CBT Nuggets is a pretty decent resource for CCNP (this was my primary study tool). GNS3 (or VIRL) is fantastic when you are studying for Route. Jeremy Cioara’s course on CCNP Route is fantastic because he gives you a bunch of labs you can download and setup in your own GNS3 environment to practice.
I want to make sure you are aware of the following book (which was my go to source for Switch):
It is absolutely massive (physical dimensions). It looks expensive, but I assure you it is worth it. It has very detailed explanations and tons of labs you can do on your own (which I found myself going back to again and again). I would encourage you to get the physical book rather than the electronic version, because it is much easier to use when you are doing the labs.
Now, it has been almost two years since I took my CCNP exams, so I know there have been some additional topics added. I would also encourage you to keep track of which topics of the new blueprint are being covered by the resources mentioned above, then supplement what you need to cover the additional ones.
I know a lot of people love Safari. I have been tempted, but I never actually pulled the trigger on it. One of the greatest benefits is the ability to search across their entire library by topic. For example, you could search for “OSPF DR Election” and get a list of books and chapters that address that topic.
thanks I picked up that book you suggested since its heavy detail, and even though its older a lot of the core topics should be the same so can use it as a reference as well.
actually I bought the switch, route and trouble shooting hopefully they are all detailed but either way it never hurts to have a lot of material and I get burned out on one book and like to read different perspectives and styles to help keep me interested and sometimes I see it better from one perspective than another.
Well I just bought a new house so am broke for a while had to drop HBO, Stars, (LOL) and NetworkingLessons.com as well as some other misc things as the new house we bought is remodel project and needs new roof and such so a bit expensive up front.
I will be back soon as things stabilize probably towards end of this year I do love this site and the people on it as I think its probably the most cost effective site out there for the quality of material that is listed here.
In meantime my wife had bought me the CCNP INE video series for a gift so since I own that out right there wont be a monthly charge so she cannot make me give up that! I will review those videos until I can get back to this site later in the year.
I took the CCNP Switching test the first time on 27-Aug-2017. I was very confident and really knew the material. I went into test and got side swiped and took a very hard lump when I failed the test.
I only scored a 587:
Layer 2 Technologies 45%
Infrastructure Security 17%
Infrastructure Services 88%
I was pretty crushed but I am not one to give up I was determined to take the darn test until end of days of necessary and Cisco would give up before I would. So I went back studied what I missed researched material checked on Cisco Forums to see if others had problems then focused in live labs in that area and studied the books and this site more.
Well the hard work paid off I went back in today 08-Sept-2017 and I passed with an 850
I like to share my failures to because I know others will fail and get very disappointed and it has never been how we act or react in the good times when things are going well that define us as human beings. Its how we act and react when things go bad and we are hurting or upset or scared and struggling to keep our head up.
So hopefully this post helps other who may fail and go back and hit it again or if you do pass it the first time even better you saved some cash but if you don’t then don’t worry and don’t give up. I have passed maybe one cisco test on my first attempt the rest I passed by determination and going back and studying harder.
Anyway I am very happy right now feel like I have really accomplished something and even better improved my skill set.
Thanks I finished chapter on EIGRP in Rene book I am now going back over the websites here on EIGRP but doing all the labs basically summary, stubs, and at this point labbing up the filtering with distribute lists prefix, route map. I am going more heavy on the lab side than ever before.
I just feel I am starting to get into a grove so want to keep at it hard so I stay at that level. Soon moving on to OSPF then I can hardly wait to get into BGP which will by my first time so going to lose my virginity on BGP haha… anyway thanks for the reply see you around!
Well my upstairs office is not finished yet. Unfinished wood floors with only sheet rock up and a heating and air unit and its messy but I have my computer desk and two 27 inch monitors and one 28 inch monitor. Gives me lot of viewing area so I am not complaining. I even have a window so I am not fully hidden from the world though my wife often sends me to the office to get out of her hair One day I may even straighten out all those wires but its my man cave so until wife takes a broom to me I will probably just leave it be lol…
Great job Brian passing the SWITCH exam! It’s not just technical stuff that you learned, but you also get better at learning in general and Cisco exams. ROUTE is fun to do, BGP might throw you off guard when you just start learning it. It’s a bit different than the IGPs
Good setup BTW, the more pixels, the better Noise canceling headphones might be a nice addition to that rack
Those head phones setting on the desk are Jabra Evolve 75 Noise canceling headphones. Jabra company sent me a free pair to evaluate for the company I work for. They connect through blue tooth to phone or computer as well as USB and the battery last around 15 hours so you can take with you for the day as well if you wanted to work off IPAD or phone. They also have red light on the ears glow if you are on call so lets others know your busy.
