Ten years later, I write ebooks and teach classes dealing with different facets of networking, I’ve earned the most difficult computer certification in the world, and I've never been happier. The same thing can happen for you. - Starting Your Career In Information Technology - Or Accelerating Your Current One !
Many newcomers to the IT field are surprised when they find out it's tougher to get that first job than they thought it would be. I know exactly what that's like. I've had a great career in IT and I'd recommend it to anyone, but I had a tough time breaking in as well. I'd like to share some tips with you on how to get started on what can be a financially rewarding and personally satisfying career in Information Technology.
School systems are a great place to start. A lot of newcomers forget that schools around the world need IT personnel to support school networks, printers, etc. I began my career with a public school system and it was the best move I could ever have made. If you land such a job, you'll be doing everything from unjamming printers to supporting the school's Local Area Network (LAN). You get experience that is going to look great on your resume - you'll have a big advantage over those whose job responsibilities are narrower. You won't make a lot of money, but what you need at the beginning of your career is experience, not money. Which brings me to my second point .... - Computer Careers: Getting Your First Job
The hardest part of getting a computer career started is just that - getting started! For many career changers, the first step in a rewarding career in IT is attending a tech school such as ECPI or ITT Tech, and then it's off to the job hunt.
When it comes to the difficulties you can face getting that first job, I speak from experience. Today, I possess the world's most valuable computer certification and own my own computer training company, but the beginning of my career was very, very difficult. Just getting an interview when you're looking for your first computer job is tough, but I'm also living proof that it can be done and you can go on to a great career. - Computer Jobs: How To Figure Out What Your Career Speciality Should Be
Making the decision to pursue a computer career is a great choice. I can vouch for that personally -it's the most important career decision I have ever made. Having said that, I know from experience that it can be hard to decide which computer job to pursue! Many of you are attending or thinking of attending a tech school such as ITT Tech or ECPI, and once you get started you may be overwhelmed at the number of fields you can enter from there.
Should you specialize in Microsoft networking software, or email programs, or Novell, or Cisco, or Linux, or network security, or voice over IP, or….? The list goes on and on. I faced a similar decision when I attended a computer school. I took some programming classes, and while they helped me understand computer logic, it just wasn't what I wanted to do for a living. Then I took a networking class and I just knew that's what I wanted to do. - Computer Careers And Training Schools: Building A Network Of Contacts
Almost all computer schools and colleges have some sort of job placement assistance (and you should ask about this before signing up!). The people who work in these departments work very hard to get your computer career started and get you into your first job in the computer field, but you shouldn't leave it all up to them. You need to know how to build two kinds of networks to get ahead in IT - the physical kind that carries packets, and the personal kind that can get you hired and get you ahead.
When it comes to getting that first computer job, you have to show initiative. Don't just send a pile of resumes out and expect the phone to ring off the hook. If you're attending a computer training school, you have two great resources to draw on in your job search. First, schedule an interview with someone in the job placement assistance department. Ask them what you can do to help them get your computer career started. Showing initiative will also help you stand out from the crowd, and there's nothing wrong with that. - Computer Careers: Your First Job And Salary Hype
Computer careers can be highly lucrative, and I'll be the first to say that starting a career in information technology is one of the smartest decisions I ever made. Most computer training schools and tech schools are realistic with you about the kind of money you can make in getting started, but occasionally I still hear radio ads for schools using a salary survey or "average salary" as a recruiting tool.
This is in no way meant to talk you out of starting a career in computers, but keep in mind that the average salary survey in no way reflects the kind of money you should expect to make when starting out in IT. One recent survey I read reflected an average salary of $70,000 a year. While you can certainly make that kind of money in a computer career - and frankly, you can make even more - there are so many other factors involved in an "average salary" that I'd go as far to say that there really isn't such a thing as an average salary. Salaries are affected by your geographic location, your certification, your education, and your job role. - Ebay Home Business Tutorial: Is Creating Ebooks With Adobe Professional A Good Idea?
In my previous eBay auction tutorials, I talked about how someone - a lot of someones - are willing to pay for your knowledge, whether it's a soup recipe, bowling tips, or just about anything!
Selling ebooks means that you don't have to spend a lot of money for inventory, and you can "deliver" your ebooks via email immediately after someone purchases them, which is a very big selling point. What you do have to decide upon is the format in which you're going to create your ebooks. As I mentioned in my last eBay auction tutorial, using a word processor program such as Microsoft Word isn't a good choice, since this allows a buyer to share your ebook with anyone they choose - and that takes money out of your pocket! - Ebay Auction Home Business Tutorial: Creating Ebooks With Ebook Pro
In past eBay tutorials, we talked about how people on eBay are willing to pay to learn what you already know - and the best way to convey (and sell!) that information to them is through an electronically delivered book, or "ebook". When a customer purchases your ebook, you just email it to them, and you're done!
We talked about using Microsoft Word and Adobe Professional to create ebooks, and the pros and cons of each. I've been writing ebooks for almost three years, and while these two products are good, they have their limitations. The best program I've come across yet to write your own ebooks is a product called Ebook Pro. - Ebay Auction Home Business Tutorial: Avoid This Common Listing Error
My previous eBay auction tutorials have focused on deciding what to sell, and for how much. These are obviously important decisions, but there's one more vital part of your eBay auction posting that we've got to discuss - and that's the content of your auction listing!
Whether you're selling your own ebook of soup recipes or old soup labels, the sale itself all comes down to the listing you write. After all, the listing is the initial interaction you have with potential buyers, and it doesn't get any more important than that! - An Introduction To Microsoft Vista Business
As I'm sure you already know, Microsoft Vista is on the way! Microsoft projects that all five versions of Vista will be available by mid-2006, and if that holds this will be the longest time period ever between versions of Windows.
Yes, that's right - I said "all five versions". Microsoft says that past versions of their OS, such as Windows XP, were based more on hardware type than how people actually used their PCs. MS says that this will not be the case with Vista, and to that end they're going to offer two separate versions of Vista to businesses and two to home PC users. In this article, we’ll take a quick overview of Microsoft Vista Business features. - Microsoft Vista News: Downloads, Extended Xp Support, And One Billion Dollars
There’s been quite a bit of news regarding Microsoft Vista downloads and options lately, so here's a quick recap for you!
