Certification Tests Articles

Into The World of CCNP

2010-11-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

Promotional video for the Cisco Certified Networking Professsional class at Tulsa Technology Center.

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CCNA 640802 Exam Certification Library Simulator Edition

2010-11-13T13:55:00.000-08:00

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Original :: CCNA 640-802 Exam Certification Library, Simulator Edition

CCNP SWITCH 642813 Official Certification Guide Exam Certification Guide

2010-11-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

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Original :: CCNP SWITCH 642-813 Official Certification Guide (Exam Certification Guide)

CCNP ROUTE 642902 Official Certification Guide Exam Certification Guide

2010-11-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

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Original :: CCNP ROUTE 642-902 Official Certification Guide (Exam Certification Guide)

CompTIA A Complete Certification KitExams 220701 and 220702

2010-11-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

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Original :: CompTIA A+ Complete Certification Kit(Exams 220-701 and 220-702)

Wedding Dance First As A Couple FUNNY Baby Got Back

2010-10-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

tinyurl.com Your Online Resource for Hypnosis and NLP Certification! Check it out tinyurl.com

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CompTIA Network AllinOne Exam Guide Fourth Edition

2010-10-27T00:56:00.000-07:00

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Original :: CompTIA Network+ All-in-One Exam Guide, Fourth Edition

Learning Cisco CCNA with Simulators

2010-10-24T01:56:00.000-07:00

As you study for your CCNA and CCNP exams, particularly if you're getting hands-on practice in your home lab or rack rental service, you're going to be sending a lot of pings. As a CCNA or CCNP candidate, you know that five exclamation points (!!!!!) as a ping return indicates that you have IP connectivity to the remote destination. Five periods (.....) indicates that you do not have that connectivity.

Passing the CCNA is all about knowing the details of how things work, and knowing CSMA/CD theory and how to define collision domains is one of the many details you've got to master. In the next part of this CCNA tutorial, we'll take a look at broadcast domains, and how defining brodcast domains in the right places can dramatically cut down on unnecessary traffic on your network.

Students and Professionals that just got their CCNA certification will normally end up in 1 of three categories. The 1st: guys and gals just entering the IT world. The 2nd category: people who want to make the transition from Local Area Network to Wide Area Network. WAN engineers and administrators make the 3rd category. If they just got their CCNA certification, it's because they yearn to move up the ladder.

Keep learning and improving after your've earned your certification. It's easy to quickly forget what you don't use. Feel free to take off a couple days to reward yourself for all that hard work. Then, of course, it's time to strap back in and study. Keep reviewing your CCNA topics, and get started on your first CCNP exam. A lot of folks who get that glorious CCNA certificate will simply forget the knowledge they obtained because they gave up studying once the exam was over.

I give strong recommendation to video tutorials, Exams Testing Engines, Study Guides, Preparation Labs, Q & A for CCNA certification package. Indeed it's a real worth to money. Here you can get configuration of cisco devices along with proper explanation but the drawback is it does not cover everything in exam so you have to go for CCNA CCNA exams training simulators.

Cisco simulators
There are free or paid cisco CCNA exams training simulators available on internet. It's necessary to get your hands on these simulators so you get on hand experience in configuration cisco devices. If you have enough budge you can also build your Cisco home lab.

Get practice test software
Today many companies sell practice exams that help to attempt CCNA CCNA exam training. You need to buy them and go for your first test. In the first attempt you may fail but don't get discouraged. Many practice test software are the bank of questions, each divided into 4 practice tests. You are required to attempt the practice tests 4 times. Lastly you take final practice exam including the all the questions. At this point of time you are ready to go for real exam.

If your preparing for career change and looking for CCNA Training the best online training provider that provide the all the and complete MCTS certification exams training in just one package, certkingdom self study training kits, save your money on bootcamps, training institutes, It's also save your traveling and time. All training materials are โ��Guaranteedโ�� to pass your exams and get you certified on the fist attempt, due to best training they become no1 site 2009 & 2010.

In addition I recommend Certkindom.com is best and No1 site of 2008 which provide the complete Windows Server 2003 certified professionals training, Microsoft MCITP, Microsoft MCTS, Cisco CCNA, Cisco CCIE, CompTIA A+, IBM, Citrix, PMP, ISC, and lots more online training self study kits, saving your time and money on all those expensive bootcamps, conventional training institutes where you have take admission pay fees first and if you donโ��t want to continue no refunds no transfer to any other training course, If you planed to take CCNA or specialization in MCSE 2003 all the process starts again; as for getting online training can be much beneficial and you donโ��t need to take for fill any from to switch your training on any desire certification.

Original :: Learning Cisco CCNA with Simulators

Clearing Up The Confusion About Six Sigma

2010-10-21T01:56:00.000-07:00

Six Sigma is a concept that either you very easily understand or you don't. Many people do okay with the concept but when it comes to breaking it down and implementing it they fall short of the mark. This is the reason that coaching is so important. It provides companies with the support they need early on to make the changes they need for success. Skipping the coaching is one mistake that many companies make and these same companies will claim that the program didn't work when in fact it was due to their own lack of follow through.

The coaches of Six Sigma do what coaches are trained to do; they coach your company to success through the process implementation at every level. Learnig is the first step, but is a very necessary first step. It is easy to understand why companies struggle with confusion after training if they fail use a coach to help make necessary changes. This confusion will only increase when the implementation process is started and will create unnecessary failure problems.

Unless everyone has the correct interpretation of the concepts, different interpretations will abound and is the perfect storm for confusion during implementation at any level. Everyone involved in the project must be on the same page at the same time. One breakdown in this process will turn the project in the wrong direction, while breeding failure, thus giving the appearance that the Six Sigma program just doesn't work.

Without coaches, just learning and trying to implement Six Sigma is a sure fire recipe for failure of the program. Coaches are there to make sure the process stays a smooth operation and help everyone stay on track. This not only simplifies the process but will get it ready for each step of the process throughout the company and make success the last step.

Original :: Clearing Up The Confusion About Six Sigma

CCNP Routing and Switching Foundation Learning Library Foundation Learning for

2010-10-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

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Original :: CCNP Routing and Switching Foundation Learning Library: Foundation Learning for CCNP ROUTE, SWITCH, and TSHOOT (642-902, 642-813, 642-832) (Self-Study Guide)

Boost Your Career With Comptia Certifications

2010-10-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

As the leading IT industry association, CompTIA has created a variety of educational programs and initiatives to benefit IT professionals, educators and business owners. Explore the following links to see how you can enhance your IT education today.CompTIA Certification Programs CompTIA certifications are a recognized credential throughout the IT industry, validating foundation-level IT knowledge and skills. CompTIA offers twelve certification programs in key technology areas.CompTIA A+ Certification CompTIA A+ certification validates the latest skills needed by today's computer support professionals. It is an international, vendor-neutral certification recognized by major hardware and sotware vendors, distributors and resellers. CompTIA A+ certification confirms a technician's ability to perform tasks such as installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventive maintenance and basic networking. The exams also cover domains such as security, safety and environmental issues and communication and professionalism.CompTIA A+ ensures the right people have the right skills. While many of the essential skills are universal, there are additional skills required to support the needs of businesses. By offering certification options for specific job scenarios, CompTIA A+ gives individuals the ability to grow their careers in a certain area, and employers the flexibility to choose the exam combination that best fits their needs.CompTIA Network+ Certification CompTIA Network+ validates the knowledge and skills of networking professionals. It is an international, vendor-neutral certification that recognizes a technician's ability to describe the features and functions of networking components and to manage, maintain, troubleshoot, install, operate and configure basic network infrastructure. Although not a prerequisite, it is recommended that CompTIA Network+ candidates have at least nine months of experience in network support or administration or adequate academic training, along with a CompTIA A+ certification.The demand for skilled networking support professionals continues to grow, and CompTIA Network+ is a valuable credential to help launch or enhance a networking career. In fact, many IT certifications integrate CompTIA Network+ into their curriculums. Microsoft added CompTIA Network+ into their Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) program, and other corporations such as Novell, Cisco and HP also recognize CompTIA Network+ as part of their certification tracks.CompTIA Network+ and Related CompTIA Certifications CompTIA Network+ prepares networking professionals to earn vendor-neutral certifications in other areas of expertise. CompTIA Network+ certified professionals who want to diversify their base knowledge in other areas should also consider pursuing CompTIA Security+, Server+ or Convergence+.CompTIA Server+ Certification CompTIA Server+ validates the knowledge and skills of advanced IT technicians. It is an international, vendor-neutral certification for individuals with 18-24 months of experience with Industry Standard Server Architecture (ISSA) technology. CompTIA Server+ certifies technical knowledge in areas such as RAID, SCSI and multiple CPUs, as well as capabilities with server issues, including disaster recovery. Although not a prerequisite, it is recommended that CompTIA Server+ candidates hold a CompTIA A+ certification.Many corporations recognize the importance of staffing technicians who can competently perform basic server support. Companies such as CDW Computer Centers and CompuCom value the CompTIA Server+ certification and require it of their IT employees.CompTIA Security+ Certification CompTIA Security+ validates knowledge of systems security, network infrastructure, access control, assessments and audits, cryptography and organizational security. It is an international, vendor-neutral security certification that is taught at colleges, universities and commercial training centers around the world.Although not a prerequisite, it is recommended that CompTIA Security+ candidates have at least two years of on-the-job technical networking experience, with an emphasis on security. The CompTIA Network+ certification is also recommended.Because human error is the number one cause for a network security breach, CompTIA Security+ is recognized by the technology community as a valuable credential that proves competency with information security.CompTIA RFID+ Certification CompTIA Radio Frequency Identification (RFID+) certification validates the knowledge and skills of professionals who work with RFID technology. It is an international, vendor-neutral credential that recognizes a technician's ability to install, maintain, repair, and troubleshoot the hardware and software functionality of RFID products. Although not a prerequisite, it is recommended that CompTIA RFID+ candidates have a minimum of six to 24 months of RFID or other auto-id technology experience.RFID is quickly becoming the standard technology for tracking goods in the supply chain, but it will only be effective if it is executed by properly trained and certified individuals. CompTIA RFID+ provides a baseline for the knowledge and skills required of RFID workers, giving business owners the opportunity to hire qualified professionals, and individuals a credential to prove their ability.CompTIA CTT+ Certification CompTIA CTT+ (Certified Technical Trainer) certification validates excellence in instruction. It is a vendor-neutral certification that is applicable to training professionals in all industries. CompTIA CTT+ recognizes the mastery of core instructor skills, including preparation, presentation, communication, facilitation and evaluation in both a classroom and virtual classroom environment.Certified instructors are essential for students who want to receive top-notch training, and employers agree that a professional training staff is valuable to the company. Adobe, Dell, Microsoft, Novell and Ricoh recommend that their trainers be CompTIA CTT+ certified. The Training Associates also look for CompTIA CTT+ certification when hiring trainers.CompTIA CDIA+ Certification CompTIA Certified Document Imaging Architech (CDIA+) validates the knowledge of professionals who deliver document imaging solutions. It is a vendor-neutral certification that proves expertise in the technologies and best practices used to plan, design, and specify a document imaging, management system.CompTIA Linux+ Certification CompTIA Linux+ is a vendor-neutral certification, generic across distributions, that validates the knowledge of individuals with a minimum of six to 12 months of practical Linux experience. Professionals holding the current CompTIA Linux+ credential can explain fundamental management of Linux systems from the command line, demonstrate knowledge of user administration, understand file permissions, software configurations, and management of Linux-based clients, server systems and security.Because of the growing popularity of enterprise-ready platforms such as Linux, both employers and professionals realize the importance of skill validation. The industry recognizes that CompTIA Linux+ certification is a good indicator of foundational proficiency in everyday management of Linux-based clients and basic management of server systems.CompTIA Project+ Certification CompTIA Project+ is a globally recognized project management certification that provides validation of fundamental project management skills. It covers the entire project life cycle from initiation and planning through execution, acceptance, support and closure. Unlike some project management certifications, CompTIA Project+ can be acquired in a quick and cost-effective manner. There are no prerequisites, and candidates are not required to submit an application or complete additional hours of continuing education.CompTIA Project+ gives project managers the skills necessary to complete projects on time and within budget, and creates a common project management language among project team members.CompTIA Convergence+ Certification CompTIA Convergence+ validates the knowledge and skills in the area of Communications Technologies (CT), where datacomm, telephony/telecommunications, video and broadcast multimedia technologies combine into a single IP-based delivery system. It is an international, vendor-neutral certification that recognizes a technician's ability to design, implement and manage both data and voice networking. Although not a prerequisite for CompTIA Convergence+ certification, it is recommended that CompTIA Convergence+ candidates are CompTIA Network+ certified and have 18 to 24 months of work experience in areas that include data networking, VoIP, and other convergence related technologies.The demand for skilled technology professionals with knowledge in convergence technology continues to grow, as more businesses adopt IP Telephony Solutions. CompTIA Convergence+ is a valuable credential to enhance a career with convergence technology. Corporations such as Avaya recognize CompTIA Convergence+ as part of their certification tracks.CEA-CompTIA DHTI+ Certification CEA-CompTIA Digital Home Technology Integrator (DHTI+) validates the knowledge and skills of home technology professionals. It is an international, vendor-neutral certification that recognizes a technician's ability to configure, integrate, maintain, troubleshoot, and comprehend the basic design concepts of electronic and digital home systems. It is recommended that CEA-CompTIA DHTI+ candidates have 18-24 months experience in some area of home integration technology.CompTIA PDI+ Certification CompTIA Printing and Document Imaging (PDI+) validates the knowledge and skills necessary to support printing and document imaging devices including printers, copiers, scanners, multi-functional devices and fax machines. It is a vendor-neutral certification that recognizes a technician's understanding of basic electromechanical components and tools, print engine and scan processes and components, color theory and connectivity/networking. The exam also covers soft skills such as customer service, professionalism, safety and environment. While there are no prerequisites for the CompTIA PDI+ certification exam, it is recommended that entry-level candidates have foundation-level knowledge or hands-on experience working with printing and document imaging devices.CompTIA PDI+ provides a solid foundation for a career involving the service and support of printing and document imaging devices. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and service providers find that CompTIA PDI+ certification ensures that their technicians have the core knowledge and skill sets to provide effective repair activities.Testkingdom.com is only IT online training provider that provide the all the and complete Comptia A+ Certifications exams training in just one package, testkingdom. self study training kits, save your money on bootcamps, training institutes, It's also save your traveling and time. All training materials are "Guaranteed" to pass your exams and get you certified on the fist attempt, due to best training testkingdom become no1 site for 2008.

Original :: Boost Your Career With Comptia Certifications

CCNA Official Exam Certification Library Exam 640802 Third Edition Containing

2010-10-11T21:56:00.000-07:00

ISBN13: 9781587201837
Condition: New
Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

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Original :: CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (Exam 640-802), Third Edition (Containing ICND1 and ICND2 Second Edition Exam Certification Guides)

Ravensbourne Chooses Cisco to Transform New Campus Ahead of London 2012wmv

2010-10-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

Chris Thompson, head of enterprise and innovation at Ravensbourne talking about their plans for 2012 and the Cisco Borderless Network.

Video Rating: 5 / 5

Google Fiber For Communities Site Launches

2010-10-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

Introduction:

Google will soon set another benchmark with the launch of several communities which will have the high speed internet connections. This will be done sooner in this year but Google has not made any specifications about the launch month and time. Although Google has started a Google Fiber Communities so that everyone stays informed about what's next in store by Google. Fiber communication is aimed at making out the future of these communities. The application process has also started so that Google know exactly where to install these high speed networks.

Result of Fiber Network Communication:

As mentioned by the Blog at Google the Fiber Network has got moe response than Google estimated. Google almost received 1,200 community responses and around 2lacs individual requests. Google never thought that the response will be so over whelming. Although Google should have thought that the response would turn out to be awesome as it is the leading search engine in town. Plus Google Earth and Google Chrome has also increased the popularity of Google company.

The Google Fiber community also stated that this network will work as a hotspot for all the fiber network related information and also about what's next in mind of Google employers. This will work as a communication hub which will cater all the ongoing policies whether local or federal in the field of fiber development. Although the fiber development has seen a little set back due to its high pricing but with the Google community taking the initiative the fiber industry will see a revival.

Google has also put up videos showing how eager people are with the launch of these communities. They also made it a point that these trail communities will help them work better for all the other communities to come. This process of getting the feedback before really launching something new means making the thing best even before its creation.

If you think that the connection speed will be a problem with such high responses then it's better to mention that Google will decide at the year's end that which lucky parts of the country will have the benefits of such high speed broadband with 1Gb/s speed. Who else could have thought of starting this process other then Google of course?

Original :: Google Fiber For Communities Site Launches

CiscoLinksys E3000 HighPerformance WirelessN Router

2010-10-01T09:55:00.000-07:00

Technology - Wireless-N
Bands - Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Transmit / receive - 2 x 3
Antennas - 6 Internal
Ethernet ports x speed - 4 x Gigabit

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Original :: Cisco-Linksys E3000 High-Performance Wireless-N Router

Is it hard to pass 70291

2010-09-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

My friend Kan told me that it is hard to pass the MCSE 2003! The questions he met maybe you need to solve. Note the

following:

I've been studying like crazy for 70-291, and have taken a lot of practice questions on IT certification found from this site. I've found most of the

questions long, but straight-forward enough to get a majority of them correct. My question is, what should I look out for on the exam? Any topics other than

DNS, DHCP, RRAS, Dial and Demand Routing, and security that I should look out for?

What makes this exam so much harder than the other Microsoft exams?

Lilbal who pass 70-291 Exam shared his experience. Note folllowng:

I just took this exam 2 days ago, passing with a score of 840. (first attempt)

Specifies whether to perform a statistics comparison or a full-content comparison. Valid option values are TRUE (perform a statistical comparison) or FALSE

(perform a full-content comparison). The statistical comparison merely counts the microsoft exams objects. It does

not compare the attributes of the objects that have been retrieved from the domain controllers and it ignores the /gcultrs option. A full-content comparison

Original :: Is it hard to pass 70291

Professor Teaches Windows XP

2010-09-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

Training program for Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional
7 tutorials with interactive lessons; extensive topics, tips, and techniques
Design and set up a network with Home and Small Office Networking
Learn Internet Explorer and most efficient ways to manage Internet activity
Includes Professor Answers--a unique approach to just-in-time learning

Rating: (out of 4 reviews)

List Price: $ 19.99 Price: $ 7.49

Original :: Professor Teaches Windows XP

How to pass A exams

2010-09-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

The A+ exam certification is based off two exams (hardware and software). Read at the CompTIA website to gain the

basic overview of what will be tested.

Begin studying for the exam by purchasing a A+ study guide. This will give a fairly accurate layout of what you will be tested on and "common questions" that

will be asked.

Take an online practice exam to gauge your comprehension. If you are at 70% or lower (after taking 3 rounds of them), i would recommend following steps 4 and

5. If you are above, go ahead an take the test. You should pass the exam without any problems

Purchase a "brain dump". These are designed to be almost completely acurate to the real exam. After reading through and studying the material, take another

round of practice exams. If you are above 70% pass, i would take the real A+ certification right away.

Last option is to go to a "technical training boot-camp" that offers A+ certification. These boot-camps cost quite a bit but they almost guarantee passing

the exam. I would leave this as the absolute last option. Tips & Warnings Make sure to have consistent time to study. Make it a habit to study the material..The night before the exam, make sure you get plenty of rest and dont do a

Original :: How to pass A exams

Cisco CCNA Exam

2010-09-20T03:56:00.000-07:00

This article will give advice on taking the Cisco CCNA Test which will hopefully give you the confidence to successfully pass.In your preparation for the CCNA test have in mind that passing the exam is but the beginning of the journey. The CCNA certification curriculum will give you a sure foundation to build for other higher Cisco certificates. Do not have the mindset of fear but but say to yourself "I can pass this exam". Tell yourself that you will conquer the exam. You will serve yourself well and follow Cisco's advice by taking the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1 (ICND1) v1.0 and the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 2 (ICND2) v1.0 courses. Use your favorie search engine and type in the ICND course. For example, if you live in Belgium type " ICND2 courses in Belgium". Cisco also has resources for searching courses. Type in LPCM in your search engine. Some courses also attract a 250-dollar Amazon.com Gift certificate for free.Not everybody prepare for exams in the same way because there is a sense of uniqueness about us. How boring and dull would it be if we were all the same. Even robots can be created with a sense of uniqueness and difference through artificial intelligence. The point is, for a person to achieve the end goal is not always followed in the same fashion. Vendor specific qualifications like the CCNA however, has set topics which need to be studied in order to pass the CCNA test. How you go about studying them is entirely up to you but make sure you do concentrate on them. These are the general guideline topics which Cisco recommends:Describe how a network works Configure, verify and troubleshoot a switch with VLANs and interswitch communications Implement an IP addressing scheme and IP Services to meet network requirements in a medium-size Enterprise branch office network. Configure, verify, and troubleshoot basic router operation and routing on Cisco devices Explain and select the appropriate administrative tasks required for a WLAN Identify security threats to a network and describe general methods to mitigate those threats Implement, verify, and troubleshoot NAT and ACLs in a medium-size Enterprise branch office network. Implement and verify WAN linksEach of the above topics carry sub-topics and these are what needs to be digested. A useful way to master these sub-topics before you take the CCNA Exam is to write down in your own words on a A4 piece of paper the requirement. For example, Configure, verify and troubleshoot a switch with VLANs and interswitch communications and sub-topic - Explain network segmentation and basic traffic management concepts - you would do what is says on a A4 paper. This exercise would reinforce your knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. This will also enable you to pass the CCNA exam with flying colors.After taking the CCNA test you will find that a pass is a pass and a fail is a fail but with percentage. There is no option to go back on a question once you click 'Next. You cannot go back to previous questions you have to move forward. You will do more damage to yourself if you do not answer a question and move on than if you were to answer the wrong question. So it pays to answer every question since the total score is accumulative. As Captain Kirk said to Mr. Spock in Star Trek, take your best guess. Mr. Spock does not make guesses but if he had to this would be more accurate than most people's best knowledge statement. Ah! For us then, study hard so you don't have to guess.There are a number of aides to help you in your journey to pass the CCNA Test. First there is the mention of Ciscopress documentation. Ciscopress are generally well written by Cisco Certified Internetworking Experts (CCIE). Just to note, CCIE's gave up their social life to achieve their highly recognized status and is the best example of study, study, study and more study. These people are the 'cream of the crop' in networking but more on that in another article. As well as Ciscopress books there are also other reputable publishers that have contributed immensely to Cisco CCNA curriculum. Here follows are a listing of books as recommended by Cisco and then non Ciscopress literature.There are two CCNA paths at present: CCNA 640-801 and CCNA 640-802 where the former exam track expires in November 2007. You can read further information on the two exams in CCNA Certifications article at the website below.CCNA 640-801: CCNA 640-801 Titles Learn: CCNA Portable Command Guide Learn: CCNA Self-Study: Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices (ICND) Learn: CCNA Self-Study: Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies (INTRO) Learn: CCNA Preparation Library Experience: CCNA Video Mentor Experience: Cisco CCNA Network Simulator Prepare: CCNA ICND Exam Certification Guide Prepare: CCNA INTRO Exam Certification Guide Prepare: CCNA Official Exam Certification Library, Second Edition Practice: CCNA Flash Cards and Exam Practice PackCCNA 640-802: CCNA 640-802/CCENT 640-822 Titles Learn: CCNA Portable Command Guide, Second Edition Experience: CCNA Video Mentor Prepare: CCENT/CCNA ICND1 Official Exam Certification Guide, Second Edition Gain early access to the contents of this book with the Rough Cut edition on Safari. Prepare: CCNA ICND2 Exam Certification Guide, Second Edition Gain early access to the contents of this book with the Rough Cut edition on Safari. Prepare: CCNA Official Exam Certification Library, Third Edition Practice: CCNA Flash Cards and Exam Practice Pack, Third Edition Practice: CCNA Quick Reference Sheets: Exam 640-802 Practice: CCENT Quick Reference Sheets: Exam 640-822The CCNA 640-802 has just become available in 2007 so there is limited content. As the course develops this document will be updated to include the latest literature so please bookmark this pageSo you are ready to take the CCNA test. Go with full confidence knowing that you have studied hard and pass that exam. The fee for appearing in the CCNA examination is about $125-$150 per sitting. In the UK the price for taking the exam is approx ยฃ90 per sitting. Good success!Be sure to check out other articles such as CCNA Bootcamp (this can list all available tools for CCNA), CCNA Salaries, CCNA Certifications

Original :: Cisco CCNA Exam

CompTIA Network Certification Video Course at wwwPowerCertcom

2010-09-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

www.powercert.com - Animated Course available for purchase. This is a small sample of the Animated CompTIA Network+ Certification Video Course (N10-004). The full and final version is 3 hours and is designed for the 2009 CompTIA Network+ Exam. The course uses animation for better and easier learning. Free 15 minute demo available for download at powercert.com Topics Include Network Topologies Networking Technologies Cable Standards Media Connectors Media Types Network Devices and Components Wired and Wireless Technologies MAC Address OSI Model Network Protocols IP Addresses and Schemes Subnet Masks Subnetting TCP/IP Suite Protocols TCP and UDP Functions Ports Network Services (DNS, NAT, etc) Internet Access Technologies Remote Access Protocols and Services Security Protocols Authentication Protocols Networking Operating Systems Networking Tools VLANs Intranets and Extranets Antivirus Software Firewalls Fault Tolerance (RAID, Power, etc) Disaster Recovery Troubleshooting Utilities Physical Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Scenarios Troubleshooting Steps

Video Rating: 4 / 5

CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide Exam 640802

2010-09-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

ISBN13: 9780470110089
Condition: New
Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Rating: (out of 100 reviews)

List Price: $ 49.99 Price: $ 28.61

Original :: CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide: Exam 640-802

CompTIA Network Certification Video Course at wwwPowerCertcom

2010-09-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

Video Rating: 4 / 5

How To Become A Cisco CCNP

2008-07-24T16:59:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on your decision to earn your CCNP certification! As a CCIE, I can tell you that Cisco certifications are both financially and personally rewarding.

