Wendell Odom
1 Good Book, but won't prepare you for the test.
This is a good book, accurate and up to date, but won't fully prepare you for the CCNA exam. Cisco's ICND book is still considered the official text for the exam.
2 Want to Pass CCNA TEST ? Start Here
To start the things let me say that I pass CCNA exam and this book was one of the responsibles for that. I?m not american and I can say that if you know english enough to read and understand and you want to pass you can buy this book. The Quizes of "Do I know it already" at the beggening of each chapter gives you a good base to know where you are and summaries at the end of the chapters are good enough as a remember of the chapters contents to use the days before the exam. After all ,you've to agree that the best way of try to find out how CISCO sees things(and that a very important point to the exam) is to read CISCO press books. All exam is there you've only to study it hard. Also is very good to try the labs exercises if you can.so that its , good luck!.
3 Great, Better Than Some Others
Just had this book for one day, but I must say I am very impressed with it. I used to have problems with the terms "synchronous", "asynchronous", "port" and "socket". The book explains them so beautifully.
I am preparing for the CCNA test and I believe this book is the key.
I recommend the book to anyone preparing for the test.
4 A good, authoritative CCNA text
I looked at both this book and the Sybex/Todd Lammle book, and decided to order this one. I feel it was a good decision, due to the more rigorous coverage this book provides of the subject matter. I don't think this book's style is "overkill". If you have some networking experience, you can go through this book in two evenings with a highlighter to get a good review before taking a certification exam. And once you've completed the test, this book, unlike the Sybex book, will have some value as a quick reference in your tech library. If you don't have any network experience, I really think this book gives a good tutorial in networking fundamentals although it would take considerable time and effort to soak up all the information in here for the first time. Regardless of your experience level, this book gives you the "Cisco spin" on various topics that you'll need to answer the test questions, even if you're intimately familiar with the works of Richard Stevens, Radia Perlman, etc.
5 Very helpful but it could be better
I just took and passed the CCNA exam. I used this book as well
as Todd Lammle's CCNA Study Guide. Probably overkill but I learned some good stuff. The interesting thing about these books is how they complement each other. Odom's book is great for commands, especially towards the end of the book in the routing, ipx and WAN sections. He has these cool charts that list out all the commands and make it really easy to review ones that you might not use at work (like all that frame relay and isdn stuff). I've seen other reviews mention typos - maybe I'm just not very observant but I didn't notice too many and the ones I did notice were no big deal. I also liked the CD - a full practice test that changes each time you take it. Some of the questions repeat - but it's still a useful tool. Don't be too concerned if you fail the practice test. I took like 5 practice tests before the exam (using Odom's, Lammle's and some I found online) - failed them all but passed the real thing.
This book could definately use a glossary. Lammle's book has one
and it really helps with all those silly acronyms Cisco wants you to know. I preferred the questions in Lammle's book as well. There are no multiple choice questions in the book - all are on the CD.
This book, as well as Lammle's, is very dry. How about some real life examples? There are scenarios in some chapters but they lack realism. Odom must has been a CCIE for quite some time now. He must have all kinds of cool stories - would have been great if some of them had made it into this book.
6 Surprise, Surprise
In the very first pages of the book, the author strongly urges the reader to read another book, Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, prior to reading this one in preparation for the CCNA exam. This is an unwelcome and costly surprise considering this book was written as a exam preparation guide and as such, should sufficiently address the exam contents on its own. Odom does provide detailed information, but his dry and strained writing style makes it rather difficult for the reader to maintain proper perspective on the topics presented. The CD test engine accompanying this guide does have some bugs as well. Rather disappointing, this book could have been much better.
7 CCNA Gold
You can read other books on CCNA, but you must finish with this one. This one brings it all together and really prepares you for the exam. I don't know how many times I thought "I didn't know that" while reading this book. This, after reading two other books on CCNA. Get this book, get some hands on, study hard, budget for CCNP.
8 Great book...
Today I passed CCNA with score 935. I used Wendell book to enhance my comprehension of the ICND course materials.
Where the ICND course material fail to explain correctly the concepts, Wendell book has a good explanation.
Both materials complement each other.
My perception was that we questions In the CCNA examination were of lower technical level than those exposed in the book. I believe that the book question?s point to a "higher" bullet in question complexity, so that you go pass the minimum score. In some parts of the book the author tries to "warn" (scare?)you about items that are complex and that might be included in the test, But I didn?t see any complexity in the actual test.
What I liked most was the CD, with contains an electronic version of the book (.pdf) and a software with a battery of exam questions that were splendid to assess the comprehension of the material.
