jacky's personal blog

CCNP certification is getting a new look at the end of 2007. The BSCI and BCMSN exams are being updated, and the CIT and BCRAN exams are being retired. Let's take a look at what to expect from the new BSCI exam.

According to Cisco's exam blueprint - admittedly a very broad blueprint at this time - the major new topics are IP version 6 (IPv6) and multicasting. The addition of these two topics will make an already demanding Cisco certification exam that much tougher, but this is a great change for the exam and for the candidate. IPv6 is just going to become more and more prevalent in today's networks, and multicasting is as well.

Multicasting for the Cisco CCNP BSCI exam is going to go far beyond what you learned about it in your CCNA studies. For the new BSCI exam, you'll need to know the different methods of creating multicast groups as well as assigning members to them. This material was previously limited to CCIE-level books, and while I don't look for the questions to be as hard as the CCIE written exam, multicasting is not an easy topic and should not be taken lightly by the CCNP candidate in 2007.

One major CCNP exam topic that isn't going anywhere is BGP. The Border Gateway Protocol has been a big part of previous BSCI exams, and that looks to continue.

If you're pursuing your CCNP certification in 2008, be sure to monitor Cisco's website for additions to the CCNP blueprint. It's obvious that Cisco has raised the bar for CCNP certification, and earning this important Cisco certification will in turn raise your market value and networking knowledge like never before. Watch for future tutorials examining the other three new CCNP exams!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA certification test prep articles. His exclusive Cisco CCNA study guide and Cisco CCNA training is also available!

Cisco CCNP Certification Exams: 642-812, 642-892, 642-901, 642-845, 642-825, 642-891, 642-811, 642-821, 642-831.

In this article, we won't go through each objective but rather focus on six of the most important things to know to be prepared for Exam 70-291. But first, let's take a minute to determine whether you need to tackle the exam at all.

Do you need to take this exam?

Exam 70-291 is intended to verify networking knowledge and skill with Windows Server 2003 for those new to higher-level Microsoft certification. If you already hold a networking certification from Microsoft above the MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) level, you may be able to bypass this exam altogether.

If you are certified as an MCSA, you can skip this exam as well as 70-290, Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment, and just take exam 70-292, Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSA Certified on Windows 2000. Taking only exam 70-292, you can upgrade your MCSA from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003 in just one test.

If you are certified as an MCSE, you can also bypass 70-290 and 70-291 by taking 70-292, but you need to add exam 70-296, Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSE Certified on Windows 2000. These two exams work together to upgrade your certification and save you time in the testing center.

Tip one: Think conceptually

Yes, this is an exam in the Windows Server 2003 track, but it probably focuses more on concepts, as opposed to products, than any other exam in the track. The IP Addressing category expects you to know and understand IP addressing (which is essentially the same as it has been for many years) and DHCP. The Name Resolution category focuses on DNS, which has not changed much since Windows 2000.

The Network Security category concentrates on security concepts with a required knowledge of some of the oldest tools in the Microsoft arsenal—Event Viewer and Network Monitor, to name two. When Windows NT became Windows 2000, "Remote Access" became "Routing and Remote Access" (RRAS vs. RAS), and little is new in the fourth category: You must understand the principles of TCP/IP routing. The final category, Maintaining a Network Infrastructure, requires commonsense knowledge of service dependencies (which are the same in almost every operating system) and some Microsoft tools—Network Monitor and System Monitor as well.

You do need a working knowledge of Windows Server 2003 to pass this exam. Far more important, though, is a knowledge and understanding of the concepts of networking and interacting with the Internet as an administrator.

Tip two: Buy the Resource Kit

As with every Microsoft exam, a dozen publishers will be putting out training guides and study guides and exam prep guides—so many that your head will spin just looking at the bookshelf. Those books are all helpful in studying for a test, but much of the same material used in question creation overlaps content used in one of the most definitive book series that Microsoft Press releases for each operating system. This started with Windows 95 and has become truer with each successive operating system and Resource Kit release, climaxing with Windows 2000. (You almost had to have the Resource Kit to pass the exams.)

