CCNA 1 and 2 Companion Guide [With CDROM]

by Cisco Systems Inc. and Inc. Academic Business Consultants

Containing learning aids to reinforce the course material, focus on concepts, and organize study time, this book covers preparation knowledge for the CCNA certification exam (640-801, or 640-821 and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1587131501
• ISBN13: 9781587131509
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Cisco Press
• Length: 1043 Pages
• Weight: 4.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.0" x 8.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

CCNA 1 and 2 Companion Guide, Revised (Cisco Networking Academy Program) (3rd Edition) (Companion Gu

Very good book for my University course in Networks and telecommunications, hard to find at bookstores

You can't be talking about this book!

I checked twice to make sure I was reading reviews of the book I am currently reading(now on Ch 8), because this is an excellent book. Before I begin - one caveat - I have the the Networking Basic, CCNA 1 Companion Guide (cc 2006) not the CCNA 1 & 2 Companion Guide. However, judging by the contents and excerpt it appears that Part I of this book is the same as the book I am reading. This is perfect for self study as it is heavy in pedagogy and takes real pains to make sure key concepts are conveyed with special notation, graphics and some repetition. There are plenty of illustration and excercises you can do with the included network simulator to drive home concepts and practice some practical configuations of devices and experiment with topologies. I can't understand how anyone would think this is too technical assuming they are interested in acheiving a working understanding of networking. At times I wished they would dive just a little deeper, but I appreciate that this is not an engineering text, but rather is written on what I would call a technician level. I have had no trouble understanding any of the concepts and found it to be one of the more readable texts I have encountered. Good explanations and a logical flow to the text. Prior to this book I had read one book on the subject; it is non-technical (in as much as is appropriate when covering a technical topic) but covers a wide scope so that I would get an nice overview before delving into details - Sam's Teach Yourself Networking in 24 hours. I have a BS in Electronic Engineering so I can appreciate that those without this kind of background might find the CCNA CG more challenging, but if you are attempting to be a professional networker then I suspect you may be in over your head if you find this book too difficult. I don't want to imply that my BS gave me an advantage in terms of knowledge of the material since I had no networkin courses, but rather I am just used to reading much more difficult texts and solving much more difficult problems. The only portion so far that my EE degree gave me an advantage in was the explanation of the physics of cable and fiber transmissions. The books explanation is written on a 9th grade level and would be simple reading for an arts major IMO. As for preparation for the CNNA I can't speak with any authority since I have not taken the exam yet. Of course you will need other resources besides these books to prepare for the exam but I have to believe this provides a solid theoretical and to a some degree practical grounding in networking - assuming of course you also study CCNA 3 & 4 CG's which I hope are as well written as this book.

Deffinantly Would buy from again

The book was perfect, the shipping was fast, the price was the lowest anywhere, and I would recommend this seller to all.

Hmmmm.....

I'm not sure about the other reviewers here but I found this book very, very useful. I'm taking the online-acadamy and found the book supported the 3.0 curriculum very nicely. The hardcover book would go into greater depth and would aid in understanding. Reading online and following up by reading each chapter in the book really drove the concepts. I have heard horror stories about previous books and curriculum but I think this 3rd edition has addressed those... I gave 4 stars as the book does have some typos...I have read this book, cover to cover, and found maybe 5 (significant) errors - - most of which simply challenged my thinking and/or forced further reference; enhancing the experience. This book will serve you well as a Companion Guide to the CCNA 1 and 2 Online Curriculum.

An Excellent Companion

Cisco seems to have made a transition from being a high performance workstation and server supplier to being a supplier of high end networking equipment. It seems like you cannot go into an Internet Service Provider without seeing at least some Cisco equipment. As such, being an authority on Cisco equipment and even more important understanding the Cisco approach to networking is a good start on employment. And the crowning achievement is the Cisco Certified Network Associate certificate. This book is a companion to the on line course. It was written by the people who wrote the exam so it covers what you need to know to pass it.