Finally getting back into networking world again after playing get tons of storage certs for my current gig. I'm in a position I'll be doing a ton more VMware and Cisco work again which I'm excited about.
Sitting the 640-911 CCNA DC next week. I have my CCNA R+S but it expires in Sept and I've been in the storage world since.
Just finished Odom and Hintz's book. I'm going to be labbing out at home and cramming the different syntax and features differences from NXOS and IOS. I'm also going to be practicing fast subnetting again as well as keep reviewing my IPV6 Local, Global items.
I also have the Bosom practice test that came with the books I'll be going through.
Anyone have any helpful pointers of something I should go study harder? Any places you've purchased lab time through to practice on a Nexus box? I don't have any access to a Nexus box or MDS to play with right now, just have my pile of IOS routers and switches.
As always (and I wish this could go unstated but I've had people PM me to try to sell me that crap), no brain dumps please. Point of certs is to show what you know and to help you learn and grow in your career. Cheaters ruin the value of certs for the rest of us that take the time to learn and grow. Been studying off and on for 6 months
What, you're not going to lab on your employer's production network? :glitch:
I'd love to lab on my employers equipment :). But yeah we all know thats a no go. I'm checking if some of my partners may have a lab I can use for free.
I did find some good information. Apparently Lammle and Odom's books miss some key portions of the test and even fails to mention them completely depending on the book. Theres a blog post that has a really good study guide and links to the Cisco learning network forums for this test. Always check the test blueprint out to make sure you know the topics :).
http://jensd.be/665/network/how-to-prepare-for-cicso-ccna-data-center-640-911-dcicn
I've heard its a brutal exam and has a ton of legacy technology questions. And like all the specialties, the CCNA level cert and material is kinda useless in real life, the real 'meat' starts at the P level, but its an unavoidable roadblock if you want to get to CCNP level. Good luck.
The knowledge you gain from real-world, hands-on "labbing" is invaluable. I'm not saying go and start mucking about with your company network, but if you can get in there, hunt around, run commands and may be set stuff up in an non-intrusive way then this will help ingrain that knowledge into your head.
PS - you can spot exam cheats pretty easily. They're the ones who are CCIE and don't know how to do a basic static NAT in IOS. Unfortunately, the emplyers still seem to employ these people and let them make it through past probation.
Quote from: Dieselboy on August 03, 2016, 09:41:23 PM
Unfortunately, the employers still seem to employ these people and let them make it through past probation.
Those are the VAR's, they're just hiring letters, so the can get higher partner status, and steeper discounts, so they can make more money, and use some of that to pay the letters salary. money in their pocket = i don't care
I'm just doing the CCNA DC to recert my R+S since I don't have time to study for a CCNP test. I'm actually going to start on the CCNP DC next.
I've done a bit on nexus but its been a few years since I did it daily, just rusty and gotta shake off those cobwebs.
I'll let you guys know how 640-911 goes! Hopefully I don't get too tripped up, I'm not a very good test taker but I feel I know the material OK. Should be testing in the next week
oldie but a goodie
http://www.networking-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=9249
Quote from: ristau5741 on August 04, 2016, 11:09:13 AM
oldie but a goodie
http://www.networking-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=9249
Until it ends in a pair of gravedig spams...
Test scheduled next week Tuesday. Glad I started studying the hardware and licensing items because I probably would fail if I didn't see that addition to the blueprint.
Quizlet has been fantastic to make my own flash cards and tests to study. I'll update on how I do!
Best of luck!
You don't want my advice.
:problem?:
Took the test twice since last I posted. Failed with an 800 the second time.
This is the first time I've gone to open a case to contest the results with Cisco. Multiple items on the test that are not in the blueprint, official study guide books, Lammles book or even mentioned in the videos on the Cisco learning center. The test itself is disappointing as a test. A test should not be written for an individual to fail when they've done more than their due diligence in researching off the blueprint and official study material. Quiz me on the material and I can tell you what you need to know.
