Wendell Odom
Gunning for your Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) ticket?
CCNA Exam Certification Guide helps you transform your real-world experience into test-ready material you can use to satisfy all requirements of the CCNA test (exam 640-407).
The CCNA exam is all about internetworking, with emphasis on the role routers play in sending packets back and forth among networks. Since the CCNA Exam Certification Guide is published by Cisco Press, it holds to the exam's focus. After a discussion of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model and the mechanics of how each layer operates in an internetworking environment, the author talks about Cisco's Internetworking Operating System (IOS) and how it does its job, presenting information about setting up, configuring, and managing IOS along the way. Author Wendell Odom goes on to discuss networking protocols (especially TCP/IP) and the telecommunications technologies for connecting the nodes of a wide area network (WAN).
The book presents the CCNA material in sections. This approach allows you to work through Cisco's stated objectives for the exam one at a time, consecutively, or by only shoring up on weak spots. A quiz program on the companion CD-ROM offers extra drilling in problem areas. --David Wall
1 Needs some Practice exams included
I studied from this book and thanks God I passed the exam. However, I had to get many other sources to practice on exam questions. I think the book is very good, but it lacks the exam-feel multiple questions. It also has a lot of writing which can be shortened out.
2 Needs Practice exams
I studied from this book and thanks God I passed the exam. However, I had to get many other sources to practice on exam questions. I think the book is very good, but it lacks the exam-feel multiple questions. It also has a lot of writing which can be shortened out.
3 Good book but overkill for the CCNA
This is a fairly good book for the folks on the CCNP/CCIE track, its probably overkill for folks just looking to get their CCNA (The Todd Lammle book is probably better suited for that). It covers a broad range of material in fairly good depth. There are a few technical errors in the book, but overall if you can absorb 70 % of the information in this book and have a good understanding of the practice scenarios you will have no problem passing the CCNA. I found the sample exam on CD to be much harder then the actual CCNA 640-507 exam, also there were a few errors in the test exam. Overall a good pick for those on the CCNP/CCIE track. I picked up this book 5 days before I was scheduled to take the CCNA and passed with a 924.
4 Exam retires July 31, 2000
This exam will retire on July 31, 2000. People planning to take the exam after that date should buy the newest edition of this book.
One person whom I know who has taken the exam says the real exam is significantly more difficult than the questions that are on the CD.
5 Needs a lot of work
There's useful study material here somewhere -- but just try to puzzle it out.
This book BADLY needs to go back to a real editor. Not just to clean up the errors (there are a truckload of 'em), but to give it some sort of organization that makes sense. And while they're at it -- to try explaining commands and concepts before using them in examples and scenarios.
For the sort of money charged for these books, one expects something that's been at least read by somebody other than the author before being printed.
Unless you enjoy wading through things like repeated "study objective number" tables, I'd avoid this one.
6 Say it with me - CCNA - real help in passing the test.
Who is the most trusted name in routers? Cisco. What is the best source for passing the CCNA exam? Cisco Press. Who wrote a book that will give you everything you need to pass the exam? Wendell Odom. Where can you get all three in one place - the CCNA exam certification guide.
In today's fast paced world of computers, certifications are the most important way of determining who's qualified and who's not, this book will be a major step in making you are one of those who get qualified. Odom certainly display is advanced knowledge of the subject in an easy to learn book.
Pleasantly surprised with the vast amount of knowledge that this 600 page book gives and the layout of each objective making it so much easier to learn and get certified. What Odom gives you is everything you need and more.
The quizzes, the Q&A, the scenarios, the Cd-rom with practice questions and the diagrams in this book will surely help you in your quest for Cisco certification. Stop delaying your future and begin today with this book, your money is well spent.
7 Only needed this book
I picked up this book on December 29, 1999, and passed the CCNA exam (850) on January 28, 2000. I used only this book and the companion CD. The book covered every topic on the exam regardless of what anyone else says. Excellent text that covers all the exam objectives. This really is the only text you need. The practice exams on the CD are just like the real exam.
