Tips for Certification Tests: May 2008

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Ccna Tests

Writen by Marcus Peterson

Most of the modes for preparing for CCNA Certification - study guides, forums, online and classroom courses, etc., - give the students several CCNA tests to prepare them for the actual CCNA exam. These tests not only sharpen their knowledge but also provide the students with realistic simulations of CCNA certification exams through their CCNA tests. Such tests cover all aspects of the actual exam through modules such as planning and designing, implementation and operation, and troubleshooting and technology.

Some professional training companies even have their test materials endorsed from Cisco, which they give to the students for a price. These tests tend to be the most realistic exam simulations with item types unique to every exam (case studies, active screen, drag and drop, hot area, multiple choice, free response, etc.). These companies even provide a self-configurable learning module, allowing the user to configure the test by objective, keyword, or questions that the user has missed previously. They also provide certification mode which gives the user a new test every time instead of some fixed practice tests that are available for free on the Internet.

Apart from giving CCNA tests, these companies also include flash cards and 24/7 mentoring as a part of their package. Flash cards can be configured online to one's own use and then printed for offline use. The mentoring module provides answers to unsolved queries posted by the students at any time of the day or night in an online chat environment.

It should be remembered that one should be extremely careful in choosing a particular test, since a lot of websites do not update their tests in accordance with the changes made in the CCNA course content.

For anyone who is preparing for CCNA exams, taking either free or paid CCNA tests is an excellent idea, as it not only provides answers for the questions that one may not have attempted in the test but also provides a very realistic view of the entire examination process.

CCNA provides detailed information on CCNA, CCNA Certifications, CCNA Exams, CCNA Training and more. CCNA is affiliated with Fiber Optics Training.

Passing Ciscos Ccna And Ccnp Exams Traceroute

Writen by Chris Bryant

In preparation for your CCNA and CCNP exam success, you've got to learn to troubleshoot Cisco routers. And while ping is a great basic IP connectivity tool, it doesn't give you all the information you need to diagnose network connectivity issues.

Let's say you have six routers between CityA and CityB. You send a ping from A to B, and get this return:

R1#ping 172.1.1.1

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.1.1.1, timeout is 2 seconds:

.....

Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)

The five periods indicate that there is no IP connectivity to CityB. Problem is, that's about all ping tells you. You can have 5 or 50 routers between the two points, so how can you tell which downstream router has the problem?

That's where traceroute comes in. Traceroute sends three datagrams with a Time To Live (TTL) of 1. Those datagrams will timeout once they hit the first router in the path, and that router will respond with an ICMP Time Exceeded message.

In response, the sending router sends three more datagrams, but these have a TTL of 2. This means that the next router in line will send back ICMP Time Exceeded messages. This process continues until the final destination (CItyB) is reached the output of the command shows us the path the data took:

Router1#traceroute 271.1.1.1

Type escape sequence to abort.

Tracing the route to 271.1.1.1

1 20.1.1.1 4 msec 4 msec 4 msec

2 30.1.1.1 20 msec 16 msec 16 msec

3 271.1.1.1 16 msec * 16 msec

How does this help troubleshoot a problem? Let's say that the second router in this path, 30.1.1.1, doesn't know how to get to 271.1.1.1. The output would look like this:

Router1#traceroute 271.1.1.1

Type escape sequence to abort.

Tracing the route to 271.1.1.1

1 20.1.1.1 4 msec 4 msec 4 msec

2 30.1.1.1 20 msec 16 msec 16 msec

3 * * *

This indicates that the router at 30.1.1.1 doesn't know how to get to the final destination. Now you have a better idea of which router has an issue!

Now here's the bad part: you're going to get 30 lines of three asterisks, and until you abort this traceroute, you're going to just watch those asterisks go across the screen. There's an abort sequence that the router mentions in the first line of the console output, but the router doesn't tell you what it is! So I will - this top-secret sequence is TWICE, one right after the other.

That keystroke takes a little getting used to, but a CCNA or CCNP can do it! Add this command to your Cisco skill set, and it will serve you well both on the CCNA and CCNP exams and your real-world networks. And you'll impress your friends by knowing how to stop a traceroute!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNA exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Friday, May 30, 2008

Cisco Ccna Ccnp Certification Exam Caller Id Screening And Callback

Writen by Chris Bryant

As a CCNA and/or CCNP candidate, you've got to be able to spot situations where Cisco router features can save your client money and time. For example, if a spoke router is calling a hub router and the toll charges at the spoke site are higher than that of the hub router, having the hub router hang up initially and then call the spoke router back can save the client money (and make you look good!)

A popular method of doing this is using PPP callback, but as we all know, it's a good idea to know more than one way to do things in Cisco World! A lesser-known but still effective method of callback is Caller ID Screening & Callback. Before we look at the callback feature, though, we need to know what Caller ID Screening is in the first place!

This feature is often referred to simply as "Caller ID", which can be a little misleading if you've never seen this service in operation before. To most of us, Caller ID is a phone service that displays the source phone number of an incoming call. Caller ID Screening has a different meaning, though. Caller ID Screening on a Cisco router is really another kind of password - it defines the phone numbers that are allowed to call the router.

The list of acceptable source phone numbers is created with the isdn caller command. Luckily for us, this command allows the use of x to specify a wildcard number. The command isdn caller 555xxxx results in calls being accepted from any 7-digit phone number beginning with 555, and rejected in all other cases. We'll configure R2 to do just that and then send a ping from R1 to R2. To see the results of the Caller ID Screening, debug dialer will be run on R1 before sending the ping. I've edited this output, since the output you see here will be repeated fire times – once for each ping packet.

R2(config-if)#isdn caller 555xxxx

R1#debug dialer

Dial on demand events debugging is on

R1#ping 172.12.12.2

Type escape sequence to abort.

Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 172.12.12.2, timeout is 2 seconds:

03:30:25: BR0 DDR: Dialing cause ip (s=172.12.12.1, d=172.12.12.2)

03:30:25: BR0 DDR: Attempting to dial 8358662.

Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)

R1 doesn't give us any hints as to what the problem is, but we can see that the pings definitely aren't going through. On R2, show dialer displays the number of screened calls.

R2#show dialer

BRI0 - dialer type = ISDN

Dial String Successes Failures Last DNIS Last status

8358661 1 0 00:03:16 successful

7 incoming call(s) have been screened.

0 incoming call(s) rejected for callback.

The callback option mentioned in the last line shown above enables the router to reject a phone call, and then call that router back seconds later.

R2 will now be configured to initially hang up on R1, and then call R1 back.

R2(config-if)#isdn caller 8358661 callback

R1 will now ping R2. The pings aren't returned, but seconds later R2 calls R1 back.

R1#ping 172.12.12.2

Success rate is 0 percent (0/5)

R1#

03:48:12: BRI0: wait for isdn carrier timeout, call id=0x8023

R1#

03:48:18: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface BRI0:1, changed state to up

R1#

03:48:18: BR0:1 DDR: dialer protocol up

R1#

03:48:19: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface BRI0:1, changed state to up

R1#

03:48:24: %ISDN-6-CONNECT: Interface BRI0:1 is now connected to 8358662 R2

show dialer on R2 shows the reason for the call to R1 is a callback return call.

R2#show dialer

BRI0 - dialer type = ISDN

Dial String Successes Failures Last DNIS Last status

8358661 3 0 00:00:48 successful

7 incoming call(s) have been screened.

10 incoming call(s) rejected for callback.

BRI0:1 - dialer type = ISDN

Idle timer (120 secs), Fast idle timer (20 secs)

Wait for carrier (30 secs), Re-enable (15 secs)

Dialer state is data link layer up

Dial reason: Callback return call

Time until disconnect 71 secs

Connected to 8358661 (R1)

The drawback to Caller ID Callback is that not all telco switches support it, so if you have the choice between this and PPP Callback, you're probably better off with PPP Callback. However, it's always a good idea to know more than one way to get things done with Cisco!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

You can also join his RSS feed and visit his blog, which is updated several times daily with new Cisco certification articles, free tutorials, and daily CCNA / CCNP exam questions! Details are on the website.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! And coming in 2007 -- Microsoft Vista certification from The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco Ccna Certification Error Detection Vs Error Recovery

Writen by Chris Bryant

Passing the CCNA, Intro, and ICND exam is all about knowing and noticing the details. (Which makes perfect sense, since becoming a master networking administrator or engineer is also about noticing the details!) One such detail knows the difference between error detection and error recovery. While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are not the same thing.

Error detection is just that - error detection only. Two common error detection methods are found at the Data Link layer of the OSI model, the FCS (Frame Check Sequence) and CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check). A mathematical equation is run against the data in the frame, and the result is sent along with the data. The receiver runs the equation again, but this time. If the result is the same, the frame is considered valid; if the result is different, the frame is considered corrupt and is discarded.

Note that the FCS and CRC do nothing in regards to retransmission. They are strictly error detection schemes.

For an example of error recovery, we look to the Transport layer, where TCP runs. TCP performs reliable delivery, and the reason we call it "reliable" is that TCP uses sequence numbers to detect missing segments. If the sender determines from the sequence numbers that the remote host did not receive transmitted segments, the sender will retransmit the missing segments.

The key to keeping the terms straight in your head is to remember that while both error detection and error recovery both detect problems, only error recovery does anything about it. It's also worth reading an exam question twice when you see either term!

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Cisco Ccna Ccnp Certification Exam Cabling Your Home Lab

Writen by Chris Bryant

More CCNA and CCNP candidates than ever before are putting together their own home labs, and there's no better way to learn about Cisco technologies than working with the real thing. Getting the routers and switches is just part of putting together a great CCNA / CCNP home lab, though. You've got to get the right cables to connect the devices, and this is an important part of your education as well. After all, without the right cables, client networks are going to have a hard time working!

For your Cisco home lab, one important cable is the DTE/DCE cable. These cables have two major uses in a home lab. To practice directly connecting Cisco routers via Serial interfaces (an important CCNA skill), you'll need to connect them with a DTE/DCE cable. Second, if you plan on having a Cisco router act as a frame relay switch in your lab, you'll need multiple DTE/DCE cables to do so. (Visit my website's Home Lab Help section for a sample Frame Relay switch configuration.)

If you have multiple switches in your lab, that's great, because you'll be able to get a lot of spanning tree protocol (STP) work in as well as creating Etherchannels. To connect your switches, you'll need crossover cables.

You'll need some straight-through cables as well to connect your routers to the switches.

Finally, if you're lucky enough to have an access server as part of your lab, you'll need an octal cable to connect your AS to the other routers and switches in your lab. The octal cable has one large connector on one end and eight numbered RJ-45 connectors on the other end. The large connector should be attached to the async port on your AS, and the numbered RJ-45 connectors will be connected to the console ports on your other routers and switches.

Choosing and connecting the right cables for your Cisco CCNA / CCNP home lab is a great learning experience, and it's also an important part of your Cisco education. After all, all great networks and home labs all begin at Layer One of the OSI model!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Cisco Ccnp Certification Faq

Writen by Chris Bryant

To earn your CCNP, you've got to pass some very rigorous Cisco exams, and you also need to know the rules regarding this important certification. In this article, I'll answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the CCNP.

Q: What exams do I need to pass to get my CCNP?

A: You have two options, a three-exam path and a four-exam path. Currently, the four-exam path consists of rigorous exams on advanced routing techniques (BSCI), advanced switching (BCMSN), remote access methods (BCRAN), and advanced troubleshooting techniques (CIT). The three-exam path combines the BCMSN and BSCI exams into a single exam, the Composite exam.

Q: Do I have to take them in any order?

A: No, the order is up to the candidate. Most CCNP candidates take the BSCI exam first and the CIT exam last, but again this is up to the candidate.

Q: What else do I have to do to get the CCNP?

