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CCNP Exam Notes: Advanced Cisco Router Configuration

• CCNP Exam Notes: Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting by Kevin Hales, et al
• CCNP Exam Notes: Cisco LAN Switch Configuration by Todd Lammle, et al
• CCNP: Advanced Cisco Router Configuration Study Guide by Todd Lammle, et al
• CCNP: Cisco LAN Switch Configuration Study Guide by Todd Lammle, et al

The book does a commendable job of boiling down some of the very complex technologies involved in Cisco routing (EIGRP configuration, OSPF interconnection, dial-on-demand routing configuration) to their essential concepts. Lammle follows the old journalistic law of "tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em, tell 'em, and then tell 'em what you told 'em" by prefacing each section with a short blurb, moving into the main text, and then following up with a set of factoids, key terms, and concepts. A minor gripe is that key terms and concepts go after rather than before each section --not the most convenient organization for studying purposes.

The writing itself is among the best in certification guides to date, illustrating the internal "thought processes" of routing protocols clearly and without extraneous text. By concentrating on why, to take a simple example, RIP's broadcast of the entire routing table every 60 seconds can be a problem, Lammle helps the reader understand in what networks RIP works and when OSPF or EIGRP might be a better choice. The book's clarity and conciseness fails in one major aspect, though: the actual IOS commands used to set the router.

ACRC Exam Notes does an extremely competent job of detailing the exact steps required to configure routers for each task noted, but it frequently provides little explanation of what each command does in detail. To be fair, though, Lammle tells you at the beginning that there is no substitute for hands-on Cisco router experience, and he seems to assume that you will have extensive access to a router to back up the lessons learned here. This could be a problem for the vast number of "book-learned" certificate-seekers out there, but professionals looking for a "freebie" certification won't be troubled--nor will those who have prepared using other study guides.

ACRC Exam Notes gives little attention to the complex Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)--if you don't know it beforehand, you certainly won't know it after you read this book. It may be that BGP isn't a topic that comes up on the ACRC much--but if that's the case it should be specified, since Exam Notes points out many other critical areas that are frequently quizzed on.

Another slight problem is that the multiple-choice quizzes following each section are extremely limited (four at most per section, and usually only two) and tend to consist of absurdly simple questions that at times exactly parrot the Exam Essentials. Considering that the Cisco exams are among the tougher in the industry (is there any certification exam tougher than the CCIE?), a sample test at the end or even more in-depth questions would not be out of line here. But still, considering its low price, this guide is well worth the sawbuck it'll take to get it. Perfect for professionals who want to get it down pat before the test or for the beginner looking to get a high-level overview. --William Steinmetz

Topics covered: Managing and configuring access lists (regular and extended), configuring OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and EIGRP in small- and large-area networks, the four types of queuing configurations, optimizing routing updates, DDR routing, connecting enterprises to ISPs, source-route bridging, and configuring both ISDN and T1/E1 options.

Book Description
Here's the key to being thoroughly prepared when you face the Advanced Cisco Router Configuration exam on your way to the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification or the coveted Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification. This CCNP Exam Notes guide provides objective-by-objective coverage of all the material you need to know for the exam, singling out critical information, outlining necessary procedures, identifying exam essentials, and providing sample questions.

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