9 In the fine Cisco Press tradition...Fantastic CCNA Primer!
The first edition of this book was good, and the second is even better. I have been Cisco certified for several years -- CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, CCDP, even passed the CCIE written -- and I still use this book as a reference. I used the first edition as a study guide for the 640-507 exam, and did just fine. I think this book is much, much better than the Sybex study guide. A few plusses: The entire book is on CDROM (in .pdf format) and there is a pretest at the beginning of each chapter so you can skip the stuff you already know.
10 Everything is there, but do we need it for the exam?
Everybody who has done Cisco, Microsoft and Novell exams knows that it's like taking a snapshot. If you forget half of what you learned the next day, it does not particularly hamper your functioning at the job. That what reference-books are for. Having failed the exam on 7 points with Todd Lammle's book I virtually learned this book by heart for the next test. And of course passed with flying colours. So that's what it's good for. It contains far more material than is ever asked for in the exam and as such is a wonderful reference book. As a tool to learn for the CCNA exam, it's overkill.
11 Very Good Book.
This book has everything one needs to easily pass ccna 2.0 exam. The questions are very interesting and, as other reviewers stated, much more difficult than those found in the real exam, which, in my opinion, is a positive aspect. The bad news is that this book has many typos that could confuse or misguide the reader. Read the book carefully, understand the concepts very well (TCP/IP, LAN and WAN technologies, access lists, OSI, and so on) and you will be all set for the examination.
Good Luck!
12 A most for beginners...
It?s great...!!! This is really a most for the beginners, taking into account that CCNA is the first step in the internetworking world, this is the best book I could find to prepare myself to gain the Certification. An advice for all those latin american CCNA students that begin to enter in this new tech world, buy it...!!! You won?t be disappointed.
13 Details, details, details
Don't get caught up in the details of this book if you're looking to pass the exam. The book will tell you to memorize all these tables about what 802.blah applies to Novell-ether or what IOS version that LMI auto-sensing first became an option but I just got back from the CCNA exam and almost NONE of this was on the exam. I can't say exactly what was on the exam, but a good portion of it had NOTHING to do with all the tables you're told to memorize. You should still get a basic grasp of the tables and their meanings, but my advice would be to NOT waste too many hours memorizing these as they won't apply to what you need to pass the test. Also, don't think that because you can answer all questions on the accompanying CD that you are a CCNA master -- many of these questions also don't apply to taking the real test. They are good examples of how the questions will be asked, but don't get caught up in the details. Just my opinion and hope it helps someone looking to be CCNA certified ! Good luck !
14 A Solid and Comprehensive Review
This CCNA book is surprisingly easy to grasp and follow along with. It has excellent information and breaks down the topics well and provides quality examples for problems you might encounter.
15 A very good book but not so good for CCNA exam
This book is wonderful if you want a fullcovered tech books, but if you want to be an efficient CCNAer, it seems not so good just because it contains too many things that is not neccessary for a CCNA. You can not say that is no good for a reader to know more, actually you will get much deeper impression on the point when you know more details. But test is test, you have to bear in mind so many craps before you have confidence to take it. If you just use this book to prepare, you waste some of your energy. If you notice the books tight layout, it contains about 2 times words than Sybex's (written by Todd). For an example: Just in the routing part, it talks about RIP2, RTMP, Auto Summary, Route Aggregation that are not covered in CCNA test. So many specification details make me lost several times especially when I reached the ISDN part. But this books is really wonderful in explaining concept. It is even better than the "Routing Prime" (Also Cisco Press). If you just take a look at the Switching chapter (about VTP,ISL etc), you will agree me. After all, I threw Sybex's book away after I passed CCNA, but I'll keep this book in my shelf for long time.
16 Excellent Cert book and reference for later!
I recommend this book for people who don't mind serious technical reading material. I have read ALOT of computer books and found this one was written very well, accurate and got the job done. You should pass the CCNA if you are able to complete the "Do I already know.." quiz and Q&A in each chapter. The foundation summaries are excellent also.
The CD-ROM "engine" had some bugs. For instance, I would set the option "Do not display questions I've answered more than "X" and it would still display them anyway. But, the questions were exactly like the real exam. The book has so many pages because of the sample questions, diagrams, scenarios and IOS console examples.
17 Excellent Cert book and reference for later!
I recommend this book for people who don't mind serious technical reading material. I have read ALOT of computer books and found this one was written very well, accurate and got the job done. You should pass the CCNA if you are able to complete the "Do I already know.." quiz and Q&A in each chapter. The foundation summaries are excellent also.
The CD-ROM "engine" had some bugs. For instance, I would set the option "Do not display questions I've answered more than "X" and it would still display them anyway. But, the questions were exactly like the real exam. The book has so many pages because of the sample questions, diagrams, scenarios and IOS console examples.