A: You must earn your CCNA before you can be CCNP certified (as well as passing the exams, of course).

Q: Is there a recertification requirement?

A: Cisco CCNP certifications are valid for three years. During that time, you must either pass the Composite exam, the BSCI and BCMSN exams, or pass any CCIE written exam.

Q: What if I don't recertify within the three-year period?

A: You must then meet whatever CCNP requirements there are at that time, from the beginning. It's easier to make sure you recertify!

Becoming CCNP certified is a great boost to your career and your confidence, and as with any Cisco certification, it's up to you to stay current with the CCNA and CCNP requirements. Visit the Career Certification section of Cisco's website regularly to learn about the program's requirements and changes. It's not up to them to keep you notified of changes – it's up to you!

Monday, May 26, 2008

The Need Of Ethical Hacking Course

Writen by Fred Mathew

The ethical hacking course works on the basic principles of "To catch a thief, employ the tricks of the thieves". The course covers the basics of networking and security and the advanced course that involves the use of hacking tools, hacking programs and the upcoming computer hacking techniques.

With the increased use of Internet in our day to day life, a virtual world has been created with immense possibilities. But this virtual is sometimes prone to real threats like hacking, cracking, theft etc. In such a scenario, Information Security holds immense importance. At this time when the businesses are going global and processes are controlled over network, there is a growing need for professionals to ensure network and data security. It will enable the tech-savvy people and professionals to address the emerging network security issues.

Ethical hacking is a white hat technique to counteract the unethical hackers (black hat hackers). Hence, ethical hacking course makes you learn the tricks to maintain your personal security and corporate security in a computerized environment. White-hat hacking, or ethical hacking, is becoming an important tool in the arsenals of business IT managers.

Who is an Ethical Hacker?
An ethical hacker (a.k.a. white hat hacker) is a person who knows the hacking (as well as anti-hacking techniques) and ethically opposes to the abuse of computer systems and networks. A white hat generally focuses on securing IT systems, whereas a black hat (a.k.a. cracker or unethical hacker) breaks into them. A black hat wishes to secure his own machine, and a white hat needs to break into a black hat's machine in the course of an investigation. Both black hat and white hats function the same way, but latter tends to cite altruistic motivations.

Benefits of Ethical Hacking Course

•For Students
In our time information is power and network is the medium. Hence, the ethical hacking course offers great prospects in terms of building a corporate career and/or maintaining security in one's own business.
•For Professors/Teachers
Professors/teachers interested in pursuing a career in teaching ethical hacking will be greatly benefited, because this course is up and going. It is going to be a full-fledged discipline.
•For Professionals
The Ethical Hack Course will open avenues for professionals and tech-savvy individuals by giving them hands on training and internationally recognized certificates.

Ethical Hacking Course – Overview Ethical hacking course and training delves deep into the techniques used by malicious, black hat hackers with hands-on lab exercises. While these hacking skills can be used for malicious purposes, the course imparts ethics to perform a white hat technique, all for general well-being. Upon successful completion you are able to assess the network security threats quantitatively and discover where your organization is most vulnerable. Then you plan to strengthen your security and/or reveal the malicious techniques of a black hat hacker/cracker.

A Complete Course on Ethical Hacking covers:
•Techniques: Windows Hacking, Registries Editing, Password cracks, Google hacking, Computer Forensics, Firewalls, Network Hacking, Security tools, Hacking tools, Encryption, Email tracking, Router Hacking, Email Forging, Port Scanning , MAC Address Spoofing, Proxies etc.

•Tools: Key loggers, Anti Key Loggers, Firewalls, MAC Address Spoofing, Proxy Bouncing tools, Network Scanners like IPscan, Sniffers, Spyware and Trojan Detectors, Information Gathering Tools, Remote Administration Tools, Computer Forensics Tools, Steganography tools and a lot more.

•Games: Hacking Simulation Games to understand the world of hacking and provides you with the opportunity to practice hacking without the danger of getting caught

•Relevant articles and Case Studies

The author is a one time System Administrator of Northern University. He occasionally contributes literature on network and security issues and presently works with Appinlabs as a consultant. For more information please visit us at: http://www.appinlabs.com/case-study-hacking.php

Cisco Ccna Ccnp Home Lab Tutorial Planning Ahead For Ie Study

Writen by Chris Bryant

Candidates preparing to pass the CCNP exams are putting together Cisco home labs like never before. With CCNA and CCNP home lab equipment more affordable than ever, candidates have realized the importance of working on real Cisco routers and switches on the way to earning their certifications.

One question I get often from CCNP candidates is goes something like this: "I'm planning on pursuing the CCIE after I get my CCNP. What kind of routers and switches should I buy now in order to use the same equipment in my CCIE home lab?"

This is going to sound strange coming from me, because I'm the #1 proponent of CCNA and CCNP candidates buying their own home labs. When it comes to the CCIE, though, I have to say that you're probably better off using rack rentals instead of investing big money now to buy more expensive equipment with which to earn your CCNP.

There are plenty of 2500 and 2600 routers out there that you can buy to prepare fully for your CCNA and CCNP exams that may not have the capability needed for IE preparation. (For instance, while 2500 routers are fantastic for CCNA and NP study, they shouldn't be used for IE study.) The issue with buying more expensive equipment is that Cisco rightfully updates the CCIE lab equipment list twice a year, and these moves can prove very costly for those who get caught in the middle of these changes.

Let me give you an example that I lived through myself. When I began pursuing the CCIE, Catalyst switches were in use in the lab. I had a Cat 5000 that I used for practice. When I was in the middle of my preparation, Cisco introduced L3 switched to the lab in the form of TWO 3550 switches. Not only was the Cat now almost useless for IE study, the new switches went for about $5500 apiece, so if I wanted to keep up with the new lab changes, it was going to cost me $11,000.