In the past, Microsoft has supported an OS version for two years after releasing a new one. CNN’s website has reported that MS has announced that they will offer what they call “extended support” for XP for five years after the initial two-year support ends in 2009. What’s the catch? The extended support will cost you. No exact fees have been released, but MS reports they expect most support in that five-year period to carry a fee. - Starting Your Own Ebay Business: The Perils Of Creating Ebooks With Microsoft Word
In my previous eBay auction tutorial, I talked about my personal guarantee to you that you know something that someone on eBay is willing to pay to learn. Whether it's soup recipes, technical knowledge, fishing tips, or something else, I guarantee you can start an eBay home business just by writing about something you know about. No inventory, no huge startup costs - just writing! And when someone buys your electronic book, or "ebook", you just email it to them as an attachment - so you can sell to anyone in the world without any trips to the post office!
You've got to be careful about how you create this ebook, though, because the easier way may be eating into your profits without you knowing about it. - Getting Started With Ebay: The Best Thing To Sell In Ebay Auctions Is....
When people find out that I own several home-based businesses, they always ask what I do. When I mention eBay, I can see their eyes light up, because everyone wants to know how to start making money with eBay auctions!
I then mention a few of the things I sell on eBay, and since it has to do with computers, I can actually see their shoulders sag a bit and think "well, that's fine for you, but what about me?" - Ebay Auction Home Business Tutorial: Do Your Research!
In past eBay auction tutorials, we've talked about how there are people just waiting out there to buy you knowledge, and the best way to sell it to them is through writing ebooks. But whether you're going to sell ebooks or CDs, you need to do some research before diving in and selling. I know you're excited about starting your own eBay home business, but spending a nickel's worth of time on research can save you dollars worth of regret later.
Before you post your first item up for sale, search for related topics on eBay to see what your competitors are selling. If you're going to write an ebook full of fishing tips, use eBay Search to look for other items with "fishing tips" in the title, or maybe even just "fishing". The eBay Search window can be found in the upper right of the main eBay page (www.ebay.com), and on every other page on the site! - Ebay Auction Home Business Tutorial: Don't Charge Too Much...or Too Little!
In my last few eBay auction tutorials, we talked about what you can sell to make money on eBay and start your own home business. But whether it's an ebook packed with your favorite recipes or custom coffee cups, one of the most important decisions you have to make is the price of your item.
As we all know, the highest bidder in an eBay auction wins the item. There's also a "Buy It Now" feature on Ebay you can use to sell your item for a set price rather than auctioning it off, and that's the way I sell all of my items. If you use "Buy It Now", the purchaser can decide to pay your asking price and purchase the item immediately, rather than having to wait for the end of the auction. - Ebay Auction Home Business Tutorial: Registering As An Ebay Seller
ast eBay auction home business tutorials have concentrated on deciding what to sell, what price to charge, what payment methods to accept...but once we've decided on all of this, we've got to go out to eBay and create an account!
Starting an account on eBay is a simple process, and even better, it's free! If you're 18 or older and you've got Internet access, you can have an active eBay account in just minutes. Just go to www.ebay.com, click on "Register Now", and you're off! - Ebay Auction Home Business Tutorial: Start Low To Sell High!
I sell items on eBay and enjoy teaching others how to make money with eBay auctions, but I admit to doing my fair share of buying, too. Recently I found a few items I wanted to add to my collection, and even though I knew the items would go for several hundred dollars, I noticed the seller began the auction price at 99 cents. Is this a good idea?
Turns out that it's an excellent idea. A recent study performed by the London Business School and two professors from Northwestern University proved that items that were posted with an opening price of one penny actually ended up selling at "significantly higher" prices than auctions for the same item that began at higher prices. - Cisco Certification: Becoming A Truly Valuable Ccna
I've been active in the Cisco Certification track for four years, working my way from the CCNA to the coveted Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert title, and during that time I've conducted job interviews and casual conversations with hundreds of CCNAs and CCNA candidates.
The CCNA is an exciting beginning to your Cisco career, but just having the certification simply isn't enough. A recruiter or interviewer isn't going to be impressed just with the cert you've got to have some real-world knowledge to back it up. - Cisco Certification: Making A Good Impression In Your Job Interview
Okay, you did it! You earned your Cisco Certified Network Associate certification.
Now what? - Cisco Certification: Introduction To Isdn
From the CCNA to the CCIE, ISDN is one of the most important technolgies you'll work with. It's also very common in the field ISDN is frequently used as a backup connection in case an organization's Frame Relay connections go down. Therefore, it's important to know ISDN basics not only for your particular exam, but for job success.
ISDN is used between two Cisco routers that have BRI or PRI interfaces. Basically, with ISDN one of the routers places a phone call to the other router. It is vital to understand not only what causes one router to dial another, but what makes the link go down. - Computer Certification: Four Tips For Maximum Performance During The Exam
There are plenty of articles out there about how to prepare for a computer certification exam. However, there are also things you can do to increase your chances of success on exam day during the most important part of the entire process -- the time that you're actually taking the test.
I've taken many a certification exam over the years, and helped many others prep for theirs. Here are the five things you must do on exam day to maximize your efforts. - Cisco Certification: Learning To Navigate Cisco's Online Documentation
When studying for your Cisco CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE exam, you’ve got a powerful online weapon at your disposal. It’s Cisco Connection Documentation, found at www.cisco.com/univercd. This site contains product, code, and protocol documentation for all Cisco products.
Many exam candidates really don’t start using this powerful tool until they’re studying for their more advanced exams. However, it’s important for CCNAs, CCNPs, and candidates for these certifications to learn their way around this site. It comes in handy for finding default values that Cisco really enjoys asking about on exams, and the protocol documentation found there can help you study as well. - Cisco Certification: The Importance Of Building Your Own Home Lab
CCNAs and CCNA candidates hear it all the time: “Get some hands-on experience”. From my personal experience climbing the Cisco certification ladder, I can tell you firsthand that there is no learning like hands-on learning. No simulator in the world is going to give you the experience you will get cabling and configuring your own routers.
Whenever I mention this to one of my students, they always say it costs too much. The truth is, it is cheaper now to build your own CCNA and CCNP lab than it has ever been. The secret? Used routers. - Cisco Certification: Don't Depend On Practice Exams
Ask a CCNA candidate how they’re preparing for exam day, and you’ll get different answers. Different books, different websites, different practice exams.