18 Very Wordy book
This book is very wordy, the explaination is very very complicated and long. It is very hard to understand, it might be a good source if this is your only material you will study for the CCNA. I took it today and passed it with just using the Sybex book. The questions in this book is much much harder than the actual questions on the real test. If u do great on those test. Then u will be set, if not don't get discourage, just get the Sybex book and study that one. Also, get the Cisco book by Amato if u can afford it. That book is excellent resources too.
19 800 Pages for CCNA - Why ?????
Let's face it, why would you need 800 pages of information to pass the CCNA 2 exam. This book is far too long winded and covers far more information than is needed to pass CCNA. I used Todd Lammale's Sybex book and the ICND course notes (also available as a book I think) and scored 978. How can this book on Cisco basics justify so many pages when the BSCN cisco press routing cert guide is only 500 pages long. This book just serves to confuse the newbie.
20 Cisco Press is best when taking their tests.
I'm guilty of the exam-crams and exam-prep's. Take it from me - those books are not adequate for the CCNA exam. Here's the logic folks, the best way to pass a Cisco test is with CISCO PRESS. Buy this book for the CCNA and you will pass. I passed it yesturday (finally) after reading it. Here's the formula for the book. Read though the entire book once. Go back and take the "Do I know this Quiz" for each chapter to access what you have learned. Revisit those sections your weak in. When the test date is close read the foundation summaries (excellent for review). Finally begin using the CD about 1 week before it's time to test. Take the study mode exams(as often as possible) they offer you the most questions, this will provide you a scale of the sections you know best as well as the ones you still need to work on. When you are able to score 90-100% in each category then you are ready. Good luck.
21 Best for CCNA
You want to pass the CCNA v2.0??? then this is the book to get. Easy to read, easy to study from, clear and concise. I looked at the Todd Lammel equivelent after being recommended by a colleague but I found this easier to digest.
22 Encaptivating book
I really want to thank Mr. Odom. He did a great job. Before this I was a stranger in Cisco networking. I knew nothing about it. It was such a captivating book that I red it just in 17 days. I think anybody who wants to start internetworking, should start with this book. Elaborated examples, thorough output screens , figures , tables, questions , scenarios , and.... cover the concept into depth.
23 I Passed the test and thats what Counts
I read alot of reviews. Some people talk about the grammer in a book or critize how the book is written. Who cares, did you pass the test. This book is for persons who are knowledgeable in networking. If you know nothing about networking you will probably not be able to read this book once and pass the 640-507 exam. I read this book twice over a 1 month period. I also used ciscos web site to fill in any wholes the book did not cover. I have never touch a router,hub or switch but I do have a 4 yr degree in Management Information Systems. This knowledge makes up for my lack of experience.
OH, by the way I passed the test good luck
24 If you buy one, buy this one
I read Todd Lammle's book and this one once each, and along with some hands on experience in a Cisco Networking Academy Program I easily passed the test on my first try. Between Lammle and Odom, I'd say that this book is certainly the better choice, although if you're weak on subnetting you should definately get both books as Odom's explanation of subnetting clarifies little, and confuses much. Despite this shortfalling I'd say this book covers more of the information that's on the exam. The free response questions in this book really helped me solidify my understanding of the topic, which is what's really needed in order to succeed on the test.
25 CCNA Exam Certification Guide Review
Book Review CCNA Exam Certification Guide The official study guide for CCNA Exam #640-407
Concepts on the CCNA are tough to grasp without the help of some outside material. All ready the #640-407 exam has been updated to the #640-507 exam and my material is outdated. However I would hope things I've learned will hold up throughout the mix of things. I took the CCNA exam Wednesday, March 28, 2001. I didn't earn a passing score. I was short a few answers, and most likely I made some dumb mistakes. I don't know if id tell someone to read this book from cover to cover. I think it's more important to verify areas, in which you're weak, so you can improve those areas. This book is sought out in a standard format. It has a Q&A and FAQ in the front and back of each chapter. I believe there are a total of 8 long chapters. It's roughly 600 pages long. One might think I'm a fool for trying to read all of it. I found myself on an information overload. I know a lot of random information about a lot of things regarding this test. Perhaps it's because I've studied from so many sources. I also think its helpful to write things you think you should review down. You might retain the information better. After taking the test, I can now go through sections of the book and find answers to questions I've missed. With technology I would recommend getting the most updated material available.
26 Cisco isn't for beginners anyway
Negate all of what the naysayers out there are saying in their reviews. This book, if properly used will INSURE that you pass the CCNA exam! Nobody wants a newbie router person (i.e. paper CCNA) working for them, so if you don't have the hands on skills required..then look forward to the necessity of buying a good router sim. This book goes in depth enough to actually put the concepts in your head, not just lists.. I passed the CCNA yesterday going in to the exam room thinking I was unprepared, and quite frankly, that I was about to fail.. This book prepared me so well, even on the tough concepts, that I breezed through that test in all of about 25 minutes! Granted, I do have some hands on with Cisco routers, but this book is reccommended for anyone, newbie or experienced..
