My Sigforum friends,

I need to punch out my CCENT and my CCNA (or just the CCNA) and was wondering if any of you guys had done an online program. I would like to avoid a boot camp program (i.e. one week intensive in a nearby city) as they tend to be rather expensive, but I will do what I must. I do not mind paying but I would really like to stay here in Lynchburg to work on it.

I was a net admin for years and have programmed routers. However, the time has now come for me to have the certification. I plan on focusing on the Routing and Switching core.

It also looks like I will need to work on a Masters in IT as well. So if anyone has a program they want to recommend . . .

I may share my story of how I am re-inventing myself in my mid 40's but maybe another evening.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: redstone,

I found howtonetwork.com really helpful when I was studying.

I did the Cisco Netacad thing some time ago, but nowadays use cbt stuff: Pluralsight, Cybrary, etc as well as other online material.

Tavman, did you find the courses to be complete curriculum or did you use the courses and a text (i.e. supplemental)? $200 for a year seems like a really good deal.

quote:

Originally posted by redstone:
Tavman, did you find the courses to be complete curriculum or did you use the courses and a text (i.e. supplemental)? $200 for a year seems like a really good deal.

I used a book and supplemented with udemy which I get for free at work. I think the site is thorough enough to get you on its own though.

I really liked Chris Bryant's CCNA course on Udemy. Lots of short little videos that make digesting the material easy.

And I would also strongly suggest paying for the Boson practice tests! If you can pass those tests the actual exam will be a cakewalk. Also check out r/ccna for other tips and helpful info.

If you're going to work towards a degree anyway, check the local college (especially community colleges). Some have the CCNA program in the curriculum, and you'll get college credit as well.

quote:

Cisco Netacad

thanks guys, these look great. One more question. I am looking at the Boson Netsim 11 for CCNA and it is not cheap. So I dont want to plunge in if I dont have too. the howtonetwork.com website has 'some labs' with the courses. I am not sure how interactive these are etc. and I do not see mention of them in the udemy course either.

Would this be a good package to buy all three? Using the NetSim 11 software as I work through the udemy and howtonetwork courses?

I didnt use the Netsim from Boson I only used the practice exams. I used packet tracer for any lab stuff and it worked well enough. I think udemy has a few courses related to just lab exercises though, just have to wait for a "sale" so you only pay $10.

One more thing, the free practice exams on Cisco's site helped out alot also.

Globalknowledge.com and Cisco. Look for practice test. Having this will increase your market value significantly. Especially with the Feds.

quote:

Originally posted by BigJoe:
Globalknowledge.com and Cisco. Look for practice test. Having this will increase your market value significantly. Especially with the Feds.

That is what I am finding. I have a degree in learning technology but since it isn't from a computer science program I am not getting a lot of traction outside of education.

I have a new job offer and we are working on the details but I need to punch out my ccna this summer if I can.

quote:

Originally posted by redstone:

quote:

Originally posted by BigJoe:
Globalknowledge.com and Cisco. Look for practice test. Having this will increase your market value significantly. Especially with the Feds.

That is what I am finding. I have a degree in learning technology but since it isn't from a computer science program I am not getting a lot of traction outside of education.

I have a new job offer and we are working on the details but I need to punch out my ccna this summer if I can.

Department of Treasury uses Globalknowledge a bunch. We have/had couple guys CCNA certified and they make 6 figures.

Take a look at http://virl.cisco.com.

quote:

Originally posted by BigJoe:

Department of Treasury uses Globalknowledge a bunch. We have/had couple guys CCNA certified and they make 6 figures.

With just a CCNA? When I was in the biz, you likely needed CCIE to clear six figures. We considered CCNA entry level at the places I worked.

I used CBT nuggets, the official books and some practice exams. Oh, and know how to subnet!

Im actually a little sad, I let my CCNA, CCNA Security and some VMware certs lapse recently. I just don't really need them anymore for what I'm doing, but I have fond memories of working on them. At one point I had 29 active IT certifications. For pretty much every one of them I set a goal of when to take the exam, booked it, then created a spreadsheet of daily tasks to acheive it. Worked every time.

www.techexams.net is also a great resource for up to date cert prep stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by BigJoe:
Globalknowledge.com and Cisco. Look for practice test. Having this will increase your market value significantly. Especially with the Feds.

My opinion is that GlobalKnowledge is not worth the cost if you're paying for it out of pocket. There's plenty of free resources out there that are probably 95% as good or better.

quote:

Originally posted by Dallas239:

quote:

Originally posted by BigJoe:

Department of Treasury uses Globalknowledge a bunch. We have/had couple guys CCNA certified and they make 6 figures.

With just a CCNA? When I was in the biz, you likely needed CCIE to clear six figures. We considered CCNA entry level at the places I worked.

LOL...Yep...I missed typed that. You are right.

I appreciate all of the great ideas. It has been a great help. I did take some of the globalknowledge stuff about 13-14 years ago on my first go round in IT (it was $5k back then for a week long boot camp). Became an IT guy building middleware for websites. Anyway, then the PhD and becoming a professor. Now I am a "information systems" professor and need to do the CCNA and then immediately followed by the Cisco instructor.

So here is the plan that I am betting on for the first go 'round:

• The Cisco books for the CCNA 200-125 Composite.
  
• Three Udemy video courses so far, I am really loving both of these a lot more than I thought I would (the books and videos).
  
• this one is not really necessary, but my wife was told it was essential I purchased three 2821 routers and 3750 switches.
  

So far I am about 25% through the curriculum, having fun, learning new things. Maybe that is the point.

Ok, I am working my way through the videos. early thoughts.

Each video series leaves things out. Some just get things flat wrong. Nothing significant so far, but small details that bug me.

I have come to see the Cisco text as the go to source, and I will keep watching the videos but they are not thorough enough (inmho)

I did get my routers and switches setup and powered on and tomorrow I start configuring them.

Redstone 1 SOHO by redstone71, on Flickr