CCNP Routing and Switching Official Certification Library (Exams 642-902, 642-813, 642-832) (Certification Guide Series) 1st Edition

I bought the CCNP Library to study for my CCNP, and feel the set did an outstanding job preparing me. I bought these without knowledge of the authorized self study guides, and I am glad I did because I skimmed through the other set after the fact, and it seems to be poorly written. The way I studied was I read through the entire book first, then went back through all the chapters and took notes. Of course by notes, I mean I essentially rewrote the book in my own words. I never actually used any of the included discs with the books, so I can't really comment on the quality of material the Boson Test Questions provide. If you have the discipline to study on your own, and access to some hardware, this could be all you need to earn your CCNP. If you aren't the type that can just pick up on concepts after reading it, then I would suggest you look around for some CCNP lab material. Either way, hands on is essential to truly understanding the material. My only gripe, and it's due to the material covered in CCNP, is the Switch book doesn't feel like it's layed out logically. The last chapters essentially feel like a sample of CCDA/CCNA Security/CCNA Voice/CCNA Wireless, and the material just doesn't mesh together like the first 2/3 of the book. The set has more then paid for itself, I pretty much consult the books daily when I need to check my work.

After completing my CCNA certification, I decided to pursue my CCNP using this library. Here is a breakdown of how I felt about each book. In the end, I was able to complete the CCNP exam track with the help of this book and ALOT of hands on lab time. I would not solely depend on these books to pass the CCNP exam track. Overall I would have to rate the set 4.5 stars (due to the switch book, please see below for further explanation). The $90-100 spent on this library is a small investment towards the knowledge you will gain from reading them. Good luck for those pursuing their CCNP!ROUTE: (4 stars)Coming from a CCNA certification, I decided to pursue my CCNP starting with the ROUTE exam. I've used books previously from Wendell Odom to pass my ICND1 and ICND2 exams. For those coming from CCNA get ready to have your head explode from the knowledge dropped on you from this book. I was fortunate enough to get a 5th printing of the book which corrected many of the errors others have stated (which can be found in the errata). So if you pick up this book, please make sure you have the latest printing or you will have to correct the book using the errata.As for the book itself, as others have stated, the first time I read this book it seemed a little confusing. Although the topics were laid out in a clear and concise manner. I felt like I would have to already know what the book was discussing so I could just fill in the gaps because the topics are discussed in a very in-depth manner. This book was nothing like the books written for the ICND1/2. This book expects you to have expert knowledge in OSPF, EIGRP, Frame Relay, etc before even attempting to read it. Which is why I say to get additional training material if you are coming straight from a CCNA perspective. Once I took more training (Simplified Route Book, CBT Training and lab time) I went back through the book and it made more sense and I was able to comprehend what it was actually trying to teach me.Overall, I rate this book 4 stars because it will help you pass the ROUTE exam, but you will definitely need additional resources and a lot of hands-on experience/lab time. My one grip with the book is it doesn't cover enough information on the branch topics (Hence the 4 stars). Make sure you follow up with the technology used for branched networking with additional resources to supplement the book! I recommend this book for your exam study, but I would encourage those studying for the exam to use additional material (as always) to fill in any holes/gaps.SWITCH: (3 stars)This book can get a bad rap for multiple reasons. The first several prints of this book left out critical information that was needed to pass the exam such as SNMP, Syslog and IP SLA all of which can now be found in the back of the latest print (6th) under the Appendix. This additional information can also be found on Dave Hucaby's blog. So with the updated book, is it enough to pass the switch exam? In my opinion, no it does not. While the book has essential information for understanding switch technology, it does not contain all the information you will need to pass the exam. Several key areas in which is lacks more in-depth information includes Networking Planning, Verification (one chapter in the book) and COS/QOS levels (one page). There may be more, but these are the areas I felt I was under prepared when I sat the exam using just this book and hands-on labs. If you're preparing for the exam, please do yourself a favor and either search the internet for additional information on these topics or invent in additional books that cover them more in detail.With that said, the book overall is written well and the concepts are not difficult to understand. Do not let the small size of this book deceive you on how difficult the SWITCH exam is. In contrast, I actually found the SWITCH exam more difficult than the ROUTE exam. Overall, the book is an excellent resource, and I would give it an overall 3.5 stars (if I could). I would hardly classify it as an official certification guide (as others have stated) due to the fact that it is missing critical information needed to pass the exam. Depending on how you look at it, the book has great information regarding switching and I felt the exam tested on more irrelevant topics (for a lack of a better word) then for what I expected and prepared for. Is it the books fault or just a questionable exam?As with everything else, get the book and study it, but don't let it be the only source of your studies because it will throw you off guard when you sit for the exam.TSHOOT (5 stars):If you're pursuing your CCNP and have completed the ROUTE and SWITCH exams, this book will be a great conclusion to your studies. It covers troubleshooting methodologies and most common used commands to find out trouble areas. This book also covers additional material which would've been nice to know during lab time with the ROUTE and SWITCH exams, for example port span and remote port span. It also includes how multicasting works and the difference between spare and dense mode, not very indepth, but great knowledge to have. If you've mastered the ROUTE and SWITCH material the TSHOOT exam will be a breeze. It's a very practical exam and mostly consists of simulations. Visit the Cisco website which gives you the topology used and the exam format. The Boson test exam which is included with this book is a nice refresher, but by no means will prepare you for the real exam. So use it lightly and really examine how to troubleshoot different problems area of BGP, EIGRP, OSPF, etc. I gave this book 5 stars because it is easily readable and it helps apply all the knowledge you have learned to troubleshoot networks. Out of the 3 books for the CCNP certification exam track, this easily has to be my favorite. Well written, concise and the information presented is invaluable.

Although I haven't finished reading the Switching book, I am finding the book to be thorough, clear, concise, informative, and overall a fun read.I love how this book is reviewing what I learned from studying for my CCNA, but furthering my knowledge and skills.I strongly encourage anyone serious about their CCNP studies to purchase this set of books.

When studying for the Cisco exams, I've always relied on reading the Cisco Press books as a foundation on my studying. The latest CCNP books are no exception. This product is a collection of books based on the three exams that will help you understand the topics on the test. I really like the layout and the author did a great job covering the subject matter.When I received my shipment, I noticed that the cardboard case that the books come in was a little damaged. Furthermore, the perforated flap that holds them together was ripped. So it's possible that it may have gotten damaged in storage or maybe it was a return. Inspecting each individual book though showed that they were in like new condition and had all the expected contents.

Excellent resource, takes a bit to get used to the editing. Certainly a great reference book art CCNP level. These books however do NOT entirely prepare you to perform at the CCNP level, however combine this with other self study aids and simulators and it is sufficient to pass CCNP certifications (provided you study:) )