All you new people talking about how hard it is to read this book? I agree... But quit looking for a quick fix if you don't have the prerequisite experience..
27 Great Study Guide!
This book forces you to a depth that is needed to network Cisco devices. It was what I was looking for in a study guide for the CCNA exam. I used it exclusively and passed the exam. The book is well written (all books have some errors.) I found the book to be well organized. The format was helpful with questions before you start and after you end each chapter. The CDROM had decent exam questions. I would recommend this book to others.
28 ONE book + ONE cd=CCNA2.0
I teach the CCNA 2.0 three nights a week, using this book. It is the only book needed to pass the exam #640-507. I receive tons of books from all the different publishers-only Cisco Press does the job. If you read the book AND practice the tests on the enclosed CD, you will pass the FIRST time. I teach local, national, and internationally. My students are demanding of me (and Cisco). I boast a 100% pass rate of my students. I can ONLY achieve this with THIS book.
29 Excellent book,but not if your totally new to networking
This book is typical of cisco press books,it goes into detail and uses cisco-speak so if you dont know the basics and/or your not fimiliar with cisco-speak you'll have a hard time with this one.This book forces you to really know your stuff and to have a deeper understanding of the material,for all you paper tecs who just want to read a book pass a test and call yourself a ccna read Todd Lamelle"s book from sybex(or something similar)but if your an Academy student or have some field experience and networking will be your life's journey This book is for you.Look at the exam requirements on cisco web site they outline this books Table of contence.
30 Highly Recommended
It's a great book with a lot of examples and details. I highly recommend to everyone who wants to know about Cisco's networking basics not only as a certification guide to get the CCNA, but also as a reference book. Thanks to Wendell Odom.
31 Everything you'll need!!
This book will give you everything you'll need to know to pass the test and a whole lot more. It gives you very detailed information, not only enough to make you pass the test, but enough to actually help you on the job. Even know you can use only this book to get your CCNA, I would also recommend that you buy and take the boson CCNA practice tests (www.boson.com), they'll let you know what to expect and also show you where you're weak so you can go back and study that area. Do these two things and you will get your CCNA.
32 Great work Wendell
I purchased the certification guide to aid me in my studies towards my CCNA. The book thoroghly explains, in an easy to read manner, the imformation required to pass a CCNA. I'm currently enrolled in the Cisco Networking Academy and have found this book to be a great companion to the online curriculum. Great work Wendell.
33 Shazami
I am a Cisco instructor and this is the text I use to teach my classes with. Granted is is not easy reading at all and many of my students complain. However I think that Mr. Odem does an excellent job of explaining some very difficult topics and the text goes way beyond what is actually needed for the current exam. Many people beleave that by passing one simple test they are going to get some extremely high paying job with no experiance, which is not the case at all. It takes years of hard work and study to begin to understand the extremely complex and very difficult world of Cisco and wide area networking.
So if you are a complete begginer read ICND first, but then read this book because it is very well written and an excellent source of information. But at all cost get some routers and get some hands on experiance and do not become paper certified like quite a few MCSE's out there.
SHAZAMI-CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, CCDP
34 Systems Engineer
After taking 2 Cisco classes at UC Santa Cruz Extension and using this book to prepare for the Prometric Exam, I ended-up scoring a 983. The book provides much more details, and it explains the topics more clearly than the Sybex CCNA book. The chapter summaries are pretty detailed and orgranized. Also, the book has more Q&As for each chapter in partially preparing you for the exam. The actual exam questions were less difficult when compared to the book's questions. However, the book has some slight errors. If you want to learn more than just passing the exam, buy this book.
35 You MUST attend the Cisco ICND class First!!
Bought this book. Read it. Hated it. Wanted my money back. This book is definetely NOT a beginner's guide. Try Sybex or somebody else because you are definetly not going to get it from this book. I expected this book to be a complete review of all material needed to take and pass the CCNA. Now I'm a pretty smart guy (quit laughing wife) and I've been around the certification block a way too many times for my sanity (MCSE,CNE, and NCC),so I know what I need to take and pass a test and this book did not give me that knowledge. I just bought routersim and we'll see how that goes. I bought routersim because the one thing that this book does not do is teach you how to configure a Cisco router or switch at ALL! They give you screen dumps of the config and that's it. Like: 'see how this router is configured.' Umm, no! I think I probably should have bought Cisco Press's ICND book, but hopefully routersim will take care of that. The one good thing about this book though is its description of the networking topics it's teaching. The Spanning tree protocol is excellent and so are some of the other area's like the OSI model. Nightmare areas include ISDN (hello! major importante!) which doesn't tell you anything at all about this crucial subject that you must know if you want to pass the CCIE much less the CCNA.
