Is the CCNP Certification Is so Tuff
Every individual inspires to be successful in their career. In order to succeed in the rat race, one needs to equip themselves well. To finish the rat race ahead, it is necessary to continuously prove your skills. CCNP certification is a great way to prove your skills and in order to fight the tough competition of the job market CCNP is a great way to stand out from the crowd.
Many companies realize the importance of CCNP certification and add this as a standard for their openings. They also make it a compulsory aspect for the candidates who seek job in their company. There are lots of challenges which come up in a job and one has to equip themselves well in order to achieve success in the career. In any job, smart professionals lead the race and hence in order to act smart, it is required to acquire the necessary skills to lead the rat race. CCNP certification is a good start to acquire necessary skills in networking. These certifications have a worldwide recognition and it equips the candidates with all necessary skills required to do one’’s job well.
The Cisco Certified Network Professional is sought by many and adds so much of value to your resume. The necessary skills of installing, configuring and troubleshooting networks can be obtained by this certification. These professional mainly deal with small and medium level networks with nodes from 100 to 500. In order to get this certification one has to pass the exam series from 642 to 901 BSCI, 642-983 BCMSN etc. The exams are not that easy to clear as it tests both the theoretical as well as practical knowledge of the candidate. Hence the candidates must have enough of field experience in order to clear the exams. Cisco trains the candidates which help them to clear the exam easily. The certification is worthy as it has a brand name of a reputed company. This certificate helps you to stand out from the rest of the crowd and one can gain enough expertise in the networking field. One can refer the Cisco learning website to get more details about exam,
Six tips for finding quality CISSP training
The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification has become a widely recognized credential for broad information security expertise. But the challenging exam for CISSP certification requires such a wide range of security knowledge that many tech pros require some help to pass it, regardless of their experience level.
As a CISSP trainer for Certified Tech Trainers, I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about money wasted on not-so-great instructor-led training. In fact, many of my students have already invested in training that simply didn’t work for them.
You should look for several common elements when choosing a school and its course. To save you time and money, I’ve come up with six tips to help you evaluate instructor-led CISSP training.
Tip 1: Verify the credentials of the instructor
If you expect the instructor to transfer knowledge on a wide variety of security domains, make sure he or she is an expert in each of the security domains. Naturally the instructor should be CISSP certified, but I would argue that CISSP certification alone is not all you should look for.
If a Microsoft Certified Trainer is teaching Windows 2000 directory services, you don’t really need the instructor to also be a firewall guru. However, if the instructor is teaching Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) server, it would be kind of nice if the instructor really knew firewall implementations and could explain how ISA functions in comparison to Cisco PIX, Check Point Firewall NG, and Linux IP Tables.
The CISSP exam covers 10 security domains, and it’s really 10 exams in one. Look for an instructor who is a credentialed expert in each of the security domains. Desirable instructor certifications include (ISC)2’s CISSP, ISACA’s CISA, CompTIA’s Security+, SCP’s SCNP, Check Point’s CCSE and CCSI, Cisco’s CCIE, CCNP, and CCSP, Microsoft’s MCT, MCSE, and MCSD, Nokia’s NSA, TruSecure’s TICSA, and SANS’s GIAC. It is also desirable for your instructor to have a business or computer sciences degree.
Some courses have even been created by recognized authors. Although this is certainly nice, be careful that authoring is not the instructor’s only claim to fame. Getting a book deal is not that hard. Having coauthored and edited four books myself, I can speak from experience. The CISSP is an expert-level certification. Make sure your instructor is an expert in each of the 10 security domains before you sign up for a CISSP class.
You should also be careful of a school that boasts of a course created by an expert but then uses someone else to teach it. The strength of an instructor-led class comes primarily from the instructor in front of you, since it is the instructor’s ability to transfer knowledge that can really deliver the value of the class. I can tell you that it’s a lot harder to hire extremely talented and qualified instructors than it is to find or create good base content. Promoting a course created by an expert and delivered by someone else is often little more than bait-and-switch marketing.
