CCNP - switching

Author

switching

peterd

2004-12-21, 9:52 am

Hi,

I've just got back from taking the switching exam...just scraped a pass so I can forget most of this subject for another three years!

I had two SIMs, both related to setting up VLANs with a few other bits and pieces thrown in.

The interesteing bit was that I couldn't finish one question as it refused the command I was trying and I couldn't think of anything else to type in...

but I scored 72% on this part of the exam.

Also, I'd not like to state for certain that I got the first SIM 100% correct, it felt like 'poke n hope' as I was doing it.

If I was asked to assess these SIM questions I'd say that in my opinion they must allow a few points for each correct command rather than give all the marks for getting the whole thing 100% right.

In which case, even if you're not sure what the actual answer is, you may gather a few extra marks by typing in as much as you can, even without completing the full question.

It could be the difference between a pass and a fail...

Regards
Peter

smrkdown

2004-12-21, 12:20 pm

I've heard the switching exam is the easiest, and that is what I'm studying for now. What do you think of the switching exam in comparison to the other CCNP exams? Thanks.

ZacDogg

2004-12-21, 2:29 pm

quote:
I've just got back from taking the switching exam...just scraped a pass so I can forget most of this subject for another three years!

What!!! What are you wasting your time studying for then? So you get a cert and don't know what the hell you are doing? Can I hire you please? You sound like a valuable addition to any organization.

quote:
If I was asked to assess these SIM questions I'd say that in my opinion they must allow a few points for each correct command rather than give all the marks for getting the whole thing 100% right.

Yeah, cause in the real world it's OK for it to be almost right? Go tell your CEO that the reason they can't run your company is because you got it 75% right and that should be acceptable.

Sorry to spit venom, but this post got me a little hot under the colar.

Zac

necrophantasm

2004-12-22, 6:59 pm

I'd have to agree that the switching exam was the easiest. The routing exam was the toughest in my opinion (too many damn concepts to learn and remember). If you are studying for switching remember you only need to know the theory behind eompls, don't worry about the implementation. Concentrate on trunking and VLANs... they are covered heavily. One other note, this exam is more theory than implementation. If you fall behind in time, don't worry about the sims there aren't enough of them and they don't weigh enough to stop you from passing. Good luck man!

peterd

2004-12-26, 10:21 am

Hi ZacDogg,

you do get yourself wound up, don't you?

The strange part about all of this is, if you read what Cisco expect, we only need to know around 75% of any subject to get a pass.

Cisco says so, so it must be ok?

We don't get anything extra for getting a 100% pass mark, so a pass is a pass.

My take on the subjet is:

the exams bear very little resemblance to the work that I do. I've never failed to do 100% of what's expected of me in my day to day job, a bare minimum pass is as good as scoring 99%.

I can say for certain that there are various exam topics that I *have* to study and learn...

then as soon as I've passed the exam I can forget it for another three years (and with luck in finding the right job over the next few weeks I may earn enough to retire in three years or so and I'll never need to pass switching again!

Smrkdown: the switching exam that I took three plus years ago was quite simple but the new switching book is around 80% bigger than the first one that I read.

You almost need to know as many different subjects for switching as you do for routing. I think that switching and routing are now on the same level of difficulty. I certainly wouldn't under-estimate *any* Cisco exam!

Regards
Peter

Just Visiting

2004-12-27, 6:23 am

Zac does have a general point though it may not apply to peterd directly. The view that I have passed the exam so now I can forget all that junk is rather prevelant and does lead to many bad techs being certified. Having been involved with about 30 CCNA interviews over the last couple of months I can attest to the lack of knowledge remembered. The worst were the ones that took a one week test prep class. They passed the exam but failed even the simplest questions in the interviews.

As for the 75% knowledge being okay, think of it this way. Getting 90% of a config right can down your network, but understanding 75% of the numerous subjects 100% allows you to research those you don't know prior to making real life changes and makes you a pretty good tech.

Strive to be your best and don't settle for less.

-JV (aka Yankee)

ZacDogg

2004-12-27, 11:42 am

The point really isn't the certification. The point is gaining the knowledge to obtain the certification. The knowledge is the most important thing. I guess if you just want your piece of paper then great, throw away your money. As attested to by JustVisting, it won't help you get a job.

Not even going to get into it with you Waldo.

Zac

peterd

2005-01-01, 3:24 pm

Hi Guys,

The idea of always being the 'best that we can be' is very American.

I have no problem with you doing it, but I'm happy to drift along as 'OK' rather than great.

It's lazy gits like me that help make you guys look so good.

If everyone was a brilliant technician then you'd just be one the 'average' bunch.

As for certificates, they just get you in the door for an interview, the days of a guaranteed job have long gone.

Once we obtain the piece of paper, it's pretty much worthless as we still have to answer a whole bunch of technical questions on an interview.

As I chose very carefully who I'll work for...I'll never work for an ISP, for instance, so BGP and ISIS are pretty much useless to me.

I'll probably not work for a major corporation (because I haven't so far and you can't get that sort of job unless you've already had one!) so MLS isn't much use to me either.

The list goes on but I can't be bothered to go through it.

It's all a matter of perspective and ambitions...

Regards
Peter

smrkdown

2005-01-02, 1:17 pm

Thanks for the info ragarding the difficulty of the exam. I think I agree with Zac mostly, but the others have good points too (except waldo). Every topic covered by the exams won't be usefuly to every job every day, and I think there is too much information for any person to possibly remember, but I do think that some effort should be made to remain knowledgable. I also think that it's a more progressive approach to not just cram and regurgitate, but to try to ingrain some of the more important topics if you're planning on moving on to CCIE. Just my opinion.

peterd

2005-01-04, 11:41 am

Hi,

yes, I remember stuff that I'm working on today. I recall odd bits about what I worked with a few weeks ago. Anything that I've not touched for a couple of months is lost to me.

There's probably lots of people out there who work for service providers or for large corporations who are constantly working on routers and switches.

What they can't seem to understand is that there are also people like me, with a network of 20 routers and 30 switches. Once it's set up we don't touch it agin for six months!

As I have other things to study between sitting for Cisco certs/recerts, my only option is to 'cram' for a few months before the exam.

Regards
Peter

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