If you have taken the ICND course buy this book. If not, buy either Sybex's CCNA book or buy Cisco press's ICND book.
36 Certainly not for beginner's
While I am writing in support of this book I will admit that it is not an easy read. However, reading it can be a worthwhile experience. This book was written for individuals with a background in at least the basics of networking, and who are also curious enough to explore the intricacies of the subject matter (as far as Cisco is concerned). While it can be used to prepare for the CCNA #640-507 exam it will provide a much greater depth then is necessary for the exam, but it should be ideal for those of us who are currently in the field in need of a solid reference book. Evenmore, what can be gained by reading this book is some preparation for further study (ie. CCNP selected exams) along the Cisco career path. If your goal is to read a book, and pass an exam, then do not waste your time with Wendell Odom's book, as I said this book is not an easy read.
37 not for beginner
This book is not organized for beginner. It is not a text book and I don't know how much help in passing the test.
38 packed with information, but could be better organized
I recommend reading this book after reading Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices (ICND). This book is slightly more advanced than the ICND coursebook, and goes in to more detail, but I like the way the ICND coursebook is organized. To help with both retention and understanding I recommend getting practice on real Cisco routers, or visiting the web site of a company called MentorTech. They rent their routers on an hourly basis to help people to prepare for Cisco exams.
39 Books in my permanent collection
Definitely the best book concerning to Cisco CCNA, this book guide is amazing, some of my partners bought other books, but no one was so detailed and well described than this one. If you have taken the 4 semesters recommended by Cisco and you read the foundation summaries (specially the commands and RFC specifications of the protocols), you will achieve your goal of passing the 640-507 exam, and if you have the time, read details concerning to switching, even 1900 series specifications (well described in the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices if you buy the 3 books combo of cisco press, the 3 books are permanent reference) CD-ROM has very difficult questions, if you have passing score in this one, you should no have any problem. Thanks to Odom. Good night Xarold
40 Look no further...beginners welcome!
This comprehensive guide can propel you to CCNA status regardless of your level of experience. I have three years in the field with switch and router experience but never bothered with the certifications. I wish I had this book when I was starting out. Many candidates struggle with finding the right text for an exam, trying to base their decision on recommendations and online reviews. This can lead to discouragement, confusion, and ultimately, disgust. This is a real blue-collar assessment of the basic concepts needed to pass the CCNA exam. Of course, the knowledge you'll gain won't hurt your skill-set for the proverbial "real-world" as well. I'm telling you straight out, I work for a MAJOR financial institution with an extensive communications staff most of whom do not have a complete understanding of the concepts explained in this book. If you're a self-taught technician like myself (I was an English major for Christ's sake), you learn to appreciate texts like this. Get your arms around this book, focus, concentrate, and you'll get the job done. Take your time with chapter 5 if you don't already know IP subnetting. Good luck and may your God bless you...
41 great introduction and trainer
This book helped me gain my confidence to finaly take the CCNA. The book takes you through the course material in an orderly manner, great for someone who wants to study self paced, and get a thorough knowledge of the material, and is very well writen. The negative point for me was, I wanted to know the content in the minimum number of pages since I allready had some background. I definitely recomend this book to study for the CCNA who are new to networking.
42 You wanna be a CCNA and more....?
This book is designed for people that have taken the ICND Course. Not to say that you need to take the course, but it will give you better insight into what Mr. Odem is explaining.
Hard to read? Yes. More than needed to pass the CCNA? Yes. Worth it? You bet! Read thru this book twice, do all the questions (I found chapter nine very challenging) and not only will you pass, you will have buckets of knowledge of Cisco LAN and WAN topics. I scored 881 on the test..Thanks Mr. Odem.
43 Good, but not perfect
I think this book contains enough information for passing the exam. There are many diagrams and examples that can help you to understand the concepts. I would appreciate the last chapter, it gives some scenario to show the concepts and configuration for the final preparation. However, I think it would be better if the book contains more information about routing protocols. And this book is a little bit wordy, I would like it is straightforward and hits the point directly. The last thing is that there are some error in this version, it is better to download correct one from ciscopress.
44 Great book
This is one of those books that you will use to study for the test, but you won't give away when you're done. It is a lot more in-depth than the Sybex book. Lammle's book is great for passing the test, but is, like most people have been saying, more shallow than this one. This isn't the easiest read, but is packed with information. All of the diagrams are tremendous, and the explanations are great. I didn't care too much for subnetting section, but not enough to drop it to 4 stars. You can learn a great deal from this book if you have the patience to get through the boring prose. The CD has the entire book in PDF format, which allows me to read at work and not carry the 50lb book with me (I think the book costs $1 per pound...cheaper than steak and more meaty!) The CD also has test questions which look real good also. Bottom line, buy this one instead of the Sybex (Sorry, Todd).