8 Great book despite the flaws
Good editors must be hard to find. :) Still, the book is very good. More technically oriented than the Lammle book, which is very helpful if you want to learn by understanding rather than by memorization. I used this book, the Lammle and some time practicing on routers, and passed the exam today. Despite all the errors in the book (including the ones that didn't get posted on Cisco's Web site), it's very useful. The practice questions on the CD are a big help, too.
9 No book has it all, but why not com close....
There is no way to take the CCNA after reading just one book, anyway, but after attending the Introduction to Networking and the ICRC courses, and reading this book, I scored an 869 on the exam. This book was definately enough to re-enforce the essentials and well as fine tune the more advanced topics covered in the exam.
10 Someone didn't pay the editor enough money...
This book had the right information, but after my instructor handed me an offical 30-page handout of all the corrections that needed to be made, I realized that I had been better off buying the Sybex book. By the way, I found the ACRC book to be extremely helpful if your going to take the CCNA exam.
11 Good but very misleading....
This book is very good, but with it's title one would expect it to be a Cliff's Notes type of book that breaks down all aspects of the test. While it does do a good job of giving you most of the information you need to take and help pass the test, it does not cover everything in enough detail and also does not have anything dealing with Switching and ATM's. Two things which were added to all Cisco exams in 2000. Also this book has a tendancy to cover areas not needed or covered on the test which may lead to some confusion in some individuals. Overall however, this book did about an average job in preparing for the CCNA exam. If you are purchasing this book in preparation for the exam, you should look into buying other books as well if not attend some classes.
12 This book is great but not enough to pass the CCNA test
This morning I passed the CCNA test successfully and would like to review this book. This book covers all topics for the CCNA test except ATM, VLAN, ISDN and switching. To cover the rest you need to buy the self study kit from the cisco website which comes with a book and a CD ROM (100$). If you learn these 2 books I am sure you can get the CCNA cert.
13 Ok Book but Read the Sybex book first.
This was the third book I have read on CCNA and is an ok book over all. Mistakes are always expected, but my main complaint on this book was the OSI section. I read through it and might as well skipped it. It does have it's stronger points though. I'd recommend buying Todd Lammle's cybex book and this one, but read the cybex book first so this book doesn't loose you.
14 Yeah MON!
I am a Professional in the I.T industry for 10 years and an associate lecturer for 6. I also have worked on several large scale projects and am trained in or exposed to many gobal trends. Believe me, if you have a clue of what networking is about and you want this certification, get this book. In my opinion, this book is quite relevant and a good source of preparation for this exam, the CD needs some work though. If you don't like the book, take the class instead! It's not Wendell's fault!
I not only have the book ... I'm keeping it!
15 CCNA Exam Certification Guide (Cisco Career Certification)
makes readers fully understood !
16 Excellent book for CCNA
I found this book to be an excellent source of information on the CCNA test. There were some technical mistakes with it, however, the scenarios were indispensable. I would recommend, however, that you definitely visit Cisco Press' site and get the latest errata for the book. Also, the CD-ROM was not as useful as I was hoping, but it did give me a chance to practice. Be sure to also get the Introduction to Cisco Router Configuration book (ICRC) as well. This book does a good job, but if you've never touched (or even looked at) a Cisco router in your life, that book will help clarify some things in this book. Passed the exam with 897 out of 1000 points and this book was definitely worth every penny.
17 This book is a keeper
Wendell Odom does an excellent job of reviewing the material needed to pass the CCNA exam. Like all tech books it has errors, but nothing that should impede exam performance. Know this book, cover to cover, go take the test and I believe you will not have a problem being certified.
