CCNA - Without A Course?

ironclaw

Asking for some feedback here about the CCNA Courses. How possible would it be for one to pass without sitting a course? I've been in IT since I was about 5 with Windows 95 and my University background is Engineering. Always had a big interest in networking but never formally studied it.

I have a good deal of CCNA books around the house with the occasional flick through. With some application, is it possible to become accrediated?

My logic is the average course costs €1 to €2k, even with 10 repeats at I believe €230 a piece, its still cheaper to self study :pac:

reklamos

You have not mentioned which CCNA you want to to do but I assume it is R&S.
Anyway it is possible and I've done it that way myself long time ago.
When I did it I've used CCNA book by Todd Lammle and Packet Tracer for practice.

ironclaw

Thanks reklamos. Yes, it would be the R&S path, but honestly I find the Cisco framework of courses confusing. My understanding is:

CCENT / CCT -> CCNA Routing and Switching / CCNA Security

Would that be somewhat correct?

reklamos

At high level it is CCENT>CCNA>CCNP>CCIE
All CCNA, CCNP, CCIE branch out and have different paths like DC, Security, Voice etc.
As far I remember you can skip CCENT if you brave enough to take single 200-120 CCNA exam
At the time when I did mine there was no CCENT.
It does make sense to take 100-101 ICND1 and 200-101 ICND2 to get to CCNA as it breaks it down and is less confusing.

syklops

I know more than one person who studied at home, and went and passed the exam, but I recommend you go and get some hardware.

neonman

As others have said self study should be enough. I did self study and found the exam fine. I used Todd Lammle and Packet Tracer for practice and I also got the Bulldog CCNA book on kindle by Chris Bryant. He also has a video course on CCNA which looks good from the previews link below.

https://www.udemy.com/u/chrisbryant/

Neon

neonman

syklops wrote: »

I know more than one person who studied at home, and went and passed the exam, but I recommend you go and get some hardware.

I wouldn't fork out on hardware for this exam it is not needed and a waste of money. Packet Tracer is more than enough. And if moving onto the CCNP level I would then start using GNS3 if going down the R&S route then buying a few second hand switches would be worth it which can be connected into GNS3 easily enough to build up a nice topology.

Just my thoughts if someone doesn't have the cash to buy hardware. Electricity bills will increase as well with physical hardware.

reklamos

neonman wrote: »

I wouldn't fork out on hardware for this exam it is not needed and a waste of money. Packet Tracer is more than enough. And if moving onto the CCNP level I would then start using GNS3 if going down the R&S route then buying a few second hand switches would be worth it which can be connected into GNS3 easily enough to build up a nice topology.

Just my thoughts if someone doesn't have the cash to buy hardware. Electricity bills will increase as well with physical hardware.

I agree.
There is no point buying hardware for CCNA. Only if you decide to go full way than hardware can come handy but even then buy it if you really need it as GNS3 is really powerful.

moc moc a moc

Hardware is not worth the money anymore for modern Cisco exams. GNS3 will cover practically all routing-related topics up to CCIE, and VIRL now has enough L2 images to make physical switches mostly redundant for study.

moneymad

Self study at home which took me 1 year to complete.
It nearly killed me. It's very doable, but to be honest, i would pay the 2k and be done with it.

syklops

syklops wrote: »

I know more than one person who studied at home, and went and passed the exam, but I recommend you go and get some hardware.

Edit: I suppose with virtualisation being what it is now, there actually is no need to get 'hard' hardware.