To earn your CCNP, you first have to earn your CCNA certification. Then you're faced with a decision - take the three-exam CCNP path, or the four-exam path? They're both quite demanding, so let's take a look at each path.

The four-exam CCNP path includes the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks exam (BSCI), Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks exam (BCMSN), Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN), and Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT) exam.

The three-exam path combines the BSCI and BCMSN exams into a single exam, called the Composite exam.

I'm often asked what order I recommend taking the exams in. After earning your CCNA, I recommend you begin studying for the BSCI exam immediately. You will find the fundamentals you learned in your CCNA studies will help you a great deal with this exam. You're going to add to your CCNA knowledgebase quite a bit when it comes to OSPF and EIGRP, as well as being introduced to BGP.

I don't have a preference between the BCMSN and BCRAN exams, but I do recommend you take the CIT exam last. You'll be using all the skills you learned in the first three exams to pass the CIT. It's a very demanding exam, and it's a little hard to troubleshoot technologies that you haven't learned yet!

The CCNP is both financially and personally fulfilling. Once you complete your CCNA studies, take a little breather and then get started on your CCNP studies. The more you know, the more valuable you are in today's ever-changing IT job market.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNA exam with The Bryant Advantage!

How to pass CCNA: 6 Steps to Success

2008-07-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

1. Getting ready mentally:
First thing you need to do is mentally prepare your self. What I mean by that is that you have to seriously think about on why are you getting CCNA and why do you want to be CCNA certified. You have to firmly decide and believe that you will get CCNA within next 3-6 months or so.
Try to budget your study time well. If you a very social person (like me) you will have to give up some of your social time for the next couple of months.
Your friends and family will understand. Trust me: it is well worth it. Once you get that cert you can make up for the lost social time.
2. Getting the right study material:
Second thing you need to do is to get proper study material.
There is lot of controversy around this and some people go overboard with study guides, books, simulators and such.
I believe that two Cisco Press books INTR and ICND by Wendell Odom are enough as far as the books go. They are really well written and easy to follow. So sign up at http://www.ciscopress.com and get those two books. Make sure you got the latest version.
You will also want to get some kind of a simulator that will let you practice commands and that will also build up your confidence.
You can buy real equipment but that could get expensive. I highly recommend that you become member of Cisco Certification forum.
Forum is huge and you will get lot of helpful answers, tips and advices pretty quick. (I know I did)
3. Approach and diving deep:
There are many different approaches to studying from books but I will tell you about mine. This step will take the most of your studying time.
-Before you even start reading any of the books I suggest learning binary math (really easy) and subnetting so you can do it in your sleep.
http//www.learntosubnet.com is excellent resource. -read both books casually once from front to cover (make sure you cover introduction and practice questions too). This will give you good overview.
-Install both CDรขโ�ฌโ�ขs that came with books and practices some of the questions. Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt worry if you get lot of them wrong.
-Now, you will ready both books again but this time you will have to read it to truly understand the concept and how things work. Master one chapter and do questions from just that chapter until you sick of it. Then move to the next chapter.
-Once you mastered all chapters do lot of questions and labexercises. Those two CDรขโ�ฌโ�ขs will give you ability to do that.

4. Schedule the test:
Youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre not done yet with studying but it is really good to schedule the test after you completed step 3 in this article. Here is why:
If you schedule the test a month in advance right after you completed step 3, you wonรขโ�ฌโ�ขt be able to slack and make excuses not to study hard until tests and it is also good to give your self a headline. I have seen people working on their CCNA for 2 years. They master one or two chapters, then they rest for 2 two months and right when they think they are ready for the next chapter, they forget what they have learned in the first chapter.

5. Read both books one more time to refresh.
This is optional, but I highly recommend reading the both books one more time. If you read both books in a three week that will give you one more week before the test to cram which is subject of the next step.
So by now you shouldรขโ�ฌโ�ขve read both books three times over. I also suggest re-reading questions and answers from both books one more time.

6. Cram, Cram and Cram -This is the last part of your study and there is no turning back. Deadline is hanging around your neck like a noose. You should cram Q&A for no more then 10 days before you take the test.
At this point it is really important that you get fresh and different questions then those included with your CDรขโ�ฌโ�ขs. Some people claims that brain dumps or Q&A are bad and evil. I tend to disagree with that. At this point you already firmly grasped the whole CCNA concept and Q&A will only help you. So get some Q&A exam question and cram, cram and cram them for a week.
Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt use books or CDรขโ�ฌโ�ขs anymore. There is no looking back. No worries, material from the books will return to you at the right time.
-Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt do any studying a night or a day before the test. Go out with your wife or significant other to a dinner and a movie. Relax. It is very important to relax and get a good night sleep since one of those testing boots could really be intimidating. If you did all the steps above and read books with intention to understand the topics and how stuff works (no pun intended), and not just to pass the test you should be more then ready by now.

We came to an end of this short tutorial. I hope this article give you at least some ideas on how to approach studying for CCNA.
If you fail CCNA first time, donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt get discouraged. You will have more knowledge and confidence when you attempt it the next time then the person who passed it on the first try. Whatever approach you take I wish you good luck and prosper career.

Vanja Buric is Network Engineer, and works for Charter Communication Business Engineering Department,
and also owner of the

http://www.vanjaburic.com

website, where you can get latest networking news, articles,tips, free e-Books, virus alerts and lot moreรขโ�ฌยฆ as well as purchase IT Exam study guides.

CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: Route Summarization And The OSPF Null Interface

2008-07-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

CCNP exam success, particularly on the BSCI exam, demands you understand the details of route summarization. This skill not only requires that you have a comfort level with binary conversions, but you have to know how and where to apply route summarization with each individual protocol.

You also have to know the "side effects" of route summarization. With OSPF, there will actually be an extra interface created at the point of summarization, and this catches a lot of CCNP candidates by surprise. Let's take a look at the null0 interface and how it relates to OSPF summarization.

On R1, the following networks are redistributed into OSPF, and then summarized.

interface Loopback16

ip address 16.16.16.16 255.0.0.0

interface Loopback17

ip address 17.17.17.17 255.0.0.0

interface Loopback18

ip address 18.18.18.18 255.0.0.0

interface Loopback19

ip address 19.19.19.19 255.0.0.0

R1(config)#router ospf 1

R1(config-router)#redistribute connected subnets

R1(config-router)#summary-address 16.0.0.0 252.0.0.0

The summary address appears on R2, a downstream router.

R2#show ip route ospf

O E2 16.0.0.0/6 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:05, Serial0

Let's go back to R1 and look at its OSPF table.

R1#show ip route ospf

O 16.0.0.0/6 is a summary, 00:01:51, Null0

Where did the null0 interface come from, and why is it there? Packets sent to the null interface are dropped, and in this case, that's a good thing.

When you configure summary routes in OSPF, a route to null0 will be installed into the OSPF routing table. This helps to prevent routing loops. Any packets destined for the routes that have been summarized will have a longer match in the routing table, as shown below...

C 17.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback17

C 16.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback16

C 19.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback19

C 18.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback18

O 16.0.0.0/6 is a summary, 00:01:51, Null0

.. and packets that do not match one of the summarized routes but do match the summary route will be dropped.

Preventing routing loops when performing route redistribution and summarization is vital. OSPF gives us a little help in that regard in this situation, and as you study more complex redistribution scenarios on your way to the CCNP and CCIE, you'll realize that we'll take all the help we can get!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

You can also join his RSS feed and visit his blog, which is updated several times daily with new Cisco certification articles, free tutorials, and daily CCNA / CCNP exam questions! Details are on the website.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Get your CCNP certification with The Bryant Advantage!

An Overview of CompTIA Certification Programs

2008-07-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

High-tech is often associated with computers or information technology (IT). IT has transformed the way we live and the way we conduct businesses. A well-established certification program is often the indication of maturity of an industry or profession. The programs utilize standard tests to exam the knowledge and level of expertise of the professionals . CompTIA certifications are one of such certification programs for the information technology industry. CompTIA certifications are provided by The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) - a non-profit trade association founded in 1982. Many of ComPTIA certification exams are computer-based and are composed of multiple choice questions.

A+

The A+ certification demonstrates the knowledge and understanding of computer hardware and operating systems. It is primarily designed for qualification of a computer technician though many organization utilize the A+ certification training to help their employee to acquire the basic knowledge of computer hardware and operating systems.

The actual certification includes the A+ Hardware Exam and the A+ Operating System Technologies Exam, which focuses exclusively on Microsoft operating systems. The A+ exam is designed for IT professionals who have about a year of hands-on experience.

Network+

Network+ certification is designed for network technicians to test and demonstrates skill and understanding of network hardware, installation, and troubleshooting in general. Network+ certification is not vendor specific. Besides Network+ certification, network technicians further acquire vendor specific certification, such as to Microsoft certifications and Cisco certifications.

Server+

CompTIA Server+ certification demonstrate the competency of server-specific hardware and operating systems skills. A+/Server+ certification focus on the general knowledge of various servers while the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) certification, of course, test the knowledge of Microsoft products - NT server, SQLServer or Information server for web publishing.

Security+

Security+ certification focus on security aspect of information technology, such computer security and network security.

Linux+

As the Open Source operation system gains the popularity and wide acceptance, CompTIA offers Linux+ certification. Unlike other CompTIA certifications which focus on general understanding of the subject, not on any vendor-specific products. Linux+ is product-specific, but not vendor-specific because the nature of open source software. The certification exam covers the installation, management, configuration, security, documentation, and hardware of Lunix.

The most-known ComPTIA certification is A+ certification for computer hardware and operating system. Many organizations simply utilize A+ training for general computer training. Other even less-known certifications from ComPTIA are HTI+ (Home Technology Integrator covers installation, integration and troubleshooting of automated home sub-systems; e-Biz+ certification covering basic knowledge of e-commerce, CTT+ certification for training professionals, and CDIA+ certification for document management and enterprise content management.

Natalie Aranda writes on computers and information technology. The most-known ComPTIA certification is A+ certification training for computer hardware and operating system. Many organizations simply utilize A+ training for general computer training. A+ certification and other CompTIA certifications are provided by The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) - a non-profit trade association founded in 1982. Many of ComPTIA certification exams are computer-based and are composed of multiple choice questions.

Why Computer Certifications Really Don't Matter

2008-07-19T00:59:00.000-07:00

I am currently a Network Administrator that supports about 100 Servers and 2000 Clients that has 8 years experience in Network Engineering. This article explains why certifications really dont matter.When I was in school all that my classmates talked about was how you need this certification and that certification. Now that I am responsible for interviewing technicians I learned that they really dont matter.

How many times did your Interviewer ask you to see your actual certification. NEVER or almost NEVER. As long as you know the material you can say you have any certification you want. Since 95% of employers will never really check does it make it right to lie about what certifications you really have. I would have to say YES and NO. It is not right to lie about what certifications you really have but on the other hand most companies have a non technical person interview you so all he wants to hear is what are you CERTIFIED in.

My suggestion would be to just know the information that the job is for and now about saying you have all the certs. I still personally go and get all the certifications but that is because I am required to show proof at my current position.

Thanks,

arsbargains

Check out our website WWW.ARSBARGAINS.COM

An Overview of A+ Certification

2008-07-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

The IT industry is one of the few that requires A+ training to demonstrate computer-training skills acquired outside the frame of a normal job experience. This requisite is achieved by passing industry standard A+ certification tests, the most basic qualification that any IT professional should earn.

A+ training is the proof that you have received the adequate knowledge in computer systems and A+ certification confirms that you have computer training and you are capable to do common tasks, such as assemble a computer, install different operating systems and applications, and troubleshooting when needed.

Both A+ training and A+ certification do not require a determined scholarship to apply or a qualified job in the IT industry, only the willingness to get the knowledge to later qualify as a technician in the field, regardless of your background. This approach is also considered getting certification from Cisco, Novell, Oracle or Microsoft, although some prerequisites may apply depending on the chosen certification.

If you are considering computer training, take in mind that several companies require A+ Certification when hiring new personal, and many of them will consider that you stand out from the competition having a former A+ training. However, you do not need to become an IT technician to apply for these certifications.

Anyone who is enrolled in computer training may benefit from the knowledge acquired with A+ training or getting an A+ certification even just for personal use or to aid an developer. As an example, if you are a programmer who needs to wait long hours for a technician every time your computer does not respond, the you are not as productive as someone with the knowledge of "do-it-by-yourself" that appropriates training knowledge.

Some people believe that A+ training and A+ certifications are useless certifications in the middle of a universe where many other certifications rule. Most of those detractors believe they do not need a certification because they already have a job. If you are smart enough, you can undergo computer training to increase your potentiality in the job market, in a business or to change careers.

A+ training and A+ certification offer the opportunity to people who do not meet the prerequisites of other certifications. People too young or those who have a limited budget or limited time to attend a college may benefit of A+ certifications. Whether you need a full-time or part-time job, or just get some computer training, this opportunity is for you and the certification is available either through land-based or online courses.

Natalie Aranda writes about computer training and IT certifications. If you are considering computer training, take in mind that several companies require A+ Certification when hiring new personal, and many of them will consider that you stand out from the competition having a former A+ training. However, you do not need to become an IT technician to apply for these certifications.

CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: Cisco Switching Modes

2008-07-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

To pass the CCNA exam and earn this important certification, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got to know switching inside and out. While youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre learning all the basic switching theory, make sure to spend some time with the one of three switching modes Cisco routers can use.

Store-and-Forward is exactly what it sounds like. The entire frame will be stored before it is forwarded. This mode allows for the greatest amount of error checking, since a CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check) is run against the frame before it is forwarded. If the frame contains an error, it is discarded. If thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs no problem with the frame, the frame is then forwarded to its proper destination.

While store-and-forward does perform error checking, the delay in processing the frame while this error check is run results in higher latency than the other modes youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre about to read about. The latency time can also vary, since not all frames are the same size.

Cut-through switching copies only the destination MAC address into its memory before beginning to forward the frame. Since the frame is being forwarded as soon as the destination MAC is read, there is less latency than store-and-forward. The drawback is that there is no error checking.

There is a middle ground, fragment-free switching. Only part of the frame is copied to memory before it is forwarded, but itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs the first 64 bytes of the frame, not just the destination MAC. (Why? Because if there is a problem with the frame, itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs most likely in the first 64 bytes.) There is a little more error checking than cut-through, but not as much latency as with store-and-forward.

Note that the latency of both cut-through and fragment-free is fixed; these modes always look at the first six or 64 bytes, respectively. Store-and-forward's latency depends on the size of the frame.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Get your CCNA study guide from The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Tutorial: The Role Of The OSPF ASBR

2008-07-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

To pass the BSCI exam and earn your CCNP certification, you've got to master the (many) details of OSPF. You might have thought there were quite a few OSPF details in your CCNA studies, but you'll now build on that foundation on the way to earning your CCNP.

One such detail is the role of the Autonomous System Border Router (ASBR) in OSPF. The name itself raises some eyebrows, since you learned in your CCNA studies that OSPF doesn't use autonomous systems! Just as an OSPF Area Border Router borders multiple OSPF areas, the ASBR borders the entire OSPF domain and another source of routes. This can be another dynamic routing protocol, or directly connected networks that are not being advertised into OSPF by the network command.

Let's say we have a router running both OSPF and RIP version 2. By default, the RIP process will not contain any OSPF-discovered routes, and vice versa. The two separate routing processes are just that - separate. If we want the other OSPF routers to know about the RIP routes, route redistribution must be configured. When the RIP routes are redistributed into OSPF, that router is then an ASBR.

In the below example, RIP subnets have been redistributed into OSPF. A seed metric is not necessary when redistributing routes into OSPF. The command "show ip ospf" confirms that this router is now an ASBR.

R1(config)#router ospf 1

R1(config-router)#redistribute rip subnets

R1#show ip ospf

Routing Process "ospf 1" with ID 1.1.1.1

Supports only single TOS(TOS0) routes

Supports opaque LSA

It is an autonomous system boundary router

The ASBR can also perform route summarization on the routes being injected into OSPF with the summary-address command. (To configure OSPF inter-area summarization, use the area range command.) By mastering route summarization and route redistribution, you're well on your way to passing the BSCI exam and earning your CCNP certification!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNP exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Computer Training School Tutorial: Know Your Instructor

2008-07-14T00:59:00.000-07:00

Making the decision to attend a computer tech school can be one of the best decisions of your life. Another great decision is to tap a hidden wealth of knowledge that is right before every student at schools such as ECPI and ITT, but very few students take advantage of it.

When you're attending a computer training school, you must avoid the mentality that some other students will have - "I gotta go to school, I gotta be here, I can't wait to leave and go home". When you're preparing for a career working with computers, you've got to take advantage of every learning experience you can get, and that includes getting to know the most valuable resource at your school - your teachers!

Your teachers have busy schedules, but it was my experience that every single time I asked for help or had questions outside of class, my teachers went the extra mile to help me. Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขm sure yours will do the same for you, but you have to let them know you want that help!

At your tech school, you must develop the skills and work ethic that you will use to succeed in the IT field. By staying after class, working overtime in the computer labs, and getting to know your instructors, you'll be astonished at the additional knowledge you can pick up. Almost any good teacher is going to have real-world experience, and you need to draw on that knowledge. Having lunch with an instructor is another great idea, as it allows you to get to know them away from the classroom.

Part of success in any field is making contacts for the future. You may not be in the IT field yet, but you should already be getting to know people with IT experience - and who better than your teachers? Besides, they hear about job openings all the time from friends, and the more you stand out from the crowd, the more likely you are to be remembered for such opportunities!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNA Certification: The (Many) Different Kinds Of Switching

2008-07-13T09:59:00.000-07:00

When you're studying for your CCNA exam, whether you're taking the Intro-ICND path or the single-exam path, you're quickly introduced to the fact that switching occurs at Layer 2 of the OSI model. No problem there, but then other terms involving switching are thrown in, and some of them can be more than a little confusing. What is "cell switching"? What is "circuit switching"? Most confusing of all, how can you have "packet switching"? Packets are found at Layer 3, but switching occurs at Layer 2. How can packets be switched?

Relax! As you'll see in this article, the terms aren't that hard to keep straight. Packet switching, for example, describes a protocol that divides a message into packets before they're sent. The packets are then sent individually, and may take different paths to the same destination. Once the packets arrive at the final destination, they are reassembled.

Frame switching follows the same process, but at a different layer of the OSI model. When the protocol runs at Layer 2 rather than Layer 3, the process is referred to as frame switching.

Cell switching also does much the same thing, but as the name implies, the device in use is a cell switch. Cell-switched packets are fixed in length. ATM is a popular cell-switching technology.

The process of circuit switching is just a bit different, in that the process of setting up the circuit itself is part of the process. The channel is set up between two parties, data is transmitted, and the channel is then torn down. The circuit-switching technology most familiar to CCNA candidates is ISDN.

Don't let these terms confuse you. The four different terms are describing much the same process. The main difference is that they are occurring at different levels of the OSI model, and using a different transport method to get the data where it needs to go.

How to Choose a Computer Training School

2008-07-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Since the birth of the internet, the computer industry has been filled with potential jobs. It not only has become one of the leading industries in the world, but it has provided many students with the opportunity to do what they love best.

Although computer jobs are popular, they are anything but easy. In order to get a great job in the computer field, one must have a lot of experience, CBT, and education. Luckily, there are dozens of different ways to get a degree. However, with so many different routes to take, it can be difficult to choose a computer training school. As long as you have the tools to pick your career path, it should be smooth sailing.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is what kind of computer field you want to go into. With hundreds of different careers in the industry, it is crucial to narrow it down to a few options. There are programs that include web design to basic programming. Nonetheless, you need these tools to make your mark in the world. However, it may be smart to find out what careers are "hot" in the market. Some positions are quite hard to find, while others make millions of dollars a year. If you want to make money, it is important to find the jobs that will get you there.

After you decide what type of career you would like in the computer industry, it is smart to research the training schools around your area. You can do so by searching the term on Google or going to specific sites. Many people prefer http://www.computer-schools.us/, where they can type in their area and see the opportunities available. Surprisingly, many students are actual professionals already in another industry, who are looking to expand their skills. Training centers can be found either online or offline, depending on the amount of time you want to spend training. If you want to get your computer training done quickly, it is recommended that you devote most of your time training and perhaps finding an internship in the process.

For those who want prominent training but donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt know where to look, then New Horizons learning center may be the place to go. New Horizons is one of the largest IT training companies in the world. With great flexibility and convenience, students are able to get their certification quickly on their own time. It is great because New Horizons offers three types of programs. While there are in person training sessions with a traditional teacher, there are also online courses. This web training is the newest trend, as e-learning has become one of the biggest education markets in the past decade.

If you are unsure about this specific program, there are many other great CBT programs such as Global Knowledge. Global knowledge offers hundreds of programs for professionals and newcomers alike. This company has trained fortune 500 companies, as well as businesses worldwide.

Overall, there are hundreds of different options when choosing the right computer training program. With the internet now expanding to e-learning, CBT has become fairly easy and convenient. You can easily get certified if you devote just a few hours a week to the program. No matter what you decide to do, it is important that you have the drive and the passion. After researching the program you want to take, and figuring out the type of career you want, it is essential to work hard and study the long hours. With such an extensive career, it is vital that you know all of the information taught to you. This is anything but an "easy" get through it program, where you can sleep the entire time. If you put in the effort and the hours, you will surely come out on top.

Natalie Aranda writes on training and technology. For those who want prominent training but donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt know where to look, then New Horizons learning center may be the place to go. New Horizons is one of the largest IT training companies in the world. With great flexibility and convenience, students are able to get their certification quickly on their own time. It is great because New Horizons offers three types of programs. With the internet now expanding to e-learning, computer training and CBT has become fairly easy and convenient.

Cisco CCNP Certification: The BGP Weight Attribute

2008-07-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

When you're studying for the CCNP certification, especially the BSCI exam, you must gain a solid understanding of BGP. BGP isn't just one of the biggest topics on the BSCI exam, it's one of the largest. BGP has a great many details that must be mastered for BSCI success, and those of you with one eye on the CCIE must learn the fundamentals of BGP now in order to build on those fundamentals at a later time.

Path attributes are a unique feature of BGP. With interior gateway protocols such as OSPF and EIGRP, administrative distance is used as a tiebreaker when two routes to the same destination had different next-hop IP addresses but the same prefix length. BGP uses path attributes to make this choice.

The first attribute considered by BGP is weight. Weight is a Cisco-proprietary BGP attribute, so if you're working in a multivendor environment you should work with another attribute to influence path selection.

The weight attribute is significant only to the router on which it is changed. If you set a higher weight for a particular route in order to give it preference (a higher weight is preferred over a lower one), that weight is not advertised to other routers.

BGP uses categories such as "transitive", "non-transitive", "mandatory", and "optional" to classify attributes. Since weight is a locally significant Cisco-proprietary attribute, it does not all into any of these categories.

The weight can be changed on a single route via a route-map, or it can be set for a different weight for all routes received from a given neighbor. To change the weight for all incoming routes, use the "weight" option with the neighbor command after forming the BGP peer relationships.

R2(config)#router bgp 100

R2(config-router)#neighbor 100.1.1.1 remote-as 10

R2(config-router)#neighbor 100.1.1.1 weight 200

Learning all of the BGP attributes, as well as when to use them, can seem an overwhelming task when you first start studying for your BSCI and CCNP exams. Break this task down into small parts, learn one attribute at a time, and soon you'll have the BGP attributes mastered.

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: The OSI Model's Physical Layer

2008-07-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

To pass your CCNA exam and earn this coveted certification, you've got to master the seven layers of the OSI model and what each layer does. For those of you taking the two-exam path, you can expect quite a few OSI model questions on the Intro exam. In this seven-part series, we'll spend some time taking a look at each of the OSI model layers, starting with the Physical layer.

Often, CCNA candidates ask if the OSI model has any practical uses for network administrators. I used to wonder the same thing, and I can now tell you that the answer is definitely yes!

The OSI model isn't something you want to memorize and then forget about, as using the OSI model gives you a structured approach for troubleshooting. Whenever a network device isn't working properly, I always say to "start at the physical layer". The Physical layer is Layer One of the OSI model, and this is where troubleshooting should always start. Is the device on? Is it properly connected? If everything is fine at Layer One, you just move up to Layer Two, and continue in this structured fashion until the problem is identified.