As of this writing, the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit (ISBN: 0735614717) is not yet available but is expected to be soon. Although the list price is $299.99, you can already find it greatly discounted at many online retailers. When you factor in the cost of failing an exam or two, along with the fact that this kit can be used to study for every one of the Windows Server 2003 exams, you can see that the money it costs is a great investment.

Tip three: Think 70-216

I know that I am not alone in saying that exam 70-216, Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure, is one of the most difficult that Microsoft's psychometricians ever conjured up. After sailing through exam 70-210 (Windows 2000 Professional) and 70-215 (Windows 2000 Server), I confidently took 70-216 without much study. "How hard can an exam on networking basics be?" I thought.

I don't mind saying that I failed the exam on more than one occasion. I honestly believe that the pass rate on this exam was so low that it served as an impetus in Microsoft's decision to create the much easier 70-218 exam, Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment.

If you look at the title of exam 70-291, you'll note that it uses "Network Infrastructure" (from 70-216) instead of "Network Environment" (from 70-218). If you look closely at the objectives, you'll see that they mirror many of the counterparts on 70-216. Although the number of objective categories has shrunk from 70-216 to 70-291, the difficulty level has not. This is not an exam you can sail through just because you've been working with networking concepts since the days when Peter Frampton had hair.

Tip four: Know that simple things can be difficult

Tying in with the last tip, you need to mentally acknowledge before taking the exam that some easy things can be made more difficult than they should be and be prepared for this. It is no secret that exam questions often focus on minutiae, and that is difficult enough when taking a test. But be ready for question formats—not just content—that try your nerves.

Brace yourself for marathon-length multiple-choice questions that list lots of possible answers and ask you to "choose all that apply." The problem with this format is that you still only get the question right or wrong. If there are seven possible choices and three that are correct, you don't get partial credit if you only chose two and the two that you chose are among those correct. You missed the question. Miss enough of them, and you can plan on taking the exam again, and again, and….

Microsoft has also added a new type of question that divides the information among three screens that you have to maneuver and scroll through. There are not a lot of these questions yet, but enough to make things frustrating. Before signing up for this test, I would recommend calling the testing center of your choice and asking what size monitors they administer the exams on; the bigger the better for these questions.

Tip five: Focus on the Microsoft angle

The concepts are universal—networking, DHCP, etc.—but spend some time concentrating on anything that Microsoft does with these items that make them sales bullets for the company. For example, DNS has been around since the days when it became apparent that scaling HOSTS files was impossible, but you need to know how Microsoft intertwines Active Directory with DNS. In other words, don't just know DNS, but know Microsoft's take on it.

Read the overview of DNS posted on the Microsoft site, then delve deeper into selections about understanding, installing, and securing.

Other items to similarly focus on include all the tools and utilities related to the networking functions. Add ipconfig to the list and know all the parameters/options that can be used with it.

Tip six: Spend some time with IAS

Microsoft's Internet Authentication Service (IAS) is its implementation of Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service (RADIUS), and it forms a large component of RRAS. Knowledge of this topic is crucial to passing the Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining Routing and Remote Access portion of the exam.

For studying, start with the overview, and then read how the Network Access Quarantine Control works with Windows Server 2003. After reading that information, get as much experience with it as you possibly can.

Emmett's recommendation

The 70-291 exam is a step you must take to become MCSA or MCSE certified on Windows Server 2003 if you don't hold those certs for Windows 2000. It is a much more difficult exam than you would think, given the subject material. If you can avoid taking it—and you can, if you're already MCSA/MCSE certified—that is the best way to handle it.

CCIE Routing and Switching Written Exam 350-001 is a two-hour, multiple choice test with 100 questions covering Routing and Switching networking theory related to topics such as IP, IP routing, non-IP desktop protocols, bridging and switch-related technologies, and includes some equipment commands. The 350-001 exam is closed book and no outside reference materials are allowed.

Beta Exams
Each written exam version is offered first in beta form at a discounted cost of US$50. Beta exams are scheduled as you would other written exams and are available at all worldwide testing locations. A passing grade on the beta qualifies a candidate to schedule the lab exam. Results, however, are typically not available until six to eight weeks after the close of the beta. A candidate may attempt the beta exam only once during the beta period.

