From: amilabs (amilabs@optonline.net)
Date: Thu Jun 26 2003 - 12:18:19 GMT-3
My recent CCNP/DP recert info from the end of MAY. I hope it helps
someone here.
CCNP
Well I passed the exam, it was close, man what a pain. I only studied a
week and a half and mostly labbed my work. Considering I have not
touched a cisco router or done much cisco work since my first ccie lab
attempt last september(I was burnt out of cisco and sick of it) I guess
the experience carried me on this on.
This exam is a pain, the new format is cool for you have to type in
configs et al. So know your command output across the board. However
there was some old stuff like win95 setup for dial up and an appletalk
plus a couple of x25 questions. I put in the comments that this stuff
was outdated, not relelvant and appletalk was not on any of the exam
topic lists.
Also, you cannot mark your questions and go back later. It is all or
nothing. I had 15 minutes to spare and I could not go back, so I was
graded immediatly.
The examples and diagrams(used for the config simulations) have text
that is sooooo small you can barley read it. Since all of my cisco exams
for np/dp were v1 and back in 2000 if this is a hint of the future, the
ccnp/dp will become more difficult to obtain. Much more emphasis on
hands on and knowing your command output cold across the board.
My test did have the mls, multicasting(ip and mac stuff) and some ISIS,
so know your multicast mac addresses plus some older fr, isdn ipx,
queuing subnetting stuff. The questions are tougher and more esoteric in
terms of understanding them. One question was obviously an error, same
answer in two choices. Lots of switching spanning-tree(theory/practical)
vtp routers with isl et al. Bgp sync, hands on ospf configuration,
policy routing, hands on frame relay config. So know your
switchig/routing commands cold and hands on. It was just funcky old
stuff but with more command output detailed asked and newer stuff with
funky command output details asked.
I recall it was 112 questions with 2 hours to complete
I did not violate any nda, just cofirming that what was in the exam
objectives for all tests were in this test, except the appletalk
question???
I used all my ccie books and some of my older np/dp books. I used this
opportunity to brush up my cisco skills but I alos spent extra time
reading doyle I II for all IGP and BGP. I did not use any brain dumps or
practice tests. Do not use them. Learn from experience, hands on
practicing, reading and labbing. You will appreciate you skills and cert
a little more, and be more confident in your real abilities. I used my
lab for all of my work.
Oh well now on to recertify on the DP. I will probably sit that one on
Thurs. From there I will make a decision if I should spend the next
three months on my second ccie attempt. I have a lab slot schedlued in
sept otherwise I will lose my written eligibility. I may pass for I have
an opportunity to work on some WDM, obtain my CWNA and maybe CISSP with
in the same period.
************************************************************************
******************************************
CCDP
Well fellas I passed the CCDP recert today. Man. what a messed up test.
The exam objectives on CCO(for all tests) are not what are on this exam.
This exam is basically version 1 Routing, Switching, Remote access and
CID version 1 from 3-4 years ago. I mean I did have some MLS but I had
x25, smds, atm aal3-4 nonsense, desktop protocol issues, lan manager,
old CID design questions that did not make sense, type in
questions(which is to be expected) and old hardware that is probably not
even supported anymore, like 700s and 1600s. I made many comments during
the exam that these questions are no longer relevant especially for a
CCDP update recert. It was all old stuff. I mean old stuff that was not
too relevant then, specific 1600s and 700s issues, come on now...
I studied based on the info. from the CCO site, so for Routing,
Switching and Remote access for the CCNP recert., which was updated, but
it was my experience that carried me on this one. I did go over my old
Sybex and Cisco Press ver. 1 CID books this week just in case, so that
helped too.
I thought halfway through I was failing for all of the older 700/1600,
desktop protocols and x25/atm crap was driving me nuts. Since I have
been in computer technology since '84 I was able to pass. A lot of the
questions were hands on fill in the blank types so that helped me also.
Funny though, I did better on this exam(averaging in the 80% range for
every topic except CID) and got in the high 800s than I did on the CCNP
recert.(Considering the CCO CCNP topics matched the exam). I only
studied a week and a half for both and took them two days apart. What I
learned in the CCNP recert exam, that I posted earlier here, did not
apply on the CCDP recert. exam to my dismay so I was bummed out during
the exam. In this case my old hands on experience rules.
So, for those of you fellas preparing for the CCDP recert. your old
books(even version 1 CCDP stuff) is fine.
Now to decide if I want to take a second stab at my ccie lab seat.
Good luck to all.
I hoped this helped someone. Good luck to all....
Regards...
-----Original Message-----
From: nobody@groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
Bryan in Richmond
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 10:00 AM
To: ccielab@groupstudy.com
Subject: Re: CCNP recert harder than CCIE written
What are you guys using to do the recert? Are there any books tailored
to the test or are you studying all of the course material? Any help is
appreciated. I have to recert by next Feb. ugh...
Thanks!
Bryan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Miller" <michael.a.miller@att.net>
To: "'Jay Hennigan'" <jay@west.net>; <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 3:28 AM
Subject: RE: CCNP recert harder than CCIE written
> I think cisco has determined that we already have much too much free
> time
on
> our hands and want to ensure that network experts don't have any
> disillusionment of having a "life".
>
> Mike
>
> p.s. I just passed the ccnp recert, and it was a pain in the butt.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nobody@groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf
> Of
Jay
> Hennigan
> Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 10:03 PM
> To: ccielab@groupstudy.com
> Subject: Re: CCNP recert harder than CCIE written
>
> On Wed, 25 Jun 2003, Pratt, Jeremy wrote:
>
> > I just recertified my CCNP today as I haven't gone to the lab yet. I
found
> > that this test was harder than the IE written that I took 6 months
> > ago. Based on the input I received from my IE friends they advised
> > that the
IE
> > recert was harder than the original time they took it, one of the
> > IE's
is
> in
> > the 2000's and recerted twice now.
> >
> > I'd say that based on all of this that Cisco is clearing the rif raf
> > and wannabe's from the ranks.
>
> I just took and passed the CCIE Security written which qualifies as an
> R & S (or any CCIE) recert. It's fairly tough, but I found that it
> followed the blueprint on the Cisco website.
>
> There are two types of "hard" when it comes to this type of test.
> Hard as in it thoroughly tests your knowledge in depth and diversity,
> and hard as in it's difficult to comprehend exactly what the questions
> and or answer choices are because they're ambiguous or poorly worded.
>
> I'm finding that the written tests seem to be more clearly written now
> than in the past, but seem to be more thorough in terms of testing for
> depth and diversity. Meaning that if you know the material well
> they're less hard. If you don't they're harder. In other words,
> better tests of your knowledge. No more double and triple negatives
> like "Which of the following is not false?" with answer choices that
> have "don't" or "never" in them. Grrrrr.
>
> > Does anyone know if the NP and DP gives you more access to areas of
> > CCO
> like
> > the IE does. I've heard about this but didn't find anything extra.
>
> I don't believe so.
>
> I've heard that an IE recert automatically renews your NP and DP now,
> but haven't seen my NP/DP status update yet. The NA/NP/DA/DP and IE
> were at one time totally separate programs. If IE recert now renews
> the NP/DP, that's a welcome change.
>
> --
> Jay Hennigan - CCIE #7880 - Network Administration - jay@west.net
> WestNet: Connecting you to the planet. 805 884-6323 WB6RDV
> NetLojix Communications, Inc. - http://www.netlojix.com/
>
>
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