Tip 2: Beware of the cookie-cutter course
Make sure that the course provides a foundation of solid information security training mapped to the 10 security domains of the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). Is the course adapted solely from a book, or does it include custom content as well? What is the extra content?
Oddly enough, you should also make sure that the instructor’s presentation actually corresponds to the course materials provided. We’ve had many frustrated students come to us after attending a presentation that didn’t even match the materials provided.
Tip 3: Evaluate the after-course study materials
Make sure that the course is set up to allow easy review. There’s an enormous amount of material to cover for the CISSP, and you’ll absolutely have to review on your own to retain all the necessary details. If the course is set up properly, it should already have critical exam points highlighted for you.
The school should not rely on your ability to remember what was important to remember for the exam. It will be hard enough just keeping up, let alone discerning what to review. Make sure the school is doing its job by taking as much of the work out of the learning process as possible. You want to have energy and concentration left for pure retention efforts without wasting them on preparatory details the school could have taken care of.
Tip 4: Ensure that the course addresses test-taking strategies
Although the school should naturally provide solid information security training and knowledge transfer, it should also provide specialized training on the art of attacking ambiguous, subjective, and very tricky exam questions. Many of our students have commented that the CISSP exam seemed as much a test of IQ as a test of infosec know-how. My opinion is that it’s both.
You’ll need to develop the skill of ferreting out the true point of a question and then determining the best answer out of four good and arguable answers. Most instructor-led courses shy from this kind of instruction, but that doesn’t mean that testing skill is bad or that you don’t need it. Just ask any CISSP about the exam. Most will just grin and swear they will never take it again!
Tip 5: Check out the opportunity to practice for the exam
Make sure that the course includes plenty of mentoring through practice exams. Simply taking practice exams for the CISSP does not work as it does for many technical certifications. From my experience, I can vouch that you’ll probably not see more than 2 to 3 percent of any practice questions on your real exam. That means you can’t “Transcender” through this one.
In preparing for my own exam, I parsed more than 2,800 commercially available practice questions from Boson, The CISSP Prep Guide, the All-in-One CISSP Certification , and the SRV publications to find and memorize more than 1,100 nonredundant questions. I can’t say for sure, but I don’t remember more than about 25 real questions that mapped very closely to practice questions. The math says you would need 10 times the memorization to get the content you need. Not much of a shortcut, is it?
So why do I recommend seeking mentored practice exams? The key word is mentored. If an exam expert walks you through the logic of attacking tricky questions, you can apply those same techniques to any exam. And if the instructor has the string of certifications mentioned in tip number 1, you can be confident that he or she has plenty of experience in taking tricky exams.
Tip 6: Don’t buy training based on pass guarantees
Beware of making your decision based upon a hollow “exam pass guarantee.” Most of these guarantees are not money-back guarantees. They often only enable you to take the class again if you fail your exam. It’s kind of like being offered a free meal from a restaurant after showing proof from the hospital that your last meal gave you food poisoning.
What Are the Requirements For Certifying With CCIE Certification Program?
Cisco certified internetwork expert is one of the certifications from Cisco where candidates from the information technology will certify for getting a job change or high paid salary jobs etc. Totally there are 15,000 candidates around the world have successfully certified with this CCIE certification program. Since it is a challenging course, candidates should invest their time as well as money in order to certify successfully with this program.
CCIE certification program requirements:
For certifying with this certification, there are no special prerequisites required to the candidates but it is mandatory that candidates should have their work experience in any level of organization. There are two examinations that candidates should pass. One is theory examination and other one is CCIE laboratory examination. Cost of written exam is approximately 350 USD and the cost of lab examination is approximately 1250 USD. Theory examination is just 2 hours exam that consists of 100 questions with multiple choices. There are no case study type questions. Only after completing the theory exam, candidates can take the 8 hour lab examination.