Cost
Written exams are administered by independent vendors at cost of US$315. Costs may vary due to exchange rates and local taxes (VAT, GST).

Expiration
Candidates must make an initial attempt of the CCIE lab exam(350-018 Lab and 350-001 Lab) within 18 months of passing the CCIE written exam. Valid passing scores on written exams expire after 18 months.

Locations
Written exams are taken at any worldwide VUE testing facility. See their websites for more details.

Results
Written exam results are Pass/Fail and are available immediately following the exam. The passing score is set by statistical analysis and is subject to periodic change.

Retakes
Candidates must wait five days between attempts at the written exam. Once a candidate has passed the exam, he or she may not take the same exam again (for recertification purposes) for at least 180 days.

Infomation from http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/ccie/rs/written_exam.html

Preparing for the 350-001 exam? Searching 350-001 Test Questions, 350-001 Practice Exam, 350-001 Dumps?

Exam4sure 350-001 is written to coincide with the real test by the experienced IT experts and specialists. With the complete collection of Questions and Answers, Exam4sure 350-001 is high enough to help the candidates to pass this exam easily without any other study materials and no need to attend the expensive training class.

CCNA is one of the most respected Associate level Certification in the world today.

Getting a CCNA will definitely help you to get a better job or at least get your foot into Professional Networking Field. When you meet a person that has CCNA degree you will notice that he or she knows something about Networking.

This article will describe and give you some tips on how to achieve CCNA.

I did it so can you, so lets get started.

1. Getting ready mentally

First thing you need to do is mentally prepare your self. What I mean by that is that you have to seriously think about on why are you getting CCNA and why do you want to be CCNA certified. You have to firmly decide and believe that you will get CCNA within next 3-6 months or so.

Try to budget your study time well. If you a very social person (like me) you will have to give up some of your social time for the next couple of months.

Your friends and family will understand. Trust me: it is well worth it. Once you get that cert you can make up for the lost social time.

2. Getting the right study material

Second thing you need to do is to get proper study material.

There is lot of controversy around this and some people go overboard with study guides, books, simulators and such.

I believe that two Cisco Press books INTR and ICND by Wendell Odom are enough as far as the books go. They are really well written and easy to follow. So sign up at http://www.ciscopress.com and get those two books. Make sure you got the latest version.

You will also want to get some kind of a simulator that will let you practice commands and that will also build up your confidence.

You can buy real equipment but that could get expensive. I highly recommend that you become member of Cisco Certification forum.

Forum is huge and you will get lot of helpful answers, tips and advices pretty quick. (I know I did)

3. Approach and diving deep

There are many different approaches to studying from books but I will tell you about mine. This step will take the most of your studying time.

- Before you even start reading any of the books I suggest learning binary math (really easy) and subnetting so you can do it in your sleep.

- Read both books casually once from front to cover (make sure you cover introduction and practice questions too). This will give you good overview.

- Install both CD’s that came with books and practices some of the questions. Don’t worry if you get lot of them wrong.

- Now, you will ready both books again but this time you will have to read it to truly understand the concept and how things work. Master one chapter and do questions from just that chapter until you sick of it. Then move to the next chapter.

- Once you mastered all chapters do lot of questions and labexercises. Those two CD’s will give you ability to do that.

4. Schedule the test

You’re not done yet with studying but it is really good to schedule the test after you completed step 3 in this article. Here is why:

If you schedule the test a month in advance right after you completed step 3, you won’t be able to slack and make excuses not to study hard until tests and it is also good to give your self a headline. I have seen people working on their CCNA for 2 years. They master one or two chapters, then they rest for 2 two months and right when they think they are ready for the next chapter, they forget what they have learned in the first chapter.

5. Read both books one more time to refresh

This is optional, but I highly recommend reading the both books one more time. If you read both books in a three week that will give you one more week before the test to cram which is subject of the next step. So by now you should’ve read both books three times over. I also suggest re-reading questions and answers from both books one more time.

6. Cram, Cram and Cram

- This is the last part of your study and there is no turning back.

Deadline is hanging around your neck like a noose. You should cram Q&A for no more then 10 days before you take the test.

