|
|
| noswad77 2005-09-22, 10:59 am |
| I'm considering jacking my job in and studying for my CCNP full time.
I currently hold a CCNA and MCSE certification, however I want to move away from desktop/server support which I've been doing for the last 5 years and move over to hardcore networking.
The questions I have are: -
1, If I was to jack my job in and study full time (a good 45-60 hours a week) how long should it take me to study for each exam?
2, Is it best to buy a lab off ebay or pay for time on an online lab?
3, Will I get a networking job at the end of it all?
Any advice gratefully received.
Nos | |
| darthfeces 2005-09-22, 1:35 pm |
| i did the whole thing in six months !!! | |
| DHERSH 2005-09-22, 3:26 pm |
| Took me 6 months too. Spent three on Switching, BCRAN and CIT and the other three on Routing. | |
| johnaspen 2005-09-22, 8:33 pm |
| 6 months I assume includes some work on the side or other responsibilities. I just finished reading/highlighting the Sybex and Cisco Press book for the first routing test in one week with about 25-30 hours being commited to other activies. That of course is only the beginning of my studies and I expect to be on a 3-4 week pace per test.
BSCI from other comments appears to be the most difficult so that may require some extra time. Easiest test (again from other comments, not mine) is CIT, but I also hear BSCI which is the routing test.
Buying a lab for CCNA material isn't too bad, but having all the real lab equipment you'd need for CCNP is pretty wild. For example, you'd need to come up with an Adtran box that simulates Frame Relay clouds for the BCRAN test. Or, you can just pickup Boson's Netsim Beta6 which supports everything in a virtual world. I used Netsim for CCNA and couldn't be happier.
You've got a tough decision to make! Doing what you love is important. I gave up the high paid world of technology sales and training to pursue networking since it's my true passion. CCNP with no Cisco experience gives you a good shot at getting a CCNA level job which is what I'm gunning for as a way in. | |
| noswad77 2005-09-23, 4:22 am |
| Well done on doing you CCNP in six months... although not really answering my questions.
johnaspen - thanks for your reply. I was looking at 3 weeks each for BSCI and BCMSN and 1.5 weeks each for BCRAN and CIT. So a total of 9 weeks which I reckon is more than enough time. To be honest, I would hope to complete it all in a lot less time than that... maybe 6-7 weeks. My CCNA took me 3-4 weeks full time study. I used Boson simulators for the CCNA but I've read that they aren't really suitable for the CCNP because only 25% of the commands are available. Once qualified, I don't mind doing a CCNA job for a while. | |
| nelsons1 2005-09-23, 11:11 am |
| IMHO It would be very unlikely to estimate that you can pass all 4 tests in 6-7 weeks. Even studying at the rate you mentioned. I think realistically you should plan on 12-16 weeks. It really all depends on how fast you learn and how much time you actually spend in simulators or with routers. So far it seems the BSCI is going to be pretty tough so it may take a little longer to study for that one. Either way I say its a great idea to drop work and study full time if you can afford it.  | |
| JimmyD 2005-09-23, 2:10 pm |
| quote:
Originally posted by nelsons1
IMHO It would be very unlikely to estimate that you can pass all 4 tests in 6-7 weeks. Even studying at the rate you mentioned. I think realistically you should plan on 12-16 weeks. It really all depends on how fast you learn and how much time you actually spend in simulators or with routers. So far it seems the BSCI is going to be pretty tough so it may take a little longer to study for that one. Either way I say its a great idea to drop work and study full time if you can afford it.
After passing the CCNA test, I took a day off. While working full time, I passed all four CCNP test in exactly six weeks.
Thirteen days later, I passed the CCDA, and I passed the CCDP five days after that. | |
| darthfeces 2005-09-23, 2:15 pm |
| when are you going to pass the lab ?
next week ?  | |
| nelsons1 2005-09-23, 5:17 pm |
| LOL - You're the exception not the norm! | |
| johnaspen 2005-09-23, 6:01 pm |
| Link for current command support on Netsim CCNP beta3b:
http://www.boson.com/netsim/bd/netsim6.asp
25% was probably accurate for the old v5 CCNA package. The CCNP package does do BGP, ISIS, NSSA, etc so pretty much everything for BSCI. BSCMSN doesn't look to good yet though since they're still working on all the switchport configurations (I didn't know this until now, ahhh!). I'd agree that this probably isn't the best route for you since you're looking to cruise through the CCNP track. Who knows how long it will be before they release Beta 4 and final.
Are you seeing a decent # of openings for Cisco positions in your city? I'm in town of 140,000 and there are only 3 or 4 companies that post listings for a CCNA/P. | |
| marathoner 2005-09-27, 9:02 am |
| I allocated about a month for each exam
with the exception of BSCI, that one took two. Passed them all handily first time, BSCI my closest to a miss. Could have done it faster if I had second guessed the exam and studied more "for the exam" rather than studying to Know with a capital K. Found myself doing considerable overthinking as real world people tend to do. It's hard for me to just give the answer they're looking for because my brain is going yeah but what if it was in a third world country where the dedicated link goes down everytime it rains...or something. I understand the switching exam is much harder now than when I took it. |
|
|
|