18 True...no single book can do it all, but...
This book really covers a lot but like one of the other reviewers said...no single book can do it all...but I didn't expect it to. Check it out, I just came across a brand new Cisco book that has tons of info & puts all of the Cisco certifications into perspective - Cisco : A Beginner's Guide. It has the latest on Cisco and really helps fill in the gaps missed by this book. All in all, nobody can expect one book to cover all of what you need to know - It would be one huge book so I have to recommend the CCNA exam guide and give it five stars for what it did cover - It's one of the books I relied on to pass the CCNA test first time out...just not the only one.
19 Beginners Persective
Very refreshing to see a book from the "manufacturer" that isn't like one big clumsy SQL statement. I don't consider this book dry at all, as this subject doesn't lend itself easily to a barrel full of laughs (ok, so we like it anyway), yet the author does a good job of avoiding writing in the "third person". It doesn't read too much like a flying manual unlike most of my computer books. I felt it explained concepts and facts well.
Two things:
Don't forget to download the errata.
If you're not clear on a point, head to the questions at the end of the chapter straight away, you may find it re-stated there, complete with an answer that helps!
20 CCNA cannot be acheived with 1 book alone
This book was excellent and very instrumental in passing my CCNA exam. There are errors, but I've yet to read a technical book that is error free. This book, along with the Sybex CCNA study guide and a little experience using Cisco routers will enable anyone to do well on the test. The book is dry, it's definitely not a "keep you on the edge of your seat in suspense" book. It's to the point and covers areas the others don't. It's not all encompassing however, and should be utilized with other material including the Sybex CCNA study guide and the ICRC book, to cover all topics. It will also be an invaluable reference tool in my library, even after successfully passing the CCNA exam. Buy this book, buy the others mentioned, study them all, know the concepts, and most importantly, understand it before taking your test. Understanding the material is key as anyone can memorize questions and answers. The test is not that simple, it will challenge you to actually understand it, not just know it. And the CD works fine for me, had some great Q&A's that were actually on the test. The test engine was easy to use and I liked the way it worked, however, I would have preferred the answers to be randomized instead of always in the same order. A good book, worth the money and time if you really want to become a CCNA.
21 TOO MANY ERRORS
The book is excellent, but dry...but what networking technology handbook is ever that entertaining? The author is very, very knowledgeable (Wendell Odom, CCIE #1624). After reading the chapter on distance-vector routing protocols and ways to defeat routing loops, I realized there were some very obvious errors in the book. After reading further I felt compelled to visit cisco's web site to complain. At the ciscopress web site I downloaded a full 8-pages of documented errors the publisher found after the printing. Did anybody ever hear of proof reading? There's no excuse for having that many errors in the book at publishing time. I'm going to continue reading the book because I have an error guide, but I can see myself ordering the Sybex version of the CCNA preparation from amazon.com before too long.
22 Gives a nice overall picture of the CCNA
This book gave a good overall picture of what's going to be on the CCNA. However, aside from the many errors, there are still a lot of specific things that you'll just have to know from experience. If your seriously considering getting into a Cisco career, get access to a router.
23 Would give it a zero star if that choice was available.
Worst treatment on IP addressing I have ever read. Like others, there are too many mistakes. The author has not made any effort at pedagogy.
24 The most boring Exam readiness book ever.
It would be nice if they covered the topics on the actual CCNA Exam. Adding stuff that is not tested on the exam like Apple Talk and the majority of frame relay stuff would be great for an informational book but not as an exam prep book. This book will put you to sleep after the 1st chapter. Buy the Sybex Exam Notes it's 10 times better, to the point. If you know absolutly nothing about Cisco Routers you may want to buy the regular Sybex book & a router.
25 GOOD BOOK, It does as it says!!!
This book is what the title implies, an exam guide not an introduction to the material.... if it weren't for the errors I would give it 5.
I just passed the test after reading the book and taking the practice test!!!
I suggest to all to do the scenarios to get the rust off any of the material covered.