Again, I know that it's vitally important for today's CCNA and CCNP candidates to get hands-on experience with home labs. It's also great to think ahead when you're earning your CCNP, and pursuing the CCIE is one of the best decisions you'll ever make. Just keep this regular CCIE lab update in mind. I recommend that you keep your CCNP budget down while not investing in more expensive routers with the IE in mind, and wait until you have passed the CCNP and are actively engaged in CCIE study before making the decision between rack rentals and putting together your own IE lab.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Get your CCNA study guide with The Bryant Advantage!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

Writen by Keith George

MCSE is a widely known certification provided by Microsoft Corporation and stands for Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers. This certification provides a qualitative impetus to your resume in the Information Technology field. MCSE engineers are known to get good offers financially compared to other engineers of equivalent education.

The certification qualifies a person to analyze the business requirements and find solutions in information systems, and the individual is able to design and implement the infrastructure required. MCSE is available in two streams Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003. Both the streams have different sets of examinations. The certification is suitable for most engineers and analysts and is especially suitable for systems engineers & analysts and Network engineers & analysts.

The objective of MCSE is to provide the individual with knowledge such as:
Pin pointing the tasks involved in supporting Windows 2000/2003 networks.
Knowing the network concepts and how to implement it in Windows 2000/2003.
Gaining the knowledge of how to configure Microsoft Windows 2000/2003 Professional on stand-alone computers and on client computers, and to install configure windows 2000/2003 Server.
Gain the knowledge and skills in designing a Microsoft Windows 2000/2003 directory service and infrastructure.

MCSE Windows 2000

For MCSE 2000 certification the candidate has to pass seven exams. The exams include four operating exams, one design exam and two electives. The subjects span syllabus such as installing, configuring and administering Windows 2000, implementing & administering Windows 2000 Network and Windows 2000 infrastructure.

MCSE Windows Server 2003

For MCSE Windows Server 2003 certification, the candidate must qualify seven exams. The exams include four networking exams, one client operating system, one design exam and one elective exam. The syllabus includes network infrastructure & security, SQL server, active directory, Microsoft products etc.

TRAINING

MCSE training is very intensive, time consuming and requires a lot of hard work. Many aspirants are not able to appear exams in the stipulated time. There are many ways to prepare for the examinations such as MSCE classes, boot camps, online study guides and practice exams. Many candidates prefer to approach local MCSE training centers. These training centers help the candidates in course work and practical sessions professionally and help the candidates in exam and career oriented study.

The candidates must be aware of the practical applications, Microsoft products and services since the aspirants face multi-level testing on design implementation and administration skills in Microsoft Windows platform.

BENEFITS OF MCSE

MCSE is the most specialized certifications available today. It provides industry recognition and expertise in Microsoft products and technologies. As per Fairfield Research survey on MCSE, the certification provides a 12.6% rise in salary on an average. MCSE holders can also directly access technical and product information from Microsoft through the MCP Member site. There are spinoff benefits such as invitation to Microsoft conferences, technical training sessions and special events etc.

Keith George always writes about valuable news & reviews. A related resource is MCSE Resources Further information can be found at Tips & News

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Cisco Ccna Certification Exam Tutorial Portbased Authentication

Writen by Chris Bryant

To pass your CCNA exam and earn this coveted certification, you must understand the details of port-based authentication. This knowledge has a great deal of value in production networks as well, since this authentication scheme is regularly implemented. Let's take a look at this particular CCNA skill.

Consider a situation where you have a server that will be connected to your switch, and you want the port to shut down if a device with a different MAC address that that of the switch attempts to connect to that port. You could also have a situation where you have someone who has a connection to a switch port in his office, and he wants to make sure that only his laptop can use that port.

Both of these examples are real-world situations, and there are two solutions for each. First, we could create a static MAC entry for that particular switch port. I don't recommend this, mainly because both you and I have better things to do than manage static MAC entries. The better solution is to configure port-based authentication on the switch.

The Cisco switch uses MAC addresses to enforce port security. With port security, only devices with certain MAC addresses can connect to the port successfully. This is another reason source MACs are looked at before the destination MAC is examined. If the source MAC is non-secure and port-based authentication is in effect, the destination does not matter, as the frame will not be forwarded. In essence, the source MAC address serves as the password.

MAC addresses that are allowed to successfully communicate with the switch port are secure MAC addresses. The default number of secure MAC addresses is 1, but a maximum of 132 secure MACs can be configured.

When a non-secure MAC address attempts to communicate with the switch port, one of three actions will occur, depending on the port security mode. In Protect mode, frames with non-secure MAC addresses are dropped. There is no notification that a violation has occurred. The port will continue to switch frames for the secure MAC address.

In Restrict mode, the same action is taken, but a syslog message is logged via SNMP, which is a messaging protocol used by Cisco routers.

In Shutdown mode, the interface goes into error-disabled state, the port LED will go out, and a syslog message is logged. The port has to be manually reopened. Shutdown mode is the default port-security mode.

Port-based authentication is just one of the many switching skills you'll have to demonstrate to earn your CCNA certification. Make sure you know the basics shown here, including the action of each particular mode, and you're on your way to CCNA exam success!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Get your CCNA study guide from The Bryant Advantage!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Computer Training And It Certifications

Writen by Natalie Aranda

In the competitive world of the internet, computer training is necessary to gain skills and knowledge in order to get the validation you need to be recognized as an expert IT professional confronting all those opportunities and career challenges that have never been greater than today.

An IT certification is a common a prerequisite to get a job or a salary increase, hence professional certifications are a necessity and not just a marketing strategy to sell determined software or useless courses. Both computer training and IT certification are the best way to demonstrate your skills and expertise in any given technical field to present to prospective employers.

Computer training is possible through formal education attending one of the many colleges or university offering both IT and computer science programs. There are many other institutes offering computer training online and computer based training products and courses for Web Development, Microsoft Office, and various Information Technology certifications among others.

Computer training online and computer based training products also offer online support from expert instructors, which make it easier to learn without even leaving the comfort of your home. From study guides, practice exams, to audio training, video training and online training. Computer training offers different requirements and levels of learning to focus on anyone's demands.