One trend I’ve noticed is that some candidates answer the question by reeling off the number and names of the practice exams they’ve purchased. Basically, the candidate is studying by taking a lot of practice exams. And in some cases, I mean a lot of them. - Configuring Basic Cisco Router Security
Network security is a hot topic today, and will only increase in importance in the months and years ahead.
While most of the attention is paid to exterior threats, there are some steps you can take to prevent unwanted Cisco router access from within your organization. - Cisco Certification: Don't Overreact To Exam Version Changes
Whenever a Cisco exam version changes, there's always a lot of chatter about it on the web. The CCNA exams are no exception.
One comment I see often goes like this: " I hear Cisco is going to change Intro / ICND / CCNA exam versions soon, so I'm not going to start studying yet. I'll wait until the new exam comes out." - Cisco Certification: Putting Together Your Own Home Practice Lab
CCNA and CCNP candidates hear it all the time: “Get some hands-on experience”. From my personal experience climbing the Cisco certification ladder, I can tell you firsthand that there is no learning like hands-on learning. No simulator in the world is going to give you the experience you will get cabling and configuring your own routers.
Whenever I mention this to one of my students, they always say it costs too much. The truth is, it is cheaper now to build your own CCNA and CCNP lab than it has ever been. The secret? Used routers. - What To Expect When Taking Your First Cisco Certification Exam
Cisco Certification: Taking Your First Certification Exam
You’ve studied hard you’ve practiced your configurations you’ve used your flash cards over and over again and finally, the big day is here. Your first certification exam! - Cisco Certification: A Survival Guide To The Cisco Cable Jungle
One of the most confusing parts of beginning your Cisco studies is keeping all the cable types separate in your mind, and then remembering what they’re used for. This often occurs when a CCNA or CCNP candidate starts putting together their own home practice lab, and they suddenly realize that they have the equipment to run labs, but not the cables.
With this in mind, here are some common Cisco cable types and their primary use. - Five Questions To Ask Before Attending A Computer Tech School
As with any field, there are good technical training schools, and bad ones. When you sign up with one of these schools, you’ve made a significant investment in time and money. You deserve to know everything about the school and your job prospects after leaving that school before you put down your hard-earned money. The problem is, sometimes it’s hard to know the right questions to ask.
The point of this article is not to bash technical training schools. That’s how I got my start in IT eight years ago, and today I’m a CCIE™ and own my own Cisco training company and my own consulting firm. - Cisco Ccna Certification: The Importance Of Hands-on Practice
CCNA and CCNP candidates hear it all the time: “you have to get some hands-on experience to pass the exams”.
Candidates tend to think that’s just so they can solve the simulator problems, but that’s only the more obvious reason. - Cisco Ccna Certification: The Importance Of The Osi Model
There's nothing I enjoy more than teaching Cisco technologies, especially CCNA candidates. Whether it's in-person or online, everyone's excited to be there. There's a sense of anticipation in the air, and everyone is ready to work hard, get their hands on the racks of Cisco routers and switches I
have available...
... and then I break out the OSI model chart. Chins slump. People sigh, or at least wish they hadn't ordered decaf that morning. - The Hidden Benefit Of Computer Certifications
The web is covered with stories regarding the benefits of professional computer certification, and most of them are backed up with salary surveys and the like. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with making more money and having better job prospects, there’s one benefit of certification that many candidates forget about.
Confidence. - Cisco Certification: Suggested Home Lab Setups
When you make the decision to put your own home lab together for your CCNA and CCNP studies (a very wise decision, if I may say so!), the hardest part is figuring out how to spend your budget. Do you spend it all on the routers and go with a cheaper 1900 switch, knowing that the 640-801 (CCNA), 640-821 (Intro), and 640-811 (ICND) exams now place a premium on knowing the ins and outs of a 2950 switch? Do you buy a frame relay switch? Do you buy an access server?
One factor to keep in mind when you're starting to put your lab together is that you don't have to put it all together at one time. With some careful planning, you've got a lab that you can use for your Intro studies, perhaps add a router or two for ICND study, and then some more devices for your CCNP study. - Cisco Certification: Ccna Certifcation Faq
When you start your CCNA studies, a lot of questions come to mind! Here are the five most common questions CCNA candidates have, answered by Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933.
Q. What exams do I have to take to get my CCNA? - Cisco Certification: The Most Important Study You'll Ever Do Is....
All of us are familiar with the pyramids of Egypt. These magnificent structures have stood for thousands of years, withstanding extreme heat and other factors that would bring down an ordinary structure.
When we look at these pyramids, we instinctively look toward the peak. We tend to do the same with the Cisco Learning Pyramid. If you're not familiar with this, Cisco uses a pyramid to illustrate how the CCIE is at the peak of the Cisco certification structure, with the CCNP in the middle and the CCNA at the bottom. - Mcse? Ccna? Choosing The Right Computer Certification For Your Career
When you’re choosing which computer certification to pursue next, you should also be formulating a plan for your career. Your time is precious, and you should never choose to pursue a certification because it’s “hot”. There are some hard questions you should ask yourself before deciding to pursue the CCNA, CCNP, CCVP, CCSP, CCIE, MSCE, or any of the many other vendor certifications that are out there.
Why do I want this certification? - Cisco Routing: "ip Default-network" Vs. Default Static Routes
One point of confusion for some CCNA and CCNP candidates is the difference between configuring a static default route and using the Cisco routing command ip default-network.
At first glance, they appear to do the same thing. Both configure a destination to which packets should be routed if there is no more specific route in the routing table. - Cisco Home Lab Tutorial: Buying And Building A Frame Relay Switch
One of the major topics on your CCNA and CCNP exams is Frame Relay. Additionally, Frame Relay is one of the most popular WAN technolgies in today's networks. Getting hands-on experience with Frame Relay in Cisco networks isn't just a good idea, it's a necessity. Let's face it, your employer is going to get a little touchy if you start experimenting with your network's Frame Relay setup.
