How to Study for Cisco Certifications (CCENT/CCNA/CCNP/Etc.)

Prepare yourself... this is an hour of me talking.

This video I’m going to ramble on about some tips and guidance I have for studying for Cisco Certifications. This is going to be a bit different than my regular videos since I’m basically just going to be speaking off the cuff about the methods I’ve used to study as well as the pros and cons of each. I use CCNA and CCNP R&S as my foundation, but the methods generally apply across the board and I’ll make some references to them as I go along.

This video resembles a review of the various study resources I've used over the years, but I guess I have to mention that I'm not affiliated with any of these companies/organizations. My thoughts on each tool come from my own experiences and knowledge of the tools in the real world.

Below are some timestamps on the specific sections and resources I cover in the video. If you are just starting out and aren't sure where to start I'd recommend watching the entire video.

01:53 - Exam Topics (Roadmap for Study)
04:28 - Basic Knowledge (Books to Use)
07:10 - Video Courses (CBT Nuggets)
11:22 - Video Courses (INE)
14:30 - Video Courses (Udemy)
17:01 - Video Courses (Misc and Specific Topics)
19:00 - Practice (Overview)
20:15 - Practice (Packet Tracer)
24:48 - Practice (Boson Netsim)
26:50 - Practice (Boson Additional Resources)
28:34 - Practice (GNS3)
32:20 - Practice (VIRL)
35:01 - Practice (Eve-ng)
39:56 - Practice (Real Equipment)
45:18 - Practice (Some things I missed...caveats)
49:07 - Losing my mind (ending)

Also, I don't place much emphasis on additional study material such as lab guides or practice exams even though they are very important and valuable resources. My input on these study tools is spread throughout the video, but I really should have made an entire section dedicated to these even though they are typically bundled with a video course or study package.

Additionally, I don't include rack rentals as a practice method even though I do mention them in the INE video course section. Rack rentals are an excellent alternative to building your own physical lab, but these are typically pursued at the expert level. They are a happy medium between emulators and having physical equipment (You don't have to set it up yourself, but it doesn't have the limitations of a simulator/emulator).

[ebirac]

21:57 About Packet Tracer Great! Just noticed the breakdown of the video! Thanks!

[ryanmously]

Do you think it’s worth it to pirate the videos? Instead of paying for it?