On the other hand, IT Certifications not only lets you demonstrate undeniable expertise on diverse IT areas but also a document that credits your qualifications enhancing your curriculum vitae whether if getting a new job or engaging in a new system-wide deployment.

Furthermore, employers are more likely to hire job candidates with IT Certification credentials since it is a way to ensure that they are getting top qualified professionals with proven proficiency in their technology area.

For companies, this is as clear as water, certified professionals give them competitive advantage over other firms in the same field increasing customer satisfaction, reducing network downtime, and pushing their services to higher levels. A person with computer training and IT certification translates into an excellent return on their investment.

In the United States, some of the colleges and universities offering both computer training and IT certification are Berkeley College, University of Phoenix Online, Kaplan University, AIU Online, Capella University, Strayer University Online, Kennedy-Western University, DeVry University, Westwood College Online, just to name a few.

Some companies specialize in online certification, training and employee testing offer free tools online to measure your skills and determine if you need to achieve certain computer training skill or if an IT certification is required to develop your professional career.

Natalie Aranda writes about business, learning and technology. An IT certification is a common a prerequisite to get a job or a salary increase, hence professional certifications are a necessity and not just a marketing strategy to sell determined software or useless courses. Both computer training and IT certification are the best way to demonstrate your skills and expertise in any given technical field to present to prospective employers.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Cisco Ccna Candidate Faq

Writen by Chris Bryant

CCNA FAQ

Q. What exams do I have to take to get my CCNA?

A. The CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification offers two paths. You can take the one-exam path by taking the 640-801 CCNA Composite exam. If you want to break it up into two parts, you can take the Introduction To Cisco Networking Technologies (INTRO 640-821) and the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devcies (ICND 640-811) exams.

Q. Chris, which path do you recommend?

A. I generally recommend the two-exam path, particularly for those CCNA candidates that haven't taken a Cisco exam before. The Intro exam offers you a little more time and allows you to become comfortable with the Cisco exam engine, particularly the simulator questions. Let's face it, the CCNA single exam covers a lot of material, from basic networking to OSPF to router on a stick. Most candidates are better off breaking this huge amount of material into two distinct parts.

Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of students and customers pass the CCNA composite. It can be done!

Q. Do I have to recertify my CCNA, or is it mine forever after I pass?

A. One way Cisco protects the value of its certifications is to enforce strict recertification policies. When you earn your CCNA, you must recertify within three years.

Q. How do I recertify my CCNA?

A. There is a lot of confusion out there on this question. The latest information from Cisco is that you recertify your CCNA by doing any of the following three things:

1. Pass the current CCNA Composite or ICND exam.

2. Pass any 642-level professional level exam or any Cisco Qualified Specialist exam, not including Sales Specialist exams.

3. Pass any CCIE written exam.

Q. How do I register for the CCNA exam?

A. You can take the CCNA exam at any Prometric or VUE testing center. To find a Prometric testing center near you and register online, visit www.2test.com . For a VUE site, register at www.vue.com .

Q. Can you give me a braindump for the exam?

A. Boy, do you have the wrong guy!

Cisco Ccna Exam Tutorial Password Recovery Procedures

Writen by Chris Bryant

It might happen on your CCNA exam, it might happen on your production network - but sooner or later, you're going to have to perform password recovery on a Cisco router or switch. This involves manipulating the router's configuration register, and that is enough to make some CCNA candidates and network administrators really nervous!

It's true that setting the configuration register to the wrong value can damage the router, but if you do the proper research before starting the password recovery process, you'll be fine.

Despite what some books say, there is no "one size fits all" approach to Cisco password recovery. What works on a 2500 router may not work on other routers and switches. There is a great master Cisco document out on the Web that you should bookmark today. Just put "cisco password recovery" in your favorite search engine and you should find it quickly.

The following procedure describes the process in recovering from a lost password on a Cisco 2500 router. As always, don't practice this at home. It is a good idea to get some practice with this technique in your CCNA / CCNP home lab, though!

The password recovery method examined here is for 2500 routers.

An engineer who finds themselves locked out of a router can view and change the password by changing the configuration register.

The router must first be rebooted and a "break" performed within the first 60 seconds of the boot process. This break sequence can also vary depending on what program is used to access the router, but is the usual key combination.

The router will now be in ROM Monitor mode. From the rom monitor prompt, change the default configuration register of 0x2102 to 0x2142 with the o/r 0x2142 command. Reload the router with the letter i. (As you can see, ROM Monitor mode is a lot different than working with the IOS!)

This particular config register setting will cause the router to ignore the contents of NVRAM. Your startup configuration is still there, but it will be ignored on reload.

When the router reloads, you'll be prompted to enter Setup mode. Answer "N", and type enable at the router> prompt.

Be careful here. Type configure memory or copy start run. Do NOT type write memory or copy run start!

Enter the command show running-config. You'll see the passwords in either their encrypted or unencrypted format.

Type config t, then use the appropriate command to set a new enable secret or enable password.

Don't forget to change the configuration register setting back to the original value! The command config-register 0x2102 will do the job. Save this change with write memory or copy run start, and then run reload one more time to restart the router.

This process sounds hard, but it's really not. You just have to be careful, particularly when you're copying the startup config over the running config. You don't want to get that backwards! So take your time, check the online Cisco documentation before starting, get some practice with this procedure with lab equipment, and you'll be ready for success on the CCNA exam and in your production network!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Get your CCNA study guide from The Bryant Advantage.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

How To Prepare It Certification Exams

Writen by Bruce Zhang

Preparing IT certification exams is a significant undertaking whether you're just out of college or have been in IT field for years. IT professionals are continuously demanded to acquire new knowledge in order to perform well on their jobs as new technology in IT industry emerged at a pace that has never been seen before. While tests in colleges emphasizing on measuring the systematic understanding of theoretic foundation of a subject, industry certification exams focus on evaluation of hands-on experience.

Thorough planning before the exams will boost your confidence, increase chance of success, and save time of preparation in your certification exams.