The Physical layer is the layer at which bits are transmitted over the physical media. There is no routing or switching going on at this layer. The data has been broken down into more manageable pieces until the data takes the form of ones and zeroes at the Physical layer.

Even though there's no routing or switching at the Physical layer, CCNA candidates should be familiar with a couple of network devices that work at Layer One. A repeater is a device that regenerates an electrical signal, allowing the signal to travel longer distances without fading. (The process of an electrical signal gradually fading in strength over distance is "attenuation".) A hub is basically a multiport repeater, and both of these devices are considered Physical layer devices. Ethernet and Token Ring both operate at the Physical layer as well.

Learning the OSI model's Physical layer isn't just important in your CCNA exam studies, it's the first step in any network troubleshooting. After all, your network's end users are going to have a tough time sending print jobs to a printer that's turned off!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage , home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials! Pass the CCNA exam with Chris Bryant!

Cisco CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam Tutorial: An Introduction To BGP

2008-07-06T11:59:00.000-07:00

When you're studying for the BSCI exam on the way to earning your CCNP certification, it's safe to say that BGP is like nothing youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve studied to this point. BGP is an external routing protocol used primarily by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Unless you work for an ISP today or in the future, you may have little or no prior exposure to BGP. Understanding BGP is a great addition to your skill set รขโ�ฌโ�� and you have to know the basics well to pass the BSCI exam.

Note that I said "the basics". BGP is a very complex protocol, and when you pursue your CCIE, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll see what Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขm talking about. As with all things Cisco, though, when broken down into smaller pieces, BGP becomes quite understandable. You will need to know the basics of BGP as presented in this chapter to pass your BSCI exam รขโ�ฌโ�� so letรขโ�ฌโ�ขs get started.

BGP defined:

An Internet protocol that enables groups of routers (called autonomous systems) to share routing information so that efficient, loop-free routes can be established. BGP is commonly used within and between Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

There are a couple of terms in there that apply to the protocols youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve mastered so far in your studies. The term "autonomous system" applies to IGRP and EIGRP as well as BGP; youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll be indicating a BGP AS in your configurations just as you did with IGRP and EIGRP. And weรขโ�ฌโ�ขre always looking for efficient, loop-free routes, right? As it did with IGRP and EIGRP, "autonomous system" simply refers to a group of routers that is managed by a single administrative body. An autonomous system will use an Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) such as OSPF or EIGRP to route packets inside the AS; outside the AS, an Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP) such as BGP will be used.

BGP shares some characteristics with some routing protocols youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve already studied. BGP supports VLSM, summarization, and CIDR. Like EIGRP, BGP will send full updates when two routers initially become neighbors and will send only partial updates after that. BGP does create and maintain neighbor relationships before exchanging routes, and keepalives are sent to keep this relationship alive.

BGP has some major differences from the IGPs weรขโ�ฌโ�ขve studied to this point. Youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll hear BGP referred to as a path-vector protocol. As opposed to distance-vector protocols that exchange relatively simple information about available routes, BGP routers will exchange extensive information about networks to allow the routers to make more intelligent routing decisions. This additional BGP path information comes in the form of attributes, and these path attributes are contained in the updates sent by BGP routers. Attributes themselves are broken up into two classes, well-known and optional.

BGP also keeps a routing table separate from the IP routing table.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNP exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco / Microsoft Computer Certification: Be Ready For Your Opportunity

2008-07-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

I was reading The Big Moo: Stop Trying To Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable this morning, and Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขd recommend a copy of this to anyone who wants to improve their career and their future. And thatรขโ�ฌโ�ขs all of us, right?

There was one particular line that really stood out to me: Betting on change is always the safest bet available. That describes life perfectly, but it also describes a career in Information Technology perfectly as well. There is no field in the world that has the constant and never-ending changes that IT does. And every single one of us can look at this as a massive opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Is that how youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre looking at it? I remember when I passed my first certification exam, the Novell CAN, back in 1997. Man, I thought I knew it all then. J But I quickly learned that youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got to keep learning in IT. I also learned that if youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre willing to put in the work and make the sacrifices, thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs no other field with the limitless potential for growth and excellence.

Like everyone else, my career has had its ups and downs, but I always kept learning and growing. Today, Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got my dream job, working with students and customers just like you รขโ�ฌโ�� to help you create your own future.

The next 18 months are filled with endless possibilities, particularly with the rapid growth of VoIP and Microsoft Vista on the horizon. There will be those who rationalize their inertia, saying "Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขll never have to support those, so I donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt need to learn them."

There will also be those who see VoIP and Vista as enormous opportunities to learn and advance in their careers and their lives. These people will get started today, learning the fundamentals of Cisco and advancing their networking knowledge in order to be ready for opportunities as they come along.

You canรขโ�ฌโ�ขt start studying and learning when the opportunity arrives รขโ�ฌโ�� youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got to be ready when opportunity knocks. If youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve been putting off studying for a Cisco or other computer certification รขโ�ฌโ�� and I know the summer is a really good time for putting off studying รขโ�ฌโ�� get back on track today.

Because you never know what opportunities are going to come along รขโ�ฌโ�� but you do know that when they do, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got to be ready to take advantage. After all, opportunity really does knock only once!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And coming in 2007 -- Microsoft Vista certification from The Bryant Advantage!

The Future Of Computer Certification Exams

2008-07-05T05:59:00.000-07:00

The format and difficulty of computer certification exams is constantly changing. When I took my first certification exam (Novell NetWare 3.1x CNA, January 1997), there was no such thing as a simulator question, and my practical skills really were not tested. The exams then were much heavier on memorization.

One factor that helped make up for that was that the Novell exams were adaptive. If you missed a question on a particular topic, you would continue to be asked questions about that topic until you got it right. You couldn't afford to be weak in any topic, because the exam would most likely find that out and keep hitting you with questions on that topic until you failed.

Adding to the stress, after a certain number of questions your exam could end at any time. You had no idea how many questions you would get, just that you would get at least 15. Every time you hit the "next" button after question 15, you didn't know if you'd get another question or if the exam would suddenly end and give you a pass or fail response.

Times have changed. Cisco has led the way in introducing simulator questions to their exams, where the candidate is presented with a simulation of a router or network and asked to perform tasks that someone who is ready to earn that certification should be able to perform. This is a much better test of competency than the exams were eight years ago.

What will be the next "big jump" in computer certification exams? To earn the world's most difficult technical certification, the CCIE, the candidate must first pass a rigorous 100-question qualification exam, and must then pass a practical lab exam. The candidate is presented with an exacting set of network requirements and must build that network on a pod of Cisco routers and switches in less than eight hours.

This is just personal opinion and not "insider information", but I believe the day will come when the CCNA, CCNP, and other Cisco certifications will require some kind of hands-on practical lab to earn the certification. What better way to test competency than to have to perform tasks on real Cisco equipment? There would be more overhead for Cisco with this kind of testing, since lab equipment and lab proctors would be needed, but the already-prized CCNA and CCNP would become that much more valuable in the workplace if employers knew that to earn that certification, the job candidate had to pass a hands-on exam.

This would benefit the candidates as well, since it would do an even better job in protecting their investment in time and money. This could also be the next step in ferretting out candidates who try to get past the CCNA and CCNP exams via braindumps. As I always tell my students and customers, when you're standing in front of that router or switch, there is no multiple choice ... you either know it or you don't!

Cisco Certification: Introduction To ISDN, Part V

2008-07-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

The major reason I recommend getting your hands on real Cisco equipment rather than a simulator is that real Cisco routers give you the chance to practice and learn show and debug commands.

The knowledge you acquire from debugs is invaluable. Frankly, it's this knowledge that puts you above the 'averageร�ยขรขโ��ยฌร�ย� CCNA who doesn't have that hands-on experience. Watching debugs in action also gives you a head start on the CCNP. Since 90 - 95% of CCNAs go on to pursue the CCNP, it's a great idea to get started with debugs now.

Don't make the mistake of waiting until you're studying for your CCNP and CCIE to start learning debugs and shows. The work you do for the CCNA is the foundation for everything you'll do in the future.

Never, ever, ever practice debugs on a production network. There are debugs that will give you so much information that the router actually becomes overloaded and then locks up. Never practice debugs on a production network.

It's important to know the proper show and debug commands for ISDN for several reasons. First, by watching ISDN in operation, you can see its processes and better understand what's going on. Secondly, it's difficult if not impossible to properly troubleshoot ISDN without knowing the proper show and debug commands. (It's easy to overlook an ISDN authentication error just by looking at the configuration, but running debug ppp negotiation will quickly show you where the problem lies.)

Let's take a look at the ISDN show and debug commands that every CCNA and CCNP should know.

Show ISDN Status

If you only know one ISDN show command, it's got to be this one. Always use this command after configuring your ISDN switch type and any necessary SPIDs. The command will show you the switch type (and will also show you if you did not configure a switch type), and whether the SPIDs you entered are valid:

R1#show isdn status

Global ISDN Switchtype = basic-ni < ISDN switch type is correctly configured.> ISDN BRI0 interface

dsl 0, interface ISDN Switchtype = basic-ni

Layer 1 Status:

ACTIVE

Layer 2 Status:

TEI = 91, Ces = 1, SAPI = 0, State = MULTIPLE_FRAME_ESTABLISHED

TEI = 92, Ces = 2, SAPI = 0, State = MULTIPLE_FRAME_ESTABLISHED

Spid Status:

TEI 91, ces = 1, state = 5(init)

spid1 configured, no LDN, spid1 sent, spid1 valid < SPID 1 is good.>

Endpoint ID Info: epsf = 0, usid = 1, tid = 1

TEI 92, ces = 2, state = 5(init)

spid2 configured, no LDN, spid2 sent, spid2 valid

Endpoint ID Info: epsf = 0, usid = 3, tid = 1

Layer 3 Status:

0 Active Layer 3 Call(s)

Activated dsl 0 CCBs = 0

The Free Channel Mask: 0x80000003

Once in a while, you'll get this output from show isdn status:

R2#show isdn status The current ISDN Switchtype = basic-ni1 ISDN BRI0 interface

Layer 1 Status:

ACTIVE

Layer 2 Status:

Layer 2 NOT Activated

Spid Status:

TEI Not Assigned, ces = 1, state = 3(await establishment)

spid1 configured, no LDN, spid1 NOT sent, spid1 NOT valid

TEI Not Assigned, ces = 2, state = 1(terminal down)

spid2 configured, no LDN, spid2 NOT sent, spid2 NOT valid

Check your running configuration, and if the SPIDs look good, simply close the BRI interface and open it again. Then run show ISDN status again. If you then see 'spids are validร�ยขรขโ��ยฌร�ย�, you're ready to proceed. If you still see a message that the spids are invalid, you've most likely mistyped the SPID.

Show Access-List

What's this command got to do with ISDN? Everything.

Remember how the ISDN link comes up in the first place? Interesting traffic. By default, there is no interesting traffic. You define interesting traffic with the dialer-list and dialer-group commands, AND the access-list command. If you have a problem with your link never coming up or with it coming up and staying up, use this command to see what traffic has been defined as interesting.

Show Dialer

Another helpful command to determine why an ISDN link is coming up and staying up. This command shows you how many successful calls and failed calls have taken place, what the current idle-timer value is (by default, it's 120 seconds), and most importantly, what the source and destination was for the current interesting traffic:

R1#show dialer
BRI0 - dialer type = ISDN
Dial String Successes Failures Last called Last status
8358662 1 0 00:00:59
successful
0 incoming call(s) have been screened.
0 incoming call(s) rejected for callback.

BRI0:1 - dialer type = ISDN
Idle timer (120 secs), Fast idle timer (20 secs)
Wait for carrier (30 secs), Re-enable (15 secs)
Dialer state is data link layer up
Dial reason: ip (s=172.12.21.1, d=172.12.21.2) < s=Source, d=Destination >
Time until disconnect 62 secs
< Idle timer, reset by interesting traffic only >
Connected to 8358662 (R2)

Here, you can see that the idle-timer value is at its default, that there are 62 seconds left until the link comes down (unless interesting traffic resets the timer), and that the source of the interesting traffic was 172.12.21.1 and the destination is 172.12.21.2. If that destination is the multicast address of a routing protocol - say, 224.0.0.5 for OSPF - you know what traffic is keeping the line up.

Show ISDN History

Want to see what calls have been made in the last 15 minutes? Just run this command. It's helpful if you're walking in to an ISDN troubleshooting situation and want to see what calls have been made.

R1#show isdn
history-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ISDN CALL HISTORY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------History table has a maximum of 100 entries.History table data is retained for a maximum of 15 Minutes.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Call Calling Called Remote Seconds Seconds Seconds ChargesType Number .Number Name Used Left Idle Units/Currency-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Out 8358662 R2 121 0Out 8358662 R2 121 0-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Debug PPP Negotiation

Not only do you need to know this command for your CCNA and CCNP exams, you MUST know it to be an effective ISDN troubleshooter.

When PPP authentication is first configured, it's simple to mistype a password, or forget to configure a 'username / passwordร�ยขรขโ��ยฌร�ย� combination. Instead of continually reading your running configuration to see what the problem is, run debug ppp negotiation and send a ping to bring the line up. You'll quickly see where the problem is.

R2#debug ppp negotiation PPP protocol negotiation debugging is on R2#ping 172.12.21.1

BR0:1 PPP: Phase is AUTHENTICATING, by both < Both routers are authenticating the other with CHAP. > BR0:1 CHAP: O CHALLENGE id 1 len 23 from "R2" < R2 is sending a challenge to the remote router. O = 'outgoingร�ยขรขโ��ยฌร�ย�. > BR0:1 CHAP: I CHALLENGE id 1 len 23 from "R1" < A CHAP challenge has come in from R1. I = 'incomingร�ยขรขโ��ยฌร�ย�> BR0:1 CHAP: O RESPONSE id 1 len 23 from "R2" < R2 is sending a response to the challenge. > BR0:1 CHAP: I SUCCESS id 1 len 4 < A success message has come in , indicating the challenge was successfully met. > BR0:1 CHAP: I RESPONSE id 1 len 23 from "R1" < A response to the challenge sent to R1 is now coming in. > BR0:1 CHAP: O SUCCESS id 1 len 4 < The challenge was successfully met by R1, and a success message is sent. >

By mastering these simple ISDN show and debug commands, you increase your chances of passing the CCNA and CCNP exams greatly, and vastly improve your on-the-job skills.

I recommend you visit www.cisco.com/univercd for more show and debug commands. Learning to negotiate this valuable online resource will truly help you become more valuable on the job. Every Cisco router and switch command, along with default and usage guidelines, can be found on this site. I'll have an article posted soon to help you learn your way around the site; in the meantime, I urge you to begin adding this website to your troubleshooting toolkit.

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: Access List Details You Must Know!

2008-07-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

To pass the CCNA exam, you have to be able to write and troubleshoot access lists. As you climb the ladder toward the CCNP and CCIE, you'll see more and more uses for ACLs. Therefore, you had better know the basics!

The use of "host" and "any" confuses some newcomers to ACLs, so let's take a look at that first.

It is acceptable to configure a wildcard mask of all ones or all zeroes. A wildcard mask of 0.0.0.0 means the address specified in the ACL line must be matched exactly a wildcard mask of 255.255.255.255 means that all addresses will match the line.

Wildcard masks have the option of using the word host to represent a wildcard mask of 0.0.0.0. Consider a configuration where only packets from IP source 10.1.1.1 should be allowed and all other packets denied. The following ACLs both do that.

R3#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 6 permit 10.1.1.1 0.0.0.0

R3(config)#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 7 permit host 10.1.1.1

The keyword any can be used to represent a wildcard mask of 255.255.255.255.

R3(config)#access-list 15 permit any

Another often overlooked detail is the order of the lines in an ACL. Even in a two- or three-line ACL, the order of the lines in an ACL is vital.

Consider a situation where packets sourced from 172.18.18.0 /24 will be denied, but all others will be permitted. The following ACL would do that.

R3#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 15 deny 172.18.18.0 0.0.0.255

R3(config)#access-list 15 permit any

The previous example also illustrates the importance of configuring the ACL with the lines in the correct order to get the desired results. What would be the result if the lines were reversed?

R3#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 15 permit any

R3(config)#access-list 15 deny 172.18.18.0 0.0.0.255

If the lines were reversed, traffic from 172.18.18.0 /24 would be matched against the first line of the ACL. The first line is "permit any", meaning all traffic is permitted. The traffic from 172.18.18.0/24 matches that line, the traffic is permitted, and the ACL stops running. The statement denying the traffic from 172.18.18.0 is never run.

The key to writing and troubleshoot access lists is to take just an extra moment to read it over and make sure it's going to do what you intend it to do. It's better to realize your mistake on paper instead of once the ACL's been applied to an interface!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

The Advantages of Official Microsoft and Cisco Certification Training Courses

2008-07-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

Lots of aspirants in design and network management channel all their efforts in order to obtain highly recognized certifications such as MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer) and MCSA (Microsoft Certified System Administrator). These world-recognized certifications are much desired, as they can easily make the difference between a prosperous, lucrative career in designand an average, low-rewarding job as a programmer. Most people would do anything to obtain such world-recognized certifications and they invest lots of money and time in the process, with little or no prospect of ever achieving their goals.

There are thousands of scammers on the Internet who commonly lure people into buying various second-hand tutorials and self-study oriented training programs, promising great results with minimal effort. However, there are also many solid, reliable websites on the World Wide Web that provide students with elaborate, well-structured and comprehensive materials, facilitating the process of learning and guaranteeing success. Considering this fact, it is very important to distinguish between average speculants and professional websites that actually provide effective MCSE and MCSA training programs.

If your time allows it, consider attending to a short classroom training course instead of using self-study oriented programs. There are websites that offer advanced MCSE and MCSA accelerated training courses, laboratories and seminaries, taught by well-trained, experienced professionals. Such classes are far superior to self-training programs, as they involve active participation, better comprehension and learning, stimulating studentsรขโ�ฌโ�ข thinking and enhancing their overall skills. By participating to a 14-day official MCSE and MCSA training course, one is able to rapidly assimilate vital information regarding solution design and network management with the help of well-trained professionals. In addition, such training programs allow students to acquire a complete set of practical abilities that will help them in their future careers. Official MCSE and MCSA training programs guarantee graduates acceptance in the best companies of the w orld!

Similar to MCSE and MCSA, CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) certifications are also highly requested in present. There are various professional training centers that offer people the opportunity to participate to elaborate CCNA and CCIE training programs in exchange for a reasonable sum of money. By attending a five or six-day CCNA and CCIE training course, students can quickly familiarize themselves with latest Cisco technologies and hardware. During CCNA and CCIE training sessions , attending students receive constant support and feed-back from well-trained professionals. Such training courses are not only focused on theory; they are also aimed at forming and enhancing studentsรขโ�ฌโ�ข practical skills regarding various aspects of Cisco technologies and hardware. Thousands of graduates recommend professional CCNA and CCIE training courses to people who wish to build a solid, successful c areer in the field.

So if you want to find out valuable information about MCSE training or CCNA training, or even CCIE training, please follow these links, they will direct you to the safest way to take your courses.

Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial: Why Do We Use RFC 1918 Private Address Ranges?

2008-06-30T05:59:00.000-07:00

When you're studying to pass the CCNA, you're introduced to "private addresses", the address ranges formally referred to as RFC 1918 Private Addresses. (RFC stands for Request For Comment; to see a typical RFC, just put that term in your favorite search engine.)

There are three ranges of 1918 Private Addresses, one in each major network class.

Class A: 10.0.0.0 /8

Class B: 172.16.0.0 /12

Class C: 192.168.0.0 /16

Be careful - these masks are not the classful network masks you're familiar with!

The need for private address ranges arose when we started running out of IP addresses! (A lot of us never thought that would happen, but a lot of us used to think weรขโ�ฌโ�ขd never need storage units bigger than floppy disks, too.) You can imagine that as networks began to be installed in offices and schools worldwide, the finite number of IP addresses became a restrictive factor.

Many devices that were using these precious IP addresses did not need to communicate with any device outside its own local area network (LAN). Therefore, these devices could be assigned an IP address that could be used on another device in another LAN - but these devices would not be able to communicate across the Internet.

It was decided to create network address ranges that would be used exclusively for such devices. That's why when you go from one local area network to another, you'll usually see hosts with IP addresses from the above three ranges.

Of course, as time went on, more and more of these devices did need to reach hosts across the Internet. That's where NAT - Network Address Translation - comes into play. But that is a subject for another tutorial!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Tutorial: The BGP Attribute Next Hop

2008-06-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

When you're studying for the BSCI exam on the way to earning your CCNP certification, you've got to master the use of BGP attributes. These attributes allow you to manipulate the path or paths that BGP will use to reach a given destination when multiple paths to that destination exist.

In this free BGP tutorial, we're going to take a look at the NEXT_HOP attribute. You may be thinking "hey, how complicated can this attribute be?" It's not very complicated at all, but this being Cisco, there's got to be at least one unusual detail about it, right?

The NEXT_HOP attribute is simple enough - this attribute indicates the next-hop IP address that should be taken to reach a destination. In the following example, R1 is a hub router and R2 and R3 are spokes. All three routers are in BGP AS 100, with R1 having a peer relationship with both R2 and R3. There is no BGP peering between R2 and R3.

R3 is advertising the network 33.3.0.0 /24 via BGP, and the value of the next-hop attribute on R1 is the IP address on R3 that is used in the peer relationship, 172.12.123.3.

The issue with the next-hop attribute comes in when the route is advertised to BGP peers. If R3 were in a separate AS from R1 and R2, R1 would then advertise the route to R2 with the next-hop attribute set to 172.12.123.3. When a BGP speaker advertises a route to iBGP peers that was originally learned from an eBGP peer, the next-hop value is retained.

Here, all three routers are in AS 100. What will the next-hop attribute be set to when R1 advertises the route to its iBGP neighbor R2?

R2#show ip bgp

< no output >

There will be no next-hop attribute for the route on R2, because the route will not appear on R2. By default, a BGP speaker will not advertise a route to iBGP neighbors if the route was first learned from another iBGP neighbor.

Luckily for us, there are several ways around this rule. The most common is the use of route reflectors, and we'll look at RRs in a future free BGP tutorial.

How To Become A Cisco VPN Specialist

2008-06-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

There's quite an emphasis on security in today's networks, and that's reflected in Cisco's certification tracks. Cisco offers a CCIE Security track and the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) intermediate-level certification, but there is no real equivalent to the CCNA on the security side. Instead, Cisco offers several different Security Associate certifications.

The good news is that youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got a lot of security specializations from which to choose; the bad news is that youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got a lot of choices! In choosing a specialization, take some time to choose a certification that will be of practical use to you in your current position or in your "dream job".

One of the more popular Security Associate certifications is the Cisco VPN Specialist certification. This two-exam track consists of a Securing Cisco Network Devices (SND, 642-551) exam and a Cisco Secure Virtual Private Networks (CSVPN, 642-511) exam. To earn the Cisco VPN Specialist exam, you must hold a valid CCNA certification.

What should you expect on these exams? On the SND exam, expect to be grilled on basic security features on both switches and routers, as well as VPN 3000 concentrators, PIXes, and IDS/IPS Sensors. You'll need to be ready to configure and troubleshoot basic AAA configurations, access-lists, syslog, AutoSecure, and much more. You should also be solid with IPSec.

IPSec will also be part of your CSVPN exam. As you'd expect, you'll also be expected to be quite good with the VPN 3000 Concentrator series, including browser configuration, creating users and group, the Windows VPN Software Client, and more.

This is a demanding certification that is an excellent addition to your resume and your skill set. For the latest on this and other Cisco certifications, you should regularly visit the Learning & Events section of Cisco's website. As a Cisco certification candidate, it's your responsibility to stay current of any additions and changes to Cisco's certification paths - and it's good for your career!

CCNA Certification Exam Training: Passwords, Cisco Routers, And Network Security

2008-06-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

CCNA certification is important, and so is securing our network's Cisco routers! To reflect the importance of network security, your CCNA certification exam is likely going to contain quite a few questions about the various passwords you can set on a Cisco router. Let's take a look at some of those passwords and when to apply them.

If the previous user has logged out of the router properly, you will see a prompt like this when you sit down at the router console:

R1 con0 is now available

Press RETURN to get started.

R1>

To get into enable mode, by default all I have to do is type "enable".

R1>enable

R1#

See how the prompt changed? By default, I can now run all the show and debug commands I want, not to mention entering global configuration mode and doing pretty much what I want. It just might be a good idea to password protect this mode! We do so with either the enable password command or the enable secret command. Let's use the enable password command first.

R1(config)#enable password dolphins

Now when I log out and then go back to enable mode - or try to - I should be prompted for the password "dolphins". Let's see what happens.

R1>enable

Password:

R1#

I was indeed prompted for a password. Cisco routers will not show asterisks or any other character when you enter a password; in fact, the cursor doesn't even move.