CCIE job roles:
Regarding the job roles, candidates can get placed in high paid salary in top fortune companies around the world. Since the demand is always high for the CCIE candidates, companies are ready to hire talented CCIE certified candidates with high salary paid. Network expert, network architect, senior lead network engineer and lead network engineer are some of the job roles included for this certification program.
CCIE job salary to the candidates:
As already mentioned, CCIE candidates are always in demand in the multinational companies and hence, candidates can get placed in high paid salary. Average salary for the CCIE candidates in the United States is around 60,000 USD/ year. If the performance level is extremely good and also with 2 to 3 years experience, then candidates can demand for more than 125, 000 USD per year.
Cissp: Gaining And Maintaining Your Certification
The CISSP is the original information security qualification, held to ISO (International Standards Organisation) regulations and it remains a globally recognised and highly respected qualification. To achieve CISSP certification you need to pass an examination of 250 multiple choice questions. However, the world of computers does not slow down and programs and systems are forever being updated and replaced. This means that there can be no one-off qualification for Information security.
(ISC)2, the body which created and regulates CISSP certification, understands this need. Every year, every month, computer security needs to advance and so the CISSP qualification needs to be maintained throughout your career. The original certification lasts for three years and after that there are options available to renew and maintain the status.
You could choose to retake the CISSP exam but (ISC)2 have provided an alternative solution in the form of CPEs or Continued Professional Education credits. These can be earned in various ways including: attending online seminars and security conferences, publishing articles or books on the subject of security and participating in self-study courses.
(ISC)2 also allows people to help maintain their CISSP certification by submitting reviews for books on information security to their website. This is simple and easy and, if your review is accepted, you automatically gain CPEs.
You can even receive credits for subscribing to an information security magazine, providing training for other people on information security or volunteering to help charitable organisations maintain the security of their computer systems.
None of this is any good without the original qualification, though, which is just as easy to study for. There are many books and computer training courses available for CISSP qualifications. If you are looking for a way to stand out in information security and you have five years of experience in the area, then you could qualify for CISSP certification. If you think that this certification could help you there are DVD training and online courses available to help you study for the exam
Used Cisco Routers And Switches On eBay
A Cisco lab of your own is the best way to prepare for CCNA certification. Whether you’re in the planning stages of your Cisco lab or ready to purchase some routers or switches, eBay is a great place to get started. (By the way, those of you preparing for CCNP certification can use these same tips!)
Naturally, you have to exercise caution when purchasing anything on eBay. I’ve had only successful experiences buying used Cisco routers and switches there, and this CCNA certification exam tutorial will focus on tips to make building your Cisco lab a pleasurable experience.
Many used Cisco router vendor sell home lab kits, which include various routers and switches, cables, and perhaps some other connection devices and study guides. This seems like a good idea, and many of the Cisco lab kits on eBay are good deals.
There are a few things to look out for when buying such a kit. Watch for equipment that is no longer tested on the CCNA exam or the particular CCNP exam you have in mind. There’s nothing wrong with 2500 routers for CCNA certification practice, but if you’re buying switches, make sure they have an IOS.
Many older Cisco switches use “set” commands for configuration, and while these switches are certainly functional, your CCNA training demands switches that you can practice IOS-based commands on.
Some eBay Cisco lab kits come with CCNA certification materials such as study guides or practice exams. On occasion, I’ll see these kits include outdated study materials. If you don’t want the study guides, just ask the vendor how much the kit is without the books. The same goes for the cables, but generally you’ll need the cables and transceivers included with the lab kit.
Most importantly, do some research on the vendor. What’s their eBay feedback rating? Have they had a lot of returned merchandise? Visit their website – I don’t know of any used Cisco router resellers that don’t have their own website – and take a look around. The vendor should offer some kind of limited warranty, so make sure you find it and read it carefully before purchasing.
I know from experience that building your own Cisco lab can be a little scary when you’re getting started. I also know from experience, and the experience of thousands of my students worldwide, that there is no better practice for the CCNA certification exams than working with the real deal.