1. Assess whether you're ready

To answer the question of whether you're ready to pursue a particular IT certification - MCSE, MCSA, MCSD, CCIE, CCNA or CCNE certification, you may want to examine the questions from the latest certification exams to identify the gap between what you've known and what you need to know. It's not advisable to prepare an IT certification exam heavily based on working on actual certification questions or braindumps, but braindumps do offer values in preparing your tests. You'll learn the format of the exams, the scope of the exams and your weakest link in the subject.

2. Plan when you'll be ready

One certification usually requires the pass of several tests. Once you've made up your mind about taking the certification exams, the plan of when to take those tests depends on your career needs, domain knowledge, hands-on experience, availability of study materials and availability of your time to prepare the tests. Besides the official certification guide and reading materials published by vendors or authorized organizations, there're numerous other helpful learning materials available online or in print.

Use of Computer Based Training software is a very effective way to speed up your IT certification preparation. For instance, CBT Planet (Computer Based Training Planet) provides IT professionals comprehensive vendor-co developed self-study IT courses, by Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, SAP, Linux and more.

3. Prepare the exams step-by-step

a) Briefly scan all chapters of official publications and make a detailed plan.

b) Study the materials chapter by chapter in details and take notes.

c) Review your notes and summarize all chapters.

d) Take sample exams

e) Work on your weak spots.

Now, you're ready for your IT certification exams.

You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included.

Bruce Zhang has over 10 years of experience in architecting and developing large-scale Web-based applications, and designing enterprise strength databases. Computer Based Training has been a valuable tool for gaining new IT knowledge in his career.

Mcse Term Papers

Writen by Ken Marlborough

Many courses require the candidates to submit detailed term papers relating to the subject at the end of each semester. These are aimed at in-depth research into the subject area.

But term papers are not always an important part in MCSE certification and training. Course work and exam prescribed for MCSE do not often require term papers that discuss in detail, particular subjects that are related to computer system and windows platforms.

Term papers are not mentioned as a stringent requirement for certification in Microsoft home page for the MCSE. The mandatory fulfillments for getting certified include work experience in a networking environment and the passing of seven exams that include operating systems, design and electives. All the same, boot camps and MCSE classes some times encourage and make it necessary for candidates to submit term papers on MCSE, with the aim of providing in-depth knowledge on the subject.

Courses for MCSE, in detail, cover all aspects of networking, design, messaging and security of systems using a windows platform. The operating system papers are Installing, Configuring and Administering Windows 2000 and XP professional, the networking papers include Installing, Configuring and Administering Windows 2000 Server, Implementing Windows Network Infrastructure, and Implementing and Administering Windows 2000 Directory Services Infrastructure. Other courses that are required for MCSE include designing Directory Services, Security for Windows 2000 network, Network Infrastructure, Web Solutions, Active Directory and Infrastructure and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network.

Candidates in a bid to improve their knowledge levels and to come up with new ideas on implementation and design, though not compulsory, sometimes submit term papers. Intensive training in boot camps generally dos not require term papers, weekly classes and other training sessions sometimes do. Elective subjects for each candidate also sometimes are benefited by term papers submitted before each level of examination.

MCSE provides detailed information on MCSE, MCSE Certification, MCSE Term Papers, MCSE Training and more. MCSE is affiliated with Online MCSE Certification.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Cisco Ccnp Certification Bcmsn Exam Tutorial Uplinkfast

Writen by Chris Bryant

You remember from your CCNA studies that when a port goes through the transition from blocking to forwarding, you're looking at a 50-second delay before that port can actually begin forwarding frames. Configuring a port with PortFast is one way to get around that, but again, you can only use it when a single host device is found off the port. What if the device connected to a port is another switch?

A switch can be connected to two other switches, giving that local switch a redundant path to the root bridge, and that's great - we always want a backup plan! However, STP will only allow one path to be available, but if the available path to the root switch goes down, there will be a 50-second delay due to the STP timers MaxAge and ForwardDelay before the currently blocked path will be available.

The delay is there to prevent switching loops, and we can't use PortFast to shorten the delay since these are switches, not host devices. What we can use is Uplinkfast.

The ports that SW3 could potentially use to reach the root switch are collectively referred to as an uplink group. The uplink group includes the ports in forwarding and blocking mode. If the forwarding port in the uplink group sees that the link has gone down, another port in the uplink group will be transitioned from blocking to forwarding immediately. Uplinkfast is pretty much PortFast for wiring closets. (Cisco recommends that Uplinkfast not be used on switches in the distribution and core layers.)

Some additional details regarding Uplinkfast:

The actual transition from blocking to forwarding mode takes about three seconds.

Uplinkfast cannot be configured on a root switch.

Uplinkfast is configured globally. You can't run Uplinkfast on some ports or on a per-VLAN basis - it's all or nothing.

The original root port will become the root port again when it detects that its link to the root switch has come back up. This does not take place immediately. The switch uses the following formula to determine how long to wait before transitioning back to the forwarding state:

( 2 x FwdDelay) + 5 seconds

Uplinkfast will take immediate action to ensure that the switch upon which it is configured cannot become the root switch. First, the switch priority will be set to 49,152, which means that if all other switches are still at their default priority, they'd all have to go down before this switch can possibly become the root switch. Additionally, the STP Port Cost will be increased by 3000, making it highly unlikely that this switch will be used to reach the root switch by any downstream switches.

And you just know there's got to be at least one option with this command, right? Let's run IOS Help and see.

SW2(config)#spanning-tree uplinkfast ?

max-update-rate Rate at which station address updates are sent

When there is a direct link failure, dummy multicast frames are sent to the MAC destination 0100.0ccd.cdcd. The max-update-rate value determines how many of these frames will be sent in a 100-millisecond time period.

