CCNA e-trainer

Todd Lammle

Perhaps one of the better CCNA training devices on the market, the CCNA e-trainer is that rarity in software training: a CD-ROM that's more effective than a book. If you need to study for the exam, and have a date all set, there is practically nothing on the market that compares to this book.

The first thing that you'll notice upon booting the software (be warned: you'll have to install Microsoft's Virtual Java Machine and have an Internet connection if you don't have one already) is an extremely welcome feature: a scheduler. Simply input the date of your test, block off any days that you'll be out of town or unable to study, and take a pretest to check the weak points in your basic Cisco knowledge. The scheduler will pump out a fully formed study plan for you, complete with the amount of time that you'll have to study each day, and the CCNA topics that you need to strengthen--arranged daily--for your reading pleasure; an incredibly nice touch. And, unlike much of the software-based training competition, you can schedule several different people for different tests.

But, if that were all, the package wouldn't be worth anywhere near the $79.99 list price--now, would it? But the software actually is filled with illustrations, narrations, and very well-done animations to show the reader how networking works--unlike many other "testing" packages, which are simply books that have been transferred to software hypertext. Networking is, when you get down to it, a very motion-oriented medium, with packets and datagrams whizzing around every which way; and there are certain topics--like, say, spanning-tree port blocking and VLANs--that can be confusing to the novice, simply because one really needs to see them in action for a while to understand how they work. The e-trainer offers quality animations that show exactly how a broadcast storm stops and starts, or where a switch begins forwarding a frame. A picture is, in cases like this, worth a thousand words.

Not everything is animated, of course--a full two-thirds of the training still involves voluminous amounts of reading--but the text seems, by and large, to have been cribbed from Sybex's bestselling CCNA Study Guide, by Todd Lammle. This is not a slam on the book, because the writing in the Study Guide is among the clearest and easiest to read that you'll find in study guides. You won't have problems understanding the clear (and comprehensive) test. Reading on the screen isn't as comfortable or as portable as reading from a book, naturally, but you'll get the idea, all the same.

When you've finished a section, you'll have to take a test to see how well you did; fortunately, the tests are as grueling as you'll find in any book or software package. There aren't any easy questions here; almost all deal with Cisco's terse (and easily confusable) router commands, and many of them are in the tough "Choose All That Apply" format. If you can pass these tests, you can pass the CCNA with ease--and, while the number of questions isn't spectacular, it suffices. Unfortunately, the feedback on the tests is pretty poor; get a wrong answer in "Practice" mode, and all you'll get is a ping and the chapter that you need to study. Look for more details, and you'll be brought straight to that chapter, without the slightest explanation of what was wrong with your answer. Don't expect to use this package for the test-taking engine alone. However, the way in which the e-trainer keeps records of your scores is well done and very helpful.

Also included is a simple router emulation engine--and it works for simple issues, but isn't nearly as full-fledged as, say, Sybex's CCNA Virtual Lab router emulator package. It serves for memorization purposes--but don't expect to tinker extensively. However, the e-trainer is superior to the Lab in one major aspect: it provides hints and tips for the assigned tasks. If you're unclear on what to do, the "Help" feature will get you through it.

The worst thing about this software is that it's not available yet for other tests. (There are A+ and Network+ e-trainers; but, evidently, they're from an earlier build, because neither is comparable to this.)

To sum up, this is an excellent software-based tutorial that's well worth the money, and serves as that much-desired "one-stop" purchase for you to get your CCNA. If you're under a deadline, work visually, or like tough prep exams, give this one a whirl; you won't regret it. --William Steinmetz

1 If you don't have access to cisco router...
I passed CCNA exam using this book.
If you don't have any experience and access to cisco router,
this helps a lot.
If you already have a router or access in your office,
this is too cheap for you, some commands do not work.
But as no-experience and no-IT professional student,
this was great CD.

2 Good for basic knowledge, but needs updating for 607...
This package is good for acquiring the basics of routing and switching. However, the questions are unlike that of the actual exams, which are thought-provoking, and far from straight-forward. Some questions on the real exam are not covered in your package. Insofar as the package itself, the feedback popup is quite annoying, and the user needs to be able to edit the test in order to eliminate answering easy questions repetitively. Also, there are some errors in the material. I believe that an update with more "real-life" scenarios is in order. I believe this package was probably fine for the previous 507 exam, but I did not take that exam...

3 Great Study Tool
I used this e-trainer plus the Sybex CCNA Virtual Lab Gold for 3 weeks and passed 640-507 with a 945/1000 score. The e-Trainer includeds all the text from the Sybex CCNA 2.0 Study Guide, plus animated training, study prep and test questions and evaluations. The Lab excersizes in the e-Trainer map directly to the Labs in the Sybex CCNA Virtual Lab Gold. Great combination for learning at a reasonable price.

4 Good Book
I am still in the process of studying this CBT as of 5/21/01. I am finding the book to be very informative, but I wish the test would provide you an explanation for the ones missed so you will know you're weak points.

5 Good attempt but falls short
It's a study aid for the CCNA study guide. It lets you plan a study schedule and track the progress (big deal ) you can do that with any schedule program. It has tons of questions ( over 600 ?) some are the same as in the book and a lots of new ones. You have the usual two modes for testing, practice and timed. The practice mode does show you the correct answer but with no explanations. The timed mode gives you nothing. Only how many questions you get right. Will not show you the correct answers or even which ones you missed or answered correctly. No explanations at all. And of course my biggest objection as always with these types of test questions is the Inability to print the questions.

6 Works you through the harder concepts. Cool product
Nicly done by Sybex. Todd Lammle's book in a hands-on CBT format. This is a great addition if you are studying Todd Lammle's CCNA book, which everyone should be.

7 Good Start, but to clunky
This was an excellant beginners view of configuring routers; however, the program did not support all of the commands or common shortcuts used. It has a limited number of practice sessions which are fairly weak. Past this, it gave a very good representation of the working environment, it allowed for interface creation and configuration, and it gives a practice network for you to configure. Very good buy for the very beginner, but if you've been doing cisco routers for a while forget it.