I guarantee you that this small financial investment will be a great investment in your networking career. Now get out there and get started!
How to become a CCIE
I have just completed writing down an article ‘How to become a CCIE: Cracking CCIE Security Labs’ and I have sent it to various study forum.
In summary, there are only 12 easy steps to become a CCIE:
1. Start with the self-assessment, check the CCIE Security lab blueprint and verify your current skill level
2. Use other certification as steeping stone, for CCIE Security I recommend to take CCSP and CCIP, not CCNP
3. Build your home lab, with several routers and 1 PIX firewall at minimum
4. Passing written exam doesn’t mean anything, so just pass it with any way and register for your lab
5. Read a lot, no single source can make you pass CCIE lab, so you must spend lots of time with Cisco website, RFCs, Networkers, Ciscopress books, study forum, CCIE workbooks and any related links on the Internet.
6. Build your speed: practice, practice, practice. Keep repeating the same thing until your fingers, not only your brain, memorize how to configure Cisco security technology.
7. Join the community, you can’t fight this battle alone. Create small study group.
8. Learn how to ask, to the study forum and during the real lab to the proctors.
9. Understand the Lab questions, you need to know what Cisco expects from your answer.
10. Trust no one, trust no solution: You should not trust any of your resources (books, Cisco website, workbooks etc) until you prove it by yourself in your lab.
11. It’s all in your mind, CCIE is completely a mind game. You will pass if you believe that you can pass.
12. The journey must be fun. It is only an exam even it’s really hard and you will not have social life at all during the journey, but at least you should enjoy it
How To Become a Cisco CCNP
Congratulations on your decision to earn your CCNP certification! As a CCIE, I can tell you that Cisco certifications are both financially and personally rewarding.
To earn your CCNP, you first have to earn your CCNA certification. Then you’re faced with a decision – take the three-exam CCNP path, or the four-exam path? They’re both quite demanding, so let’s take a look at each path.
The four-exam CCNP path includes the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks exam (BSCI), Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks exam (BCMSN), Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN), and Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT) exam.
The three-exam path combines the BSCI and BCMSN exams into a single exam, called the Composite exam.
I’m often asked what order I recommend taking the exams in. After earning your CCNA, I recommend you begin studying for the BSCI exam immediately. You will find the fundamentals you learned in your CCNA studies will help you a great deal with this exam. You’re going to add to your CCNA knowledgebase quite a bit when it comes to OSPF and EIGRP, as well as being introduced to BGP.
I don’t have a preference between the BCMSN and BCRAN exams, but I do recommend you take the CIT exam last. You’ll be using all the skills you learned in the first three exams to pass the CIT. It’s a very demanding exam, and it’s a little hard to troubleshoot technologies that you haven’t learned yet!
The CCNP is both financially and personally fulfilling. Once you complete your CCNA studies, take a little breather and then get started on your CCNP studies. The more you know, the more valuable you are in today’s ever-changing IT job market.
Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Lab Setup Tutorial: How To Buy & Build A Frame Relay Switch
One of the major topics on your CCNA and CCNP exams is Frame Relay. Additionally, Frame Relay is one of the most popular WAN technolgies in today’s networks. Getting hands-on experience with Frame Relay in Cisco networks isn’t just a good idea, it’s a necessity. Let’s face it, your employer is going to get a little touchy if you start experimenting with your network’s Frame Relay setup.
To practice all your important Frame Relay commands for your exams, you need a working Frame Relay cloud in your home lab. A production network’s Frame cloud consists of a lot of Frame switches, but if you choose wisely, a single Cisco router can act as your home lab’s entire Frame cloud!
Before we look at the configuration of such a router (hereafter referred to as a “frame relay switch”), let’s look at the physical requirements.
The more serial ports you have, the better. You should get a router with at least four serial ports. For frame switching purposes, it doesn’t matter if the ports are synchronous or asynchronous – you just need the ports.