Mastering the details of UplinkFast, BackboneFast, BPDU Guard, and Loop Guard are vital to your success on the CCNP exams, and one or more of these features are in use on almost every network in the world. Learn these features for success in both the exam room and the real world!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNP exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco Ccnp Bcmsn Exam Tutorial Dynamic Vlans And Vmps

Writen by Chris Bryant

Knowledge of Dynamic VLANs and VMPS is important in your efforts to pass the BCMSN exam and earn your CCNP, and it's also a great skill to have for your networking career.

As a CCNA and CCNP candidate, you know how and why to configure static VLANs. Static VLANs can be a powerful tool for reducing unnecessary broadcast and multicast traffic, but if hosts are moved from one switch port to another, you've got to make those changes manually on the switch. With Dynamic VLANs, the changes are made - how else? - dynamically.

The actual configuration of dynamic VLANs is out of the scope of the BCMSN exam, but as a CCNP candidate you need to know the basics of VMPS - a VLAN Membership Policy Server.

Using VMPS results in port VLAN membership changes being performed dynamically, because the port's VLAN membership is decided by the source MAC address of the device connected to that port. (Yet another reason that the first value a switch looks at on an incoming frame is the source MAC address.)

In my home lab network, I've got a host connected to switch port fast0/1 that resides in VLAN 12. What if we had to move Host 1's connection to the switch to port 0/6? With static VLANs, we'd have to connect to the switch, configure the port as an access port, and then place the port into VLAN 12. With VMPS, the only thing we'd have to do is reconnect the cable to port 0/6, and the VMPS would dynamically place that port into VLAN 12.

I urge you to do additional reading regarding VMPS. Use your favorite search engine for the term configuring vmps and you'll quickly find some great official Cisco documentation on this topic.

To review, the VLAN membership of a host is decided by one of two factors. With static VLANs, the host's VLAN membership is the VLAN to which its switch port has been assigned. With dynamic VLANs, it is dependent upon the host's MAC address.

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the CCNP exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Cisco Ccna Certification Defining Broadcast Domains

Writen by Chris Bryant

When you're studying to pass the CCNA exam and earn your certification, you're introduced to a great many terms that are either totally new to you or seem familiar, but you're not quite sure what they are. The term "broadcast domain" falls into the latter category for many CCNA candidates.

A broadcast domain is simply the group of end hosts that will receive a broadcast sent out by a given host. For example, if there are ten host devices connected to a switch and one of them sends a broadcast, the other nine devices will receive the broadcast. All of those devices are in the same broadcast domain.

Of course, we probably don't want every device in a network receiving every single broadcast sent out by any other device in the network! This is why we need to know what devices can create multiple, smaller broadcast domains. Doing so allows us to limit the broadcasts traveling around our network - and you might be surprised how much traffic on some networks consists of unnecessary broadcasts.

Using the OSI model, we find devices such as hubs and repeaters at Layer One. This is the Physical layer, and devices at this layer have no effect on broadcast domains.

At Layer Two, we've got switches and bridges. By default, a switch has no effect on broadcast domains; CCNA candidates know that a switch will forward a broadcast out every single port on that switch except the one upon which it was received. However, Cisco switches allow the creation of Virtual Local Area Networks, or VLANs, that are logical segments of the network. A broadcast sent by one host in a VLAN will not be forwarded out every other port on the switch. That broadcast will be forwarded only out ports that are members of the same VLAN as the host device that sent it.

The good news is that broadcast traffic will not be forwarded between VLANs. The bad news is that no inter-VLAN traffic at all is allowed by default! You may actually want this in some cases, but generally you're going to want inter-VLAN traffic. This requires the use of a router or other Layer 3 device such as a Layer 3 Switch. (Layer 3 Switches are becoming more popular every day. Basically, it's a switch that can also run routing protocols. These switches are not tested on the CCNA exam.)

That router we just talked about also defines broadcast domains. Routers do not forward broadcasts, so broadcast domains are defined by routers with no additional configuration.

Knowing how broadcasts travel across your network, and how they can be controlled, is an important part of being a CCNA and of being a superior network administrator. Best of luck to you in both of these pursuits!

About The Author
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (www.thebryantadvantage.com), home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can now get a FREE CCNA and CCNP exam question sent to your email inbox every day! Get your CCNA certification with The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco Certifications Overview

Writen by Kashif Raza

General Certifications and Focused Certifications

Cisco offers three levels of general certification representing increasing levels of expertise: Associate, Professional, and Expert (CCIE). Different tracks across these levels align with varying career needs. A variety of focused Cisco Qualified Specialist certifications are available as well to show knowledge in specific technologies, solutions or job roles.

CCNA

The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) indicates a foundation in and apprentice knowledge of networking. CCNA certified professionals can install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer), including but not limited to use of these protocols: IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, Access Lists.

CCNP

The CCNP certification (Cisco Certified Network Professional) indicates advanced or journeyman knowledge of networks. With a CCNP, a network professional can install, configure, and troubleshoot local and wide area networks for enterprise organizations with networks from 100 to more than 500 nodes. The content emphasizes topics such as security, converged networks, quality of service (QoS), virtual private networks (VPN) and broadband technologies.

CCSP

The CCSP certification (Cisco Certified Security Professional) indicates advanced knowledge of securing Cisco networks. With a CCSP, a network professional can secure and manage network infrastructures to protect productivity and reduce costs. The content emphasizes topics such as perimeter security, virtual private networks, intrusion protection as well as how to combine these technologies in a single, integrated network security solution.

CCIP

The CCIP (Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional) provides individuals working in service provider organizations with competencies in infrastructure IP networking solutions. CCIP professionals have detailed understanding of networking technologies in the service provider arena including IP routing, IP QoS, BGP, and MPLS.

CCIE R&S

CCIE certification in Routing and Switching indicates expert level knowledge of networking across various LAN and WAN interfaces, and a variety of routers and switches. Experts in R&S solve complex connectivity problems and apply technology solutions to increase bandwidth, improve response times, maximize performance, improve security, and support global applications. Candidates should be able to install, configure, and maintain LAN, WAN, and dial access services.