To practice all your important Frame Relay commands for your exams, you need a working Frame Relay cloud in your home lab. A production network's Frame cloud consists of a lot of Frame switches, but if you choose wisely, a single Cisco router can act as your home lab's entire Frame cloud! - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Tutorial: Buying And Configuring An Access Server
A Cisco access server is generally the last item a CCNA or CCNP candidate has on their mind when they're putting together a home lab. The thinking tends to be that since this router isn't really doing anything in the production part of your practice lab, it's not really important.
Once you have more than two devices in your home lab, though, you'll realize that constantly moving the console cable around from one router to another gets very tiresome. That's what an access server does for a home lab - it allows you to connect your PC to a single device when working in your home lab, with no need to constantly disconnect and reconnect the console cable. The console cable will be connected directly to the access server, and the access server is connected to all the other devices in your home lab. Once you start working with one, you'll wonder how you got along without it! - Cisco Routing For The Ccna And Ccnp: Administrative Distance
The textbook definition of "administrative distance" is simple enough: "the measurement of a protocol's believability". It's not enough to know the definition, however you've got to know when AD comes into the picture and when it does not.
When a packet needs to be routed, the router looks in its routing table for the next-hop IP address the packet should take to get to the destination. There may be more than one matching path, in which case the router will look for the "longest match". The route that has the longest match - the route with the most bits in the mask set to "1" - will be the route that is used. - The Future Of Computer Certification Exams
The format and difficulty of computer certification exams is constantly changing. When I took my first certification exam (Novell NetWare 3.1x CNA, January 1997), there was no such thing as a simulator question, and my practical skills really were not tested. The exams then were much heavier on memorization.
One factor that helped make up for that was that the Novell exams were adaptive. If you missed a question on a particular topic, you would continue to be asked questions about that topic until you got it right. You couldn't afford to be weak in any topic, because the exam would most likely find that out and keep hitting you with questions on that topic until you failed. - Keeping Calm On Ccna / Ccnp Exam Day
When you wake up on exam day, one of two things is going to happen. Well, yes, you're going to pass or fail. But what I'm thinking of comes before that, and has a lot to do with how you perform on exam day.
You're either going to have a tremendous feeling of anticipation or the dreaded feeling of being nervous about it. - Cisco Certification: In What Order Should You Take Your Ccnp Exams ?
When you choose to pursue your Cisco Certified Network Professional certification, you've got some decisions to make right at the beginning. Cisco offers a three-exam path and a four-exam path, and you select the order in which you'll take and pass the exams.
While every CCNP candidate has to make their own decision, I'd like to share some thoughts based on my personal experience and the experiences of CCNPs worldwide. - Taking A Look At Cisco's Ccvp Certification
I hardly have to tell you how important voice technologies are in today's networks; what we all need to keep in mind to maximize our career potential is how important knowing voice is going to be tomorrow.
We've always got to look forward in IT, both in our work and out studies. Cisco, always the pioneer in technical certifications, now offers a Cisco Certified Voice Professional certification that is gaining a lot of attention from IT professionals looking to add to their skills and their resume. - Securing Your Network And Your Career With Cisco's Ccsp Certification
You don't need me to tell you that security is the #1 concern in today's networks. With that in mind, your career path must include some security certifications, or you will be left behind.
Cisco's Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) certification demands a candidate be well-rounded and well-versed in Cisco security measures. Besides the difficultly we've all come to expect from a Cisco exam, this five-exam path covers every major aspect of network security (from Cisco's viewpoint, anyway!) - Passing The Ccna And Ccnp: Home Lab Shopping On Ebay
Whether you're just getting ideas for your Cisco home lab or adding to your existing lab, ebay is a great place to get ideas for your lab as well as pick up some great bargains.
Of course, the internet being what it is, there are always going to be a few people looking to take your money while shipping you inferior merchandise, or worse, no merchandise at all. While these "dealers" are in the minority, you still need to be careful when purchasing Cisco equipment on ebay. In this article, I'll give you several tips on browsing ebay ads for home lab ideas, and a few things to look out for when purchasing equipment on ebay.
For those of you just starting your Cisco certification pursuit, the idea of purchasing a home lab kit -- a set of routers, switches, and perhaps some cables and study guides -- seems like a good idea. Instead of putting your lab together one piece at a time, these kits allow you to get a head start on your studies. - Passing The Ccna And Ccnp: Three Myths About Cisco Exams
One of the drawbacks to the Internet is that it allows myths and "friend of a friend" stories to spread quickly, and usually the story becomes more exaggerated as it's passed along. Cisco exams are no exception. Here are three often-repeated myths and exaggerations regarding the CCNA and CCNP exams.
1. The survey you fill out before the exam determines the questions you'll get. Before you actually start your exam, Cisco presents you with a survey asking how you prepared and how comfortable you feel with certain technologies. It's a little awkward to rate yourself on Frame Relay, ISDN, etc., especially since the exam you're about to take covers those subjects. It's human nature to think that these questions impact your exam, but they do not. - How To Earn Cisco’s Firewall Specialist Certification
Security is a hot topic in today's networks, and will continue to be for a long time to come. With that in mind, you must consider adding a Cisco security certification to your resume and firewall skills to your skill set.
It's quite a jump from the CCNA to the CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional), and Cisco has made that leap more manageable by adding Specialist certifications. These certifications can give quite a boost to both your resume and your skill set, and act as a great "stepping stone" to the CCSP. - Passing The Ccna And Ccnp: Cisco Home Lab Faq
There is a real revolution today among CCNA and CCNP candidates. More and more of you are turning your back on "router simulators" and putting your own CCNA and/or CCNP Home Lab together, which is the best way to totally prepare to pass these tough Cisco exams.
I get hundreds of emails every month from CCNA and CCNP candidate who are putting together their first lab or adding to their existing one. I'm always glad to help with suggestions, and I thought I'd list five common questions regarding home labs here. - Passing Your Ccna And Ccnp: Configuring And Troubleshooting Router-on-a-stick
For CCNA and CCNP candidates, it's hard not to laugh the first time you hear the phrase "router on a stick". Let's face it, that's a pretty silly term. But as those who have passed the CCNA and CCNP exams know, this is a vital exam topic that you must know how to configure and troubleshoot.