45 This is 'The Book' for the CCNA exam 640-507
Initially I read Todd Lammle's CCNA Study Guide, however I found this book too shallow.
I then turned to Odom and was I impressed. The layout of the book is very well done, with the 'Do I Know This Already?' quiz at the begining of each chapter aimed at eliminating unnecessary studying. In addition to numerous questions at the end of each chapter, there was my favorite, the scenario exercises. These scenarios are the next best thing to actually using Cisco products.
The depth and breath of this book is absolutely perfect, it's one of the things that Lammle's was missing (especially on the topic of WAN Protocols and Configuration). People this book is not only for an exam it's for the real world. But just in case you are only interested in passing the exam, there is a CD that comes with the book. It contains over 200 exam type questions on it, that are in most cases more difficult than the ones on the actual exam.
This is one book I'll be keeping long after the exam.
46 Best CCNA book so far
Trust me this book is much more than you need for the CCNA. It actually goes much more in depth and covers part of CCNP configuration. Very technical and very well written. No comparison at all to Todd Lamle's and Sygress books. I had to read the book about 3 times to really get every detail start to finish. This book gave me a much more detailed understanding of WAN configurations. Sybex and others just give you the basics and stop there. This book was real great on Dial on Demand Routing configuration for ISDN. Went into every detail. For those who think it is too technical, get another book (probably Sybex) and stop there. Shouts out to you Wendell. Great book.
47 Odom's CCNA 40-507 Study Guide
I found this book to be an excellent study guide. The tests at the beginning of each chapter let you know whether or not to spend time on the material (you may already know some or most of it).
His explanations are brief and to the point. He includes enough examples (especially on IP adressing and switch/router programming) to clarify the text.
His end-of chapter questions are challenging and detailed -- you really need to know the material to get through the problem sets.
The practice questions on the CD are great for test prep. Don't "use them up" until you've really mastered the material. there are lots of questions, but they are most useful AFTER you've really worked you way through the content and done the end-of-chapter questions.
The book went beyond the level of content coverage on the exam (at least the version I saw). But that's a plus -- its much better to be a bit over-prepared than under-prepared!
48 A book w/ lots of facts but poorly organized
I used this book for my CCNA 2.0 process. My impression is: 1. This book is definately not for readers without training in Cisco internetwork; 2. The book is not well organized. It is obvious that the author has lots of experience but the way he presented it is questionable. Not only the whole structure of the book, but also the details, and you can see how facts that belongs to different level being put together, which is very confusing.
49 Odom's odious book
I have virtually no experience with Cisco routers but, by the skin of my teeth, I did manage to pass the 640-507 test. Here's how I did it: I read Odom's book cover-to-cover (and did the practice questions and exercises), got a couple of practice tests from boson.com and read a couple of chapters from Lammle's book (the chapters that were especially bad in Odom's book). So I spent the vast majority of my time studying Odom's book, yet in retrospect that was the least productive of all my prep time. I think I would have been much better served if I'd focused more on Lammle's book.
Yes, you can learn something from this book. The "foundation summary" at the end of each chapter has some useful info, and the practice questions on the CD-ROM are good. But skip the wordy and poorly-written 700 pages of main text. Odom covers lots of stuff---often in excruciating detail---that you don't need to know for this test. He also has several totally incomprehensible sections on important topics. And in places he simply punts, telling the reader to go look somewhere else---as if he could not fit everything into 800+ pages?
I'd suggest you read Lammle's book, perhaps skim this one (paying attention to the foundation summary sections), and take lots of practice tests.
50 I passed CCNA using this book.
I liked this book's organization and content, especially the "Do I know this already?" quizzes. I was able to skip several of the chapters because I was already well-versed in IP addressing and subnetting, the OSI model, etc. but had to spend more on the WAN protocols chapter, for instance. I would recommend this book over both the Sybex and Syngress versions.
51 DONT BE SOFT!!!!!!! This book RULZ!
Listen! To those of you who have a problem with the book because it is too technical, find another career. Routers, Switches, Hubs and the like, are no childs play. Networking is a detailed concept of theory and if you find the book boring then either you are too technically weak, or you are not cut out for what it has to offer.
Let me say that I am new to CISCO and I have to read over the chapters three or four times. Once I have grasped the concept, I move onto the next chunk. Take it in chunks, slowly, PATIENTLY!!
If you want to get CCNA and stop there then buy another book. If you are looking at CCNP and CCIE, then this is the book for you as it gives you a lot more than CCNA. Wendell Odom has an incredible technical background and has gone into those little cracks an filled them.
It is a fantastic book and sits as my No.1 at the moment.