The problem with the enable password command is that the password will show in the configuration in clear text, making it easy for someone to look over your shoulder and note the password for future use, as shown below:

hostname R1

enable password dolphins

We could use the "service password-encryption" command to encrypt the enable password, but that will also encrypt all the other passwords in the Cisco router config. That's not necessarily a bad thing! Here's the effect of this command on the enable password we set earlier.

enable password 7 110D1609071A020217

Pretty effective encryption! However, if we want to have the enable password automatically encrypted, we can use the enable secret command. I'll use that command here to set this password to "saints", and note that I'm not removing the previous enable password.

R1(config)#enable secret saints

After removing the "service password-encryption" command, we're left with two enable mode passwords, and they appear in the Cisco router config like this:

enable password dolphins

enable secret 5 $1$kJB6$fPuVebg7uMnoj5KV4GUKI/

If we have two enable passwords, which one should we use to log into the router? Let's try the first password, "dolphins", first:

R1>enable

Password:

When you're prompted for the password a second time, you know you got it wrong the first time! Let's try "saints":

R1>enable

Password:

R1#

When both the enable secret and enable password commands are in use on a Cisco router, the enable secret password always takes precedence. "dolphins" didn't get us in, but "saints" did. That's valuable information for both the CCNA certification exam and real-world networks, because there's no worse feeling than typing a password at a Cisco router prompt and then getting another password prompt!

This is just one way to perform basic Cisco router security with passwords. We'll take a look at other methods in a future CCNA certification exam training tutorial!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA certification test prep articles. His exclusive Cisco CCNA study guide and Cisco CCNA training is also available!

Visit his blog and sign up for Cisco Certification Central, a daily newsletter packed with CCNA, Network+, Security+, A+, and CCNP certification exam practice questions! A free 7-part course, "How To Pass The CCNA", is also available, and you can attend an in-person or online CCNA boot camp with The Bryant Advantage!

Valuing Network Certifications - Is The Time, Money And Effort Worth The Bother?

2008-06-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to get any of the large number of network certifications now available. There's not only software certification like those offered from Oracle, Java, Microsoft, etc. but there's also direct network hardware certifications from strong companies like Cisco and then there's the server administration, hardware repair, security and several sub category type certifications. All are available but the question is if these have any real value in the marketplace.

The answer, unfortunately is not simple. This is because while many companies demand a certain certification, they will also bend the requirement and allow you to get certified once you have the job. There's also people in the marketplace who are strong proponents of certification or another. The reason for this is usually because they have that certification and by requiring it, they somehow believe it validates their decision to obtain the training and pass the tests.

The reality is that like a good resume and education pedigree, certifications help get you in the door. Think about it for a moment. If you were hiring a network administrator, you would probably ask for the usually experience and basic education and some type of networking certification. If 100 people claiming the same skills and experiences levels all apply and all have at least the single required certification while 10 have not only the network cert but also maybe several MS and a security certificate, which candidates applying would probably get scheduled for interviews? Right! It would be the ones with the better paper qualifications.

So the value of a certification can be measured by it's recognition as important by employers, and the relative value they place on such training. If you're applying in network shops that value certifications, then they will naturally place a premium on the fact that your have that training and will probably reflect that in an increased earnings range.

The real key however is to recognize that employers are NOT employing you because you have a certification. You must have the skills necessary to do the job and meet the requirements of the position. No amount of certifications can make up for a strong work ethic and solid experience. With today's study materials, almost anyone can learn enough to pass the required tests and become certified. This however does not make anyone competent to work on a network anymore than walking into a garage makes one a mechanic. It's skills, talent and knowledge that are truly desired.

Microsoft Certifications are one of the most widely pursued and acclaimed professional certifications in the IT industry. Preparing MS certification tests, however, is a significant undertaking whether you're just out of college or have been in IT field for years. IT professionals are continuously demanded to acquire new knowledge in order to perform well on their jobs as new technology in the IT industry emerged at a pace that has never been seen before. Regardless what certifications (Microsoft Certified Professional or MCP, Microsoft Certified System Administrator or MCSA, Microsoft Certified System Engineer or MCSE ) you are pursuing, a thorough planning will increase the chance of success.

The importance of hands-on Experience, no matter if it's your own little network at home or at your job, experience matters! Being able to apply the knowledge gained by the study necessary to obtain your certification is just as important as the exam itself.

When preparing for any certification test, have a network available to physically learn the principles being taught. You network might only be a couple of old PC's and a switch but it's enough to understand the principles and basic information. You gain valuable skills that cannot be obtained any other way except through hands on work.

Finally, consider using CBT's or computer based training as part of your test preparation. These tools are a great way to take your level of understanding to a new level. This is also true of practice exams.

If you develop the skills necessary to support the certifications, all your training, costs and effort will pay off handsomely. With your knowledge and training, you can expect to be have an easier time getting considered for positions, moving up in a company, and enjoying a solid work career.

Abigail Franks writes on many subjects having to do with home, and Business. For more information on Network Certification go to http://www.vitalsource.org

Be Certifiable! The Basics of MCSE and MCP

2008-06-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

It is not always who you know, but what you know. That is why obtaining Microsoft certification can be a valuable asset to your career. Of course, it does depend on what career path you want to take as to whether you want to get either MCSE training or MCP training or anything else for that matter. So what do those abbreviations MCSE and MCP stand for anyway?

MCP stands for Microsoft Certified Professional and MCSE is an abbreviation for Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. What exactly does having a Microsoft certification mean anyway? We know that it looks good on a resume and opens new doors in your career. Did you know that being certifiable - in Microsoft anyway - sometimes will also boost your pay? Experience counts for a lot, but having a Microsoft certification or two does not hurt either!

So what does it take to be and MCP or MCSE? Lots of studying! The MCP courses and MCP exams are geared toward a more rounded technical professional. Candidates for MCP must pass one current certification test from Microsoft. Passing one of the exams demonstrates that the candidate has a consistent level of technical expertise.

With the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer path, there are MCSE boot camps that help prepare candidates for the MCSE exams. These MCSE boot camps are intense classes often packed into a full two week period instead of the traditional weekly MCSE training classes in preparation for the MCSE exams. This path is more involved. MCSE certification is standard in the IT field and prepares you for anything from the design of a system's infrastructure to analyzing the company's needs before implementing a design.

Unlike those individuals who take the MCP training to prepare for MCP exams, students of MCSE have a course of study that is more intense. Instead of one test to prepare for, they have seven tests that they are required to pass to get their Microsoft certification. Yikes! Seven! They have five main exams to take as well as two electives. The five required MCSE exams are broken down into four operating system exams and one design exam. The two electives typically deal with other issues in design and implementation not covered in the five core tests.

After learning a few basics, it is easy to see that the MCP or Microsoft Certified Professional is really just a stepping stone to bigger and greater things in the world of Microsoft certification. The individuals who go for the MCP have a leg up on those peers who have no technical experience. They will have a better grasp on technical issues and usually stay a step ahead of trends. The MCSE is more specialized and appeals to the techno geek with a penchant for design and implementation. They like knowing how stuff works. So market yourself and become certifiable!

James Croydon, Microsoft Certified Professional and MCSE Certification Online advisor - focusing on MCSE Courses Online and Boot Camp MCSE

Cisco CCNA / CCNP Certification Exam Tutorial: Troubleshooting EIGRP

2008-06-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

Part of earning your CCNA and CCNP - especially passing the difficult CIT exam - is becoming a master network troubleshooter. Today, we'll take a look at troubleshooting EIGRP and spotting common errors.

Most adjacency issues are easily resolved - mistyped IP address, bad wildcard mask in the neighbor statement, mistyped EIGRP AS number, and so forth. You know the AS number has to match, but always double-check that. Next, check the wildcard mask to make sure the correct interfaces are EIGRP-enabled. In the following example, we've configured three loopbacks on R2 and want to advertise all three loopbacks via EIGRP, but R4 only sees one.

R2(config)#int loopback1

R2(config-if)#ip address 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.0

R2(config-if)#int loopback2

R2(config-if)#ip address 10.1.2.1 255.255.255.0

R2(config-if)#int loopback3

R2(config-if)#ip address 10.1.3.1 255.255.255.0

R2(config-if)#router eigrp 100

R2(config-router)#no auto

R2(config-router)#network 10.1.1.0 0.0.0.255

R2(config-router)#network 172.12.23.0 0.0.0.255

R4#show ip route eigrp

10.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets

D 10.1.1.0 [90/409600] via 172.12.23.2, 00:00:25, Ethernet0

We know it's not an adjacency issue, because R4 has to have an adjacency to get the route. Perhaps the config on R2 is the problem.

R2(config-if)#router eigrp 100

R2(config-router)#no auto

R2(config-router)#network 10.1.1.0 0.0.0.255

R2(config-router)#network 172.12.23.0 0.0.0.255

The only one of the three networks that matches that network statement is 10.1.1.0 /24. As a result, the networks 10.1.2.0 /24 and 10.1.3.0 /24 will not be advertised.

We could use a network statement with 10.1.0.0 0.0.255.255 to successfully advertise the loopbacks, but by breaking the three networks down into binary, we can see that the three networks have the first 22 bits in common. Therefore, a better wildcard mask to use is 0.0.3.255.

R2(config-router)#no network 10.1.1.0 0.0.0.255

R2(config-router)#network 10.1.0.0 0.0.3.255

R4#show ip route eigrp

10.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 3 subnets

D 10.1.3.0 [90/409600] via 172.12.23.2, 00:00:36, Ethernet0

D 10.1.2.0 [90/409600] via 172.12.23.2, 00:00:36, Ethernet0

D 10.1.1.0 [90/409600] via 172.12.23.2, 00:00:36, Ethernet0

Another factor that must match between potential EIGRP neighbors is the K-metrics, or metric weights. Let's change the EIGRP metric weights on R2 and watch the effect on its adjacency with R4.

R2(config)#router eigrp 100

R2(config-router)#metric weights 0 1 2 3 4 5 ?

03:33:18: %DUAL-5-NBRCHANGE: IP-EIGRP 100: Neighbor 172.12.23.4 (Ethernet0) is down: metric changed

03:33:20: %DUAL-5-NBRCHANGE: IP-EIGRP 100: Neighbor 172.12.23.4 (Ethernet0) is down: K-value mismatch

The adjacency goes down, and the router's kind enough to tell you that it's the result of the metrics changing. We'll also see that message on R4, but just in case you don't see it, debug eigrp packet will indicate the K-value mismatch as well.

R4#debug eigrp packet

EIGRP Packets debugging is on

(UPDATE, REQUEST, QUERY, REPLY, HELLO, IPXSAP, PROBE, ACK)

3w2d: EIGRP: Received HELLO on Ethernet0 nbr 172.12.23.2

3w2d: AS 100, Flags 0x0, Seq 0/0 idbQ 0/0

3w2d: K-value mismatch

3w2d: %DUAL-5-NBRCHANGE: IP-EIGRP 100: Neighbor 172.12.23.2 (Ethernet0) is down:K-value mismatch

The changed K-values will also appear in the running configuration. This is one time when you don't have to depend on debugs to know what the problem is - the router's going to scream at you until you fix it!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And coming in 2007 -- Network+ and A+ Certification from The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: RIP Update Packet Authentication

2008-06-22T02:59:00.000-07:00

When you earned your CCNA, you thought you learned everything there is to know about RIP. Close, but not quite! There are some additional details you need to know to pass the BSCI exam and get one step closer to the CCNP exam, and one of those involves RIP update packet authentication.

You're familiar with some advantages of using RIPv2 over RIPv1, support for VLSM chief among them. But one advantage that you're not introduced to in your CCNA studies is the ability to configure routing update packet authentication.

You have two options, clear text and MD5. Clear text is just that - a clear text password that is visible by anyone who can pick a packet off the wire. If you're going to go to the trouble of configuring update authentication, you should use MD5. The MD stands for "Message Digest", and this is the algorithm that produces the hash value for the password that will be contained in the update packets.

Not only must the routers agree on the password, they must agree on the authentication method. If one router sends an MD5-hashed password to another router that is configured for clear-text authentication, the update will not be accepted. debug ip rip is a great command for troubleshooting authenticated updates.

R1, R2, and R3 are running RIP over a frame relay cloud. Here is how RIP authentication would be configured on these three routers.

R1#conf t

R1(config)#key chain RIP

< The key chain can have any name. >

R1(config-keychain)#key 1

< Key chains can have multiple keys. Number them carefully when using multiples. >

R1(config-keychain-key)#key-string CISCO

< This is the text string the key will use for authentication. >

R1(config)#int s0

R1(config-if)#ip rip authentication mode text

< The interface will use clear-text mode. >

R1(config-if)#ip rip authentication key-chain RIP

< The interface is using key chain RIP, configured earlier. >

R2#conf t

R2(config)#key chain RIP

R2(config-keychain)#key 1

R2(config-keychain-key)#key-string CISCO

R2(config)#int s0.123

R2(config-subif)#ip rip authentication mode text

R2(config-subif)#ip rip authentication key-chain RIP

R3#conf t

R3(config)#key chain RIP

R3(config-keychain)#key 1

R3(config-keychain-key)#key-string CISCO

R3(config)#int s0.31

R3(config-subif)#ip rip authentication mode text

R3(config-subif)#ip rip authentication key-chain RIP

To use MD5 authentication rather than clear-text, simply replace the word "text" in the ip rip authentication mode command with md5.

Here's what a successfully authentication RIPv2 packet looks like, courtesy of debug ip rip. Clear-text authentication is in effect and the password is "cisco".

3d04h: RIP: received packet with text authentication cisco

3d04h: RIP: received v2 update from 150.1.1.3 on Ethernet0

3d04h: 100.0.0.0/8 via 0.0.0.0 in 1 hops

3d04h: 150.1.2.0/24 via 0.0.0.0 in 1 hops

Here's what it looks like when the remote device is set for MD5 authentication and the local router is set for clear-text. You'll also see this message if the password itself is incorrect.

3d04h: RIP: ignored v2 packet from 150.1.1.3 (invalid authentication)

"Debug ip rip" may be a simple command as compared to the debugs for other protocols. but it's also a very powerful debug. Start using debugs as early as possible in your Cisco studies to learn how router commands really work!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial: Multicasting And The RPF Check

2008-06-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

Multicasting is a vital topic on your BCMSN, CCNP, and CCIE exams, and it can also be very confusing when you first start studying it. Multicasting uses concepts that are unlike anything you've run into in your routing protocol studies, and that can throw you at first. I speak from experience that multicasting is like any other Cisco technology - learn the basics, master the fundamentals, and then build your skills on that foundation.

One such fundamental is the RPF Check, or Reverse Path Forwarding Check.

A fundamental difference between unicasting and multicasting is that a unicast is routed by sending it toward the destination, while a multicast is routed by sending it away from its source.

"toward the destination" and "away from its source" sound like the same thing, but they're not. A unicast is going to follow a single path from source to destination. The only factor the routers care about is the destination IP address - the source IP address isn't a factor.

With multicast routing, the destination is a multicast IP group address. It's the multicast router's job to decide which paths will lead back to the source (upstream) and which paths are downstream from the source. Reverse Path Forwarding refers to the router's behavior of sending multicast packets away from the source rather than toward a specific destination.

The RPF Check is run against any incoming multicast packet. The multicast router examines the interface that the packet arrived on. If the packet comes in on an upstream interface - that is, an interface found on the reverse path that leads back to the source - the packet passes the check and will be forwarded. If the packet comes in on any other interface, the packet is dropped.

The RPF Check serves to verify the integrity of your multicasting network, and also serves as a reminder that the basic operation of multicasting is a lot different than unicasting!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Why Get a Microsoft MCSE Certification?

2008-06-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

In the years of the dot com boom and bust, the Microsoft MCSE Certification has gotten its eye blackened over an over. Paper Microsoft MCSE's who were excellent at finding brain dumps and passing exams gave the Microsoft MCSE Certification a bad name. What used to be a guarantee of a nice salary is now ridiculed in some ignorant circles. After working in the Information Technology field for twelve years I still believe the Microsoft MCSE Certification is worth every dollar you spend and every hour spent in study and practice. I'll share my history with the Microsoft MCSE Certification and why I still believe itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs a valuable certification credential.

My History: Pre Microsoft MCSE

When I started out as a PC LAN Analyst I wanted to someday run my own shop. The best way I felt to get there was to study for the much sought after Novell CNE and Microsoft MCSE Certification. Because I worked in a Novell environment and had no opportunity to work with Windows NT I started on my Novell CNE Certification. I went book by book purchasing them on eBay and reading while I worked a second job. The CNE was also an easier certification to get as the answers to the exam came direct from the books. Microsoft's MCSE Certification exams tend to generalize on the concepts from the books rather than the text verbatim. Once complete with the CNE I had a full understanding of Novell's File Server and their weak attempt at a firewall/web server. I understood archaic technologies like IPX and Token Ring as well as networking technologies used today such as Ethernet, and TCP/IP I at least had enough knowledge to perform well at my job and work as an IT Consultant where I formed my own business Gall Consulting which runs today as a successful income.

After getting my CNE Certification I finally got a job running my own show. I had one Novell 3.12 server which ran the entire company. Within a year we began to work with Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 and NT 4.0 was just on the scene. I began the lengthy study of the seven Microsoft MCSE exams. When I had completed the Microsoft MCSE certification a year later I was like Yoda around the job. I had a complete set of knowledge about Windows Networking and Windows Applications. Because I completed the entire set of Microsoft MCSE exams and coursework I knew the technology and the theory behind the technology. This led to high performance as a Senior LAN Administrator. Rather than a swiss cheese education I had a thorough understanding of Microsoft Windows technology and could adapt to new situations easily.

NT 4.0 to Windows 2000 MCSE

When Windows 2000 Server and Active Directory was released we faced a problem. My small Novell to small Microsoft NT Domain, had grown to a world wide enterprise with five domains including various trusts going everywhere. DNS was handled by our UNIX group and we had to find a way to learn a new technology, create a single corporate Active Directory Domain and use Dynamic DNS on our Windows Active Directory domain controllers yet co-exist with our UNIX administrators who were none to happy to have to share DNS. Faced with this challenge I returned to what worked in the past. I studied for the Windows 2000 MCSE Certification

As I did before I started at the beginning and worked my way through each course and exam until I had completed my Windows 2000 MCSE Certification. By now I had a great career as an IT Operations Manager and no one was going to hire or pay me extra just for getting my Microsoft MCSE Certification. This is the true value of the certification. It started as my drive to obtain career credentials and became a vehicle to ensure I had an entire breadth of knowledge that would let me take on monumental tasks. Needless to say, today we have a single corporate Active Directory domain with a few sub domains necessary for DMZ areas.

Our DNS works so well the UNIX group asked us to take over and we're able to build on Active Directory as a source of valuable corporate data. My point in this article is to look at the Microsoft MCSE Certification as a way to ensure you have all the knowledge rather than just what's necessary in the short term. Knowing why something works is much more powerful than knowing just enough to build it in the first place the coursework involved in the Microsoft MCSE Certification provides this. I can say without fail, EVERY Information Technology professional I've worked with that had a Microsoft MCSE Certification performed at a MUCH higher level than those who only had on the job experience or had only studied what they needed to complete their daily tasks.

About The Author

John Gall is a full time IT Manager and IT Consultant in Minnesota. He runs several websites as a hobby featuring content similar to that in this article.

http://www.napavalleypictures.com; http://www.gallconsulting.com; http://www.sandalspictures.com; http://www.microsoftclassaction.com

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: Filtering BGP Updates With Prefix Lists

2008-06-18T23:59:00.000-07:00

A major part of your BSCI and CCNP exam success is mastering BGP, and that includes filtering BGP routing updates. In this tutorial, we'll take a look at how to filter BGP updates with prefix lists.

R4 is advertising three networks via BGP. The downstream router R3 sees these routes and places them into its BGP table as shown below. R3 has two downstream BGP peers, R1 and R2, and is advertising itself as the next-hop IP address for all BGP routes sent to those two routers.

R4(config)#router bgp 4

R4(config-router)#network 21.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0

R4(config-router)#network 22.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0

R4(config-router)#network 23.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0

R3#show ip bgp

BGP table version is 4, local router ID is 3.3.3.3

Status codes: s suppressed, d damped, h history, * valid, > best, i รขโ�ฌโ�� Internal

Origin codes: i - IGP, e - EGP, ? รขโ�ฌโ�� incomplete

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

*> 21.0.0.0 10.2.2.4 0 0 4 I

*> 22.0.0.0 10.2.2.4 0 0 4 I

*> 23.0.0.0 10.2.2.4 0 0 4 I

R3(config)#router bgp 123

R3(config-router)#neighbor 172.12.123.1 next-hop-self

R3(config-router)#neighbor 172.12.123.2 next-hop-self

In turn, both R1 and R2 have these three routes in their respective BGP tables.

R2#show ip bgp

BGP table version is 4, local router ID is 2.2.2.2

Status codes: s suppressed, d damped, h history, * valid, > best, i รขโ�ฌโ�� Internal

Origin codes: i - IGP, e - EGP, ? รขโ�ฌโ�� incomplete

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

*>i21.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

*>i22.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

*>i23.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

R1#show ip bgp

BGP table version is 4, local router ID is 19.1.1.1

Status codes: s suppressed, d damped, h history, * valid, > best, i รขโ�ฌโ�� Internal

Origin codes: i - IGP, e - EGP, ? รขโ�ฌโ�� incomplete

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

*>i21.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

*>i22.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

*>i23.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

If we wanted R3 to receive all three of these routes from R4 but not advertise all of them to R2 and R1, we've got a couple of options on how to block these routes. Cisco's recommendation is the use of prefix-lists, and once you get used to the syntax (which you should do before taking and passing the BSCI), you'll see they are actually easier to use than access-lists.

In this case, we're going to configure R3 to send only the route to 21.0.0.0 to R1 and 23.0.0.0 to R2. However, we do want these two routers to get any future routes that R4 advertises into BGP.

Since R1 and R2 will learn about these routes from an iBGP neighbor, they will not advertise the routes to each other.

On R3, we'll write a prefix-list that denies 22.0.0.0/8 and 23.0.0.0/8, but permits all other routes. After applying the prefix list as shown, R1 sees only the 21.0.0.0 /8 route.

R3(config)#ip prefix-list FILTER_R1 deny 22.0.0.0/8

R3(config)#ip prefix-list FILTER_R1 deny 23.0.0.0/8

R3(config)#ip prefix-list FILTER_R1 permit 0.0.0.0/0 le 32

R3(config)#router bgp 123

R3(config-router)#neighbor 172.12.123.1 prefix-list FILTER_R1 out

R3#clear ip bgp * soft

R1#show ip bgp

BGP table version is 6, local router ID is 19.1.1.1

Status codes: s suppressed, d damped, h history, * valid, > best, i รขโ�ฌโ�� Internal

Origin codes: i - IGP, e - EGP, ? รขโ�ฌโ�� incomplete

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

*>i21.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

The paths to 22.0.0.0/8 and 23.0.0.0/8 have been successfully filtered.

We'll do the same for R2, except the route not being expressly blocked is 23.0.0.0/8. The line "ip prefix-list permit 0.0.0.0/0 le 32" is the prefix list equivalent of a "permit any" statement in an ACL.

R3(config)#ip prefix-list FILTER_R2 deny 21.0.0.0/8

R3(config)#ip prefix-list FILTER_R2 deny 22.0.0.0/8

R3(config)#ip prefix-list FILTER_R2 permit 0.0.0.0/0 le 32

R3(config)#router bgp 123

R3(config-router)#neighbor 172.12.123.2 prefix-list FILTER_R2 out

R3#clear ip bgp * soft

R2#show ip bgp

BGP table version is 6, local router ID is 2.2.2.2

Status codes: s suppressed, d damped, h history, * valid, > best, i รขโ�ฌโ��

Internal

Origin codes: i - IGP, e - EGP, ? รขโ�ฌโ�� incomplete

Network Next Hop Metric LocPrf Weight Path

*>i23.0.0.0 172.12.123.3 0 100 0 4 I

The paths to 21.0.0.0/8 and 22.0.0.0/8 have been successfully filtered.

To see the prefix lists configured on a route as well as the order of the statements in each list, run show ip prefix-list.

R3#show ip prefix-list

ip prefix-list FILTER_R1: 3 entries

seq 5 deny 22.0.0.0/8

seq 10 deny 23.0.0.0/8

seq 15 permit 0.0.0.0/0 le 32

ip prefix-list FILTER_R2: 3 entries

seq 5 deny 21.0.0.0/8

seq 10 deny 22.0.0.0/8

seq 15 permit 0.0.0.0/0 le 32

Get some hands-on practice with prefix lists and you'll quickly master them. Prefix lists are an important part of working with BGP in the exam room and production networks, so it's vital that you are comfortable working with them.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial: VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP)

2008-06-18T08:59:00.000-07:00

Passing the BCMSN exam and getting one step closer to the CCNP certification means learning and noticing details that you were not presented with in your CCNA studies. (Yes, I know รขโ�ฌโ�� you had more than enough details then, right?) One protocol youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got to learn more details about is VTP, which seemed simple enough in your CCNA studies! Part of learning the details is mastering the fundamentals, so in this tutorial weรขโ�ฌโ�ขll review the basics of VTP.

