1. Back to Basics: CCNA Steve Baker, Teaching Instructor
East Carolina university
College of engineering and technology
Department of technology systems
Linked-in:
YoutTube:
Phone:

2. Cisco Certification Tracks https://www. cisco
Prerequisite:

3. CCNA –Where to Start
Cisco Certified Network Associate Routing & Switching
Administered as two tests:
ICND1 Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 ( aka CCENT) – 45/55 Questions – 90 minutes - ~$150.00
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician
ICND2 ( results in full CCNA) – Prereq ICND /55 Questions – 90 Minutes - ~$150.00
Cisco Certified Network Associate
Administered as one test:
CCNA ( ) – 60/70 Questions – 90 Minutes - ~$295.00
Certification exams are administered worldwide through Cisco’s testing delivery partner, Pearson VUE. Ready to take your exam? Visit the Book Your Exam page for instructions on how to register.
Official Cert homepages:
CCNA:
ICND1:
ICND2:

4. Format of Test ICND1/2 & Full CCNA
Multiple Choice (Single Answer / Multiple Answer/Matching)
ALWAYS READ AND LOOK FOR MULTIPLE ANSWER
Fill in the blank & Testlet (Multiple questions based on scenario)
Simulation (Simulates environment but all commands may not be available)
Ex. They may lock out a ‘show run’
Usually requires you to ‘fix’ something that is broken
These are typical for the Implement, Configure and TSHOOT
Simlet
Like simulation but geared more to showing information to answer one or more specific questions
Watch the demo videos:

5. Planning Depth and Breadth
‘Review the Exam Topics’
ICND1 Specifics
ICND2 Specifics
Map question formats to required levels of knowledge
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot (perfect candidate for Sim and/or Simlet)
Describe (candidates for multiple choice, fill in the blank, etc.)
Compare (candidate for matching)
Troubleshoot (these could include topics that you are not required to configure, but must know basics to determine issue. Ex. DNS query from client)
KNOW your SHOW commands! Practice makes perfect
Familiarize yourself with type of information provided by SHOW commands that are similar but with different output – Ex. Show int <int> shows mostly layer1/2 whereas Show IP int <int> details more specific L3 info
Make your own practice environments work!
Don’t rely on simply following wrote directions!

6. A house is only as strong as its’ foundation!
Tips for Success – WHY?
Identify Why you want to get certified
Keep those reasons in sight to remind you of your goal
Don’t focus on just external motivators
More money
Promotion
Land a job
Realize the intrinsic value
More confidence
Foundational knowledge in support of ultimate goal
A house is only as strong as its’ foundation!

7. Tips for Success – WHEN? – Carve Date in Stone!
Establish your timeline
How long will you need to study – Depends on experience and route you choose
Be Realistic! – Adequately inform yourself of what it takes BEFORE deciding when you want to attempt
Ex. ICND2 Official Cert Guide is ~950 pages covering 29 chapters
Devoting an hour a day to each chapter only scratches the surface – 5 hours a day/minimum
5 per/vs 5 1 per
Spread over months – be prepared to spend a fair amount of EXTRA time in review
ICND1 is just as large – SO the above X2
Estimate it, pick the date, and pay for it!
Reserve your spot early to ensure you dictate where/when/preferred time slot
Daily calendar reminder – Keeps you honest to your goal, establishes routine
Side note: One of the best values for the money comparatively speaking

8. Tips for Success – WHAT? - Gauge Yourself
Where are you and what knowledge do you already have?
Experienced with practical application skills - CCNA ( )
Entry level – ICND1 ( ) First
Full CCNA intimidating to first-time cert takers
Focus on one test at a time
Double-time allotted per question
Adequate ICND1 knowledge essential for ICND2
The higher your score on ICND1, the better off you will be on ICND2
ICND2 builds to a deeper level of ICND1, along with introducing additional topics
Above ALL – GET DEDICATED! – How bad do you want it?
“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.” Teddy Roosevelt

9. Tips for Success – HOW? Three essential elements:
Authoritative study certification exam text
Cisco Press Official Cert Guide
Practice test environment
CP provides CD
Boson
Configuration Environment
Cisco Packet Tracer no longer requires Academy membership to download!
GNS3 – Requires IOS software – which can be a licensing issue
Virtual subscription based

10. Tips for Success – HOW? CORE to nearly EVERYTHING else!
OSI alignment to TCP/IP Data Model
Anatomy of an IPv4/6 Address
Classful & VLSM, ID of Subnet and Broadcast
S/M range implications
Major IPv4/6 address groupings
Uni-cast, Mutli-cast, Broadcast
Private vs. Public
Path of a frame
Path of a packet
Major well-known ports