Seriously this 640-911 was so poorly outlined, written and study materials created that I'm tempted to not take any further Cisco exams. If paying $250 per test to be setup for a fail is the new norm, then they can die in a fire. /rant off
CCENT and CCNA R+S were great tests to study for and learn the material. And surprise the material in the test was properly outlined and put in the study guides!
Can't win them all, thank goodness I can write these test fees off on my taxes.
My take: Cisco will say that all the material in the book will be tested, but not all of the test is material in the book.
Translation: take the class for this test and you get all your answers after you pay your money.
AKA Here Pay us oodles of money for this class so we can give you the test answers directly :).
Company I work for right now does the same thing but their tests are just super poorly written in general (and you can't go really indepth on the topics so they do tests off the individual products)
I'm sorry you got burned, and yeah that exam is notorious for its poor quality / not-in-the-blueprint curveballs / WTF are you asking questions re: 10baseT and hubs for a DC exam in 201x.
Don't get discouraged! I'm sure you'll nail it next time. Don't be surprised if the exams change shortly, the CCIE DC has already gone v2 so the CCNP DC must be soon.
You can get DC kit rack time off INE, though you have to reserve it quite long in advance from all accounts esp after IPxpert folded.
Quote from: wintermute000 on September 18, 2016, 07:17:05 AM
I'm sorry you got burned, and yeah that exam is notorious for its poor quality / not-in-the-blueprint curveballs / WTF are you asking questions re: 10baseT and hubs for a DC exam in 201x.
Don't get discouraged! I'm sure you'll nail it next time. Don't be surprised if the exams change shortly, the CCIE DC has already gone v2 so the CCNP DC must be soon.
You can get DC kit rack time off INE, though you have to reserve it quite long in advance from all accounts esp after IPxpert folded.
Fun part is I got a 94% on the section in regards to switching and nexus items :). I can configure and work on the boxes all day. It was the Cisco questions of crap and out of blueprint curveballs that got me. Thanks for the words of encouragement and heads up for the INE labs. Ill have to see about getting into those, I am buying a VIRL subscription since I can write it off for education expense.
Its so frustrating when you prepare and study and think you know things really well only to fail. I can't even fathom what some of y'all went through with CCIE or CCNP related items if any of y'all had a fail on those tests. I'm taking a break for a bit and then I'll get back to studying and pass this test. Need to take some time to recoup mentally and give some attention to my family.
Quote from: Langly on September 20, 2016, 10:16:04 AM
Quote from: wintermute000 on September 18, 2016, 07:17:05 AM
I'm sorry you got burned, and yeah that exam is notorious for its poor quality / not-in-the-blueprint curveballs / WTF are you asking questions re: 10baseT and hubs for a DC exam in 201x.
Don't get discouraged! I'm sure you'll nail it next time. Don't be surprised if the exams change shortly, the CCIE DC has already gone v2 so the CCNP DC must be soon.
You can get DC kit rack time off INE, though you have to reserve it quite long in advance from all accounts esp after IPxpert folded.
Fun part is I got a 94% on the section in regards to switching and nexus items :). I can configure and work on the boxes all day. It was the Cisco questions of crap and out of blueprint curveballs that got me. Thanks for the words of encouragement and heads up for the INE labs. Ill have to see about getting into those, I am buying a VIRL subscription since I can write it off for education expense.
Its so frustrating when you prepare and study and think you know things really well only to fail. I can't even fathom what some of y'all went through with CCIE or CCNP related items if any of y'all had a fail on those tests. I'm taking a break for a bit and then I'll get back to studying and pass this test. Need to take some time to recoup mentally and give some attention to my family.
ya gotta keep plugging away at it, at least like an hour a day to keep things in mind, otherwise you'll take a break, and start to lose knowledge,
Many of us have had that attitude to take break, then something happens, then something else comes up, then it's like 6 months or a year later when ya finally get back to study, and ya end up starting over again. really sucks.
Ok - maybe it's now time for my advice.
Don't waste your time/money/effort with the DC track. What Cisco says the DC should look like has been a) wrong and b) changed many times. You may garner some good info studying for it... but I certainly wouldn't focus on it. Get your CCNP R&S if you don't have it already - that pays off in spades.