If your'e up for a challenge then buy the book.
Wendell you are BRILLIANT!
52 Not an Introductory text
After working through Todd Lammle's book I needed more background information to flesh out my understanding of the basic principles, and this book provides it and more.
Throughout the book it assumes you have gone through the ICND course, or at least read the book, in order to get the basics which this book then expands upon. For this reason I wouldn't recommend this as the only study guide to use for the test. Get the ICND book or Todd Lammle's book and go through it first, then use this book as a reference for more info on areas that aren't quite clear, as well as for the exercises at the end of each chapter.
The extensive chapter exercises and the sample test engine on cd make this book worth the price alone, but don't rely on this book as your sole source for passing the test. As an additional source of in-depth coverage of the concepts covered it is first rate, even if a little dry at times.
53 Very Technical...Too much so
I found this book to be too technical in its review of the CCNA material. I actually liked the ICND book (Steve McQuerry) much more. Wendell honestly drowns you in too much information. I think is a better book for a CCNA on the job than as study material. If you do buy this book, don't let it discourage you; Supplement with Lammle's CCNA study book and maybe the ICND book. I found Lammle's book to be the best of the lot.
54 The all you need book
This book goes in to far more detail then the exam. Its all one needs to pass. Guaranteed!
55 Here's what I think...
I bought this book hoping that I could quickly fill in the blanks that my field experience has left out. It certainly did- and then some. After reading this book, I went and took the exam, scoring a 946. I agree with some of the other reviewers, that this book is filled with typos, & redundancy... the author especially enjoys using the word 'nuances'. Seems that Cisco equipment is filled with that. Even though the book has an extremely large amount of detail, he failed to address some key areas that I did see on the exam (i.e. the Clockrate command). I wouldn't have passed the exam without it though- so in the end it wasn't all that bad.
56 Great Technical Resource
If you just want to pass the test then this isn't the book for you. However if you want to understand and conceptualize then it is. It is a great book for people with a technical attitude. Its not for newbie MCSEs who just want another paper certification. I read the book and as others say its not a Harry Potter novel to read when you are travelling and bored and need to get back home. Its well written and clear. Which book doesn't have errata? This is no exception.
57 The book had < 10% of what was in the actual test!
Yes, thanks to intensive study with this book and accompanied CD, I failed the test miserably. I budgeted my time to spend at least two months of studying before I took the exam. I also managed to ace every test chapter in the software. When I took the actual test (today) less than 10% of what was in the book was on it! Mostly I had to WAG my way through much of the test and now I'm left wondering whether there's a problem with the Prometric test or if the book came up short.
The guide states: "The CCNA Certification Guide Companion helps eliminate any sense of surprise or anxiety that you might experience in the testing center." Imagine MY suprise when the proctor hands me a report with "FAIL" on it. The report on percentage of sections showed I received a whopping 25% on "Network Management". There is no section on Network Management in this book. The accompanying software had several 'application errors' as well, such as multiple right answers and some that would deselect the right one. The Cisco Press homepage has several erratas for text mistakes in the book (lots actually) but you cannot obtain corrected software.
As soon as I got home, I fired up the software and tested every chapter-- the worst score I received on any of the individual chapters was 92%. Still, this expensive book prepared me to fail a much more expensive test.
Thanks Wendell
58 What a drag.
This book is not well written. Hard to read, too wordy, too much repetitions on the same topic here and there. Not well organized, not well edited (you will find a lot of typo errors and some technically wrong info. Althou you can get corrections on Cisco web site). This book explains too much in detail for just entry level CCNA subjects. Mostly unnecessarily. To make things worse, because of author's poor wrting skill, it's really hard to grasp what he's trying to say. I'm not a novice in cisco networking, but this book was a nightmare to read. I don't recommend this book for novice (If it's not for the cetification exam, novices wouldn't read it in the first place, thou...)
59 Microscopic "big picture"
If you know 'nothing' about networking, IP, IPX, and the OSI levels *do not* buy this book in preparation for 'anything'.
It is a top level CCNA study tool and 'assumes' you know something besides how to plunk down your credit card.
On every level, this is a top flight book for those of us seeking CCNA (and indeed you can use the book for CCNP studies as well, along with advanced texts.) certification.
It is well laid out, well written and easy to follow. Questions are carefully scripted and the answers are correct. There are numerous 'experts' behind this tome, but Odem deserves credit for bringing it all together and helping us get the big picture.
This writting takes you thru the proprietary Cisco CLI and thru their product descriptions and requirements. Then into the basics and beyond of internetworking and all involved protocols. It is a hard study, but well designed to make the difficult subject 'do-able'. It has a great 'feel' to it and I enjoyed (am enjoying)reading it. Recommended to the max.
