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940 passed BSCI - my feedback
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| johnaspen 2005-10-05, 11:08 pm |
| Used Sybex, Cisco Press (the cheaper ones that you can buy in a set), and Boson's Netsim Beta 6. I found this test much easier to study for than the CCNA since the material is obviously more focused. Difficulty was average. I was suprised to see absolutely nothing on NAT, which others have also experienced. Lots of IPv6, redistribution, OSPF stub, EIGRP stub (not covered well in books) and I also got pounded on the passive-interface command. A hint of IGRP knowledge was needed which is supposed to be a non-testable topic for this test.
Sybex was good as always, and the Cisco Press book was lengthy but good. I ended up with 6 pages of 10pt notes, which was a bit less than what I had for the CCNA. Boson's Netsim beta 6 was a major downer compared to the version 5 that I used for CCNA. The built in labs were far from functional, but of course I can't complain about any product that's still in beta form. Love the product overall.
Sims didn't allow the use of the tab key, but did allow the ? key which I found to be very backwards. Time was no concern as it is for many on the CCNA. 25 minutes left when I submitted. BCMSN is supposed to be the tough one of the four, I'll be finding out shortly since it's next on my hit list.
Fire any legal questions at me if you have 'em, and happy studying everyone! | |
| johnaspen 2005-10-10, 9:45 am |
| FYI - Vue vouchers are still being sold for $115. See this thread:
http://www.examnotes.net/article1048901.html
I just bought another one for the BCMSN test. That only saves $10 per test, but ends up being $40 for all 4. Hopefully they'll keep this up until I finish out the CCNP track. | |
| johnaspen 2005-10-14, 10:55 pm |
| Way to go! Congratulations!
I know, I know, I'm talking to myself. First time I've ever seen a pass post go unresponded to after being a week old though.
Everybody wake up out there | |
| Extreme7 2005-10-17, 10:29 am |
| Just finished the new BSCI V2.2 course and the following appears to be new:
No IP NAT
IPV6 - SCTCP
EIGRP - SIA scoping
No route reflectors
Route maps with BGP | |
| johnaspen 2005-10-17, 9:45 pm |
| Hey extreme,
Glad to see someone else out there in the CCNP forum is willing to post.....
Did you go through a Cisco Acad. or just read the material with PowerPoint slides thats floating around right now? | |
| RomeoJett 2005-10-20, 3:19 pm |
| How long would you say you studied on your exams?
Did you have work experience on the equipment or are you mainly using the sims and working to a new career etc. I know people who do this stuff alot at work so they don't have to review as much and knock tests down fast.
Thanks, RJ. | |
| johnaspen 2005-10-20, 6:30 pm |
| 2.5 weeks solid. I had a period of mostly wide open free time and didn't want to let it go to waste. I enjoyed that much more than studying for the CCNA over a period of 3 months.
Cisco Academy was the only hands on experience in the higher end commands for the CCNP test.
Overall the test wasn't too stressful so I can see were someone working professionaly with BGP, ISIS, route redistribution, etc. would be able to breeze through this one. | |
| zxmjkxz 2005-10-28, 3:32 am |
| good job, | |
| zxmjkxz 2005-10-28, 6:17 am |
| HA! no NATing, I was stufying that tonight, doah!!! lol its good to have an idea thoguh. I'll have to get the proper material. | |
| johnaspen 2005-10-29, 1:36 am |
| Sometimes a guy really gets thrown off by the types of questions you're asked on a test. I just finished the Sybex on BCRAN and NAT is covered again almost exactly the same way it was in the BSCI book, but who knows if I actually need to know it (for the test that is ).
The amount of questioning (interrogation more like it) on the passive-interface command also threw me. Be familiar with the effect it has on different routing protocols. I went into the test with a general understanding of it which wasn't enough. | |
| nelsons1 2005-10-30, 11:03 pm |
| johnaspen,
Congrats on the pass! Way to go. I just moved my work schedule to nights so I should have more time to study while at work. Hopefully I'll be joining you soon.
Nice job.... | |
| zxmjkxz 2005-11-10, 5:28 am |
| did you see anything on ODR, on-demand-routing? | |
| johnaspen 2005-11-11, 12:22 am |
| Boy not that I can remember but it's been awhile now since I passed the BSCI. If it was there, it certainly wasn't more than 2 questions otherwise I would have remembered it.
The passive-interface stuff that I talked about at the beginning of this thread was my dominant player. Going into the test, I didn't pay attention to the different effects it has on different routing protocols (hint hint). Of course with Cisco's large question pool, you just never know what you're going to run up against. | |
| zxmjkxz 2005-11-11, 5:40 am |
| okay thanks, I'm justtrying to guage how old my material is... I guess I'll end up getting a bunch of those sim questions from boson after I finish studying to see where my weaknesses lie.. thank you | |
| Detectorist 2005-11-13, 1:32 am |
| That's the fastest I've hear of anyone passing that test after the CCNA.
You went through 2 700 page books in 2.5 weeks? Tell us your secret!
John | |
| pepe le pew 2005-11-13, 3:32 am |
| Is that still included in the BSCI exam?? | |
| pepe le pew 2005-11-13, 3:34 am |
| I doubt Cisco will even ask you about that. It's been touched on a little on the book, If I recall. But even if Cisco did ask about that topic, if you know how to implement and configure if the network design calls for it, then you should not worry. | |
| johnaspen 2005-11-13, 10:07 pm |
| ISIS and BGP are absolutely there. Those two protocols were the bulk of the new material for the BSCI. The rest was a lot of overlap with the CCNA along with added detail (multi-area OSPF for example; CCNA only dealt with single-area).
Detectorist - Take a moment to read the entire thread; your question has already been answered (more info in my other pass threads as well). By the way - welcome to the board! | |
| Detectorist 2005-11-14, 3:47 am |
| You infer that the test was easier for you than the CCNA test. I certainly hope you're correct!
Back when I took and passed my first CCNA test any CCNP test was considered way, way harder than the CCNA test.
Maybe things have changed.
Did you have to memorize lots of commands?
D | |
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| Congrats on the pass by the way. I hope to be sitting BSCI in a week or two. None of this 2 - 2.5 weeks of study here though!!! I seem to have been bangin away at the Cisco Press book for so long I've forgotten what the beginning was all about!!
Can you be a bit more specific about the different effects the passive-interface command has on different routing protocols? |
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