How to pass the CCNA (hint: it's a lot like getting to Carnegie Hall!)

1. First, take a good class that covers the CCNA curriculum. Many community colleges offer such classes. I am not talking about 4-5 day "boot camps"! I am also not talking about online, self-paced classes, either. I am talking about real classes in a real classroom with a real teacher and a real schedule. Also, the class should use official Cisco materials, and you should be enrolled in the Cisco Learning Academy as part of the class. This will give you access to lots of online resources, including especially practice tests that cover every chapter. DO THE PRACTICE TESTS!!! Successful completion of the class should also make you automatically eligible for a discount on the CCNA certification test itself.

If you do not already have a fairly good general IT background that includes familiarity with the basics of networking then you should seriously consider focusing on the ICND1/CCENT certification first, in order to get the basics down cold. Then you can work on the ICND2 certification, which, when combined with ICND1, is the equivalent of the CCNA. Going directly for the CCNA, rather than getting the ICND1 first, makes sense for someone for whom most of the ICND1 material is already at least somewhat familiar. One way or the other, you really need to understand the basics of networking, because everything else is based on that.

Here are links to two examples of community colleges that offer CCNA classes, and also a link to the Cisco Networking Academy:

• Cisco CCNA Complete, Montgomery Community College (Rockville MD)
• CCNA classes at Howard Community College (Laurel MD)
• Cisco Networking Academy

2. Once you finish the above class(es) then you need to still study some more, and maybe a lot more! At this point you should get Wendell Odom's two volume "CCNA Official Exam Certification Library". Use the practice tests that come on the DVDs accompanying these books. Do these practice tests over and over and over again, and use Odom's books to review and fill in the gaps in your knowledge.

Here is a direct link to the most recent version of Odom's books at Amazon (these are the new books for the new version of the CCNA exam):

• Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching Official Certification Guide Library by Wendel Odom

3. At the same time that you are doing step 2 above, also get the practice exams that are sold directly by Cisco. (It can be a little confusing because Odom's books are the "Official Certification Guide Library", but the practice tests that go along with his books are not the "official" practice tests, which you have to get directly from Cisco, see link below.) Odom's practice tests tend to be more difficult than the actual exam, whereas the practice exams sold directly by Cisco tend to be somewhat easier than the real thing. But don't neglect Cisco's practice exams, because these have simulations built into them that are crucial for exam preparation! You really need to practice these simulations in order to prepare for the certification!

Here is a direct link to the relevant page at the Cisco Learning Network Store

• Cisco Certification Practice Exams

4. Once you can consistently get over 800 on both sets of practice tests (Odom's and Cisco's), then you should be ready. To be on the safe side you should at least occasionally be able to score over 900 on both of them!