Basic Cisco theory states that for hosts in different VLANs to communicate, a Layer 3 device must be involved to handle the routing between the VLANs. That device is a router, and there are special considerations that must be taken into account for both the physical router itself and the configuration you'll be writing. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab: Why You Need An Isdn Simulator
ISDN is a vital topic for today's CCNA and CCNP candidates, especially for the ICND and Intro exams - you've got to know ISDN inside and out to pass those exams. Naturally you want to include it in your home lab. What many candidates don't realize is that you can't connect two Cisco routers directly via their Basic Rate Interface (BRI) interfaces you've got to have another device between them called an ISDN simulator.
An ISDN simulator is not one of those software programs pretending to be routers ("router simulators") this is a piece of hardware that acts as the telephone company in your home lab. Older simulators come with preprogrammed phone numbers and SPIDs, where newer ones let you program the phone numbers you want to use. Either way, an ISDN simulator is great for your CCNA/CCNP home lab, because you can practice dial scenarios that actually work. And you get to troubleshoot the ones that don't, which is also important to learn! ) - Passing The Cisco Ccna Exam: An Illustrated Guide To Router Modes
When you're getting started on your CCNA studies, learning the different router modes is key to passing your Intro and ICND exams. But keeping those modes straight can be very difficult. (At least it was for me!) Let's take a look at the various router modes you'll need to know about to pass your CCNA, and use IOS Help to illustrate the different uses of each mode.
The first mode you'll see on a router (if the person before you logged off as they should have) is user exec mode. This is also the default mode a user is placed into when using Telnet to connect to a router. The prompt will look like this: - Passing Cisco Ccna And Ccnp Exams: Ping And Extended Ping
I often tell CCNA and CCNP candidates that you do your best learning when you screw something up. I often get a funny look right after I say that, but the only way to develop your Cisco troubleshooting skills - the skills you'll need to pass your Intro, ICND, and CCNP exams - is by actually fixing configurations. Since your employer will take a dim view of you practicing these skills on his or her network, you better do so on your home lab!
Three essential tools for networking and CCNA/CCNP exam success are ping, extended ping, and traceroute. Today we're going to take a look at the ping that we're used to using for LAN issues, and the extended ping.
We're all familiar with "basic" ping, where you use the ping command followed by the IP address you want to confirm IP connectivity with. When you've got connectivity, you will see five exclamation points, as seen here: - Passing Cisco’s Ccna And Ccnp Exams: Traceroute
In preparation for your CCNA and CCNP exam success, you've got to learn to troubleshoot Cisco routers. And while ping is a great basic IP connectivity tool, it doesn't give you all the information you need to diagnose network connectivity issues.
Let's say you have six routers between CityA and CityB. You send a ping from A to B, and get this return: - Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Tutorial: The Vlan.dat File
CCNA and CCNP candidates who have their own Cisco home labs often email me about an odd situation that occurs when they erase a switch's configuration. Their startup configuration is gone, as they expect, but the VLAN and VTP information is still there!
Sounds strange, doesn't it? Let's look at an example. On SW1, we run show vlan brief and see in this abbreviated output that there are three additional vlans in use: - Passing Cisco's Ccna And Ccnp Exams: Five Tips For Exam Day Success
As you get ready to pass the CCNA or CCNP exams, you can feel quite a bit of stress as you enter your last week of study. Let's take a look at a few ways to reduce that stress.
1. Do not stay up late cramming. The CCNA and CCNP are not exams you're going to pass by cramming. "Cramming" is a study technique best left behind in junior high school. The CCNA can't be passed by memorization - you've got to know how Cisco technologies work. That leads us to the second point... - Passing The Ccna And Ccnp Exams: Setup Mode
CCNA and CCNP candidates need to know all about Setup Mode, why a router goes into that mode, and as you'll see, how to get out of that mode. Practicing Setup Mode at work is a good way to get fired, though, so you need to practice this on your CCNA / CCNP home lab or rack rental. In this article, we'll take a look at a Cisco 2500 router going into setup mode and a few tips that will help you pass the exams and excel at your job.
First, why does a router go into Setup Mode in the first place? When a Cisco router boots up, the router looks into Non-Volatile RAM (NVRAM) for the startup configuration file. If such a file is not found, and the router has not been programmed to look to a TFTP server for this file, the router enters setup mode. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Certification: How And Why To Build An Etherchannel
CCNA and CCNP candidates are well-versed in Spanning-Tree Protocol, and one of the great things about STP is that it works well with little or no additional configuration. There is one situation where STP works against us just a bit while it prevents switching loops, and that is the situation where two switches have multiple physical connections.
You would think that if you have two separate physical connections between two switches, twice as much data could be sent from one switch to the other than if there was only one connection. STP doesn't allow this by default, however in an effort to prevent switching loops from forming, one of the paths will be blocked. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Certification: Ospf E2 Vs. E1 Routes
OSPF is a major topic on both the CCNA and CCNP exams, and it's also the topic that requires the most attention to detail. Where dynamic routing protocols such as RIP and IGRP have only one router type, a look at a Cisco routing table shows several different OSPF route types.
R1#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area
N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2
E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2, E - EGP
In this tutorial, we'll take a look at the difference between two of these route types, E1 and E2.
Route redistribution is the process of taking routes learned via one routing protocol and injecting those routes into another routing domain. (Static and connected routes can also be redistributed.) When a router running OSPF takes routes learned by another routing protocol and makes them available to the other OSPF-enabled routers it's communicating with, that router becomes an Autonomous System Border Router (ASBR).
Let's work with an example where R1 is running both OSPF and RIP. R4 is in the same OSPF domain as R1, and we want R4 to learn the routes that R1 is learning via RIP. This means we have to perform route redistribution on the ASBR. The routes that are being redistributed from RIP into OSPF will appear as E2 routes on R4:
R4#show ip route ospf
O E2 5.1.1.1 [110/20] via 172.34.34.3, 00:33:21, Ethernet0
6.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets - What Certification Should You Pursue After The Ccna ?
Once you've got your CCNA, you're ready to move on to the next level, the Professional certifications. For years, Cisco had one Professional certification, the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification. Over time, Cisco has expanded this level of certifications to include the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) and Cisco Certified Voice Professional (CCVP).