11. Resources – Other Text Consider other authors aside from Cisco Press
Often easier to comprehend and presented in layman’s terms
Seek out ‘example’ implementations – the why helps logically remember the how
Check for access to additional test bank of practice questions
A few recommendations:
Todd Lammle ‘Complete Study Guides’
Anthony Sequeira ‘Exam Cram’
Consider ‘Portable Command Guides’ for succinct review of configurations and narrowed focus
Some include more practice questions

12. Resources – Change it up!
Implement a variety of methods
Video mentors
UDEMY
YOUTube
CBT Nuggets
Blogs
YouTube has TONS of free CCNA material!
Don’t be afraid of the creation date
Many underlying technologies have been around for a decade
An old video may still help you learn!
Make your day work for you
Plan ahead, use commute time to listen to videos or the first time

13. Resources: Brain Train
Mnemonics
Use them, create them, practice them
Flashcards
Online and make your own
Take Notes!
Just read it - Shallow (Short-term)
Structural (appearance)
Phonemic (sound)
Write it down - Deep (Long-Term)
Semantic
Deep processing involves elaboration rehearsal which involves a more meaningful analysis (e.g. images, thinking, associations etc.) of information and leads to better recall.

14. Make up one’s that make sense to you, and practice them!
Mnemonics
Every Alley Cat Eats Wet Noodles Indoors Daily (SYSLOG levels)
Emerg, Alert, Critical, Events, Warnings, Notifications, Informational, Debug
Please Do Not Touch Steve’s Pet Alligator (OSI)
Physical, Data link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, Applications
Betty Likes Deep Relaxing Massages (EIGRP K-Values)
Bandwidth, Load, Delay, Reliability, MTU
Bears Feel Pretty Soft (PDUs)
Bits, Frames, Packets, Segments
DORA (DHCP)
Discover, Offer, Request, Ack
Hey DD, R U Alright?
OSPF Hello, DBD, LsR, LsU, LsAck)
Make up one’s that make sense to you, and practice them!

15. Resources: Find what works for you!
Different methods work better for some, than others
Subnetting & VLSM
Use a chart or use the math?
Use processes rather than charts when you can
Ex. Last bit of S/M is range on network – easy to use this across both IPv4 & 6
Know key ways to get to the answer
Ex. Given Address and S/M ID
Broadcast
All other hosts in L3 broadcast range

16. Resources - Don’t go it Alone!
Find energy, inspiration and encouragement from others
Online resources and In-Person!
Seek peers with prior experience
They can’t legally ‘divulge’ what was on the test, but can help educate you on the amount of preparation required
How long did they prepare in advance?
How often and for how long was each study session?
What other resources or advice might they recommend?
Seek multiple resources on the same topics
“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” Arthur Ashe

17. Final thoughts – Day of Test
Arrive early – don’t get yourself stressed before you ever get there!
Take a fine tip dry erase marker with you
Mind your time while on the test – MANAGE WISELY!
Read question one more time after selecting your answer,
Look for things you may have overlooked
Ex. Select multiple answers or Select complete solutions –
WILL NOT PROMPT!
Get plenty of sleep the night before
KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE!
Just before arriving at test center, get yourself ‘In the Zone’ – Take a few deep breaths and tell yourself ‘I got this!’

18. Final Thoughts – Day of the Test
Simlets - You may have access to ? At command line – USE IT IF YOU DO!
Remember there are multiple ways to do things
Ex. OSPF adding via network statement vs. adding on the interface itself
Think about the structure of the command to determine where it should be issued
Look for KEY words in the cert questions that have significant meaning
Ex. Packet means the same as Network Layer means the same as L3 IP (routing)
Eliminate obvious wrong answers first
Make your choice and select, but review question again before moving on to next
WATCH and MANAGE YOUR TIME!
Don’t waste too much time on any one question
Make sure you finish the exam!

19. Read carefully, so you don’t trip!
Notice this one says view ALL access lists
Show IP will only show IPv4, not IPv6, IPX, AppleTalk, etc.

20. Know your rules and how they may differ across topics
Unlike ACLs, Routes are matched to the most SPECIFIC rather than the first one it finds.

21. Find specific words in the question that make all the difference in the answer
Notice keyword here is overloading

22. Careful, this one is looking for COMPLETE solutions for BOTH answers
C & D are only partially correct, but NOT COMPLETE solutions by themselves
AND NOTICE is says “Select 2”

23. Know your commands, especially show commands
Show ip ospf neighbor
Show ip ospf topology
Show ip route
Show ip protocols
Show ip ospf interface <int-id>
Know where to find the types of information you seek!
Use your completed packet tracers to issue and look at
various output

24. Know the specifics of how things work, Don’t forget RIP!

26. ALWAYS read the question again after you have answered it BEFORE you click NEXT – There’s NO GOING BACK!
Clarify you have selected ‘2’ choices