Introduction Introduction The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) accreditation has become the leading introductory-level network certification available today. The CCNA certification is recognized by employers as providing candidates with a solid foundation of Cisco networking concepts, terminology, and skills. The CCNA exam covers a broad range of networking concepts, to prepare candidates for the technologies they are likely to be working with in today's network environments. This book is your one-stop shop. Everything you need to know to pass the exam is in here. You do not have to take a class in addition to buying this book to pass the exam. However, depending on your personal study habits or learning style, you might benefit from buying this book and taking a class. Taking a CCNA certification class gives you dedicated study time and precious hands-on experience with live Cisco equipment.
Exam Preps are meticulously crafted to give you the best possible learning experience for the particular characteristics of the technology covered and the actual certification exam. The instructional design implemented in the Exam Preps reflects the task- and experience-based nature of Cisco certification exams. The Exam Preps provide the factual knowledge base you need for the exams, but then take it to the next level, with exercises and exam questions that are required in the CCNA exam. Cisco has divided the CCNA from a single test into two separate exams, INTRO and ICND. Although the single CCNA exam still remains, Cisco recommends only those who are recertifying an existing CCNA certification take this exam. This CCNA Exam Prep title prepares you for both the INTRO exam, which covers the foundation Cisco network concepts and configurations, and the ICND exam, which covers the more advanced network concepts and configurations. Personally, we would recommend that you follow Cisco's advice on taking the two-exam path rather than the single CCNA exam. Although it may be tempting to go after the one-test "fast-track," this single exam is extremely difficult and has discouraged many potential CCNA candidates from continuing on in their Cisco certification journey.
How This Book Helps You This book takes you on a self-guided tour of all the areas covered by the CCNA exam and teaches you the specific skills you need to achieve your certification. The book also contains helpful hints, tips, real-world examples, and exercises, as well as references to additional study materials. Specifically, this book is set up to help you in the following ways: Organization --This book is organized by individual exam objectives. Every objective you need to know for the CCNA exam is covered in this book. It presents the objectives in an order as close as possible to that listed by Cisco. However, we do not hesitate to reorganize them where needed to make the material as easy as possible for you to learn. We also make the information accessible in the following ways: The full list of exam units and objectives is included in this introduction. Each chapter begins with an outline that provides an overview of the material and the page numbers where particular topics can be found.
The objectives are repeated where the material most directly relevant to it is covered. Instructional features --This book provides multiple ways to learn and reinforce the exam material. Following are some of the helpful methods: Study and Exam Tips --Read this section early on to help you develop study strategies. This section also provides valuable exam-day tips and information on exam and question formats, such as adaptive tests and case study-based questions. Exam Alerts --These provide specific exam-related advice. Such tips might address what material is covered (or not covered) on the exam, how it is covered, mnemonic devices, or particular quirks of that exam. Review breaks and summaries --Crucial information is summarized at various points in the book in lists or tables. Each chapter ends with a summary as well.
Key terms --A list of key terms appears at the end of each chapter. Notes --Notes contain various kinds of useful or practical information, such as tips on technology or administrative practices, historical background on terms and technologies, or side commentary on industry issues. Warnings --When using sophisticated information technology, there is always the potential for mistakes or even catastrophes to occur because of improper application of the technology. Warnings alert you to such potential problems. In the Field sidebars --These relatively extensive discussions cover material that might not be directly relevant to the exam but that is useful as reference material or in everyday practice. In the Field sidebars also provide useful background or contextual information necessary for understanding the larger topic under consideration. Exercises --Found at the end of the chapters in the "Apply Your Knowledge" section and in the "Challenge Exercises" found throughout chapters, exercises are performance-based opportunities for you to learn and assess your knowledge. Extensive practice test options --The book provides numerous opportunities for you to assess your knowledge and practice for the exam.
The practice options include the following: Exam questions --These questions appear in the "Apply Your Knowledge" section. You can use them to help determine what you know and what you need to review or study further. Answers and explanations for these questions are provided in a separate section, titled "Answers to Exam Questions." Practice exam --A practice exam is included in the "Final Review" section of the book. The "Final Review" section and the practice exam are discussed later in this Introduction. Final Review --This part of the book provides two valuable tools for preparing for the exam: Fast Facts --This condensed version of the information contained in the book is useful for last-minute review. Practice Exam --A practice test is included. Questions on this practice exam are written in styles similar to those used on the actual exam.
Use the practice exam to assess your readiness for the real thing. Use the extensive answer explanations to improve your retention and understanding of the material. The book includes several other features, such as a "Suggested Readings and Resources" section at the end of each chapter that directs you to additional information that can aid you in your exam preparation and your real-life work. Valuable appendixes are provided as well, including a glossary and a description of what is on the CD-ROM (Appendix B). For more information about the exam or the certification process, refer to the Cisco website, athttp://www.cisco.com/certification. Network Hardware and Software Requirements As a self-paced study guide, CCNA Exam Prep is meant to help you understand concepts that must be refined through hands-on experience.
To make the most of your studying, you need to have as much background on and experience with both co.