With security and voice being the two most rapidly expanding areas of today's networks, some new CCNAs consider going after the CCSP or CCVP without first adding the CCNP to their resume. - Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Tutorial: Assembling Your Cisco Home Lab
A CCNA or CCNP candidate who wants to be totally prepared for their exams is going to put together a home lab to practice on. With used Cisco routers and switches more affordable and plentiful then ever before, there's really no excuse to not have one!
With the many different models available, there is some understandable confusion among future CCNAs and CCNPs about which routers to buy and which ones to avoid. You can take almost any set of Cisco routers and put together a home lab; part of the learning process is taking what equipment you have available and putting together your own lab! For those of you preparing to start your home lab or add to your existing one, this article will list the routers I use in my Cisco pods. You certainly don't have to have all this equipment, but this will give you some good ideas on how to get started. - Tips On Buying A Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Kit
Buying a CCNA / CCNP home lab is the best way to be totally prepared for your Cisco exams. Most home labs are put together one router or switch at a time, but many CCNA / CCNP candidates prefer to buy kits where you get multiple routers and switches, along with all the cables and other connection devices you'll need.
While this is a good idea, keep a few things in mind when purchasing Cisco home lab kits. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Tutorial: Home Lab Assembly Case Study
Part of your CCNA / CCNP education is deciding what network topology to use when you're putting together your home lab. Some of you are starting with one or two routers or switches, while others are starting with more. A customer recently sent me a list of his Cisco routers and switches that he has available for a home lab and asked for my help in coming up with the best way to use them.
There is no "right" or "wrong" answer to this question; again, part of the learning process is configuring and reconfiguring the physical topology of your lab. Let's look at the routers and switches he has available, including the interfaces on each, and come up with one possible CCNA / CCNP home lab setup. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Labs: Developing Troubleshooting Skills
CCNA / CCNP candidates are going to be drilled by Cisco when it comes to troubleshooting questions. You're going to have to be able to analyze configurations to see what the problem is (and if there is a problem in the first place), determine the meaning of different debug outputs, and show the ability not just to configure a router or switch, but troubleshoot one.
That's just as it should be, because CCNAs and CCNPs will find themselves doing a lot of troubleshooting in their careers. Troubleshooting isn't something that can just be learned from a book; you've got to have some experience working with routers and switches. The only real way to learn how to troubleshoot is to develop that ability while working on live equipment. - Computer Certification: Become A Utility Player
In baseball, a "utility player" is one who plays more than one position. These players are usually backups, but they have a job in the major leagues because of their value to the team; since they can play more than one position, they have that much more value to their employer.
Too often in IT, workers become either LAN or WAN engineers, knowing little if anything about the other side. Many LAN administrators I worked with knew little about routing and switching, while many WAN engineers I knew not only didn't know much about the LAN side of their network, but they didn't want to know anything about the servers! - Cisco Certification: Recertifying Your Ccna And Ccnp
Once you get your CCNA and CCNP, you can't just rest on your accomplishment. You've got to continue to study and add to your skill set - and then prove to Cisco you've been doing just that by recertifying.
Recertification sounds like a pain, but it's actually one of the best things to ever happen to computer certification, and it helps your career as well. One trap many LAN and WAN personnel fall into is that they fail to keep up with changes in technology, and if they happen to be laid off or want to change jobs, they're unable to because they didn't keep their skill set up. - Cisco Ccna Certification: Broadcasts, Unicasts, And Multicasts
When you begin your CCNA studies, you get hit with a lot of different networking terms right away that you might not be familiar with. What makes it a little more confusing is that a lot of these terms sound a lot alike. Here, we're going to discuss the differences between broadcasts, multicasts, and unicasts at both the Data Link (Layer 2) and Network (Layer 3) layers of the OSI model.
A broadcast is simply a unit of information that every other device on the segment will receive. A broadcast is indicated by having every bit of the address set to its highest possible value. Since a hexadecimal bit's highest value is "f", a hexadecimal broadcast is ff-ff-ff-ff-ff-ff (or FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF, as the upper case does not affect hex value). The CCNA exam will demand you be very familiar with hex conversions, so if you're not comfortable with these conversions, get comfortable with them before taking the exam! - Cisco Ccnp Certification: Using The Bgp Command “update-source”
When you start preparing for your CCNP exam, particularly the BSCI exam, you're introduced to Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) configurations. BGP is unlike any protocol you learned during your CCNA studies, and even the similarities are a little bit different!
BGP forms neighbor relationships, much like EIGRP and OSPF do. The interesting thing with BGP is that potential neighbors, or "peers", do not need to be directly connected and can use their loopback interfaces to form the peer relationships. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Certification: Introduction To Bgp Attributes
BGP is one of the most complex topics you'll study when pursuing your CCNP, if not the most complex. I know from personal experience that when I was earning my CCNP, BGP is the topic that gave me the most trouble at first. One thing I keep reminding today's CCNP candidates about, though, is that no Cisco technology is impossible to understand if you just break it down and understand the basics before you start trying to understand the more complex configurations.
BGP attributes are one such topic. You've got well-known mandatory, well-known discretionary, transitive, and non-transitive. Then you've got each individual BGP attribute to remember, and the order in which BGP considers attributes, and what attributes even are... and a lot more! As with any other Cisco topic, we have to walk before we can run. Let's take a look at what attributes are and what they do in BGP. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Setup: How To Configure Reverse Telnet
Occasionally, during your CCNA and CCNP studies, you'll run into a term that just doesn't quite make sense to you. (Okay, more than occasionally!) One such term is "reverse telnet". As a Cisco certification candidate, you know that telnet is simply a protocol that allows you to remotely connect to a networking device such as a router or switch. But what is "reverse telnet", and why is it so important to a Cisco CCNA / CCNP home lab setup?
Where a telnet session is started by a remote user who wants to remotely control a router or switch, a reverse telnet session is started when the host device itself imitates the telnet session. - Cisco Ccna Certification: How And Why Switches Trunk
Your CCNA studies are going to include quite a bit of information about switches, and for good reason. if you don't understand basic switching theory, you can't configure and troubleshoot Cisco switches, either on the CCNA exam or in the real world. That goes double for trunking!
