In this article, I’ll give you several tips on browsing website ads for home learning ideas, and a few things to look out for when purchasing equipment online. For those of you just starting your Cisco certification pursuit, the idea of purchasing a series of books about the technology set of routers, switches, and perhaps some cables and study guides — seems like a good idea. Instead of putting your knowledge together one piece at a time, these kits allow you to get a head start on your studies.

One thing to watch out for in these kits is outdated equipment, or the inclusion of outdated study guides. Often, vendors will use these kits as a way to get rid of unwanted inventory. The Cisco 1900 family of switches falls into this category. A recent search on pass4sure for CCNA related showed different CCNA kits. The problem here is that the current CCNA exams do not test on all which are menu-driven and do not have an IOS.

If you’re on a tight budget, though, get a Cisco switch with an IOS. The cables and transceivers included with these kits are generally exactly what you need to set up that particular kit, and this can be very helpful to those CCNA candidates who are new to the various cables needed to physically configure a home lab. Just make sure you’re not buying a kit with 10 transceivers (used on AUI ports) when you’ve only got two routers with Ethernet ports. Watch out for kits that include outdated study guides. I’ve seen four-year-old CCNA books included with some kits. If you already have your study guides, feel free to ask the vendor how much the kit costs without the books. That leads me to the most important point. Get to know the vendor before buying anything.

Others, Building your own CCNA and/or CCNP home lab is a little intimidating at first, but speaking as someone who has climbed the Cisco certification ladder from the CCNA to the CCIE, I can tell you that it is the best investment you can make in your career. Use a little caution, ask the right question, and soon you’ll be leaving the world of “router simulators” behind – and you’ll be developing your skills as a true professional should: On real Cisco routers and switches!

CCNP, as a higher level of Cisco than CCNA, designed for Cisco Certified Network Professional certification. With the time going and its development, Cisco has expanded this level of certifications to include the Cisco Certified Security Professional (CCSP) and Cisco Certified Voice Professional (CCVP).

In today’s network, with security and voice being the two most rapidly expanding areas, some new CCNAs don’t add the CCNP in mind but consider going after the CCSP or CCVP. While you are trying to hurry up and get a Cisco security or voice certification, the best thing you can do for your networking career is achieve your CCNP certification first, then decide on the CCVP or CCSP. You must be open-eyed, later we’ll explain for it.

As the CCNA is just the tip of a very large iceberg when it comes to routing and switching, but CCNA is indeed the foundation of your networking career. If you need to add on to that level of understanding routing and switching before moving on to more specialized areas.

Two examples are OSPF and BGP. You learn about the theory of OSPF and some basic and intermediate configurations of that protocol in your CCNA studies, but the knowledge you acquire of OSPF in your CCNP studies is invaluable.

As for BGP, there is no BGP in the CCNA curriculum, but it is a great idea to have some BGP knowledge in today’s networks. It’s also good for your career. I know it is a huge temptation to go after the security and voice certifications while not paying attention to the CCNP.

Do yourself a huge favor, add the tremendous amount of routing and switching knowledge needed for the CCNP to your knowledgebase, and you can then move on to the CCSP or CCVP.

After that even better, you’ll be prepared to climb the biggest certification mountain around – the CCIE!

CCIE Voice which is considered to be the highest level of IT certification. Is one of the most difficult exams in Cisco. Expert describes the CCIE certification level. It is estimated that there are only about 17,000 professionals in the whole world that hold this level of certification, and has the highest salary track record in the profession. Different tracks across these levels align with varying career needs.
Don’t worry so much, we will get it after we take it seriously.

The CCIE Voice  Lab Exam is Cisco’s highest professional certification level, which opens the door to many unique career opportunities. There are three different levels of  Cisco Certification, each with their own sub categories: Associate, Professional, and Expert.

While there are no formal prerequisites for taking this exam, candidates are required to pass a written exam before moving on to the lab portion, and three to five years of job experience is recommended for all candidates. As with all high level types of examinations, the more experience that you can bring with you as you begin preparation, the better, and the more preparation, the better your chances of passing on the first try will be.

This exam is divided into sections, including Basic Campus Design, Call Manager and Call Express Configuration, Voice Gateway and Signaling, Call Routine, Voice CODEC, Call Admission Control, High Availability Features, Media Resource Management, QoS Considerations, Unified Messaging, CRS IPCC Express Application, Call Manager Voice Applications, Supplementary Services, Directory Services and Integration, and Fax.

Within these sections, there are also subcategories within these sections that anyone who is getting ready to take the CCIE Voice Lab Exam will want to practice and master.

Hands on training and preparation for the CCIE Voice Lab Exam is recommended, which should include taking several mock lab exams. If after taking one, you find that you didn’t score as well as you were expecting, this may be your first clue that you are not as knowledgeable about the techniques and topics covered as you originally thought.

Trying to rush through the mock lab isn’t advisable, because it might lead to making many small mistakes that can add up and lower your score.

Once you discover which areas you are weak in, you will know what to focus on when you begin to work with your workbooks and learning materials, and you will be better prepared to ask the right questions of your instructors during your boot camp or training course. With the right amount of preparation and study, you will have a good chance of passing this high level exam when you first try.