You will also need some DTE/DCE cables. The DCE end of the cables will be connected to the frame switch.
A great configuration for a CCNA practice lab is three routers that serve as “production” routers, and a 4th router as a frame relay switch. (You’ll want an access server as well, but that’s another article.)
What I use in my student and customer pods is a setup where R1 is connected to the frame switch’s S1 port, R2 is connected to S2 on the frame switch, and R3 is connected to the frame switch’s S3 port.
Now comes the tricky part – the configuration. A frame relay switch’s config can be hard to find, so here’s a copy of mine. Pay particular attention to the config on ports s1, s2, and s3.
version 12.0
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
!
hostname FRAME_SWITCH
!
!
ip subnet-zero
no ip domain-lookup
frame-relay switching
!
!
!
interface Ethernet0
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
shutdown
!
interface Serial0
ip address 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.0
clockrate 56000
!
interface Serial1
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221
frame-relay route 123 interface Serial3 321
!
interface Serial2
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 221 interface Serial1 122
!
interface Serial3
no ip address
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation frame-relay
logging event subif-link-status
logging event dlci-status-change
clockrate 56000
no frame-relay inverse-arp
frame-relay intf-type dce
frame-relay route 321 interface Serial1 123
!
interface BRI0
ip address 150.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
no ip directed-broadcast
encapsulation ppp
dialer map ip 150.1.1.2 name R2 broadcast 2335552221
dialer-group 1
!
ip classless
!
dialer-list 1 protocol ip permit
!
line con 0
exec-timeout 0 0
logging synchronous
transport input none
line aux 0
line vty 0 4
login
!
end
The key command in the global configuration is frame-relay switching. You must have this configured before you can configure the interfaces.
The interfaces will be configured with the frame route command. Let’s take a look at what each value means in the command frame-relay route 122 interface Serial2 221.
frame-relay route – the command
122 – the incoming DLCI on this interface
interface serial2 – the interface the data will be sent out
221 – the outgoing DLCI
This command on S1 means that anything that comes in on this port on DLCI 122 will be sent out interface serial2 on DLCI 221.
It’s a good idea to hard-code the interfaces to act as DCEs with the frame intf-type dce command. Since these interfaces are acting as DCEs, the clockrate command is needed for the line protocol to come up.
Once you’ve configured your frame switch as shown and have configured the frame map statements on the “production” routers, you can test the frame switch configuration. On the frame switch, run the command show frame route.
FRAME_SWITCH#show frame route
Input Intf Input Dlci Output Intf Output Dlci Status
Serial1 122 Serial2 221 active
Serial1 123 Serial3 321 active
Serial2 221 Serial1 122 active
Serial3 321 Serial1 123 active
You should see “active” for all the interfaces. If you see “deleted”, make sure your frame switch interfaces are open if they are, check the router configs.
Keep in mind that you can still configure routing protocols to run on ports that you’re not using for frame switching. The router we used here had an ethernet port and BRI port, and the BRI port has been configured as part of the production network. Running frame switching does not disable IP routing.
Purchasing and configuring your own frame relay switch is an invaluable part of your Cisco education. By practicing your frame commands and configuring frame connections over your own frame relay cloud, you’re polishing your Cisco skills and gaining knowledge that cannot be duplicated by simulator programs.
What Certification Should You Pursue After The CCNA ?
Promptly you’ve got your CCNA, you’re on to relocate on to the next unalterable, the Professional certifications. Recompense years, Cisco had united Seasoned certification, the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification. On time, Cisco has expanded this point of certifications to group the Cisco Certified Security Maestro (CCSP) and Cisco Certified Raise Professional (CCVP).
With certainty and organ being the two most rapidly expanding areas of today’s networks, some unfledged CCNAs over active after the CCSP or CCVP without essential adding the CCNP to their resume.
While it’s temping to hurry up and proceed a Cisco custodianship or raise certification, the most desirable sentiment you can do in behalf of your networking occupation is carry out your CCNP certification first, then commit oneself to on the CCVP or CCSP.