In show vtp status readouts, the "VTP Operating Mode" is set to "Server" by default. The more familiar term for VTP Operating Mode is simply VTP Mode, and Server is the default. It's through the usage of VTP modes that we can place limits on which switches can delete and create VLANs.

In Server mode, a VTP switch can be used to create, modify, and delete VLANs. This means that a VTP deployment has to have at least one switch in Server mode, or VLAN creation will not be possible. Again, this is the default setting for Cisco switches.

Switches running in Client mode cannot be used to create, modify, or delete VLANs. Clients do listen for VTP advertisements and act accordingly when VTP advertisements notify the Client of VLAN changes.

VTP Transparent mode actually means that the switch isn't participating in the VTP domain as Servers and Clients do. (Bear with me here.) Transparent VTP switches don't synchronize their VTP databases with other VTP speakers. They don't even advertise their own VLAN information! Therefore, any VLANs created on a Transparent VTP switch will not be advertised to other VTP speakers in the domain, making them locally significant only. (I know you remember that phrase from your CCNA studies!)

Devices running VTP Transparent mode do have a little something to do with the other switches in the VTP domain, though. When a switch running in Transparent mode receives a VTP advertisement, that switch will forward that advertisement to other switches in that VTP domain.

Configuring switches as VTP Clients is a great way to "tie down" VLAN creation capabilities to switches that are under your physical control. However, this occasionally leads to a situation where only the VTP clients will have ports that belong to a given VLAN, but the VLAN still has to be created on the VTP server. (VLANs can be created and deleted in transparent mode, but those changes aren't advertised to other switches in the VTP domain.)

In the next BCMSN tutorial, weรขโ�ฌโ�ขll take a look at the details of VTP.

Cisco CCNA / CCNP Exam Tutorial: EIGRP Dual Queries, SIA, And Stub Routers

2008-06-17T02:59:00.000-07:00

EIGRP is a major subject of the CCNA exam, and Cisco goes into even more detail with EIGRP on your CCNP exams. Part of that detail is the purpose and configuration of EIGRP stub routers.

A problem with EIGRP comes in when a successor is lost and there is no feasible successor. DUAL doesn't give up that easily, though. DUAL will mark the route as Active, indicating that the route is being calculated and cannot be used to route data, and will send out a Query message.

A DUAL Query is basically one neighbor asking another, "Hey, do you know how to get to this network I just lost my route to?" If that neighbor has a route, the query will be answered with that route; if the neighbor doesn't have such a route, that neighbor will ask its neighbors. The process continues until a downstream router replies with the desired route, or the EIGRP downstream routers run out of neighbors to ask.

It's a good idea to limit the scope of your DUAL queries, otherwise routes may go into Stuck In Active state during this reconfiguration. Route summarization helps to limit queries, as does configuration of EIGRP stub routers.

While EIGRP does not have the stub area options that OSPF does, EIGRP does allow a router to be configured as stub. This is commonly done with a hub-and-spoke configuration where the spoke routers do not have the resources to keep a full routing table. Since the spoke's next hop will always be the hub, all the spoke really needs is a default route. For this reason, the only neighbor an EIGRP stub router can have is the hub router. (Obviously, the hub would never be configured as stub.)

Configuring EIGRP stub routers also combats the SIA problem. EIGRP stub routers are not queried for routes when the hub does not have a feasible successor for a successor route that has gone down.

By default, EIGRP stub routers advertise information about two types of routes back to the hub - directly connected networks and summary routes. To change this default, use the eigrp stub command followed by the types of routes you want the stub to advertise back to the hub. (The eigrp stub command run by itself configures the router as stub.)

R1(config)#router eigrp 100

R1(config-router)#eigrp stub ?

connected Do advertise connected routes

receive-only Set IP-EIGRP as receive only neighbor

static Do advertise static routes

summary Do advertise summary routes

Assume a network where R5 is the hub and R4, R6, and R7 are spokes. As long as the spokes have a neighbor relationship only with the hub, they can be configured as stub routers. They will then advertise their directly connected networks and summary routes back to the hub and will receive only a default route back from the hub. If R5 loses a successor and has no feasible successor, it will not send a query packet to any of the stub routers.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: Using OSPF's "Summary-Address" Command

2008-06-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

BSCI exam success, not to mention earning your CCNP, can come down to your OSPF route summarization skills. There are a few different commands and situations you need to be ready for, and one of these vital details is the proper use of the "summary-address" command.

The summary-address command should be used on an ASBR in order to summarize routes that are being injected into the OSPF domain via redistribution. In the following example, four routes are being redistributed into OSPF on R1, making R1 an ASBR.

interface Loopback16
ip address 16.16.16.16 255.0.0.0
!
interface Loopback17
ip address 17.17.17.17 255.0.0.0
!
interface Loopback18
ip address 18.18.18.18 255.0.0.0
!
interface Loopback19
ip address 19.19.19.19 255.0.0.0

R1(config)#router ospf 1
R1(config-router)#redistribute connected subnets

These four routes are seen on the downstream router R2 as External Type-2, the default for routes redistributed into OSPF.

R2#show ip route ospf
O E2 17.0.0.0/8 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:07, Serial0
O E2 16.0.0.0/8 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:07, Serial0
O E2 19.0.0.0/8 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:07, Serial0
O E2 18.0.0.0/8 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:07, Serial0

You can probably do this summarization in your head, but do so before continuing with the lab. : )

R1(config)#router ospf 1 R1(config-router)#summary-address 16.0.0.0 252.0.0.0

Look at the difference in R2's OSPF table.

R2#show ip route ospf
O E2 16.0.0.0/6 [110/20] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:05, Serial0

The external routes have been successfully summarized, and four routes have been summarized into one single route. Note that the summary route is still marked as an E2 route.

There's an interesting side effect from the summarization present on R1:

R1#show ip route ospf
O 16.0.0.0/6 is a summary, 00:01:51, Null0

R1#show ip route

Gateway of last resort is not set

C 17.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback17
C 16.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback16
C 19.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback19
C 18.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Loopback18
O 16.0.0.0/6 is a summary, 00:01:51, Null0

.. and packets that do not match one of the summarized routes but do match the summary route will be dropped.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial: The Four (Or Five) STP Port States

2008-06-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

As a CCNP candidate and a CCNA, you may be tempted to skip or just browse the many details of Spanning Tree Protocol. After all, you learned all of that in your CCNA studies, right? That's right, but it never hurts to review STP for a switching exam! Besides, many of us think of the four STP port states - but officially, there's a fifth one!

Disabled isn't generally thought of as an STP port state, but Cisco does officially consider this to be an STP state. A disabled port is one that is administratively shut down.

Once the port is opened, the port will go into blocking state. As the name implies, the port can't do much in this state - no frame forwarding, no frame receiving, and therefore no learning of MAC addresses. About the only thing this port can do is accept BPDUs from neighboring switches.

A port will then go from blocking mode into listening mode. The obvious question is "listening for what?" Listening for BPDUs - and this port can now send BPDUs as well. The port still can't forward or receive data frames.

When the port goes from listening mode to learning mode, it's getting ready to send and receive frames. In learning mode, the port begins to learn MAC addresses in preparation for adding them to its MAC address table.

Finally, a port can go into forwarding mode. This allows a port to forward and receive data frames, send and receive BPDUs, and place MAC addresses in its MAC table.

To see the STP mode of a given interface, use the show spanning-tree interface command.

SW1#show spanning-tree interface fast 0/11

Vlan Role Sts Cost Prio.Nbr Type

---------------- ---- --- --------- -------- ----------

VLAN0001 Desg FWD 19 128.11 P2p

To see these states in action, shut a port down in your CCNA / CCNP home lab and continually run the show spanning interface command. Once you see this in action on real Cisco equipment, you'll have no problem with BCMSN exam questions. Just don't practice this or any other Cisco command on a production network!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Passing Your MCSE Exams on the Road to Microsoft Certification

2008-06-13T23:59:00.000-07:00

To earn the Microsoft certified systems engineer certification and to prove expertise in designing and implementation of the infrastructure for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2003 platform and Microsoft Windows Server system, MCSE exam is the best medium.

MCSE exam is held to improve the expertise in designing and implementing Windows Server 2003 and other issues related to it. In order to take an MCSE exam one needs to go through a fourteen-day MCSE training boot camp that helps in successfully becoming an MCSE. They use custom developed curriculum that is designed to provide both exam preparation and practical technology skills, ensuring that the examinee shall be ready for the performance based testing Microsoft has introduced in their certification programs. Experience instructors have been arranged who posses many years of experience of working wit Microsoft operating system and technologies both in the field and in the classroom.

Computer labs are designed using genuine PC technology, which provides each student having the ability to access various Microsoft operating systems simultaneously on their desktop. Due to this facility provided for MCSE exam, students can access any time to practice for the exam throughout in order to maintain their progress and determine the areas that require further study of those Microsoft operating systems.

Different kinds of resources are provided to both students and instructors under this boot camp while preparing for MCSE exam. These resources are based on web and also distribute them after and before the classroom session so that both of them can share information. The online forum assists them to analyze different methods of programming. These centers are available for obtaining the certification goals. Pre-class preparation is essential to ensure complete success in an MCSE exam.

In the beginning materials and instructions are handed out which define as to how to prepare for the exam. In addition to this, as earlier mentioned one gets to access online resources, which provide detailed course information, and additional preparation resources. These resources related to the discussion forums and private questions posed to the instructors also help in preparing for the MCSE exam as they help in clearing doubts and difficulties.

The boot camp for MCSE exam is set up to ensure the success rate for the examinees as well to prepare them before beginning of the classes. One testing voucher per MCSE exam is included with the course material. It ensures that the examinee is not misled. The limitation for the MCSE exam is provided during the class. Cost of retaking is borne by the examinee in case if he is unable to appear on the scheduled date. Also, if one feels that he would not be ready to take one or more exam during the boot camp then vouchers are handed out to enable the examinee to take the exam at a later date. This course can be retaken at free of cost but the testing fee and the courseware fee is not included. The validity for retaking the exams stands for six months.

The candidates should have at least one year of experience in using Windows NT, Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003 server in a networking environment to be eligible to attend the boot camp for the MCSE exam. Along with this there are several other pre-requisites for taking the exam. The candidate should have the knowledge of general networking concepts, IP addressing and sub-netting Active Directory Networking services. This gives the opportunity to brush up on technology skills and fill in any gaps in the knowledge base.

James Croydon, Microsoft Certified Professional and MCSE Courses Online advisor - focusing on MCSE Online Training and MCSE Certification Courses

Four Important Commands For Your CCNA / CCNP Home Lab

2008-06-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

More CCNA and CCNP candidates than ever before are putting together their own home practice labs. It's more affordable than it ever has been, and I receive emails daily from new CCNAs and CCNPs who say it's the best thing they could have done to improve their studies.

There are some commands you can configure on your lab routers that won't necessarily be on your CCNA or CCNP exams, but they will make life a lot easier for you. Let's take a look at just a few of these.

The command "no exec" is short, yet powerful. Occasionally you'll have what is referred to as a "rogue EXEC" process tie up a line, and you end up having to continually clear lines, which disrupts your practice. If you have an access server, I highly recommend you configure this command on your lines, as shown here:

ACCESS_SERVER(con)#line 1 8

ACCESS_SERVER(con)#no exec

From your CCNA studies, you know that the command "no ip domain-lookup" prevents a Cisco router from sending a broadcast to find a DNS server anytime you enter something that is not an IOS command - and that includes mistyped commands, which happens to all of us sooner or later. Make sure to run that command in global configuration mode on all your practice routers.

There are two commands I like to configure on the console line on all my practice routers and switches. The first is "exec-timeout 0 0", which prevents you from being kicked out of enable mode and back into user exec after a few minutes of inactivity. (This doesn't sound like much, but you'll get pretty tired of typing "enable" after a while.) The first zero refers to minutes, the second zero to seconds. Setting them both to zero disables the exec-timeout function.

The second command prevents the router from interrupting the command you're typing with a console message. If you've ever been in the middle of typing a router command and suddenly you're interrupted with a logging message, you know that can be pretty annoying. We don't want the router to not display the message, but we do want the router to wait until we're done entering data. The command to perform this is "logging synchronous".

R1(config)#line console 0

R1(config-line)#exec-timeout 0 0

R1(config-line)#logging synchronous

You won't see many of these commands on your exams, but after you configure them on your home lab devices, you'll wonder how you did without them!

Network+ Exam Tutorial: Network Interface Cards (NICs)

2008-06-12T02:59:00.000-07:00

Part of the challenge of passing the Network+ exam is learning about all the different types of hardware a network requires. Today weรขโ�ฌโ�ขll take a look at a vital part of network connectivity, the Network Interface Card (NIC, pronounced "nick").

The NIC is the device, or card, that gives the host a physical connection to the network. The NIC is generally an internal device, but one that can be removed and replaced with a different NIC. NICs are considered Physical layer devices and work at Layer 1 of the OSI model.

Most issues involving NICs occur before the device is even added to the network - because the purchaser didn't do their research. All NICs are not created equal. Some are for Ethernet networks, some for Token Ring, and speed capabilities vary as well. Don't assume a given vendor's NIC is going to fit your device and give you the results you want. A quick visit to the vendor's website and a few minutes looking up NIC specifications can save you a lot of trouble later on.

One more NIC warning - take your time when you're installing a new NIC. Make sure the device is off, and make sure you're properly grounded by connecting the grounding strap to your wrist. Otherwise, you can send static electricity into places on the host where it's only going to cause damage.

Your new NIC should also come with directions on how to download the drivers for that NIC. Drivers sound like something physical, but they're not. Drivers are simply software files that are needed on the host in order for the NIC to work correctly. Vendors used to include drivers on CDs with their NICs, but the trend now is to include instructions on where to download the drivers from the vendor website.

That does lend itself to an occasional Catch-22: "If I don't have this device on the Net yet, how can I download the drivers?" If the host has no network connectivity, you may need to download the drivers to a host that does, copy the files to CD, and then install the drivers from CD.

You'll see two different lights on a typical NIC, one green and one amber. Depending on whether the host has network connectivity or not, the lights will be solid, flashing, or out. Sometimes flashing is good, sometimes it's not! Here's a guide to the colors you'll see on a NIC:

A solid green light indicates connectivity is present. This link light is generally either green or off. Green is good, off is not! That light should stay a solid green. If you see it flashing green, that's a sign of intermittent connectivity, which is a fancy way of saying "one minute the PC is on the network, the next minute it's not". Most likely, either the NIC or the cable connected to the NIC is going bad. With the green light, flashing is not desirable.

Flashing amber lights indicate collisions. You'll see this flash occasionally even on a healthy network, but you don't want to see it flash so often that it looks like a solid amber light!

If you have an Internet connection at home, you can see these lights in action for yourself. The green and amber lights will be right next to where the cable from your modem connects to your PC.

On occasion, you'll have a PC that loses connectivity to the network. I advise you to always start network troubleshooting at the Physical layer of the OSI model, and that means checking both the NIC and the cable connected to it. I personally would swap the cable out first, since they seem to go bad more often than NICs, but that's up to you. If you swap NICs and you still can't get the PC on the network, try putting a new cable in.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including Security+, Network +, CCNA, and CCNP topics.

You can also join his RSS feed and visit his blog, which is updated several times daily with new Cisco certification articles, free tutorials, and daily CCNA, Network+, Security+, A+, and CCNP certification exam practice questions!

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And now, you can earn your A + certification from The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco CCNA / CCNP Certification Exam: Creating A Study Plan

2008-06-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Whether you're just starting to think about passing the CCNA or CCNP exams, or you've been on the certification track for a while, you've got to have a plan for success. If you wanted to drive your car from Florida to California, you'd create a plan to get there. You'd get a map and decide how far you wanted to drive per day, and maybe even make some hotel reservations in advance. You certainly wouldn't get in your car, just drive it randomly down the nearest highway, and hope you ended up in California, would you?

Certainly not. Earning your CCNA certification is the same way. It's not enough to just study a few minutes "when you feel like it", or tell yourself that you'll start studying for the exams "when I get such-and-such done". The perfect time to start on the road to Cisco certification is not tomorrow, and it's not next week. It's today.

You're much better off with one hour of solid study than three hours of interrupted, unfocused study. Here are a few ways to go about getting the kind of quality study time that will get you to the CCNA or CCNP (or any Cisco certification, for that matter!).

Schedule your study time, and regard this study time as you would an appointment with a client. If you were to meet a customer at 10:00 to discuss a network install, would you just decide not to show up and watch television instead? Not if you wanted the job. The same goes for your study time. That's an appointment with the most important customer of all - YOU.

Turn your cell, iPod, TV, instant messenger, and all other electronic collars off for the duration of your study time. I know those of us in information technology don't like to say this, but we can actually exist without being in touch with the world for a little while. You may even get to like it! Having uninterrupted study time is key to CCNA and CCNP exam success.

Finally, schedule your exam before you start studying. Contrary to what many people think, "deadline" is not a dirty word. We do our best work when we have a deadline and a schedule to keep. Make out your study schedule, schedule your exam, and get to work just as you would a network project for a customer. The project you're working on is your career and your life, and by following these simple steps you can make it a highly successful project - by passing your CCNA and CCNP exam!

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: Configuring And Troubleshooting VTP

2008-06-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

Not only is your CCNA exam going to have questions on VLAN trunking protocol, almost any network that has more than one VLAN is going to have VTP running. Whether you're planning on passing the CCNA exam or just brushing up on your networking skills, this VTP tutorial will help you learn the basics of this important protocol.

VTP allows switches to advertise VLAN information between other members of the same VTP domain. VTP allows a consistent view of the switched network across all switches. When a VLAN is created on one switch in a VTP server, all other VTP devices in the domain are notified of that VLANรขโ�ฌโ�ขs existence. VTP servers will know about every VLAN, even VLANs that have no members on that switch.

Switches run VTP in one of three modes. In server mode, VLANs can be created, modified, and deleted on a VTP server. When these actions are taken, the changes are advertised to all switches in the VTP domain. VTP Servers keep VLAN configuration information upon reboot.

In client mode, the switch cannot modify, create, or delete VLANs. VTP clients cannot retain VLAN configuration information upon reboot; they have to obtain this information from a VTP server.

In real-world networks, this is generally done to centralize the creation and deletion of VLANs. An interesting side effect of the server/client methodology is that if a VLAN is only to have ports on the VTP client switch, the VLAN must still first be created on the VTP server. The VTP client will learn about the VLAN from the VTP server, and ports can then be placed into that VLAN.

The third VTP mode is transparent mode. VTP switches in this mode ignore VTP messages. They do forward the VTP advertisements received from other switches. VLANs can be created, deleted, and modified on a transparent server, but those changes are not advertised to the other switches in the VTP domain.

For switches running VTP to successfully exchange VLAN information, three things have to happen. I've listed them for you in the order that you'll see them in the real world.

The VTP domain name must match. This is case-sensitive. "CISCO" and "cisco" are two different domains.

To distribute information about a newly-created VLAN, the switch upon which that VLAN is created must be in Server mode.

Learning VTP isn't just a good idea for passing your CCNA exams, it's a skill you must have to be effective in configuring and troubleshooting VLANs. I wish you the best in both of these pursuits!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNA / CCNP Certification Exam Tutorial: Configuring PPP Callback

2008-06-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

You may run into situations where a router in a remote location needs to dial in to a central router, but the toll charges are much higher if the remote router makes the call. This scenario is perfect for PPP Callback, where the callback client places a call to a callback server, authentication takes place, and the server then hangs up on the client! This ensures that the client isn't charged for the call. The server then calls the client back.

In the following example, R2 has been configured as the client and R1 is the callback server. Let's look at both configurations and the unique commands PPP Callback requires.

Client:

username R1 password CCIE

interface BRI0

ip address 172.12.12.2 255.255.255.0

encapsulation ppp

dialer map ip 172.12.12.1 name R1 broadcast 5557777

dialer-group 1

isdn switch-type basic-ni

ppp callback request

ppp authentication chap

Most of that configuration will look familiar to you, but the ppp callback request command might not. This command enables the BRI interface to request the callback.

Simple enough, right? The PPP Callback Server config requires more configuration and an additional map-class as well.

Server:

username R2 password CCIE interface BRI0

ip address 172.12.12.1 255.255.255.0

encapsulation ppp

dialer callback-secure

dialer map ip 172.12.12.2 name R2 class CALL_R2_BACK broadcast 5558888

dialer-group 1

isdn switch-type basic-ni

ppp callback accept

ppp authentication chap

map-class dialer CALL_R2_BACK

dialer callback-server username

Examining the PPP Callback Server command from the top down...

dialer callback-secure enables security on the callback. If the remote router cannot be authenticated for callback, the incoming call will be disconnected.

The dialer map statement now calls the class CALL_R2_BACK, shown at the bottom of the config excerpt.

ppp callback accept enables PPP callback on this router.

dialer callback-server username tells the callback server that the device referenced in the dialer map statement is a callback client.

The only way to find out if the config works is to test it, so let's send a ping from R2 to R1 and see if the callback takes place.

R2#ping 172.12.12.1

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.12.12.1, timeout is 2 seconds:

02:45:42: BR0 DDR: Dialing cause ip (s=172.12.12.2, d=172.12.12.1)

02:45:42: BR0 DDR: Attempting to dial 5557777

02:45:42: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface BRI0:1, changed state to up

02:45:42: BR0:1 DDR: Callback negotiated - Disconnecting now

02:45:42: BR0:1 DDR: disconnecting call

02:45:42: %ISDN-6-CONNECT: Interface BRI0:1 is now connected to 5557777 R1

02:45:42: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface BRI0:1, changed state to down

02:45:42: DDR: Callback client for R1 5557777 created

02:45:42: BR0:1 DDR: disconnecting call.....

Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)

R2#

02:45:57: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface BRI0:1, changed state to up

R2#

02:45:57: BR0:1 DDR: Callback received from R1 5557777

02:45:57: DDR: Freeing callback to R1 5557777

02:45:57: BR0:1 DDR: dialer protocol up

02:45:58: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface BRI0:1, changed state to up

The callback was successfully negotiated, and the call then disconnected. R1 then called R2 back, and show dialer on R1 confirms the purpose of the call.

R1#show dialer

BRI0 - dialer type = ISDN

Dial String Successes Failures Last DNIS Last status

5558888 2 4 00:00:20 successful

0 incoming call(s) have been screened.

0 incoming call(s) rejected for callback.

BRI0:1 - dialer type = ISDN

Idle timer (120 secs), Fast idle timer (20 secs)

Wait for carrier (30 secs), Re-enable (15 secs)

Dialer state is data link layer up

Dial reason: Callback return call

Time until disconnect 99 secs

Connected to 5558888 (R2)

Pretty cool! PPP Callback isnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt just important for passing your CCNA and CCNP exams รขโ�ฌโ�� in circumstances such as shown in this example, it can save your organization quite a bit of money!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Get the Boot - A Birds-Eye Look into MCSE Boot Camps

2008-06-07T17:59:00.000-07:00

MCSE boot camps have its supporters and its detractors. Some people do not understand why you should have to spend money on boot camp when you can get the MCSE study materials yourself at a fraction of the camp price. However, who has the willpower to actually sit through a self-imposed MCSE training? Not too many people! That is what the MCSE boot camps are for.

These boot camps are typically an intense two-week long MCSE training course that prepares you for the MCSE exams. Some companies that conduct boot camps offering Microsoft certification, especially the MCSE, guarantee that you will pass your MCSE exams. If you happen to fail, they will usually issue a voucher to try it again. For many people who attend these MCSE boot camps, it is preferable to have an intense two weeks with little to distract you rather than drawing out the classes for weeks with outside influences like work and family interfering with study time. Sure, being gone for two weeks is a temporary hassle, but you will have your certification in a fraction of the time.

Did you catch the being gone for two weeks bit? You can probably find a boot camp near your home, but most likely you will end up attending an MCSE boot camp away from your home, far enough away where it is not worth it to commute. Two weeks away from home? That doesn't sound like a picnic! But just think of the rewards you will reap after trudging through all that MCSE training and taking the MCSE exams.

If you are lucky, your company will pick up the tab on your Microsoft certification. Paying on your own is a major investment, usually a few thousand dollars depending on where the location is and if hotel and meals are included in the price. For your money, you will get a tough instructor, an MCSE drill sergeant for lack of a better description. That instructor's reputation is on the line, so he or she will be motivated to ensure your success. That is why the success rate for these MCSE boot camps is high, in some places as high as 95%!

For your investment, you will have numerous MCSE training sessions in Networking Basics as well as learning about the infrastructure of a network. You will study security design, directories and how to manage Windows network environments. Hands-on training in learning labs with after-hours access for extra practice is the norm. Practice MCSE exams are also given out as a study tool and to also help prepare you for your own test time.

Microsoft certifications are here to stay and the MCSE is a popular avenue to travel. If you have got the time and can swing the cost, MCSE boot camps will definitely give you a boost into a new career.

James Croydon, Microsoft Certified Professional and MCSE Online advisor - focusing on MCSE Online Certification and MCSE Courses Online

Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial: Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP)

2008-06-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

The Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) sure looks simple enough, but there are quite a few details to know for success on the CCNA exam. In your CCNP studies, you'll be introduced to additional uses for CDP, but for now it's enough to know that CDP is designed to give you information regarding directly connected Cisco routers and switches.

