Self-Study Training Courses In Cisco Networks - The Inside Track

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by: ScottyJayEdwards
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Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 Time: 11:13 AM
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Should you be aspiring to become Cisco accredited, and you've not yet worked with routers or network switches, it's likely you'll need a CCNA course. This will give you skills for setting up and maintaining routers. Vast numbers of routers make up the internet, and large commercial ventures with several different sites also need routers to allow their networks to keep in touch.

Routers connect to networks, so find a course that covers networking fundamentals - perhaps Network+ and A+, before getting going with CCNA. It's essential to have a basic grasp of networks before you commence any Cisco training or you could find yourself a little lost. At interview time, you'll benefit from having a good knowledge of networks alongside your CCNA.

The appropriate skill-set and understanding in advance of starting your Cisco CCNA course skills is vital. So find an advisor who can fill you in on any gaps you may have.

It's not uncommon for companies to offer inclusive exam guarantees - this always means you have to pay for the exams at the very beginning of your studies. However, prior to embracing guaranteed exams, look at the following:

They've allowed costings for it ultimately. You can be assured it's not a freebie - they've just worked it into the package price. Trainees who enter their exams one by one, funding them as they go are much more likely to pass. They're mindful of the cost and prepare more appropriately to make sure they're ready.

Does it really add up to pay a training company in advance for exam fees? Go for the best offer at the appropriate time, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance - and do it in a local testing centre - rather than possibly hours away from your area. Big margins are secured by some training companies who get money upfront for exam fees. For quite legitimate reasons, a number of students don't get to do their exams but the company keeps the money. Amazingly, there are training companies that actually bank on it - as that's very profitable for them. Re-takes of previously unsuccessful exams via companies who offer an 'Exam Guarantee' are always heavily controlled. You'll be required to sit pre-tests till you've proven conclusively that you can pass.

Prometric and VUE exams are around 112 pounds in Britain at the time of writing. Students should be very wary of forking out hundreds of pounds extra in 'Exam Guarantee' costs (usually wrapped up in the course package price) - when the best course materials, the right level of support and study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams is what will really guarantee success.

A fatal Faux-Pas that we encounter all too often is to choose a career based on a course, and take their eye off the end result they want to achieve. Training academies are full of students that chose an 'interesting' course - instead of the program that would surely get them the job they want. Don't be one of those unfortunate students who set off on a track that seems 'fun' or 'interesting' - and get to the final hurdle of an accreditation for something they'll never enjoy.

You'll want to understand the expectations of your industry. Which accreditations you'll need and in what way you can gain some industry experience. It's definitely worth spending time setting guidelines as to how far you'd like to go as it will control your selection of exams. Have a chat with an experienced professional who understands the work you're contemplating, and is able to give you a detailed description of what you're going to be doing in that job. Getting all these things right well before you start on any study path will prevent a lot of wasted time and effort.

Be careful that the qualifications you're working towards are commercially relevant and are current. 'In-house' exams and the certificates they come with are not normally useful in gaining employment. If your certification doesn't come from a major player like Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco, then you'll probably find it will be commercially useless - as no-one will have heard of it.

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