I have to tell you they are really great head phones. I did however look up the price on them with the holding charger and it was around 350 USD (ouch ouch). So they are kind of pricey and up there with Bose other top end models.
They do however cut out the noise from the rack and AC unit as well as well as other things. =)
P.S. Your book CCNP ROUTE is exceptional easy to read and very well written I am impressed as I have read a lot of books on networking and yours is the easiest to read. I usually read and work and entire subject like EIGRP, then next OSPF. Then I once I finish the book on those sections I come read all the web page information you have as well. Good stuff and great job on the material.
Then the little known secret to the web pages is also going through and reading all the forum post on a subject as humans have a habit of asking different questions and reading those and seeing it from different angles is very helpful.
I passed my CCNP ROUTE 300-101 Exam this morning. It was tough but I managed to pass with an 834.
I would not have minded doing better but I am happy with getting a pass because its a tough test. I am not a great test taker when it comes to language being thrown in the mix. I am more the blue collar work hard and put in a lot of time and effort. So I am pretty happy.
I just have TShoot left and my CCNP will be finished =)
I would like to thank Renee and those who help out on this website and answer questions as this is my primary source for studying.
I will see everyone around as I next pick up the torch and head towards the Tshoot.
Don’t wait too long before you take the TSHOOT exam. You know everything from ROUTE and SWITCH, go through the TSHOOT topics and make sure you get very familiar with the topology they use in the exam.
I started reviewing switch last night. So far its been easy going through the lessons. I have also started looking into the format of the Tshoot. I paid for Boson for the entire CCNP a year ago I mainly use GNS3 so have not used it as much as I should.
However, I was looking into these ticket things for the Tshoot and started doing the Boson lab and I submitted a trouble ticket to them because I could not use the configuration command… Little did I know that on the tickets you wont be c hanging the configuration just pointing out where the issue is…
So I am starting to drill in and get an idea of how this is done. One weakness I see right off bat is the diagrams for it when I look at layer 2 stuff that really throws me off not because of content but just not use to seeing diagrams that look like that so while I am reviewing CCNP Switch I will also start familiarizing myself with the format in which they do their diagrams so it does not look as alien to me.
Anyway I am excited about reviewing and I will be prepping for this test right up to taking it!
Ok just finished reviewing the CCNP Switch so its time to start on the CCNP Trouble Shoot section now. I am a bit nervous because of this case thing but I will just study through it hard.
I was curious about your ASA firewall section is that for the CCNA Security or CCNP Security or just general firewall section. I am trying to figure out which professional cert I do next. this is my favorite site and I will certainly learn all the CCIE stuff to at some point though I probably wont take the CCIE until after I have another professional or two in Certs.
As I love your site so much I was thinking maybe of doing security next since you have the ASA. I know that in the job market the security stuff is paying the most so adding it to your site would increase your base. I think there was a study that said there will be hundreds of thousands of security jobs in the coming years and not enough people to fill the positions. Atleast in the US but I bet that is global as well.
Just go ahead and add another professional cert on here hah… Security works since you already started I will donate or buy your next book or whatever.
That’s right, you just have to point out the error.
This takes some time to get used to. With all the material so far, it’s just a simple L2 or L3 diagram. Now you get a larger topology and they throw all L2+L3 stuff at you. This is why you really want to spend some time at home figuring this out. You don’t want to see this diagram for the first time during the exam:
Don’t worry You know all this R&S stuff since you have seen everything. If you don’t know where to troubleshoot, just think of the OSI model. When you start at the bottom, eventually you will figure out the issue. In the TSHOOT course, I focus mostly on the common issues that can go wrong with each protocol. For example, with OSPF there are X things that can prevent it from forming a neighbor adjacency and there are Y things that prevent it from advertising routes. When you go through this material, it’s not like you will see anything new…you have seen all of it in CCNA, ROUTE, or SWITCH.
For now, this is just a general firewall section with the most common ASA topics. It’s very helpful to understand how the ASA works and easy to learn when you are familiar with R&S. In the future, I might upgrade it to an entire security track.
I think security is finally paying off and there is more demand for it. Here in the Netherlands (and I think the rest of Europe), there is a shortage of technical IT people anyway.
I’ll do my best to create more material while you are gone =)
One day I may even straighten out all those wires but its my man cave so until wife takes a broom to me I will probably just leave it be lol…
You know all this R&S stuff since you have seen everything. If you don’t know where to troubleshoot, just think of the OSI model. When you start at the bottom, eventually you will figure out the issue. In the TSHOOT course, I focus mostly on the common issues that can go wrong with each protocol. For example, with OSPF there are X things that can prevent it from forming a neighbor adjacency and there are Y things that prevent it from advertising routes. When you go through this material, it’s not like you will see anything new…you have seen all of it in CCNA, ROUTE, or SWITCH.