Training in Cisco CCNA Support Insights
If you're looking for Cisco training but you have no experience with routers, what you need is CCNA. This training program has been put together to teach people with a working knowledge of routers. Big organisations that have different locations rely on routers to join up their various different networks of computers to allow their networks to keep in touch. The Internet also is made up of hundreds of thousands of routers.
It's important to have an understanding of the operation and function of computer networks, because computer networks are joined to routers. If not, it's likely you'll run into difficulties. We'd recommend you first take a course in the basics - perhaps Network+ and A+, before you start a CCNA course. You may find training companies will put such a package together for you.
Getting your Cisco CCNA is where you should be aiming; don't be cajoled into attempting your CCNP. With experience, you can decide whether you need to train up to this level. If so, your experience will serve as the background you require to take on your CCNP - as it's a very complex course - and shouldn't be taken lightly.
Have a conversation with any specialised consultant and they can normally tell you many awful tales of students who've been conned by dodgy salespeople. Ensure you only ever work with an industry professional who asks lots of questions to discover the most appropriate thing for you - not for their wallet! You need to find a starting-point that will suit you.
If you have a strong background, or maybe some commercial experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it's more than likely your starting level will be different from someone who is just starting out.
Commencing with a basic PC skills course first may be the ideal way to get into your computer training, depending on your skill level at the moment.
Now, why might we choose commercially accredited qualifications instead of familiar academic qualifications obtained from tech' colleges and universities?
The IT sector now acknowledges that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, the right accreditation from the likes of Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe is far more effective and specialised - at a far reduced cost both money and time wise.
Obviously, an appropriate portion of background information must be covered, but precise specialisation in the required areas gives a vendor educated person a distinct advantage.
Assuming a company is aware what areas need to be serviced, then all they have to do is advertise for a person with the appropriate exam numbers. The syllabuses are all based on the same criteria and can't change from one establishment to the next (in the way that degree courses can).
Don't accept anything less than an accredited exam preparation programme included in the package you choose.
Sometimes people can find themselves confused by going through practice questions that aren't recognised by official sources. Sometimes, the way questions are phrased is unfamiliar and you should be prepared for this.
As you can imagine, it is vital to ensure that you're absolutely ready for your commercial exam before taking it. Revising mock-up exams logs the information in your brain and helps to avoid thwarted exam entries.
The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is often missed by many students. How many parts is the training broken down into? What is the order and how fast does each element come?
Often, you will join a program taking 1-3 years and get sent one module each time you pass an exam. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this:
What would happen if you didn't finish every module at the required speed? And maybe you'll find their order of completion doesn't come as naturally as an alternative path could be.
In an ideal situation, you want everything at the start - enabling you to have them all to come back to in the future - as and when you want. This also allows you to vary the order in which you complete your exams if you find another route more intuitive.
It's important to have an understanding of the operation and function of computer networks, because computer networks are joined to routers. If not, it's likely you'll run into difficulties. We'd recommend you first take a course in the basics - perhaps Network+ and A+, before you start a CCNA course. You may find training companies will put such a package together for you.
Getting your Cisco CCNA is where you should be aiming; don't be cajoled into attempting your CCNP. With experience, you can decide whether you need to train up to this level. If so, your experience will serve as the background you require to take on your CCNP - as it's a very complex course - and shouldn't be taken lightly.
Have a conversation with any specialised consultant and they can normally tell you many awful tales of students who've been conned by dodgy salespeople. Ensure you only ever work with an industry professional who asks lots of questions to discover the most appropriate thing for you - not for their wallet! You need to find a starting-point that will suit you.
If you have a strong background, or maybe some commercial experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it's more than likely your starting level will be different from someone who is just starting out.
Commencing with a basic PC skills course first may be the ideal way to get into your computer training, depending on your skill level at the moment.
Now, why might we choose commercially accredited qualifications instead of familiar academic qualifications obtained from tech' colleges and universities?
The IT sector now acknowledges that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, the right accreditation from the likes of Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe is far more effective and specialised - at a far reduced cost both money and time wise.
Obviously, an appropriate portion of background information must be covered, but precise specialisation in the required areas gives a vendor educated person a distinct advantage.
Assuming a company is aware what areas need to be serviced, then all they have to do is advertise for a person with the appropriate exam numbers. The syllabuses are all based on the same criteria and can't change from one establishment to the next (in the way that degree courses can).
Don't accept anything less than an accredited exam preparation programme included in the package you choose.
Sometimes people can find themselves confused by going through practice questions that aren't recognised by official sources. Sometimes, the way questions are phrased is unfamiliar and you should be prepared for this.
As you can imagine, it is vital to ensure that you're absolutely ready for your commercial exam before taking it. Revising mock-up exams logs the information in your brain and helps to avoid thwarted exam entries.
The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is often missed by many students. How many parts is the training broken down into? What is the order and how fast does each element come?
Often, you will join a program taking 1-3 years and get sent one module each time you pass an exam. This sounds logical on one level, until you consider this:
What would happen if you didn't finish every module at the required speed? And maybe you'll find their order of completion doesn't come as naturally as an alternative path could be.
In an ideal situation, you want everything at the start - enabling you to have them all to come back to in the future - as and when you want. This also allows you to vary the order in which you complete your exams if you find another route more intuitive.
About the Author:
(C) Jason Kendall. Navigate to LearningLolly.com for clear career advice on Cisco Certification and Cisco Courses.