CDP runs by default between all directly connected Cisco devices. CDP is also a Cisco-proprietary protocol - if the directly connected device is not a Cisco device, you won't see the information you wanted.

The basic CDP command to display information about the directly connected neighbor is "show cdp neighbor".

R2#show cdp neighbor

Capability Codes: R - Router, T - Trans Bridge, B - Source Route Bridge

S - Switch, H - Host, I - IGMP, r รขโ�ฌโ�� Repeater

Device ID Local Intrfce Holdtme Capability Platform Port ID

R1 BRI0 167 R 2521 Dialer1

This command is particularly helpful when troubleshooting Cisco switches. Thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs no need to trace wiring in a rack of Cisco devices to see what routers are connected to a Cisco switch when show cdp neighbor can be used. In the above output, you can see the remote device's hostname, what interface on the remote device is connected to the local device, the capability of the remote device, the remote deviceรขโ�ฌโ�ขs hardware platform, and the local interface that is connected to the remote device.

CDP can be disabled at both the global and interface level. To disable CDP at the interface level, run no cdp enable on the interface, and cdp enable to turn it back on.

cdp timer defines how often CDP packets are transmitted, and cdp holdtime defines how long a device will hold a received packet.

To turn CDP off for the entire router, run no cdp run. To view the current global status of CDP, run show cdp.

R2#show cdp

Global CDP information:

Sending CDP packets every 60 seconds

Sending a holdtime value of 180 seconds

CDP is running by default.

R2#conf t

R2(config)#cdp timer 45

R2(config)#cdp holdtime 100

The CDP timers are changed.

R2#show cdp

Global CDP information:

Sending CDP packets every 45 seconds

Sending a holdtime value of 100 seconds

The CDP values have been successfully changed. "show cdp interface" will give the timer information for each interface on the router.

R2#conf t

R2(config)#interface bri0

R2(config-if)#no cdp enable

CDP is disabled on the BRI interface. This does NOT have to be done to keep the line from dialing.

R2#conf t

R2(config)#no cdp run

CDP is disabled globally.

R2#show cdp

% CDP is not enabled

CDP has been successfully disabled.

Show cdp neighbor gives you a great deal of information, but what if you need the neighborรขโ�ฌโ�ขs IP address? Just run show cdp neighbor detail. You will get even more information about that directly connected neighbor, including its IP address.

SW2#show cdp neighbor detail

-------------------------

Device ID: R4

Entry address(es):

IP address: 172.12.23.4

Platform: cisco 2520, Capabilities: Router

Interface: FastEthernet0/4, Port ID (outgoing port): Ethernet0

Holdtime : 158 sec

The details of CDP are important to you on the job and in the CCNA exam room. When you find yourself negotiating a badly documented network, you can use CDP to "walk" through the network and create a network map for your client as well. Sometimes the simplest protocols are the most helpful!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP / BCSI Exam Tutorial: Configuring EIGRP Packet Authentication

2008-06-06T11:59:00.000-07:00

Configuring RIPv2 and EIGRP authentication with key chains can be tricky at first, and the syntax isn't exactly easy to remember. But for BSCI and CCNP exam success, we've got to be able to perform this task.

In a previous tutorial, we saw how to configure RIPv2 packet authentication, with both clear-text and MD5 authentication schemes. EIGRP authentication is much the same, and has the text and MD5 authentication options as well. But EIGRP being EIGRP, the command just has to be a little more detailed!

As with RIPv2, the authentication mode must be agreed upon by the EIGRP neighbors. If one router's interface is configured for MD5 authentication and the remote router's interface is configured for text authentication, the adjacency will fail even if the two interfaces in question are configured to use the same password.

We'll now configure link authentication on the adjacency over an Ethernet segment. Below, you'll see how to configure a key chain called EIGRP on both routers, use key number 1, and use the key-string BSCI. Run show key chain on a router to see all key chains.

R2(config)#key chain EIGRP

R2(config-keychain)#key 1

R2(config-keychain-key)#key-string BSCI

R2#show key chain

Key-chain EIGRP:

key 1 -- text "BSCI"

accept lifetime (always valid) - (always valid) [valid now]

send lifetime (always valid) - (always valid) [valid now]

R3(config)#key chain EIGRP

R3(config-keychain)#key 1

R3(config-keychain-key)#key-string BSCI

R3#show key chain

Key-chain EIGRP:

key 1 -- text "BSCI"

accept lifetime (always valid) - (always valid) [valid now]

send lifetime (always valid) - (always valid) [valid now]

The EIGRP command to apply the key chain is a bit of a pain to remember, because the protocol and AS number is identified in the middle of the command, not the beginning. Also note that two commands are needed - one to name the key chain, another to define the authentication mode in use.

R2(config)#interface ethernet0

R2(config-if)#ip authentication key-chain eigrp 100 EIGRP

R2(config-if)#ip authentication mode eigrp 100 md5

5d07h: %DUAL-5-NBRCHANGE: IP-EIGRP 100: Neighbor 172.12.23.3 (Ethernet0) is down: keychain changed

R3(config)#interface ethernet0

R3(config-if)#ip authentication key-chain eigrp 100 EIGRP

R3(config-if)#ip authentication mode eigrp 100 md5

5d07h: %DUAL-5-NBRCHANGE: IP-EIGRP 100: Neighbor 172.12.23.2 (Ethernet0) is up:

As with RIPv2, the existing adjacency was torn down when one side was configured with authentication. If the key chain is correctly defined and applied on both sides, the adjacency will come back up. Always run show ip eigrp neighbor to make sure the adjacency is present. Learn the details of EIGRP key chains by configuring them on your home lab equipment, and you'll be more than ready for BSCI exam success!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP Certification FAQ

2008-06-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

To earn your CCNP, you've got to pass some very rigorous Cisco exams, and you also need to know the rules regarding this important certification. In this article, I'll answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the CCNP.

Q: What exams do I need to pass to get my CCNP?

A: You have two options, a three-exam path and a four-exam path. Currently, the four-exam path consists of rigorous exams on advanced routing techniques (BSCI), advanced switching (BCMSN), remote access methods (BCRAN), and advanced troubleshooting techniques (CIT). The three-exam path combines the BCMSN and BSCI exams into a single exam, the Composite exam.

Q: Do I have to take them in any order?

A: No, the order is up to the candidate. Most CCNP candidates take the BSCI exam first and the CIT exam last, but again this is up to the candidate.

Q: What else do I have to do to get the CCNP?

A: You must earn your CCNA before you can be CCNP certified (as well as passing the exams, of course).

Q: Is there a recertification requirement?

A: Cisco CCNP certifications are valid for three years. During that time, you must either pass the Composite exam, the BSCI and BCMSN exams, or pass any CCIE written exam.

Q: What if I don't recertify within the three-year period?

A: You must then meet whatever CCNP requirements there are at that time, from the beginning. It's easier to make sure you recertify!

Becoming CCNP certified is a great boost to your career and your confidence, and as with any Cisco certification, it's up to you to stay current with the CCNA and CCNP requirements. Visit the Career Certification section of Cisco's website regularly to learn about the program's requirements and changes. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs not up to them to keep you notified of changes รขโ�ฌโ�� itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs up to you!

ISO 9000 Certification and Consulting

2008-06-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

The process of becoming ISO 9000 certified can be intimidating. The manuals regarding standards and certification are written in such a way that most of us can barely comprehend what they are saying. Fortunately, several specialists are available to assist in the process. These specialists are experts in providing ISO 9000 consulting.

ISO 9000 consultants can help you to understand and effectively manage new and existing standards. By enlisting the help of a qualified professional, you can be assured that you are correctly implementing the processes. Consultants can also help you to utilize your ISO 9000 software program to document and implement your new program.

Even if you have been ISO 9000 certified for many years, a consultant can help keep you abreast the new issues and standards. An ISO 9000 consultant can help your company to achieve maximum performance and benefits from your quality control standards.

Many ISO 9000 consulting firms offer individual and comprehensive packages. The comprehensive packages include training for the implementation of ISO 9000 standards, training for internal auditors, training for documentation and training for lead auditors. When implementing these standards it is important to know that your management team is on board with the changes and fully understand the importance and implications.

Other ISO 9000 consultants offer training for individual areas. Your company can choose between on-site training or attending an overview class. For those considering taking the ISO 9000 plunge, an overview class on standards, regulations and certifications is an excellent place to start. You can gain a vast amount of knowledge by attending the courses and get a good idea of what the process entails.

When choosing a consulting firm you should begin by identifying your companyรขโ�ฌโ�ขs particular needs. Some firms specialize in creating individual training programs specific to your company. They can get an idea of what you need and develop a comprehensive plan to meet those goals. Other firms only offer generic or pre-packaged training and advice. For some industries, pre-packaged training programs may be suitable and for others it may not. Perhaps a company should begin by asking for references from the consultants and find out exactly what they can do to help your company in the ISO 9000 process.

ISO 9000 Info provides detailed information about ISO 9000 standards, software, consulting, help, and solutions. ISO 9000 Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: Port-Based Authentication

2008-06-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

To pass your CCNA exam and earn this coveted certification, you must understand the details of port-based authentication. This knowledge has a great deal of value in production networks as well, since this authentication scheme is regularly implemented. Let's take a look at this particular CCNA skill.

Consider a situation where you have a server that will be connected to your switch, and you want the port to shut down if a device with a different MAC address that that of the switch attempts to connect to that port. You could also have a situation where you have someone who has a connection to a switch port in his office, and he wants to make sure that only his laptop can use that port.

Both of these examples are real-world situations, and there are two solutions for each. First, we could create a static MAC entry for that particular switch port. I don't recommend this, mainly because both you and I have better things to do than manage static MAC entries. The better solution is to configure port-based authentication on the switch.

The Cisco switch uses MAC addresses to enforce port security. With port security, only devices with certain MAC addresses can connect to the port successfully. This is another reason source MACs are looked at before the destination MAC is examined. If the source MAC is non-secure and port-based authentication is in effect, the destination does not matter, as the frame will not be forwarded. In essence, the source MAC address serves as the password.

MAC addresses that are allowed to successfully communicate with the switch port are secure MAC addresses. The default number of secure MAC addresses is 1, but a maximum of 132 secure MACs can be configured.

When a non-secure MAC address attempts to communicate with the switch port, one of three actions will occur, depending on the port security mode. In Protect mode, frames with non-secure MAC addresses are dropped. There is no notification that a violation has occurred. The port will continue to switch frames for the secure MAC address.

In Restrict mode, the same action is taken, but a syslog message is logged via SNMP, which is a messaging protocol used by Cisco routers.

In Shutdown mode, the interface goes into error-disabled state, the port LED will go out, and a syslog message is logged. The port has to be manually reopened. Shutdown mode is the default port-security mode.

Port-based authentication is just one of the many switching skills you'll have to demonstrate to earn your CCNA certification. Make sure you know the basics shown here, including the action of each particular mode, and you're on your way to CCNA exam success!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP Certification Training : The New CCNP BCMSN 642-812 Exam

2008-05-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

Cisco CCNP certification is about to become more valuable and more difficult! Cisco is making major changes to the CCNP certification program, retiring two exams (BCRAN and CIT) while updating two old friends, the BSCI and BCMSN exam. Today, we'll take a look at the changes in the Building Converged Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN) exam.

According to Cisco's exam blueprint, there are some major additions with the introduction of the 642-812 exam. Wireless access, security, and voice are all rapidly growing features and concerns in today's real-world networks, and Cisco is responding to that by adding all three of these topics to the CCNP BCMSN exam. Cisco CCNP candidates should expect to be questioned on WLANs as well as wireless clients.

There were some security topics on the 642-811 BCMSN exam, port security and 802.1x among them. The successful Cisco CCNP certification candidate will now be expected to know about the different network attacks that can take place at the data link layer of the OSI model, including DHCP Spoofing and VLAN Hopping.

There was also just a bit of voice material on the 642-811 BCMSN exam, but you'll have to know more voice to pass the 642-812 exam. Voice VLANs, voice QoS, and IP Phone configuration are just some of the topics being added to the new BCMSN exam.

Cisco is obviously raising the bar with the new CCNP exams, and this certification is going to be harder to get than ever before. That also makes it more valuable than ever before, and 2007 will be the best year yet in which to earn your CCNP certification. Make your plans to earn this valuable Cisco certification, and then put that plan into action!

The Brief History of Cisco Certifications

2008-05-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

Even young people can remember the old days when network administrators were more often associated for being the person sitting next to a computer system rather than for specific abilities of proficiency. In those early days, CCNA Certification or CCNA training were concepts totally ignored by most small-to-medium businesses, and they never asked a network administrator to apply for a CCNA course.

In fact during long time, many office managers just learned a few computer tricks to qualify as network administrator because a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) was only known as inter networking became more complex. The increasingly sophistication in design and equipment requiring IT professionals.

CCNA training begin to be considered essential when the business world found that only the labor of a pool consisting of qualified technicians could handle common problems and new challenges resulting from the evolving of new technologies. A CCNA course was synonym of the knowledge and skills accrediting IT personal.

As the time went by, all major vendors of computer software and hardware started to develop their own certification programs with the customers in mind. CCNA Certification become necessary to ensure providing them with people up to date with the technology, to help customers implement their products.

This way, Cisco certifications began with the offer of the Cisco Certified Inter networking Engineer (CCIE), which was a extremely difficult level of certification, as the only CCNA course available during that time. Such CCNA Certification usually required several years of experience and thousands of dollars.

CCNA training consisted of torturous lab practical, needing multiple attempts at the exam, in order to pass. CCIE Certification still require the same level of experience, practice and the rigorous nature of the exam that only a few candidates actually pass, but Cisco has developed intermediate levels of certification nowadays.

CCNA Certification can be acquired applying for a CCNA course designed for those who want to be identified as Cisco-knowledgeable technicians to improve their opportunities to develop an IT career or integrate themselves to the growing demand for computer-related jobs.

It is a well known fact that a college degree in any field cannot guarantee employment, if the person holding a college diploma is not capable of doing properly the job, regardless any advanced degree. In networking, a traditional college four-year degree in Computer Science may be obsolete by graduation day due the constantly shifting nature of technology.

Cisco has worked very hard through its history to make sure any CCNA Certification, CCNA training or CCNA course retain its real worth and prestige in the marketplace.

Natalie Aranda writes about CBT and IT certifications. CCNA Certification can be acquired applying for a CCNA course designed for those who want to be identified as Cisco-knowledgeable technicians to improve their opportunities to develop an IT career or integrate themselves to the growing demand for computer-related jobs. Learnkey offers expert on-demand training solutions, bringing software to educate you at home, school or office via PC. This vendor has helped thousands of people achieve their certification goals, through the use of critical software and related technology, including MCSE, MCSA, Cisco, MCDBA, MOS and Wireless.

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: Variance And Unequal Cost Load Balancing

2008-05-29T23:59:00.000-07:00

To pass the CCNA exam, you've got to know how to work with IGRP and EIGRP unequal-cost load balancing. You may not see much IGRP in production networks anymore, but you'll see a lot of EIGRP, and part of fine-tuning your EIGRP network is making sure that all paths are in use while allowing for varying bandwidth rates.

Using the variance command is the easy part - it's getting the metric that's the hard part with IGRP. With EIGRP, you just look in the topology table and that's it. With IGRP, you've got to run a debug to get the right metric.

The variance command is a multiplier when the value supplied with the variance command is multiplied by the lowest-cost metric, it must exceed the higher-cost metric in order for the higher-cost route to be added.

If that sounds complicated, it's not. It's one of those things that sounds difficult, but isn't. Trust me!

In this example, R1 has two paths to 172.23.0.0, but is currently using only one. By looking in the IP routing table, we've seen that the lowest-cost metric for network 172.23.0.0 on R1 is 8576. This path goes through the 172.12.123.0 network. There is another valid path that uses the 172.12.13.0 network, but is not currently in use.

I 172.23.0.0/16 [100/8576] via 172.12.123.2, 00:00:53, Serial0

IGRP does not have a "show" command that displays all valid routes to a destination, as does EIGRP. The command debug ip igrp transactions will show the current metric of the routes using the 512 KBPS route.

R1#debug ip igrp transactions

IGRP protocol debugging is on

19:17:51: IGRP: broadcasting request on Loopback0

19:17:51: IGRP: broadcasting request on Serial0

19:17:51: IGRP: broadcasting request on Serial1

19:17:51: IGRP: received update from 172.12.13.3 on Serial1

19:17:51: subnet 172.12.13.0, metric 23531 (neighbor 21531)

19:17:51: subnet 172.12.123.0, metric 23531 (neighbor 8476)

19:17:51: network 1.0.0.0, metric 24031 (neighbor 8976)

19:17:51: network 2.0.0.0, metric 22131 (neighbor 1600)

19:17:51: network 3.0.0.0, metric 22031 (neighbor 501)

19:17:51: network 172.23.0.0, metric 21631 (neighbor 1100)

R1(config)#router igrp 1
R1(config-router)#variance 3
R1#show ip route 172.23.0.0
Routing entry for 172.23.0.0/16
Known via "igrp 1", distance 100, metric 8576
Redistributing via igrp 1
Advertised by igrp 1 (self originated)
Last update from 172.12.123.2 on Serial0, 00:00:01 ago
Routing Descriptor Blocks:
* 172.12.13.3, from 172.12.13.3, 00:00:20 ago, via Serial1
Route metric is 21631, traffic share count is 1
Total delay is 21000 microseconds, minimum bandwidth is 512 Kbit
Reliability 255/255, minimum MTU 1500 bytes
Loading 1/255, Hops 0
172.12.123.3, from 172.12.123.3, 00:00:20 ago, via Serial0
Route metric is 8576, traffic share count is 3
Total delay is 21000 microseconds, minimum bandwidth is 1544 Kbit
Reliability 255/255, minimum MTU 1500 bytes
Loading 1/255, Hops 0
172.12.123.2, from 172.12.123.2, 00:00:01 ago, via Serial0
Route metric is 8576, traffic share count is 3
Total delay is 21000 microseconds, minimum bandwidth is 1544 Kbit
Reliability 255/255, minimum MTU 1500 bytes
Loading 1/255, Hops 0

The metric for 172.23.0.0 through the direct connection is 21631. A variance of 3 means that any route with a metric less than the best metric multiplied by the variance (in this case, 8576 x 3 = 25728) will be entered into the routing table. R1 now has three unequal-cost paths to 172.23.0.0 in its routing table, and load balancing will take place.

IGRP unequal-cost load balancing takes some practice, but as you can see, once you get the metric it's easy to work with. Just make sure you know how to get that metric!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

The Value of IT Certifications in Career Development

2008-05-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

Information technology (IT) is the branch of engineering dealing with the use of computers and telecommunications, developing and maintaining systems as well as retrieving, storing and transmitting information. Therefore, any person wanting to develop a career in IT should be aware of the value of IT certifications.

Through education and certification, professionals gain the skills, knowledge, and validation needed to be recognized as an expert in diverse products or technologies. MCSE Certification, CCNA Certification, A+ Certification, and SAP Certification are just a few of the many credentials an IT professional may achieve.

Microsoft certification programs are considered to be the major advancement to gain both professional and education background. There are several Microsoft certifications currently available for both onsite or offsite training; being MCSE Certification, one of the most frequently requested certifications.

The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification prove an individual's expertise in designing and implementing the required infrastructure for any type of business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2000 platform and Microsoft Windows Server System.

Demand for the network administration job function is another branch of IT, which has grown significantly, the same as candidates applying for this certification, particularly CCNA Certification.

The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) indicates a foundation in apprentice knowledge of networking with certified professionals able to install, configure, and operate WAN, LAN, and dial access services for small networks with 100 nodes or fewer

Operation and configuration services also includes but are not limited to use one but several of the following protocols: Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, IP, IGRP, VLANs, RIP, and Ethernet, Access Lists.

IT Certifications in career development add valuable credentials for IT professionals in a competitive industry where a certification for jobs like these is needed at the same time that learning is necessary due to the constant changing business environments

A+ Certification prove the competency of entry-level service technicians in the computer industry and it is an internationally recognized testing program sponsored by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA)

This certification is different from the others because it is not promoted by one company only, but by a whole group of PC manufacturers and other companies in the hardware market and its acceptance as an industry-wide credential offers additional benefits.

The ultimate goal of all IT certifications is in the development of your professional career is validating a specific experience required by the network and systems administrator job role for any small, middle or large company.

SAP Certification is one of the few credentials in the world of business with additional value only issued to those professionals who demonstrated their abilities by passing demanding, process-oriented exams through rigorous study or direct experience.

Natalie Aranda writes about learning, training and information technology. MCSE Certification, CCNA Certification, A+ Certification, and SAP Certification are just a few of the many credentials an IT professional may achieve.

Cisco CCNP / BCSI Exam Tutorial: Broadcasts And The IP Helper-Address Command

2008-05-28T02:59:00.000-07:00

While routers accept and generate broadcasts, they do not forward them. This can be quite a problem when a broadcast needs to get to a device such as a DHCP or TFTP server that's on one side of a router with other subnets on the other side.

If a PC attempts to locate a DNS server with a broadcast, the broadcast will be stopped by the router and will never get to the DNS server. By configuring the ip helper-address command on the router, UDP broadcasts such as this will be translated into a unicast by the router, making the communication possible. The command should be configured on the interface that will be receiving the broadcasts.

R1(config)#int e0

R1(config-if)#ip helper-address ?

A.B.C.D IP destination address

R1(config-if)#ip helper-address 100.1.1.2

Now, you may be wondering if this command covers all UDP services. Sorry, you're not getting off that easy! The command does forward eight common UDP service broadcasts, though.

TIME, port 37

TACACS, port 49

DNS, port 53

BOOTP/DHCP Server, port 67

BOOTP/DHCP Client, port 68

TFTP, port 69

NetBIOS name service, port 137

NetBIOS datagram service, port 138

That's going to cover most scenarios where the ip helper-address command will be useful, but what about those situations where the broadcast you need forwarded is not on this list? You can use the ip forward-protocol command to add any UDP port number to the list.

Additionally, to remove protocols from the default list, use the no ip forward-protocol command. In the following example, we'll add the Network Time Protocol port to the forwarding list while removing the NetBIOS ports. Remember, you can use IOS Help to get a list of commonly filtered ports!

R1(config)#ip forward-protocol udp ?

<0-65535> Port number

biff Biff (mail notification, comsat, 512)

bootpc Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) client (68)

bootps Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) server (67)

discard Discard (9)

dnsix DNSIX security protocol auditing (195)

domain Domain Name Service (DNS, 53)

echo Echo (7)

isakmp Internet Security Association and Key Management Protocol (500)

mobile-ip Mobile IP registration (434)

nameserver IEN116 name service (obsolete, 42)

netbios-dgm NetBios datagram service (138)

netbios-ns NetBios name service (137)

netbios-ss NetBios session service (139)

ntp Network Time Protocol (123)

pim-auto-rp PIM Auto-RP (496)

rip Routing Information Protocol (router, in.routed, 520)

snmp Simple Network Management Protocol (161)

snmptrap SNMP Traps (162)

sunrpc Sun Remote Procedure Call (111)

syslog System Logger (514)

tacacs TAC Access Control System (49)

talk Talk (517)

tftp Trivial File Transfer Protocol (69)

time Time (37)

who Who service (rwho, 513)

xdmcp X Display Manager Control Protocol (177)

R1(config)#ip forward-protocol udp 123

R1(config)#no ip forward-protocol udp 137

R1(config)#no ip forward-protocol udp 138 As you can see, the ip helper-address command helps work around the fact that broadcasts aren't forwarded by routers by default, and if you just need to send one or two broadcast types, the other types can be turned off easily.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Tutorial: ISDN Details You Must Know

2008-05-24T23:59:00.000-07:00

CCNA exam success depends partially on knowing the details of ISDN, and there are plenty of them! To help you review for your CCNA exam, here are a few ISDN details that you must know on exam day. (They help in the real world, too รขโ�ฌโ�� and there are still plenty of ISDN networks out there!

The Cisco-proprietary version of HDLC is the default encapsulation type for serial and ISDN interfaces.

R2#show interface serial0

Serial0 is up, line protocol is up

Hardware is HD64570

MTU 1500 bytes, BW 1544 Kbit, DLY 20000 usec, rely 255/255, load 1/255

Encapsulation HDLC, loopback not set, keepalive set (10 sec)

While thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs only one D-channel in BRI, PRI (US) and PRI (EU), the bandwidth of that D-channel does vary from BRI to PRI. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs 16 kbps in BRI and 64 kbps in both PRI versions.

The global command isdn switch-type must be configured before you can even begin to have ISDN work. show isdn status will tell you whether or not youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve done this correctly.

R2#show isdn status

**** No Global ISDN Switchtype currently defined ****

ISDN BRI0 interface

dsl 0, interface ISDN Switchtype = none

Layer 1 Status:

DEACTIVATED

Layer 2 Status:

Layer 2 NOT Activated

Layer 3 Status:

0 Active Layer 3 Call(s)

PAP allows passwords to be different; CHAP requires that they be the same.

