Test Tips for CCNA, Simulators and a bullet-proof Guarantee!

1. Manage your time

The number one hint I have to give everyone: the CCNA Exam is a test of power and speed, you have to know your material solid and answer the questions quickly. The prof said that the number one reason for failure on the exam is not lack of preparation (I could argue with that) but rather, running out of time! You have remember to ask yourself, "Is this your final answer?" because once you click "yes" or "submit", there is no back button, you cannot go back!

2. Core Knowledge

Videos for ICND1 and ICND2 free on the Cisco Learning Network.

Here is a breakdown of the core areas the exam was testing, taken from my real score sheet in November 2011. I am not breaking any oaths or sharing any secrets about the exam.

• Describe how a network works
• Configure, verify, troubleshoot a switch with VLANs and interswitch communications
• Implement an IP addressing scheme and IP services to meet network requirements in a medium-size Enterprise branch office network
• Configure, verify, and troubleshoot basic router operation and routing on Cisco devices
• Explain and select the appropriate administrative tasks required for WLAN
• Identify security threats to a network and describe general methods to mitigate those threats
• Implement, verify and troubleshoot NAT and ACLs in a medium-size Enterprise branch office network
• Implement and verify WAN links

I copied this from my report card, but I'm not sure if it was an adaptive exam and only selected knowledge areas were tested on, or if I wrote the same test again it would be a similar bank of questions. You may not retake the exam within the same week. Passing score is 825 out of 1000.

A good collection of resources at www.cisco.com/go/ccna-study

3. Hands On Experience

Apparently the original purpose of CCNA was to certify someone already with the job experience as a Network Administrator, who has spent years on the job doing this. In fact Cisco never offered Bootcamp courses and it was the training delivery vendors that developed their own courses to cover relevant subjects, in preparation for the CCNA Exam.  Now it seems like everyone is taking the boot camp courses: the newbies, managers, purchasers.  The courses often come with extra lab time on the router simulation lab, but it is better to have your own equipment. Unfortunately not many people have access to a test lab or one with enough routers to generate any trouble to troubleshoot!

Packet Tracer is another program folks use for router simulation.  My buddy recommends http://www.gns3.net/ and it's free, if you have your own IOS images then you're set.

4. Read the Fine Print

Rather I should say, read between the lines. For multiple choice questions, there will always be an obvious oddball answer, and perhaps one or two that are very close but there is something that makes one answer more correct or superior.Unless of course the question was, choose two then you should make sure you choose two.

If you're really pressed for time, well you still have to give an answer for every question. Make a guess, pick C or ACDC whatever random pattern you have to resort to in a bind.

5. Get it Right the First time...

However, heaven forbid if you should fall short of 825/ 1000, read the fine print on the vendor's exam guarantee. I took my bootcamp course with the Global Knowledge and I'd have to say their certification guarantee is bullet proof. Upon course completion you get one CCNA exam voucher and 10 hours of lab time with KAPLAN. If you have fail the exam, fax in the fail results and ask for a voucher for the retake exam (within one year of the course date). If you fail the second round, perhaps you should reconsider your career choice. JK! Global Knowledge offers a free retake of the course (provide your own course materials from the first run). Then I suppose the brave could do the exam a third time. Just remember you will have to recertifiy again in three years anyway.