60 Cisco expects its CCNAs...
This is about all you will find in this book, every other sentence. I write from a newby's standpoint. It skips over a lot of useful information, glosses over some more and assumes a little more. It might be helpful as a second source.
61 This book help you pass the exam.
Read this book a couple of times in view of the examination . In my opinion this book is worth it's money since it help me pass the exam(scored 804). I don't had any Cisco experience and this was my first and "main" resource. From reading the book and completing the exam, it took me three weeks. I found the Foundation Summary in each chapter very usefull. Do the case studies if you have the time, because it's a good test on how good you've really understood the material. The part on VLAN's, Access List and Frame Relay were somewhat weaker in my opinion and I felt that IPX could have been covered to a larger detail as well.
But overall, it's a well balanced book and certainly a good starting point to get on the Cisco train.
62 Hard to read...like a manual instead of a guide
This is not a completely bad book, but is not at all easy to read and I found to be way overkill for the CCNA exam. If you want a desk reference of information than this book might work. Again, too much fluff for the exam.
63 Success on #1 Attempt Is GUARANTEED
Dear Friends,
I have passed CCNA with only several days preparation. My ultimate weapon is This Cisco Exam Prep and the Study guide from Cisco.
These book will provide you what it takes to pass the test succesfully with first attempt.
No Second Attempt, no Failure........
It's mandatory you pass this CCNA w/o failure, because it could lowered down you morale toward the next stages.
Spend 60 USD rather than 2nd test worth 100 USD.
My Score : 862 ( 3 days learning only )
64 Very Technical but Very On the Ball
This book is better approached with a wide knowledge of netwoking (at the very least the Network + Theory Exam and some more) and a really good knowledge of TCP/IP (try Cisco TCP/IP Published by McGraw Hill and Lewis). The Sybex offering by Todd LAMMLE is also A1 but does not go into quite the depth although it too will pass you through. Prehaps a combination of the the two will ease you into the subject and then hone your skills!
65 You do not need this book!
Just one comment in response to other reviews. You do not need this book. I took the CCNA 407 exam and passed with a score of 888. I later took the 507 beta exam without any preparation or review and got 934. In my opinion, you do not need this book, no matter how good it is. It is definitely better than the Sybex book which dumps the info on you without explaining the details in enough depth.
66 Pushes your networking knowledge to its limits!
To borrow a phrase Todd Lammle uses to promote his practice exams, this book pushes your knowledge of networking to its limits. Regular CCNA study guides give you a moderate coverage of internetworking technologies, but you won't believe how sophisticated and intricate they can get until you read this book.
In fact, the title could be a misnomer because much of its content exceeds the level of knowledge that you would need to pass the exam. However, to really understand the concepts that are behind the CCNA exam, you need to read it. If you don't have much time, at least browse the "Foundation Topics" section. The section on IP subnetting is the best I have read so far. I have been using a shortcut provided by Cameron Brandon (TCP/IP for dummies). Here, Odom presents it as the "Decimal Algorithm." However, he does a much better job in a systematic way.
Organized and methodological as he is, the author (CCIE #1624) has his oversights occassionally. His opinion on zero subnets, though correct in itself, contradicts that of ICND. So verify it with Cisco's official opinion whenever you have a doubt.
The accompanying CD-ROM contains practice questions that, like much the book itself, exceeds the difficulty level of the real exam. A good feature to have is the .pdf version of the book - over 800 pages and maybe four pounds!
67 Great Book
This book was very helpful in me passing the 640-507. I purchased this book 1 week before the test and passed with a 860. I would recommend this book for anyone looking to take the test. Every subject was covered in this book and the CD ROM is excellent too.
68 The new exam doesn't stand a chance.
About two months ago I was invited to take the Beta exam for the CCNA 2.0 certification and I had several books on the old exam, 640-407 to study from, I wish I could have had this book and I certain I would have done a great deal better.
Updated to cover the new exam, this 800 plus page wealth of information is just what you need in order to make sure you have every opportunity to pass the exam the first time around. What this book covers is each exam objective and more with detailed information and most importantly accurate information.
Covering the IOS Fundamentals, OSI model, TCP/IP Model, Network Hardware, Routing Protocols, Routed Protocols and Routing along with Access Lists the author has left no stone unturned in presenting information about the CCNA topic.
Updated Questions and answers are included as well. Something new I thought was a real pleasure was the scenarios included in the book, along with the vast amounts of pictures, figures, tables and diagrams there is nothing missing from the book as far as I could tell.
Included with the book is a very good cd-rom filled with questions and practice tests. The cd took no real configuring to install and I was using it in a matter of minutes. I did think the questions were tougher than the exam and found that this is a good thing for me. Overall money well spent and time well invested.
69 passed
Use in conjunction with CCNA Study Guide by Lammie. From there it is pretty much up to you.