PAP requires the "ppp pap sent-username" interface-level command. CHAP has no equivalent command.

Define interesting traffic with dialer-list and link that list to the interface with dialer-group.

R2#conf t

R2(config)#dialer-list 1 proto ip permit

R2(config)#int bri0

R2(config-if)#dialer-group 1

The dialer idle-timeout value is expressed in seconds, not minutes. (Even IOS Help isnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt totally clear on this.)

R2(config)#int bri0

R2(config-if)#dialer-group 1

R2(config-if)#dialer idle-timeout ?

<1-2147483> Idle timeout before disconnecting a call

R2(config-if)#dialer idle-timeout 120

Dialer map maps a remote IP address to a remote phone number. You never dial the local routerรขโ�ฌโ�ขs phone number.

dialer load-threshold requires the ppp multilink command to be configured, and the value of dialer load-threshold is expressed as a ratio of 255, NOT 100. For example, if you want the second b-channel to come up when the first reaches 50% of capacity, the value to express with dialer load-threshold would be 50% of 255 รขโ�ฌโ�� which equals 127.

R2(config)#int bri0

R2(config-if)#encap ppp

R2(config-if)#ppp multilink

R2(config-if)#dialer load-threshold ?

<1-255> Load threshold to place another call

Success on the CCNA exam depends on knowing the details. Keep studying, keep practicing on real Cisco routers and switches, keep a positive attitude, and you're on your way to CCNA exam success!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

You're in the Army Now - So Welcome To The MCSE Boot Camp

2008-05-23T17:59:00.000-07:00

If a person wants to earn a specific credential provided by objective validation of the ability to perform specific IT functions, we should go in for MCSE. This course has helped many IT professionals to work more effectively. To learn this Microsoft certification course the MCSE boot camp has been set up. This MCSE boot camp intensive training gives a quick injection of knowledge.

The main aim of MCSE boot camp is to provide fast certification process. The duration of this course is short which are generally one or two weeks. Moreover the timings of MCSE boot camp are flexible to meet the training requirements.

The MCSE boot camp training is not given to anyone or everyone. The teaching in this camp is fast and basic knowledge of the chosen subject is a must. The MCSE course is not easy enough that a person can mange on his own thus training from a MCSE boot camp is most of the time most necessary. There are also a lot of complicated concepts in an MCSE boot camp, which are unraveled during the course duration. Thus to benefit all the people appearing for MCSE, an MCSE boot camp has been set up. The main aim of MCSE boot camp is to provide proper guide and training from an educated instructor who can help the examinees to pass the exams.

After attending two weeks program from an MCSE boot camp the percentage of examinees clearing the exam significantly increases. Before the MCSE boot camp had been set up the clearing percentage had been staggering 20-40% but after the MCSE boot camp has been set up the percentage shot up to as high as 90%.

In an MCSE boot camp a learned, knowledgeable and educated instructor is provided who can clear all concepts and complexities. In addition to this the class is like a sort of group discussion where fellow students ask their queries and get the clarifications. MCSE boot camp create high performance environment to make learning as fun as well as easy.

Microsoft certification is increasing day be day. It is the most widely recognized technical certification in the industry, which is on high demand. . The MCSE boot camp institutes make them earn their Microsoft certification and make them lead the organization in successful manner. The MCP personnel administer the most advanced Microsoft windows platform and Microsoft server products. The survey of MCP magazine states that the average base salary of MCP ranges from $60,000 to $70,000.

The MCSE boot camp is like a boon to the fellow students. This institutes brings us away from the day to-day commotion and makes us focus on nothing else but the certification course. The trainers are also well trained, experienced and have the real world experience with products. These instructors are available even after their teaching hours. The MCSE boot camp classes are well equipped with the products, which allows every student to obtain hands-on experience with the product. Fellow students may contact the instructors in case of any difficulty or doubts.

The MCSE boot camp classes provide several ways for successful completion of course. Some MCSE boot camp also provide refresher course, which is free of charge, after the completion of the course. This offer is valid six months after the completion of the MCSE boot camp. The terms and condition of the MCSE boot camp also state that if the person is not happy with the teaching and the course program then he can take the classes again without any additional tuition cost within next six months.

The MCSE boot camp clearly mention that they shall strive their best to make their fellow students succeed in obtaining the Microsoft certification. A MCSE boot camp helps in learning the content and clears all doubts and queries.

James Croydon, Microsoft Certified Professional and MCSE Online Training advisor - focusing on MCSE Certification Courses and MCSE Certification

Online MCSE Certification

2008-05-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

An MCSE certification is one of the most valued qualifications in the IT industry. The credentials of earning the MCSE traditionally would be same as earning it through an online system, and there are several advantages of following the online path.

Through an online course, all study takes place at home or in the office, wherever is convenient. Most companies who provide online certification training have been certified by Microsoft, and they have a network of teachers and administrative personnel to help a candidate sail smoothly through the study period and the exam. There is an added advantage of cutting down on traveling time and costs, which one would generally waste in traditional classroom training. Also, the fees of such programs are considerably lower than their study center counterparts.

The pace of study for these programs is decided by the candidate. One can spend from a few minutes to a few hours a day, depending upon oneรขโ�ฌโ�ขs personal schedule. Also, one can study anytime, twenty-four hours a day. The course materials, reference and sample test papers for individual subjects are available on the servers. Moreover, the entire software required for the learning process is in constant supply, and this software provides real exam-like simulations which engage the candidates in the learning process.

The duration of these courses can vary from 6 months to an entire year depending upon the company offering the course. Upon successful completion and passing of a grade of 70% or higher, these companies are authorized to grant the candidate with an MCSE certificate.

MCSE Certification provides detailed information on MCSE Certification, MCSE Certification Training, Online MCSE Certification, MCSE Certification Exam and more. MCSE Certification is affiliated with MCSE Term Papers.

Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial And Case Study: VLANs and IP Connectivity

2008-05-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

In this CCNA case study, we'll take some basic switching and trunking theory and put it into action. We have two routers (R2 and R3) along with two switches (SW1 and SW2). R2 is connected to SW1 at fast 0/2, and R3 is connected to SW2 at fast 0/3. Both routers have IP addresses on the 172.12.23.0 /24 network.

For these routers to be able to ping each other, the switches must be able to communicate. These are two 2950 switches, and they're connected via two crossover cables. Before we worry about the router connectivity, let's make sure the trunk link is up between the switches with the "show interface trunk" command.

SW2#show interface trunk

Port Mode Encapsulation Status Native vlan

Fa0/11 desirable 802.1q trunking 1

Fa0/12 desirable 802.1q trunking 1

< output truncated for clarity >

The default mode of these switches is for the ports to run in dynamic desirable trunking mode, so we didn't even need to write a configuration to have the trunk form - it's already there!

Show vlan brief reinforces the theory that by default, all switch ports are placed into VLAN 1 (except the trunk ports).

R2 and R3รขโ�ฌโ�ขs Ethernet addresses have already been configured, the trunk line is operational, and both ports are in VLAN 1. We'll ping R2รขโ�ฌโ�ขs Ethernet interface from R3, and then R3รขโ�ฌโ�ขs Ethernet interface from R2 to verify IP connectivity.

R2#ping 172.23.23.3

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.23.23.3, timeout is 2 seconds:

!!!!!

Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 4/4/8 ms

R3#ping 172.23.23.2

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.23.23.2, timeout is 2 seconds: !!!!!

Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 4/4/8 ms

With pings, exclamation points indicate IP connectivity, and periods indicate no connectivity.

So we've got connectivity! Now let's see if we still have that connectivity when the ports are placed into different VLANs. Cisco CCNA theory states that devices in different VLANs can't communicate without the intervention of a Layer 3 device, but let's see if that's true by placing R2 into VLAN 23. (VTP is already running on these switches.)

SW1#conf t

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

SW1(config)#int fast 0/2

SW1(config-if)#switchport mode access

SW1(config-if)#switchport access vlan 23

SW1(config-if)#^Z

Now that R2 and R3 are in separate VLANs, can they still send pings back and forth?

R2#ping 172.23.23.3

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.23.23.3, timeout is 2 seconds: .....

Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)

R3#ping 172.23.23.2

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.23.23.2, timeout is 2 seconds: .....

No, they canรขโ�ฌโ�ขt. The difference is that theyรขโ�ฌโ�ขre now in separate VLANs, and devices in different VLANs canรขโ�ฌโ�ขt communicate unless routing is taking place somewhere. Here, no routing is taking place, so the pings donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt go through.

Put R3รขโ�ฌโ�ขs switch port into VLAN 23, and try the ping again.

SW2#conf t

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

SW2(config)#interface fast0/3

SW2(config-if)#switchport mode access

SW2(config-if)#switchport access vlan 23

R3#ping 172.23.23.2

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.23.23.2, timeout is 2 seconds: !!!!!

Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 4/4/8 ms

R2#ping 172.23.23.3

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.23.23.3, timeout is 2 seconds: !!!!!

Now that R2 and R3 are in the same VLAN, pings can go through. This just proves the theory - that inter-VLAN communicate requires a Layer 3 device. Layer 3 switches are becoming more and more popular, but router-on-a-stick is still around - and we'll see how to configure that in our next tutorial!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: Using The OSPF Command "Area Range"

2008-05-18T17:59:00.000-07:00

Your BSCI and CCNP exam success depends on knowing the details, and one such detail is knowing the proper way to summarize routes in OSPF. Route summarization is not just a test of your binary conversion abilities, but knowing where and when to summarize routes. It will not surprise any CCNA or CCNP certification candidate that OSPF gives us the most options for route summarization, and therefore more details to know!

OSPF offers us two options for route summarization configurations. In a previous tutorial, we looked at the "summary-address" command, and today we'll look at the proper use of the "area range" command.

The "area range" command should be used on an Area Border Router (ABR) to summarize routes being advertised from one OSPF area to another. In this tutorial, R1 is acting as an ABR, with interfaces in both Area 0 and Area 1. Four loopbacks have been placed into R1's Area 1.

R1(config)#router ospf 1

R1(config-router)#network 12.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 a 1

R1(config-router)#network 13.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 a 1

R1(config-router)#network 14.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 a 1

R1(config-router)#network 15.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 a 1

The routing table of an OSPF neighbor, R2, shows all four routes.

R2#show ip route ospf

12.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O IA 12.12.12.12 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:18:52, Serial0

13.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O IA 13.13.13.13 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:18:42, Serial0

14.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O IA 14.14.14.14 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:18:32, Serial0

15.0.0.0/32 is subnetted, 1 subnets

O IA 15.15.15.15 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:18:32, Serial0

To keep the routing tables of downstream routers smaller but still have the desired IP connectivity, we can use the area range command on R1 to summarize these four routes. The key to keep in mind with the area range command is that the area number given in the command is the area containing the destinations, NOT the area that will receive the summary route.

R1(config)#router ospf 1

R1(config-router)#area 1 range 12.0.0.0 252.0.0.0

R2 now shows a single summary route that can be used to reach all four remote networks.

R2#show ip route ospf

O IA 12.0.0.0/6 [110/65] via 172.12.123.1, 00:00:21, Serial0

Interestingly enough, there's now an additional route in R1's routing table.

R1#show ip route ospf O 12.0.0.0/6 is a summary, 00:07:53, Null0

When you configure summary routes in OSPF, a route to null0 will be installed into the OSPF routing table of the router performing the summarization. This helps to prevent routing loops. Any packets destined for the routes that have been summarized will have a longer match in the routing table, and packets that do not match one of the summarized routes but do match the summary route will be dropped.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

How To Become A True CCNA

2008-05-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

I've worked my way from the CCNA to the CCIE, and along the way I've conducted job interviews and casual conversations with dozens of CCNAs and CCNA candidates. Believe me, people who "sneak by" the CCNA exam by braindumps, memorization, and never touching a router or switch are QUICKLY found out in job interviews and on the job.

The field will always need qualified CCNAs. The key word is "qualified". How can you make sure you're truly qualified? It's actually pretty simple.

1. Use routers and switches in your study, not simulators. Simulators are OK to start with, but when you're in the interview room and you're taken to the network room, that simulator's not going to be there. Real routers and switches are. With all due respect to the simulators on the market, they're not routers and switches. Don't fool yourself.

Attend a CCNA class that gets you plenty of time on real Cisco equipment. Used Cisco equipment is cheaper than ever. Look at it this way -- you can put together a true CCNA lab that you can also use for CCNP study for less than $1000. When you choose to sell it, you can get half of that back. A small investment like that pays huge dividends in your future.

2. Know binary math. Some leading CCNA books tell you to just memorize a chart to get by the exam. I wish I had a nickel for every CCNA that hasn't been able to solve a simple subnetting problem in a job interview. Someone who doesn't know binary math is not going to go far. Who's going to remember that chart they memorized for the exam six months ago?

3. Run plenty of "show" and "debug" commands when running labs. These are the commands that show you what's going on "behind the command". You need to know what is really happening when you put in a command when you get asked about it in an interview.

These three simple points separate the real CCNAs from the ones who got lucky or braindumped their way to success. By constructing a solid foundation of Cisco knowledge at the CCNA level, you build the bridgework for a lifetime of career success. You don't have to have a lot of job experience to get a CCNA job, but you do have to really understand the subject matter.

It worked for me. I went from the CCNA to the CCIE in this manner, and the habits I developed at the CCNA level followed me all the way to the top. It can happen for you, too!

Good luck!

Cisco CCNA Exam Tutorial: Configuring Standard Access Lists

2008-05-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

Access Control Lists (ACLs) allow a router to permit or deny packets based on a variety of criteria. The ACL is configured in global mode, but is applied at the interface level. An ACL does not take effect until it is expressly applied to an interface with the ip access-group command. Packets can be filtered as they enter or exit an interface.

If a packet enters or exits an interface with an ACL applied, the packet is compared against the criteria of the ACL. If the packet matches the first line of the ACL, the appropriate "permit" or "deny" action is taken. If there is no match, the second lineรขโ�ฌโ�ขs criterion is examined. Again, if there is a match, the appropriate action is taken; if there is no match, the third line of the ACL is compared to the packet.

This process continues until a match is found, at which time the ACL stops running. If no match is found, a default "deny" takes place, and the packet will not be processed. When an ACL is configured, if a packet is not expressly permitted, it will be subject to the implicit deny at the end of every ACL. This is the default behavior of an ACL and cannot be changed.

A standard ACL is concerned with only one factor, the source IP address of the packet. The destination is not considered. Extended ACLs consider both the source and destination of the packet, and can consider the port number as well. The numerical range used for each is different: standard ACLs use the ranges 1-99 and 1300-1399; extended lists use 100-199 and 2000 to 2699.

There are several points worth repeating before beginning to configure standard ACLs.

Standard ACLs consider only the source IP address for matches.

The ACL lines are run from top to bottom. If there is no match on the first line, the second is run; if no match on the second, the third is run, and so on until there is a match, or the end of the ACL is reached. This top-to-bottom process places special importance on the order of the lines.

There is an implicit deny at the end of every ACL. If packets are not expressly permitted, they are implicitly denied.

If Router 3รขโ�ฌโ�ขs Ethernet interface should only accept packets with a source network of 172.12.12.0, the ACL will be configured like this:

R3#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 5 permit 172.12.12.0 0.0.0.255

The ACL consists of only one explicit line, one that permits packets from source IP address 172.12.12.0 /24. The implicit deny, which is not configured or seen in the running configuration, will deny all packets not matching the first line.

The ACL is then applied to the Ethernet0 interface:

R3#conf t

R3(config)#interface e0

R3(config-if)#ip access-group 5 in

But before you write any ACLs, it's a really good idea to see what other ACLs are already running on the router! To see the ACLs running on the router, use the command show access-list.

R1#show access-list

Standard IP access list 1

permit 0.0.0.0

Standard IP access list 5

permit 172.1.1.1

Standard IP access list 7

permit 23.3.3.3

Extended IP access list 100

permit tcp any any lt www (26 matches)

permit tcp any any neq telnet (12 matches)

deny ip any any

Extended IP access list 105

deny tcp any any eq www

deny tcp any any eq telnet

You're going to use ACLs all the way up the Cisco certification ladder, and throughout your career. The importance of knowing how to write and apply ACLs is paramount, and it all starts with mastering the fundamentals!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNA Certification: The Hidden Details Of Telnet

2008-05-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

Telnet is a simple yet powerful program that allows you to connect to a remote Cisco router or switch, and then configure it as though you were right at the console. Telnet is also one of those features that seems so very simple, until you get asked a half dozen questions about it on your CCNA exams. As with all topics, itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs the details you know about Telnet that will help you pass the Intro and ICND exams.

Letรขโ�ฌโ�ขs take a look at a few of these details. Weรขโ�ฌโ�ขll begin by debunking one common belief about Telnet:

Telnet runs at layer 7 of the OSI model, not layer 3!

Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs easy to think that Telnet runs at Layer 3 of the OSI model, the Network layer. After all, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre entering an IP address when you telnet in to a router or switch, and you may be on another router when you do it! None of that matters. Layer 3 is strictly the domain of routing. Like other features that require input from the end user, especially authentication, Telnet runs at the Application layer of the OSI model.

Speaking of authenticationรขโ�ฌยฆ.

Cisco routers require a password to be set before anyone can telnet in.

Cisco routers can run quite a few passwords. We can set an enable password, an enable secret, an enable secret and enable password, a password for PPP connections, and even a console password.

All of those are optional, but the telnet password is not. Makes sense รขโ�ฌโ�� you wouldnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt want just anyone telnetting into your router, would you?

If you have no password set on the VTY lines of your router, no one can telnet in. If they try, theyรขโ�ฌโ�ขll see this message:

R1#telnet 3.3.3.3

Trying 3.3.3.3 ... Open

Password required, but none set

[Connection to 3.3.3.3 closed by foreign host]

To allow telnet access into a Cisco router, configure the VTY lines with a password and the login command:

R3#conf t

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

R3(config)#line vty 0 4

R3(config-line)#login

% Login disabled on line 2, until 'password' is set

% Login disabled on line 3, until 'password' is set

% Login disabled on line 4, until 'password' is set

% Login disabled on line 5, until 'password' is set

% Login disabled on line 6, until 'password' is set

R3(config-line)#password cisco

Note the messages you get after enabling login. These messages simply indicate that the login wonรขโ�ฌโ�ขt work until a password is set. The order with which you use the login and password commands donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt matter just make sure you use them both.

Weรขโ�ฌโ�ขre not quite done, though. The remote user can now telnet in, but by default, that user will be placed into user exec mode. If the user is to be allowed to enter privileged exec mode during a telnet session, an enable password or enable secret must be set.

R1#telnet 3.3.3.3

Trying 3.3.3.3 ... Open

User Access Verification

Password:

R3>enable

% No password set

R3>

The user is stuck in user exec until you set a local enable password. Doing so will allow the user to use that password to enter privileged exec mode.

R3#conf t

R3(config)#enable password ccna

R3(config)#^Z

R1#telnet 3.3.3.3

Trying 3.3.3.3 ... Open

User Access Verification

Password: < user entered cisco here>

R3>enable

Password: < user entered ccna here >

R3#

The user is now in privileged exec mode. Thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs also another method to use so the user is placed directly into privileged exec mode when telnetting in, avoiding the enable password prompt. Use the command privilege level 15 on the VTY lines to do so.

R3#conf t

R3(config)#line vty 0 4

R3(config-line)#privilege level 15

R1#telnet 3.3.3.3

Trying 3.3.3.3 ... Open

User Access Verification

Password: < user entered VTY line password here >

R3#

Note that the user went straight to privileged exec mode.

Managing Telnet Connections

We already know how to use Telnet (a layer 7 application) to access a remote device there are also commands that help us manage telnet connections.

"show sessions" is a common command to see what current telnet sessions are operating.

Telnet sessions do not have to be exited they can be suspended as well. The command to suspend the Telnet session is followed by striking the "X" key.

To resume this telnet session, enter the resume command followed by the session number ("resume 1") and press .

To end a suspended telnet session, enter the disconnect command followed by the session number ("disconnect 1") and press .

Cisco CCNA / CCNP / BCMSN Exam Review: Trunking And Trunking Protocols

2008-05-15T00:59:00.000-07:00

To earn your CCNA or CCNP certification, you've got to understand the basics of trunking. This isn't just a CCNA topic - you must have an advanced understanding of trunking and etherchannels to pass the BCMSN exam and earn your CCNP as well. Before we address those advanced topics, though, you need to master the fundamentals!

A trunk allows inter-VLAN traffic to flow between directly connected switches. By default, a trunk port is a member of all VLANs, so traffic for any and all VLANs can travel across this trunk. That includes broadcast traffic!

The default mode of a switch port does differ between models, so always check your documentation. On Cisco 2950 switches, every single port is in dynamic desirable mode by default, meaning that every port is actively attempting to trunk. On these switches, the only action needed from us is to physically connect them with a crossover cable. In just a few seconds, the port light turns green and the trunk is up and running. The command show interface trunk will verify trunking.

How does the receiving switch know what VLAN the frame belongs to? The frames are tagged by the transmitting switch with a VLAN ID, reflecting the number of the VLAN whose member ports should receive this frame. When the frame arrives at the remote switch, that switch will examine this ID and then forward the frame appropriately.

There are two major trunking protocols you must understand and compare successfully, those being ISL and IEEE 802.1Q. Let's take a look at the details of ISL first.

ISL is a Cisco-proprietary trunking protocol, making it unsuitable for a multivendor environment. That's one drawback, but there are others. ISL will place both a header and trailer onto the frame, encapsulating it. This increases the overhead on the trunk line.

You know that the default VLAN is also known as the "native VLAN", and another drawback to ISL is that ISL does not use the concept of the native VLAN. This means that every single frame transmitted across the trunk will be encapsulated.

The 26-byte header that is added to the frame by ISL contains the VLAN ID; the 4-byte trailer contains a Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC) value. The CRC is a frame validity scheme that checks the frame's integrity.

In turn, this encapsulation leads to another potential issue. ISL encapsulation adds 30 bytes total to the size of the frame, potentially making them too large for the switch to handle. (The maximum size for an Ethernet frame is 1518 bytes.)

IEEE 802.1q differs substantially from ISL. In contrast to ISL, dot1q does not encapsulate frames. A 4-byte header is added to the frame, resulting in less overhead than ISL. If the frame is destined for hosts residing in the native VLAN, that header isn't added. Since the header is only 4 bytes in size, and isn't even placed on every frame, using dot1q lessens the chance of oversized frames. When the remote port receives an untagged frame, the switch knows that these untagged frames are destined for the native VLAN.

Knowing the details is the difference between passing and failing your CCNA and CCNP exams. Keep studying, get some hands-on practice, and youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre on your way to Cisco certification success!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

How To Start A Career In The Computer Field

2008-05-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

If you're considering a career working in Information Technology - a fancy way of saying "working with computers" - congratulations! I can tell you from personal experience that it's one of the best decisions you'll ever make. I can also tell you from personal experience that it is never too late to begin!

I started my IT career 10 years ago, and it was a tough decision. I was 34 years old, and really knew next to nothing about computers. I decided to attend a technical school to get my career started, and it was the best decision I've ever made. Ten years later, I write ebooks and teach classes dealing with different facets of networking, Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขve earned the most difficult computer certification in the world, and I've never been happier. The same thing can happen for you.

As with any new venture, there are some things you have to watch out for, so I'm going to share my experiences with you in this new series of articles. I'll tell you what worked for me, what didn't work for me, and some tips and tricks on developing a fun, exciting, and financially rewarding career in Information Technology.

The first decision, and one of the biggest, is to decide what technical school to attend. If you think you can't afford it, think again. Ask yourself this question: Can you afford not to go?

Almost every college and community college offers some kind of technical class, so look into those. For many of us, though, a technical college such as ITT or ECPI is a better bet. These colleges have more of a focus on technology, and can also help with job placement.

What you should beware with some technical schools is an unrealistic emphasis on how much money you're going to make when you graduate. Some schools are fond of mentioning the MCSE Salary Survey, making it sound like you're going to make $65,000 or more in your first IT job. Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขm not saying that canรขโ�ฌโ�ขt happen, but itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs not very realistic for your first job. When you visit a school you're thinking of attending, ask to speak to someone in the job placement department and ask them point-blank where they've recently placed graduates and the salaries at which they were hired.

Find out how many of the classes include hands-on labs. This should be close or at 100%. The only real way to learn about software such as Microsoft Server, or any computer hardware, is to really work with it. Just reading about it isnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt enough. Believe it or not, computer hardware and software doesnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt always work the way the books say it will!

You should also ask the school if any of their courses include preparing for computer certification exams. Professional certifications such as the CCNA, Network+, Security+, A+, and MCSE can be a huge boost to your career and your salary. We'll talk more about that in the next installment of this series. In the meantime, stop dreaming about a computer career and start planning on how to make it happen!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free CCNA and Network + tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, Ultimate Network+ Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

You can also join his RSS feed and visit his blog, which is updated several times daily with new Cisco certification articles, free tutorials, and twice-daily CCNA, Network+, and CCNP certification exam practice questions! Details are on the website.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And now, you can earn your Security + certification from The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial: The Core Layer Of Cisco's Three-Layer Model

2008-05-10T00:59:00.000-07:00

In this section, you're going to be reintroduced to a networking model you first saw in your CCNA studies. No, it's not the OSI model or the TCP/IP model - it's the Cisco Three-Layer Hierarchical Model. Let's face it, just about all you had to do for the CCNA was memorize the three layers and the order they were found in that model, but the stakes are raised here in your CCNP studies. You need to know what each layer does, and what each layer should not be doing. This is vital information for your real-world network career as well, so let's get started with a review of the Cisco three-layer model, and then we'll take a look at each layer's tasks. Most of the considerations at each layer are common sense, but we'll go over them anyway!