26 Very well written book, well targeted at the test material
I found this book to be an excellent resource guide that allowed me to pass my CCNA test with ease. I also found that this book had usefull information in it that I had quite simply forgoten about, having been in the industry for many years. I have added this book to my reference shelf. It is certainly worth keeping after you have your cetification.
27 Excellent for last minute review and exam prep!
I use this book with the ICRC Cisco press book and like the test questions that came on the CDROM with the book. The test is a lot like the actual CCNA exam which I failed the first time I took it Use this book as second step after ICRC to prep.
28 This book is not the first ccna book you should read.
I think some of the criticism of this book are too harsh. It does what it claims to do quite well. The book is intended as a *review* of the material, not as an introduction to it. It has more errors than it should. Unfortunately, one of the rockiest sections is the answers to the first set of review questions -- this may give the wrong impression about the whole book. With a cleanup of the errors, I would give this book 5 stars.
29 Good Reference - Some Mistakes
The book was helpful to me. I read the book twice and passed the CCNA test; however, there were some notable mistakes. I was able to translate around those because of my experience. As I've seen written several times, practical experience is a must. If you don't have access to routers or a test lab, then why bother? This line of testing isn't like Novell or Microsoft. Those testing and study programs are designed to help you pass regardless of your experience. Where as the Cisco line will test your knowledge based on experience as well. The test will try to trip you up, so you better know your stuff!! Believe me. I think this book is a good addition to your technical library. Good luck!!
30 Too many errors
Lots of good, dry information. Too many errors, too rushed, better then Osborne, but a worse book then the Sybex book. I also liked the Cisco ICRC, but that had a lot of errors too. Buy more then one book for CCNA, and practice on routers.
31 If you want your CCNA buy this book!
Don't listen to the detractors of this book. I purchased it in February and used it to review for my Cisco ICRC class along with the Cisco ITM CDROM. The material in this book helped me greatly with the hands on experience I received in the classroom. I passed my CCNA exam in March and heartily recommend this book! I was puzzled why anyone who did not have a networking backround would even consider buying any book on routers and switches? If a person is not familiar with the OSI model and how it corresponds to networking, why study about routers and switches???
32 Too hard to read, CD did not work for me
This is a boring book. I read the Sybex book, and then I wanted to read what Cisco had to fill in any gaps I thought might be missing. Found out nothing missing but my sleep. Reads like war and peace. Stick with Sybex.
33 good last step for studying for the CCNA
This book is very well organized to prepare you for your final step before taking the CCNA exam. It should not be used as an initial study guide, as it already assumes you have a good deal of knowledge.
This book would have received 5 stars from me, but there are an alarming number of errors in the book, mostly small syntax errors here and there, but enough to confuse someone if they didn't already know what they were doing. I'm a bit disappointed with the quality control on this book.
34 Excellent guide for the CCNA
I have been using this book as a study tool for the CCNA and think it is excellent. It is well laid out, easy to read and maps to the objectives. Also, it has alot of practice questions at the end of each chapter that are as hard as what you will see on the exam. As for the CD, I had no problems with it working on my machine. I don't recommend using only this book for your preparation though. I am combining it with Laura Chappell's ICRC book and Todd Lammle's CCNA study guide. They all have strong and weak areas. Getting other sources helps fill in the gaps. Further, this book does assume you have basic networking knowledge - if you don't have this, consider taking the Microsoft or Novell networking tests before pursuing the CCNA.
35 The lady above me is a fool
She doesn't know what she's talking about, the book is an excellent and thorough study guide and will definitely provide you the tools to pass the CCNA exam.
36 Brillant book
This book has all you need to pass the test. I used it and passed easily. Forget the others get this one.
37 Save your money...
Don't rush out and buy this one. Someone was in such a hurry they didn't even pass it though QUALITY CONTROL. Normally Cisco Press books are very good, but not this one. The CD does not work. The directions state to use small font, but it doesn't matter, it doesn't work with either.