That's my opinion anyway.
The P after the CCN can really help in moving a career into a midlevel to senior role. I second the push to get the P in R&S.
I agree with aspiringnetworker, however, I don't know your situation, you might be dealing with UCS and Nexus all day every day.
But on that note, check out UCS market share and Cisco DC market share trends, and then ask yourself if its worth investing the time on a cert track where 50% of it is focused on a single vendors server platform (#3 in enterprises ) in an era where whitebox everywhere / open source / hyperconverged tide is coming in.
I'm not even going to start on the N7k bugs or ACI bashing
Only reason I was doing DC is because I work in the storage world right now :). I do more with FC and iScsi nowadays but I miss the networking world. And really now I wish I went the CCNP route for R+S because I probably would of had a pass for at least one test.
Quote from: Langly on September 22, 2016, 02:06:49 PM
Only reason I was doing DC is because I work in the storage world right now :). I do more with FC and iScsi nowadays but I miss the networking world. And really now I wish I went the CCNP route for R+S because I probably would of had a pass for at least one test.
Ah if you're working storage alone then maybe the R&S won't be much help for you unless you're looking to move in that direction. I just always recommended networking folks work to get the R&S first before going down any specialty path - while it does have some stuff specific to Cisco, the knowledge you gain there pretty much works across all vendors. The specialty stuff is very geared toward the vendor so I don't recommend it unless you're working the space and using the tech described in the cert.
Specifically in regards to the DC track, I'll be completely transparent with you. I work for a competitor in that space, and I wish I could say this without sounding bias (Though, I HAVE been saying this for years now), Cisco has at least for now doesn't have a clear vision on the DC - even if I worked for Cisco I wouldn't recommend the track knowing what I know. FabricPath, FCoE, VTS, ACI, NFM, who knows that else... it changes every year or two.
To be fair, maybe now more than ever, the DC is in a big state of flux and amorphic. Maybe not when it comes to the underlay, I think some vendors are leading the way there and some best practices/architectures are coming from that... but whatever rides on top... that's a huge unknown right now to see who comes out the victor. That's my opinion though and I don't spend any time after work reading blogs and keeping up on the latest trends - that's just from what I see from talking to folks on a day-to-day basis - a gut feeling more than an educated guess.
It's true... the DC acronyms change faster than the tests and cert guides can be written. Cisco still spells firewall "ASA" and wireless "Aironet" (maybe also "Meraki", though I haven't heard that one in a while), but their DC stuff has changed over the last 3 years I've been overhearing their sales guys.
Quote from: deanwebb on September 22, 2016, 05:51:06 PM
It's true... the DC acronyms change faster than the tests and cert guides can be written. Cisco still spells firewall "ASA" and wireless "Aironet" (maybe also "Meraki", though I haven't heard that one in a while), but their DC stuff has changed over the last 3 years I've been overhearing their sales guys.
Yeah I have to redo my CCNA R+S now since I didn't pass this DC test. I had a few other certs from other vendors I had to get done and figured I'd pass this test in two attempts at most. Joke was on me. At least its a learning experience that will better prepare me in the future. And with the CCNA R+S being revamped some more maybe It'll be better. Put my gns lab to work at home (and the pile of routers/switches I pilfered from decoming a call center)
My road map was the following for the next 5-10 years.
CCNADC-->CCNP R+S--> VCP 6 --> CCNP DC or start working towards CCIE written.
Just going to do R+S track for now until I decide to hop back over more into the network world and less storage. My passion lies in networking, its way more fun to work with and design out.
And I'm one of those guys not using Cisco per-say all the time in the datacenter :). I will install brocade or mds/nexus depending on my customers needs or environment. I'm just not a good test taker, I can ace any simlet you throw at me (which I did for these tests) but when you start giving two answers that are both right and say pick one... then I start to do poorly.
Maybe since I'll have to do the NA R+S again I can drag my wife into getting hers done finally.
Thanks again all