Product Description

Get ready for your future today! Cisco's new Routing exam is a requirement for both the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) programs. With full coverage of all exam objectives, you'll learn techniques and strategies for building scalable Cisco networks. The CD contains a testing engine, electronic flashcards for PCs and Palm devices, and valuable networking tools and utilities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1502587 in Books
• Published on: 2001-02-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 608 pages

Customer Reviews

It's amazing how uncritical some people are.
I saw some good reviews, so I bought the book. Then I learned why most reviews are worthless: too many people have been taught, "if you don't have anything nice to say . . .." I scored 900+ on the two CCNP exams I've taken so far (Switching and Support), so I have some idea of the sort of detail that is included in them. I have taken Cisco's routing course (BSCN), and reviewed Cisco's own materials. And I have plenty of hands-on; network engineering, mostly with Cisco equipment, is what I do. So let me tell you: this book is *hideous*. It is stunningly lacking in essential detail. Mr. Lammle, or anyone else for that matter, should be embarrassed to put his name on it. There is far less hyperbole in this review than you might suspect. This book leaves out far too much of what's in the course, in Cisco's own materials, what Cisco TELLS you is on the exam, and what you need to perform routing tasks effectively. This is more of a routing *pamphlet* than a "book."

Why two stars instead of one? This book could be of some use as a "starter" text for the novice before going to the actual Cisco course or reading the Cisco Press books. Some of the beginning chapters in particular provide a good review of basic concepts. (But then, the "novice" shouldn't be aiming at a CCNP exam.)

But to do well on the CCNP exam, and *certainly* to become skilled at routing tasks, I couldn't advise you more strongly to spend your money elsewhere.

I know. Everyone hates "negative" reviews. But love them or hate them, sometimes they're the truth.

Very lacking
To make a long story short, do not get this book unless you already understand OSPF, EIGRP, and BGP. I work w/ EIGRP and OSPF so the chapters on those were decent (b/c I already know them). But the chapters on BGP were awful. I read them twice and still didn't understand what it was saying. At this point I went to the Cisco web site and printed out the white paper on BGP and read it. That made sense. Buy the book for brief overviews on the topics, but nothing more.

Makes a hard subject eaiser to understand
The book is great. Be warned that it is not lite reading ,you will need to have an basic understanding of routers if you want to get anything out of it. Think of it as studying a college algebra book. If you have an understanding of math you will be ok if you dont know basic math you will get frustrated and slam the book. I use it in conjuction with the Cisco Press book to convert what they say into plain english. Todd and his group did a good job. But they can't spoon feed this stuff, you got to gear up and study.