Why? Because the CCNA is just the advice of a danged large iceberg when it comes to routing and switching. It’s a identical impressive accomplishment, and the CCNA is indeed the foundation of your networking bolt, but you lack to add on to that parallel of concordat routing and switching in the future moving on to more specialized areas.
Two examples are OSPF and BGP. You learn almost the theory of OSPF and some underlying and intermediate configurations of that diplomacy in your CCNA studies, but the expertise you into of OSPF in your CCNP studies is invaluable. As for BGP, there is no BGP in the CCNA curriculum, but it is a grand impression to make some BGP experience in today’s networks. It’s also penetrating as your career.
I recognize it is a gargantuan temptation to go after the assurance and voice certifications while not paying acclaim to the CCNP. Do yourself a huge favor and count up the tremendous amount of routing and switching knowledge needed for the sake of the CCNP to your knowledgebase, and you can then move on to the CCSP or CCVP. Uniform better, you’ll be better prepared to climb the biggest certification mountain around – the !
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Cisco CCNP Certification: Introduction To BGP
Cisco certification candidates are introduced to BGP at the CCNP level, but the reaction to its introduction always reminds me of something I see often as the CCNA level.
Whenever I teach distance-vector protocols in my Ultimate CCNA Boot Camp or Fast Track classes, I make sure my students understand the many rules of distance-vector routing thoroughly. After that, we move on to OSPF and link-state routing.
And what do I tell my students before we move on to OSPF and link-state? “Take all that great stuff you just learned about distance-vector routing and put it aside, because none of it applies here!”
That’s about the time I get astonished looks and a few things thrown at me. 
What’s this got to do with BGP? Well, when you start studying BGP, you have to put a lot of preconceptions aside. It sounds like just another routing protocol, like RIP or OSPF, but it’s not.
So… before we start studying BGP and looking at some of its many features, let’s take a look at what BGP is and what it’s not.
What BGP Does And Who Uses It
If you’re in a position where you’re used to seeing or working with routing protocols such as EIGRP and OSPF, you’re probably now working with BGP. BGP is not a protocol you’re going to configure at the office LAN. BGP is used to connect autonomous systems, which are very large “collections” of networks. (Those of you who have studied IGRP and EIGRP are familiar with the concepts of an AS.)
As opposed to routing protocols such as EIGRP and OSPF, BGP is an exterior routing protocol. BGP is not used to find a specific network instead, it’s used to find the AS where that given network can be found.
A good way to look at it is that networks are contained in Autonomous Systems BGP helps you find the AS where a given network is found. Routing protocols such as OSPF and EIGRP take it from there.
BGP Terminology
You’ll be happy to know that BGP has a terminology all its own. Well, you might not be happy about it, but it does! I’m not going to throw a bunch of terms at you right now, since these terms are better introduced to you when you can see what they do. Having said that, here are a couple of basic BGP terms that will help you make the transition from IGPs to BGP.
aggregation – This is just the BGP term for summarization. You’re familiar with route summarization from your CCNA studies, and if not, it’s time for a review from my Ultimate CCNA Study Guide. I told you you’d be using those skills for a long time!
IGP – Interior Gateway Protocol. These are routing protocols that run within an Autonomous System, such as OSPF and EIGRP.
EGP – Exterior Gateway Protocol. Remember from your CCNA studies that EIGRP routes are indicated by the letter “D” in your routing table? Ever wonder why? EGP, that’s why. Run show ip route and take a look at the routing table key. EGP was BGP’s predecessor, and is still in the routing table. EGP was there before EIGRP, so that’s why “E” in the routing table doesn’t indicate an EIGRP route.
We’ll be adding to this list a great deal in the next few weeks.
Now that you’ve got a grasp on the differences between BGP and the IGPs you’ve been working with up to this point, it’s time to start looking at some basic BGP concepts and configurations. Look for Part II of this BGP tutorial over the next few days!