Trunking is simply enabling two or more switches to communicate and send frames to each other for transmission to remote hosts. There are two major trunking protocols that we need to know the details of for exam success and real-world success, but before we get to the protocols, let's discuss the cables we need. - Cisco Ccna Certification: The (many) Different Kinds Of Switching
When you're studying for your CCNA exam, whether you're taking the Intro-ICND path or the single-exam path, you're quickly introduced to the fact that switching occurs at Layer 2 of the OSI model. No problem there, but then other terms involving switching are thrown in, and some of them can be more than a little confusing. What is "cell switching"? What is "circuit switching"? Most confusing of all, how can you have "packet switching"? Packets are found at Layer 3, but switching occurs at Layer 2. How can packets be switched?
Relax! As you'll see in this article, the terms aren't that hard to keep straight. Packet switching, for example, describes a protocol that divides a message into packets before they're sent. The packets are then sent individually, and may take different paths to the same destination. Once the packets arrive at the final destination, they are reassembled. - Cisco Ccna Certification: Five Key Combinations You Should Know
When you start studying for your CCNA and CCNP exams, many books will present you with a huge list of keystroke shortcuts for use on Cisco routers. While the 640-801, 811, and 821 exams may ask you about one or two of these, you really have to get hands-on experience with these commands to master them. Even better, there are some key combinations that Cisco routers mention, but then don't tell you what they are! Let's take a look at a few of the more helpful key combinations, and conclude with the "secret" way to stop a ping or traceroute.
The up arrow on your keyboard is great for repeating the last command you typed. Let's say you mis-enter an access-list. Instead of typing it from the beginning, just hit your up arrow to repeat it, then fix the problem. - Cisco Ccnp Certification: The Bgp Weight Attribute
When you're studying for the CCNP certification, especially the BSCI exam, you must gain a solid understanding of BGP. BGP isn't just one of the biggest topics on the BSCI exam, it's one of the largest. BGP has a great many details that must be mastered for BSCI success, and those of you with one eye on the CCIE must learn the fundamentals of BGP now in order to build on those fundamentals at a later time.
Path attributes are a unique feature of BGP. With interior gateway protocols such as OSPF and EIGRP, administrative distance is used as a tiebreaker when two routes to the same destination had different next-hop IP addresses but the same prefix length. BGP uses path attributes to make this choice. - Cisco Certification: The "secret" Key To Getting Your Ccna And Ccnp
Whether you're working on your CCNA or CCNP, Cisco certification exams are the most demanding computer certification exams in the IT field. Cisco exams are not a test of memorization, they're a test of your analytical skills. You'll need to look at configurations and console output and analyze them to identify problems and answer detailed questions. To pass these demanding exams, you've got to truly understand how Cisco routers and switches operate - and the key to doing so is right in front of you.
The debug command. - Cisco Ccna Certification: Error Detection Vs. Error Recovery
Passing the CCNA, Intro, and ICND exam is all about knowing and noticing the details. (Which makes perfect sense, since becoming a master networking administrator or engineer is also about noticing the details!) One such detail knows the difference between error detection and error recovery. While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same thing.
Error detection is just that - error detection only. Two common error detection methods are found at the Data Link layer of the OSI model, the FCS (Frame Check Sequence) and CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check). A mathematical equation is run against the data in the frame, and the result is sent along with the data. The receiver runs the equation again, but this time. If the result is the same, the frame is considered valid; if the result is different, the frame is considered corrupt and is discarded. - Cisco Ccnp / Bsci Certification: The Local Preference Bgp Attribute
When studying for your BSCI exam for the CCNP, you get your first taste of BGP. One of the major differences between BGP and the other protocols you've studied to date is that BGP uses attributes to describe paths, and to influence the selection of one path over the other.
In this free tutorial, we're going to take a look at the Local Preference attribute and compare it to the Cisco-proprietary BGP attribute "weight". - Cisco Ccna Certification: Cisco Switching Modes Tutorial
To pass the CCNA exam and earn that coveted certification, you've got to know Cisco switches inside and out. Among the many important details you've got to know are the three methods that Cisco switches use to forward frames, and the differences between the three.
The first switching method is Store-and-Forward. The name is the recipe, because that's just what the switch does - it stores the entire frame before beginning to forward it. This method allows for the greatest amount of error checking, since the Frame Check Sequence (FCS) can be run before the frame is forwarded. As always, there is a tradeoff, since this error checking process makes this the slowest of the three frame forwarding methods. - Cisco Ccnp / Bsci Certification: The Bgp Attribute “med”
When you're preparing to pass the BSCI exam and earn your CCNP certification, one of the biggest challenges is learning BGP. BGP is totally different from any protocol you learned to earn your CCNA certification, and one of the differences is that BGP uses path attributes to favor one path over another when multiple paths to or from a destination exist.
Notice I said "to or from". In earlier free BGP tutorials, I discussed the BGP attributes "weight" and "local preference". These attributes are used to favor one path to a destination over another; for example, if BGP AS 100 has two paths to a destination in AS 200, these two attributes can be set in AS 100 to favor one path over another. But what if AS 100 wants to inform the routers in AS 200 as to which path it should use to reach a given destination in AS 100? - Cisco Ccna Certification: The Value Of The Ccna And Ccnp
One question I see often on the 'Net is "Is it worth my time to earn a CCNA / CCNP / CCIE certification?" My personal answer to that is a resounding yes. The power of Cisco certifications has allowed me to create a tremendous career, and they can do the same for you.
There has never been a better time to accelerate your IT career, and earning a technical certification is a great way to do just that. I don't care if you're looking at earning an MCSE, a Cisco certification, Red Hat, or any other vendor - you are always better off having a technical certification than not having one. Technical certifications are an excellent way to market yourself and stand out from the crowd. Earning certifications shows a potential employer (and your current one) that you are willing to go the extra mile. - Cisco Ccnp / Bsci Certification: Introduction To Isis Terminology
When you're studying to pass the BSCI exam and earn your CCNP certification, you're going to be introduced to ISIS. ISIS and OSPF are both link-state protocols, but ISIS works quite differently from OSPF. You must master these details in order to earn your CCNP.
One of the major differences between OSPF and ISIS will be evident to you when you first begin your BSCI exam studies, and that is the terminology. ISIS uses terms that no other protocol you've studied to date uses, and learning these new terms is the first step to BSCI and CCNP exam success. - Cisco Ccnp / Bsci Tutorial: The Bgp Attribute Next_hop
When you're studying for the BSCI exam on the way to earning your CCNP certification, you've got to master the use of BGP attributes. These attributes allow you to manipulate the path or paths that BGP will use to reach a given destination when multiple paths to that destination exist.