Today weรขโ�ฌโ�ขll take a look at the core layer of the Cisco model.

The term core switches refers to any switches found here. Switches at the core layer allow switches at the distribution layer to communicate, and this is more than a full-time job. It's vital to keep any extra workload off the core switches, and allow them to do what they need to do - switch! The core layer is the backbone of your entire network, so we're interested in high-speed data transfer and very low latency - that's it!

Core layer switches are usually the most powerful in your network, capable of higher throughput than any other switches in the network. Remember, everything we do on a Cisco router or switch has a cost in CPU or memory, so we're going to leave most frame manipulation and filtering to other layers. The exception is Cisco QoS, or Quality of Service. QoS is generally performed at the core layer. We'll go into much more detail regarding QoS in another tutorial, but for now, know that QoS is basically high-speed queuing where special consideration can be given to certain data in certain queues. (Youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll soon find that this is a very basic definition!)

We always want redundancy, but you want a lot of redundancy in your core layer. This is the nerve center of your entire network, so fault tolerance needs to be as high as you can possibly get it. Root bridges should also be located in the core layer.

The importance of keeping unnecessary workload off your core switches cannot be overstated. In the next part of this BCMSN tutorial, weรขโ�ฌโ�ขll take a look at how the other layers of the Cisco three-part model do just that.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam Tutorial: Route Summarization Basics

2008-05-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

As you earn your CCNA and CCNP certification, you're going to have to get comfortable with manually summarizing routes. This isn't just another reason to learn binary math (although it's a good one!), but summarizing routes is a true real-world skill that can help your network operate more efficiently. So the question isn't just how to summarize routes, it's why.

When you summarize routes in RIP, IGRP, EIGRP, or OSPF, you're replacing a series of routes with a summary route and mask. With RIP, IGRP, and EIGRP, this actually lessens the size of the routing update packet itself - multiple routes are replaced with the summary route. For instance, the routes 8.0.0.0/8, 9.0.0.0/8, 10.0.0.0/8, and 11.0.0.0/8 can be summarized as 8.0.0.0 252.0.0.0. Only the summary address will be found in the update packet, making it concise yet complete.

Summarizing routes can also make the routing table smaller, yet still allow for complete IP connectivity when done correctly. Using the above example, the four more-specific routes will be replaced by a single summary route. Since the entire routing table is parsed before the routing process is complete, keeping the routing table as small as possible does help speed the routing process as a whole.

To prepare for success on your CCNA and CCNP exam, you've got to know how to summarize routes as well as the specific commands for doing so with OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, and IGRP - but knowing why to summarize routes is just as important as knowing how! Here are some additional tips on route summarization.

With RIP version 2 and EIGRP, manual route summarization is configured on the interface that will be advertising the summary. This is done with the route summarization command "ip summary-address."

RIP version 2 and EIGRP also both perform autosummarization on routes that are advertised across classful network boundaries. This is disabled with the protocol-level command "no auto-summary".

OSPF offers two different route summarization commands. To summarize routes from one OSPF area to another, use the "area range" command; to summarize routes learned via redistribution, use the "summary-address" command on the ASBR.

With proper planning and an understanding of binary math, you'll master route summarization quickly with some practice - and you'll be ready for success on real-world networks as well as the CCNA and CCNP exams!

Why Should I Train for a Microsoft Certification?

2008-05-05T15:59:00.000-07:00

Microsoft certification is a vast combination of rich and varied spectrum of job and responsibilities. To successfully perform the critical IT function we should earn a specific credential providing objective validity of the ability. One of the most effective ways to reach a long-term career goal, which is even embraced by industry professionals worldwide, is Microsoft certification.

Advancing with long-term career goals Microsoft certification has helped countless IT professionals work more effectively. Individuals have started quoting their valuable experiences during the Microsoft certification course on the websites available. The professionals of Microsoft certification course are very different from the IT counterparts. They not only keep on fighting the challenges of IT field but also have keep themselves a step ahead from them by developing and improving their skills. These certification processes gives one a kind of knowledge to know how to get recognized in any field.

The professionals of Microsoft certification are called at the Microsoft certified professionals or MCP. For the this Microsoft certification they have to pass current Microsoft certification exam which will proved a reliable and valid measure of professional and technical expertise. The validity of a current exam is only considered and not which is retired. Microsoft certification exams reflect how Microsoft products are used in the organization.

Microsoft certification exams are developed from the inputs received from the IT industry professionals. The independent testing organizations administer these exams. There is one very big reason why IT professionals and developers become Microsoft certified professionals is that they all know that their clients, peers, employees and the IT industry shall acknowledge their expertise in working with the Microsoft products and technologies.

There are various steps towards obtaining Microsoft certification. Firstly, one should decide which Microsoft certification is correct for the person. As Microsoft offers a vast variety of professions within the IT industry one should understand which course would be the best for him. One should also get handy with the Microsoft products, which can be done only after working in the IT industry. Experience should be expanded with training by taking advantage of the training resources.

For obtaining Microsoft certification, it is also better to know what to expect in the exam. Previous question papers or taking consultation from those who have appeared or cleared the test is always a good choice. Taking helps from the help guides for Microsoft certification exams is also an added advantage. These help provide guidelines and suggestions to the person appearing for the exam. It is also suggested to take trial tests before appearing for the final exam. The test center should be selected from the worldwide locations. Also certain details like area of study, testing program and region etc should be mentioned.

Even after polishing our skills set Microsoft certification provides other specific advantages. They are like the recognition of our knowledge and proficiency in the industry. One can also be accessed as MCP member on the websites and can obtain various offers and discounts on products and services. One can also get career information and simultaneously get invitations to conferences, special events and training sessions.

A Microsoft certification shows technical leadership over other peers as well as ability to successfully implement Microsoft business solutions for any organizations or clients.

James Croydon, Microsoft Certified Professional and MCSE Online Certification advisor - focusing on MCSE Study and MCSE Training

Network Certification Exam Tutorial: An Introduction To Backup Types

2008-05-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

Fault tolerance isn't fault invulnerability. No matter how hard we work to avoid single points of failure, sooner or later something catastrophic will happen to a part of our network. Don't get me wrong, I'm no pessimist - quite the opposite! But part of being a world-class network manager is having a disaster recovery plan in place, and in place before disaster strikes. It doesn't do you any good to implement a data backup strategy after data is lost!

I bring that point up because having a sound backup system in place is a vital part of administering a network. If an email server in your network right now, would you have a backup to restore as much data as possible? Take it from me -- you better.

It's rare to find a network that has no backup system in place, but whether that system is current is often another matter. Personally, I've visited networks where they had a tape drive right there in the server room, with tapes right next to it, and no system in place. Everyone thought someone else was supposed to be handling it (or hoped someone else was), the tapes had no dates, etc. That's exactly where you and I do not want to be.

Part of developing a data backup strategy is deciding how often to run backups, and what kind of backups to run. It's not always feasible to back up all data on every single server every single night. Let's look at the different backup types and exactly what gets backed up when they're run.

Files have an archive bit that indicates whether the file has been changed since the last backup ran. When a file is backed up, this bit is set to "off". When a new file is created or an old file's contents are altered, this bit is set to "on". Keep this archive bit in mind during the following discussion.

A full backup is just what it sounds like. All files are backed up, regardless of the archive bit setting. That's the easy one. Watch these next two. :) The difference is subtle, but significant.

An incremental backup backs up all files created or changed since the last backup of any kind. Every single file with the archive bit set to "on" is backed up.

A differential backup backs up everything that is different -- that is, all files created or changed -- since the last full backup only.

Now you may be thinking, "What in the heck do we need both of those for? What's the real difference?" Believe it or not, this wasn't developed just to make your Network+ exam harder. It just seems that way!

Your choice of backups depends largely on the amount of time you have to run your backups and how much data will have to be stored. Many network administrators choose to run full backups only on weekends and either incremental or differential backups during the week.

One network I was the admin for had this backup schedule:

Every Sunday - full

Every Tuesday - incremental

Every Thursday - incremental

I was lucky enough to never have to use the backups, but let's say that on Saturday morning, a drive went bad. Since I used incremental backups, I needed the last full backup and both of the incremental backups. If I had run differential backups, I would have needed only the last full backup and the last differential backup.

The type of backups your network will run really depends on three factors:

the amount of data to be backed up

the capacity of the backup media

the time available for the backup

If you can run full backups every night, great; if you can't, differential backups are a great middle ground between full and incremental backups. The important thing is that you do run them!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free CCNA exam and Network + tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, Ultimate Network+ Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And now, you can earn your Security + certification from The Bryant Advantage!

Free CCNA Study Guides

2008-05-03T18:59:00.000-07:00

The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is a certification that indicates a foundation in and apprentice knowledge of networking. CCNA certified professionals can install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer) including (but not limited to) the use of protocols such as IP, IGRP, serial, frame relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, and access lists. There are no prerequisites that are required for a CCNA certification.

There are two options available for CCNA certification: 640-801 CCNA or 640-821 INTRO combined with 640-811 ICND. The 640-801 single exam option is the most popular route for earning the CCNA certification; however, a two-exam option has been introduced by Cisco since 2003.

There are several free CCNA study guides available on the market. Most of these sites provide free tutorials and study notes. While some sites provide free practice exams for CCNA, others include a section on tips for studying articles and tips and suggestions on how to get the maximum out of the studying time. Also, people residing in the U.S. or Canada can also get a completely free subscription to many computer magazines that can help them further in preparing for these exams.

Some of the best free guides include notes on topics such as Cisco three layered hierarchical model, cabling Cisco devices, and selecting Cisco products. The interactive tutorials explain the key concepts in a concise and easy-to-read language.

Generally, each course includes a pre-assessment, course map, and post-assessment module. The course covers topics such as sub-netting, layered communication models (OSI, TCP/IP & Cisco), IP addressing, and hex and binary.

Some free study centers not only include free study guides for CCNA but also provide interactive networking tools such as a sub-netting calculator and real IP address catcher for better understanding of networking concepts.

These free study guides are proven to be a good stepping stone towards preparation for the CCNA exams; it should be the first step of CCNA aspirants towards the certification.

CCNA provides detailed information on CCNA, CCNA Certifications, CCNA Exams, CCNA Training and more. CCNA is affiliated with Fiber Optics Training.

Cisco CCNP Certification Exam Tutorial: Making The Most Of Cisco's CCNP Program Changes

2008-05-03T03:59:00.000-07:00

As you probably know by now, Cisco's making some sweeping changes in their Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) program. Two longtime exams are being retired at the end of the year, two are being revised, and two new exams will be making their debut in late 2006.

If you're currently working on the CCNP or even thinking about it, the one thing you must NOT do is postpone your studies. On occasion, some certification exam candidates postpone their studies when they hear of an exam change. Cisco has announced these CCNP changes well ahead of time, and you've got plenty of time to pass some CCNP exams by the end of the year - and they still count toward the CCNP!

Let's take an exam-by-exam look at the current and future CCNP programs.

The BSCI exam is being updated, with the current exam being retired at the end of 2006.

The BCMSN exam is being updated, with the current exam being retired at the end of 2006.

The BCRAN exam is being retired at the end of 2006, and it will be replaced by the Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks (642-825) exam.

The CIT exam is being retired at the end of 2006, and it will be replaced by the Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks (642-845) exam.

Any CCNP certification exam you take by the end of 2006 does count toward your CCNP, so there is no reason to postpone your studies. You never get anywhere by waiting!

The one thing you can't do is take the current exam version and then take the new one and have both count toward the CCNP. The CCNP has a three-exam path and a four-exam path, and here are the four exam qualifications you must fulfill to become a CCNP with the four-exam path:

Current BSCI (642-801) or Revised BSCI (642-901)

Current BCMSN (642-811) or Revised BCMSN (642-812)

Current BCRAN (642-821) or New ISCW (642-825)

Current CIT (642-831) or New ONT (642-845)

If your choose the three-exam path, just replace the first two exams shown above with the current Composite exam (642-891) or revised Composite exam (642-892). Cisco expects to release the revised Composite exam in November 2006.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, Ultimate Network+ Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And now, you can earn your Network+ certification from The Bryant Advantage!

MCSE Training

2008-04-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

MCSE training is very intensive. To wade through the extensive coursework and comprehend its applications on your own is time consuming and you may not be able to appear for exams in the stipulated time. For many aspirants, the best way to do this is at a local training center. These centers will help candidates go through coursework and practical sessions professionally and help them in exam and career oriented study. The important thing is to get a thorough knowledge and understanding of the coursework, write the exams on time and be aware of the practical applications of the Microsoft products and services.

But if you find a lack of good training centers or boot camps in your neighborhood, you can also go to the Internet and get trained using the thousands of tutorials and study guides available on the web. There are many people who like to study that way, or use CD-ROMS and books for their preparation for MCSE. Microsoft itself has come out with an MCSE training kit that intends to help candidates learn the skills needed on the job as well as acquire the knowledge needed for the exams.

MCSE training classes are usually conducted at the convenience of the candidates, but most centers are open for quite a number of hours every day. The advantage of such training centers is that each group will have a restricted number of participants, with each member getting individual guidance from MCSE experts. But for people who want to do an intensive course in MCSE training and pass the exams, there are many centers that conduct boot camps, running through the entire coursework for an exam in a matter of two to three weeks. This helps working men and women who may not find time to attend classes on a regular basis, but still be able to take the exam on time.

MCSE provides detailed information on MCSE, MCSE Certification, MCSE Term Papers, MCSE Training and more. MCSE is affiliated with Online MCSE Certification.

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: IP Version 6 Zero Compression

2008-04-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

BSCI exam success is all part of becoming a CCNP, and part of that success is now learning the basics of IP Version 6, or IPv6. One of the most difficult parts of learning IPv6 concepts is the radically different addressing scheme that IPv6 uses as compared to IPv4. Just look at these sample addresses:

Typical IPv4 address: 129.14.12.200

Typical IPv6 address: 1029:9183:81AE:0000:0000:0AC1:2143:019B

As you can see, IPv6 isn't exactly just tacking two more octets onto an IPv4 address!

I haven't met too many networkers who really like typing, particularly numbers. You'll be happy to know there are some rules that will shorten those addresses a bit, and it's a very good idea to be fluent with these rules for your exam.

You remember from your CCNA studies that there's no difference between an upper-case letter and lower-case letter in hexadecimal. That's one of three basic rules you need to know when working with IPv6 addressing. The other factors deal with all the zeroes you'll run into in IPv6 addresses! One of these rules is the rule of zero compression.

The rule of zero compression states that if an address contains consecutive fields of zeroes, they can be expressed with two colons. It doesn't matter if you have two fields or eight, you can simply type two colons and that will represent all of them. The key here is that you can only do this once in an IPv6 address. This is referred to as zero compression. Here's an example:

Original format: 1234:1234:0000:0000:0000:0000:3456:3434

Using zero compression: 1234:1234::3456:3434

Again, you must remember that you can only do this once in an IPv6 address expression.

What if there are zeroes in the address that don't quite fit this rule? The next part of our IPv6 tutorial will deal with leading zero compression, another tool you can use to shorten these long, long addresses!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the BSCI exam with The Bryant Advantage!

CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam Tutorial: HSRP MAC Addresses And Timers

2008-04-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

To earn your CCNP certification and pass the BCMSN exam, you've got to know what HSRP does and the many configurable options. While the operation of HSRP is quite simple (and covered in a previous tutorial), you also need to know how HSRP arrives at the MAC address for the virtual router - as well as how to configure a new MAC for this virtual router. This puts us in the unusual position of creating a physical address for a router that doesn't exist!

The output of show standby for a two-router HSRP configuration is shown below.

R2#show standby

Ethernet0 - Group 5

Local state is Standby, priority 100

Hellotime 3 sec, holdtime 10 sec

Next hello sent in 0.776

Virtual IP address is 172.12.23.10 configured

Active router is 172.12.23.3, priority 100 expires in 9.568

Standby router is local

1 state changes, last state change 00:00:22

R3#show standby

Ethernet0 - Group 5

Local state is Active, priority 100

Hellotime 3 sec, holdtime 10 sec

Next hello sent in 2.592

Virtual IP address is 172.12.23.10 configured

Active router is local

Standby router is 172.12.23.2 expires in 8.020

Virtual mac address is 0000.0c07.ac05

2 state changes, last state change 00:02:08

R3 is in Active state, while R2 is in Standby. The hosts are using the 172.12.123.10 address as their gateway, but R3 is actually handling the workload. R2 will take over if R3 becomes unavailable.

An IP address was assigned to the virtual router during the HSRP configuration process, but not a MAC address. However, there is a MAC address under the show standby output on R3, the active router. How did the HSRP process arrive at a MAC of 00-00-0c-07-ac-05?

Well, most of the work is already done before the configuration is even begun. The MAC address 00-00-0c-07-ac-xx is reserved for HSRP, and xx is the group number in hexadecimal. That's a good skill to have for the exam, so make sure you're comfortable with hex conversions. The group number is 5, which is expressed as 05 with a two-bit hex character. If the group number had been 17, we'd see 11 at the end of the MAC address - one unit of 16, one unit of 1.

The output of the show standby command also tells us that the HSRP speakers are sending Hellos every 3 seconds, with a 10-second holdtime. These values can be changed with the standby command, but HSRP speakers in the same group should have the same timers. You can even tie down the hello time to the millisecond, but it's doubtful you'll ever need to do that.

R3(config-if)#standby 5 timers ?

<1-254> Hello interval in seconds

msec Specify hello interval in milliseconds

R3(config-if)#standby 5 timers 4 ?

<5-255> Hold time in seconds

R3(config-if)#standby 5 timers 4 12

Another important HSRP skill is knowing how to change the Active router assignment. I'll show you how to do that, and how to configure HSRP interface tracking, in the next part of my CCNP / BCMSN exam tutorial!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Cisco CCNA / CCNP Certification Exam: Troubleshooting Direct Serial Connections

2008-04-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Connecting Cisco routers directly via their Serial interfaces works really well once you get it running - and getting such a connection up and running is easy enough. You can use show controller serial x to find out which endpoint is acting as the DCE, and it's the DCE that must be configured with the clockrate command.

R3#show controller serial 1

HD unit 1, idb = 0x11B4DC, driver structure at 0x121868

buffer size 1524 HD unit 1, V.35 DCE cable

R3(config)#int serial1

R3(config-if)#ip address 172.12.13.3 255.255.255.0

R3(config-if)#clockrate 56000

R3(config-if)#no shut

Failure to configure the clockrate has some interesting effects regarding the physical and logical state of the interfaces. Let's remove the clockrate from R3 and see what happens.

R3(config)#int s1

R3(config-if)#no clockrate 56000

R3(config-if)#

18:02:19: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Serial1, changed state to down

The line protocol doesn't drop immediately, but it does drop. Let's run show interface serial1 to compare the physical and logical interface states.

R3#show int serial1

Serial1 is up, line protocol is down

Physically, the interface is fine, so the physical interface is up. It's only the logical part of the interface - the line protocol - that is down. It's the same situation on R1.

R1#show inter serial1

Serial1 is up, line protocol is down

While a router misconfiguration is the most likely cause of a serial connection issue, that's not the only reason for clocking issues. Cisco's website documentation mentions CSU/DSU misconfiguration, out-of-spec cables, bad patch panel connections, and connecting too many cables together as other reasons for clocking problems. Still, the number one reason for clocking problems in my experience is simply forgetting to configure the clockrate command!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And coming in 2007 -- Microsoft Vista certification from The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco CCNP / BCMSN Exam Tutorial: Static VLANs

2008-04-28T11:24:00.000-07:00

BCMSN exam success and earning your CCNP certification requires you to add to your knowledge of VLAN configuration. When you studied for your CCNA exam, you learned how to place ports into a VLAN and what the purpose of VLANs was, but you may not be aware that there are two types of VLAN membership. To pass the BCMSN exam, you must know the details of both types.

In this tutorial, we'll take a look at the VLAN type you are most familiar with, the "static VLAN". As you know, VLANs are a great way to create smaller broadcast domains in your network. Host devices connected to a port belonging to one VLAN will receive broadcasts and multicasts only if they were originated by another host in that same VLAN. The drawback is that without the help of a Layer 3 switch or a router, inter-VLAN communication cannot occur.

The actual configuration of a static VLAN is simple enough. In this example, by placing switch ports 0/1 and 0/2 into VLAN 12, the only broadcasts and multicasts hosts connected to those ports will receive are the ones transmitted by ports in VLAN 12.

SW1(config)#int fast 0/1

SW1(config-if)#switchport mode access

SW1(config-if)#switchport access vlan 12

% Access VLAN does not exist. Creating vlan 12

SW1(config-if)#int fast 0/2

SW1(config-if)#switchport mode access

SW1(config-if)#switchport access vlan 12

One of the many things I love about Cisco switches and routers is that if you have forgotten to do something, the Cisco device is generally going to remind you or in this case actually do it for you. I placed port 0/1 into a VLAN that did not yet exist, so the switch created it for me!

There are two commands needed to place a port into a VLAN. By default, these ports are running in dynamic desirable trunking mode, meaning that the port is actively attempting to form a trunk with a remote switch in order to send traffic between the two switches. The problem is that a trunk port belongs to all VLANs by default, and we want to put this port into a single VLAN only. To do so, we run the switchport mode access command to make the port an access port, and access ports belong to one and only one VLAN. After doing that, we placed the port into VLAN 12 with the switchport access vlan 12 command. Running the switchport mode access command effectively turns trunking off on that port.

The hosts are unaware of VLANs; they simply assume the VLAN membership of the port they're connected to. But that's not quite the case with dynamic VLANs, which we'll examine in the next part of this BCMSN tutorial.

CCNA Tests

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Most of the modes for preparing for CCNA Certification - study guides, forums, online and classroom courses, etc., - give the students several CCNA tests to prepare them for the actual CCNA exam. These tests not only sharpen their knowledge but also provide the students with realistic simulations of CCNA certification exams through their CCNA tests. Such tests cover all aspects of the actual exam through modules such as planning and designing, implementation and operation, and troubleshooting and technology.

Some professional training companies even have their test materials endorsed from Cisco, which they give to the students for a price. These tests tend to be the most realistic exam simulations with item types unique to every exam (case studies, active screen, drag and drop, hot area, multiple choice, free response, etc.). These companies even provide a self-configurable learning module, allowing the user to configure the test by objective, keyword, or questions that the user has missed previously. They also provide certification mode which gives the user a new test every time instead of some fixed practice tests that are available for free on the Internet.

Apart from giving CCNA tests, these companies also include flash cards and 24/7 mentoring as a part of their package. Flash cards can be configured online to one's own use and then printed for offline use. The mentoring module provides answers to unsolved queries posted by the students at any time of the day or night in an online chat environment.

It should be remembered that one should be extremely careful in choosing a particular test, since a lot of websites do not update their tests in accordance with the changes made in the CCNA course content.

For anyone who is preparing for CCNA exams, taking either free or paid CCNA tests is an excellent idea, as it not only provides answers for the questions that one may not have attempted in the test but also provides a very realistic view of the entire examination process.

CCNA provides detailed information on CCNA, CCNA Certifications, CCNA Exams, CCNA Training and more. CCNA is affiliated with Fiber Optics Training.

Cisco CCNP / BSCI Exam Tutorial: OSPF Router Types

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When you're preparing to pass the BSCI exam on the way to the coveted Cisco CCNP certification, you can be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of BGP and OSPF knowledge you must demonstrate a mastery of. One set of details that some BSCI and CCNP candidates underestimate are the differences between the OSPF router types. The OSPF router types seem straightforward enough, but what you must keep in mind is that a router can fill more than one of these roles!

An OSPF Internal router has one rule - it must have all its interfaces in a single area. It does not mean that area has to be Area 0.

An OSPF Backbone router is a router with at least a single area in the OSPF backbone area, Area 0. A router can be both an Internal and Backbone router if all its interfaces are in Area 0.

An Area Border Router has at least one interface in Area 0 and another interface in a non-backbone area. ABRs are also one of two router types that can perform OSPF route summarization. (To advertise a summary route from one OSPF area to another, use the area range command on the ABR.)

Finally, an ASBR is an OSPF router that is performing route redistribution by injecting routes from another source into the OSPF domain. This is the other OSPF router type that can perform route summarization; to summarize routes being redistributed into OSPF, use the summary-address command on the ASBR.

There are several commands you can use to determine the router types in a given OSPF area. The command "show ip ospf" will display quite a bit of information regarding the local router, and this includes whether that router is acting as an ABR or ASBR. To see the routes to the ABRs and ASBRs from the local router, run "show ip ospf border-routers".

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.