At this point it is really important that you get fresh and different questions then those included with your CD’s. Some people claims that brain dumps or Q&A are bad and evil. I tend to disagree with that. At this point you already firmly grasped the whole CCNA concept and Q&A will only help you. So get some Q&A exam question and cram, cram and cram them for a week.

- Don’t use books or CD’s anymore.

There is no looking back. No worries, material from the books will return to you at the right time.

- Don’t do any studying a night or a day before the test.

Go out with your wife or significant other to a dinner and a movie. Relax. It is very important to relax and get a good night sleep since one of those testing boots could really be intimidating. If you did all the steps above and read books with intention to understand the topics and how stuff works (no pun intended), and not just to pass the test you should be more then ready by now.

We came to an end of this short tutorial. I hope this article give you at least some ideas on how to approach studying for CCNA.

If you fail CCNA first time, don’t get discouraged. You will have more knowledge and confidence when you attempt it the next time then the person who passed it on the first try. Whatever approach you take I wish you good luck and prosper career.

CCNA exams list: 640-802, 640-816, 640-822, 640-811, 640-821.

About the Author:

Vanja Buric is Network Engineer, and works for Charter Communication Business Engineering Department, and also owner of the http://www.vanjaburic.com website, where you can get latest networking news, articles,tips, free e-Books, virus alerts and lot more… as well as purchase IT Exam study guides.

I won an auction for a Tiffany bracelet. But before I even bid, I emailed the seller, asking her if this was authentic, even though in the auction details, she stated that it was.

I know there are A LOT of fakes on eBay, but with 100% feedback from 65 people, I thought they were legitimate. I was wrong.

Anyone who's bought/received Tiffany's jewelry from Tiffany's website KNOWS what to expect in the mail. A heavy polishing cloth/carrying case, a turquoise box, and an authentic piece.

I knew IMMEDIATELY when I opened the box that I had been duped. The lime green box had Tiffany & Co. smudged on top. The polishing cloth/carrying case was hollow inside and made of some hardened material. Again, the logo was printed and smudged. To make it worse, the bracelet didn't even say Tiffany & Co.

I contacted the seller, and she denied it was a fake. Owning several rings and bracelets, I know what tiffany jewelry is supposed to look like. She refused a refund, and I was out $80.00!!!

Apparently this seller bought a fake box (lime green!)and cleaning cloth/carrying case off of eBay - and was passing off a fake bracelet as authentic.

I contacted PayPal - they asked that I return the package to her so that my refund was processed. I did exactly that, and added delivery confirmation to "cover myself". She then tells PayPal the package was empty, and no ring was shipped back. I contacted eBay, and thought they would cancel the auction, absolving me from responsibility. I was wrong again. I had already paid and received the bracelet so I was basically stuck with a fake bracelet and nothing else.

I was out $80.00 PLUS $4.00 to ship the item back. The seller received the bracelet & my money.

Be sure to read all of the fine print of a auction. She stated at the bottom of the auction that the buyer had to pay for shipping it back!! I buy something I think is authentic, and when I find out it's not, I'm out the return shipping charges!!!

As Buyer, you must protect yourself.

While there are some people selling their Tiffany & Co. jewelry (tiffany necklaces, tiffany pendants, tiffany bracelets, tiffany earrings, tiffany rings), be careful. You could end up with a fake peice like I did, and have to pay to ship it back, and STILL not get refunded.

Tiffany Mall is discount tiffany jewelry online store. We have added about 200 Tiffany & Co Sliver Jewelry and Diamonds to the site for our customers. Our mission is to provide the best products and service to our customers at the lowest prices possible.

It was Tiffany & Co. that introduced the engagement ring as we know it today. The celebrated six-prong “Tiffany® Setting” lifts the diamond above the band and into the light. The result is a ring whose beauty has never been equaled.

In 1848 the New York City newspapers dubbed Charles Lewis Tiffany, “The King of Diamonds.” And with good reason. The quality of Tiffany diamonds was then, and remains, exemplary. In the spring of 1887, Tiffany shocked the world by purchasing the French Crown Jewels. From this time on, Tiffany became the world’s authority on the finest diamonds.