In this free BGP tutorial, we're going to take a look at the NEXT_HOP attribute. You may be thinking "hey, how complicated can this attribute be?" It's not very complicated at all, but this being Cisco, there's got to be at least one unusual detail about it, right? - It’s 2006. Do You Know Where Your It Career Is?
Whether you're thinking of starting a career with computers and information technology, or thinking about earning a professional certification such as the CCNA or MCSE to accelerate your career, there is no better time to start than today. Silicon Valley is hiring again, and while we all can't work for Google, IT hiring is at its highest level in years and the opportunities for driven, motivated individuals are unlimited.
I also know that for many of us, the holiday season is a good excuse to put off those studies! "I'll study for the CCNA after Thanksgiving..." "I'll start working on my CCNP after the New Year..." Well, guess what - the new year is here. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Tutorial: The (many) Cable Types And Their Purposes
One of the most common questions I get from CCNA and CCNP candidates who are setting up their own home labs is "What cables will I need?" The answer is "It depends." As you know from your exam studies, the physical layout of your lab is what determines the cables you'll need. Let's take a look at the most common home lab cable types and when you will need them.
Straight-through cables have quite a few uses in a CCNA / CCNP home lab. You'll need them to connect a switch port to an AUI port on a router (and you'll need a transceiver for that as well). If you have an ISDN simulator, straight-through cables can be used to connect a router's BRI port to the simulator. - Cisco Ccnp / Bsci Tutorial: Comparing Ospf And Isis Hellos
While studying to pass the BSCI exam and preparing to earn your CCNP certification, you'll quickly notice that while OSPF and ISIS are both link-state protocols, there are a lot of differences between the two. One major difference is the way the two protocols handle hello packets.
Hello packets are imperative to keeping OSPF and ISIS adjacencies alive. Since they are both link-state protocols, neither of them will send updates at any specified time. Hello packets are the only method by which routers running OSPF and ISIS can see that a neighboring router is still available. - How To Become A Cisco Ccnp
Congratulations on your decision to earn your CCNP certification! As a CCIE, I can tell you that Cisco certifications are both financially and personally rewarding.
To earn your CCNP, you first have to earn your CCNA certification. Then you're faced with a decision - take the three-exam CCNP path, or the four-exam path? They're both quite demanding, so let's take a look at each path. - Cisco Ccnp Certification Faq
To earn your CCNP, you've got to pass some very rigorous Cisco exams, and you also need to know the rules regarding this important certification. In this article, I'll answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the CCNP.
Q: What exams do I need to pass to get my CCNP? - Four Important Commands For Your Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab
More CCNA and CCNP candidates than ever before are putting together their own home practice labs. It's more affordable than it ever has been, and I receive emails daily from new CCNAs and CCNPs who say it's the best thing they could have done to improve their studies.
There are some commands you can configure on your lab routers that won't necessarily be on your CCNA or CCNP exams, but they will make life a lot easier for you. Let's take a look at just a few of these. - Cisco Ccna / Ccnp Home Lab Tutorial: Starting Over
When you're preparing for success on your CCNA or CCNP certification exams, sooner or later you're going to want to start totally from scratch on your Cisco routers and switches. It's easy enough to type "write erase" and "reload", but there are a few details you have to watch if you want your home lab or rack rental devices to act as though they just came out of the box.
The first step is indeed to run the command write erase, and then reload the router. You're going to be prompted with a question before the reload starts, though, and you have to give the right answer .... or your configuration will still be there when you reload! - Cisco Ccna Certification: The Path To Take After Earning The Ccna
Once you earn your CCNA certification, you've got quite a few exciting choices ahead of you! The majority of CCNAs go on to pursue another Cisco certification, and this is a wise decision. The more you know, the more valuable you are in today's IT market.
A question I'm often asked by new CCNAs is "Which certification should I go after next?" Often, these new CCNAs have their eye on the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) certification. While adding a security certification to your resume is an excellent idea, I strongly recommend that new CCNAs acquire their Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification before pursuing their security certifications. The CCNP requires you to pass three or four exams (depending on the path you choose) that will demand a further mastery of some subjects you studies to earn your CCNA as well as several important topics that you haven’t seen yet. - Cisco Ccnp / Bsci Certification: Troubleshooting Route Redistribution, Part I
If there's one CCNP / BSCI topic that looks so easy but can lead to a real headache, it's route redistribution. I'm not even talking about the routing loops and suboptimal routing that can result when route redistribution is done without proper planning - I'm talking about the basic commands themselves. Leaving out one single command option, or forgetting what else needs to be redistributed when redistributing dynamically discovered routes, can leave you with a routing table that looks complete but does not result in full IP connectivity.
In this free CCNP / BSCI tutorial series, we'll take a look at three common errors in route redistribution configurations, and how to fix them. We'll use three routers, R1, R3, and R5. R1 and R5 are in a RIPv2 domain and R1 and R3 are in an OSPF domain. R1 will be performing two-way route redistribution. - Cisco Ccna Certification: Defining Broadcast Domains
When you're studying to pass the CCNA exam and earn your certification, you're introduced to a great many terms that are either totally new to you or seem familiar, but you're not quite sure what they are. The term "broadcast domain" falls into the latter category for many CCNA candidates.
A broadcast domain is simply the group of end hosts that will receive a broadcast sent out by a given host. For example, if there are ten host devices connected to a switch and one of them sends a broadcast, the other nine devices will receive the broadcast. All of those devices are in the same broadcast domain. - Cisco Ccnp / Bsci Certification: Route Redistribution And The Seed Metric
In the first part of this free CCNP / BSCI tutorial, we looked at how leaving one simple word out of our route redistribution configuration - "subnets" - resulted in an incomplete routing table when redistributing routes from RIP to OSPF. (If you missed that part of the tutorial, visit my website's "Free Tutorials" section.) Today, we'll look at redistributing OSPF routes into RIP and identify another common redistribution error.
We are using a three-router network. R5 is running RIP, R1 is serving as a hub between R5 and R3 and is running RIP and OSPF, and R3 is running OSPF.
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