Soon Tiffany designers were creating brilliance of their own. From the glittering 1890s on, timeless Tiffany designs graced women from the finest families: the Astors, the Vanderbilts, the Morgans. Celebrities from the theater, sports, and ultimately European royalty and Hollywood stars began to prize Tiffany diamond designs.

Around the world, museums treasure the Tiffany design aesthetic, from the Art Nouveau period to Art Deco to today’s modern classics. Year in, year out, the passion for Tiffany diamonds is clearly demonstrated in the world’s auction houses.

Today, the world-famous 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond is on permanent display in the New York flagship store—proof positive of Tiffany’s diamond legacy.

List of Tiffany & Co. products:

• Tiffany Necklace
• Tiffany Pendant
• Tiffany Bracelet
• Tiffany Earrings
• Tiffany Ring
• Tiffany Pocket Mirror

But nowhere is a Tiffany diamond more beautiful or more treasured than in its place of honor, on the hand of a woman.

You can get more infomation from www.tiffany.com.

Tiffany Mall is your best best Tiffany & Co sliver jewelry and diamonds provider. We have added about 200 Tiffany Jewelry and Diamonds to the site for our customers. Our mission is to provide the best products and service to our customers at the lowest prices possible.

How do you get a good mcse study guide? We all know that the MCSE certification exams are tough to pass. IT certifications are not easy. But not if you have the proper training resources with you. Browse from the following exams and buy your test practice today. Knowing the right material is the best way of becoming certified.

Earn the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification and prove your expertise in designing and implementing the infrastructure for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows 2000 platform and Windows Server System.

The demand for information technology skills brings MCSE into the forefront as the popular way to extend one's opportunities. When you choose to pursue your MCSE certification, you've got some decisions to make right at the beginning. Certay will be the best provider to help you to get any popular IT certifications!

If you prepare for the exams using our Exam4sure testing engine, we guarantee your success for MCSE certifications in the first attempt. If you do not pass the exam on your first attempt we will give you 100% Money Back Guarantee.

Exam4sure MCSE will certify that the successful candidate has knowledge and skills necessary to gather information from the technology basics to some of the more updated features and functions.

Some hot exam4sure MCSE exam list: 70-296, 70-292, 70-290, 70-291, 70-294, 70-293.

CCNP certification validates a network professional's ability to install, configure and troubleshoot converged local and wide area networks with 100 to 500 or more nodes. Network Professionals who achieve the CCNP have demonstrated the knowledge and skills required to manage the routers and switches that form the network core, as well as edge applications that integrate voice, wireless, and security into the network.

Benefits of CCNP Certification

• In general, Cisco certification validates an individual's achievement, so it increases the holder's professional credibility by ensuring high standards of technical expertise.
• In particular, the Cisco CCNP certification indicates knowledge of networking for big enterprises. It also confirms the ability to work in organizations whose networks have 100 to more than 500 nodes.

How to prepare for CCNP?

You have identified your goal and are ready to prepare yourself for the highly recognized CCNP Certification Exam. You want to score high, the course is vast and the time is less. The question is:

• How to prepare fast and accurate?
• How to focus on important topics first, master them fast and retain what you've learnt?

Master the course and prepare scientifically with the help of Exam4sure CCNP Preparation Software.

Exam4sure Practice Exams for CCNP certifications are written to the highest standards of technical accuracy, using only certified subject matter experts and published authors for development.

They also offer free demo of each product. You can check out the interface, question quality and usability of our practice exams before you decide to buy CCNP exam simulators.

List of Exam4sure Cisco CCNP Certification Exams Practice Engine

» 642-812 BCMSN - Building Converged Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks
» 642-892 Composite
» 642-901 BSCI - Building Scaleable Cisco Internetworks
» 642-845 ONT - Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks
» 642-825 ISCW - Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks
» 642-891 CCNP's Composite Exam
» 642-831 CCNP's Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT)
» 642-821 CCNP's Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN)
» 642-811 CCNP's Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)

Exam4sure CCNP will certify that the successful candidate has knowledge and skills necessary to gather information from the technology basics to some of the more updated features and functions.

You can learn more about CCNP certification from Cisco Systems.