Becoming a CCIE requires passing a set of exams

There are no formal prerequisites for CCIE certification. Other professional certifications and/or specific training courses are not required. Instead, candidates are expected to have an in-depth understanding of the subtleties, intricacies and challenges of end-to-end networking. You are strongly encouraged to have 3-5 years of job experience before attempting certification. To obtain your CCIE, you must first pass a written qualification exam and then a corresponding hands-on lab exam.

CCIE Security

CCIE certification in Security indicates expert level knowledge of IP and IP routing as well as specific security protocols and components.

Becoming a CCIE requires passing a set of exams There are no formal prerequisites for CCIE certification. Other professional certifications and/or specific training courses are not required. Instead, candidates are expected to have an in-depth understanding of the subtleties, intricacies and challenges of end-to-end networking. You are strongly encouraged to have 3-5 years of job experience before attempting certification. To obtain your CCIE, you must first pass a written qualification exam and then a corresponding hands-on lab exam.

CCIE VoIP (350-030)

CCIE certification in Voice indicates expert level knowledge of VoIP solutions in the enterprise. Candidates should be able to install, configure and maintain Voice solutions over IP networks. The CCIE Voice track, however, does not certify an understanding of the infrastructure over which VoIP solutions are implemented. This contrasts with the CCIE Service Provider-IP Telephony track which certifies an individual as a core IP expert with a high degree of VoIP literacy.

CCIE Storage

CCIE certification in Storage Networking indicates expert level knowledge of intelligent storage solutions over extended network infrastructure using multiple transport options such as Fibre Channel, iSCSI, FCIP and FICON. Storage Networking extensions allow companies to improve disaster recovery, optimize performance and take advantage of network services such as volume management, data replication, and enhanced integration with blade servers and storage appliances.

General Certifications: Three Levels of Certification

Associate. The first step in Cisco networking begins at the Associate level. Think of this as the apprentice or foundation level of networking certification.

Professional. This is the advanced or journeyman level of certification.

Expert. This is CCIE, the highest level of achievement for network professionals, certifying an individual as an expert or master.

General Certifications: Four Different Paths

Network Installation and Support. This path is for professionals who install and support Cisco technology-based networks in which LAN and WAN routers and switches reside.

Network Engineering and Design. This path is for professionals who design Cisco technology-based networks in which LAN and WAN routers and switches reside.

Service Provider. This path is aimed at professionals working with infrastructure or access solutions in a Cisco end-to-end environment primarily within the telecommunications arena.

Network Security. This path is directed toward network professionals who design and implement Cisco Secure networks.

All about the Cisco Certifications submitted by Kashif Raza http://www.networkingtutorials.net

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Computer Programming Schools For A New Career

Writen by Michael Bustamante

If you enjoy working with computers, and are seeking a computer career, perhaps a Computer Programming School is the right choice for you. There are numerous schools, colleges, and universities offering courses designed to prepare you for computer programming employment.

Many of today's businesses require the expertise of computer programmers to develop growing applications of growing technologies. Degrees in computer programming qualify students for designing and using computer programming design and applications in various aspects of business. With a strong background in use of several computer languages, students will be prepared for new careers or for advancement in computer programming careers.

Students can obtain associate, bachelor, master, doctorate degrees, and post-graduate certificates in specialized areas of computer programming. Programming degree courses instill skills for computer design, analysis, and programming. Courses will include design and customization of software, prototype testing, documentation, and report generation; programming languages and programming skill in JavaScript, VisualBASIC, and C++; and basic degree requirements of humanities, communication skills, mathematics, and sciences.

A computer programming associate or bachelor degree provides foundations and skills for high-demand entry-level positions in the field of programming. Students should expect the latest languages and the most current methods, principles, and structures used in developing technologies of computer programming today.

Computer programming skills are needed in almost every industry today. Computer programming skills are applied to various business, organization, and industry practices by programmers, developers, and systems analysts. One can anticipate a continuing growth in the demand for well-prepared professionals in computer programming, software engineering, database development and web development.

If you are interested in learning more about Computer Programming Schools, colleges, and universities, please search our site for more in-depth information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools and Online Courses at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Cisco Ccnp Certification Using The Bgp Command Quotupdatesourcequot

Writen by Chris Bryant

When you start preparing for your CCNP exam, particularly the BSCI exam, you're introduced to Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) configurations. BGP is unlike any protocol you learned during your CCNA studies, and even the similarities are a little bit different!

BGP forms neighbor relationships, much like EIGRP and OSPF do. The interesting thing with BGP is that potential neighbors, or "peers", do not need to be directly connected and can use their loopback interfaces to form the peer relationships.

It may well be to your advantage to use loopbacks to form peer relationships rather than the actual interface facing the potential neighbor. This can be done because BGP uses static neighbor statements rather than any kind of dynamic neighbor discovery process.

Consider a router that has two paths to a BGP speaker. The interfaces are numbered like this:

Router1: Serial0, 172.1.1.1 /24, Serial2, 179.1.1.1 /24, loopback0, 1.1.1.1 /32.

Router2: Serial0, 172.1.1.2/24, Serial2 179.1.1.2/24, loopback0, 2.2.2.2 /32.

We could configure Router1 like this:

router bgp 200

neighbor 172.1.1.2 remote-as 200

In this case, BGP would automatically use 172.1.1.1 as the source for the TCP connection that has to be set up with the neighbor before updates can be exchanged; this address is known as the best local address. However, if the remote peer's serial0 interface is shut down or goes down for another reason, the peer relationship would be lost even though Router2 is still available.

Instead of using one of the physical interfaces, we can use the loopbacks on each router to establish the TCP-based peer connection. The configurations would look like this:

Router1:

router bgp 200

neighbor 2.2.2.2 remote-as 200

neighbor 2.2.2.2 update-source loopback0

Router2:

router bgp 200

neighbor 1.1.1.1 remote-as 200

neighbor 1.1.1.1 update-source loopback0

In this case, losing one of the physical connections does not necessarily mean the BGP peering is lost; as long as the routers have a valid path to each other's loopback addresses, the BGP peer relationship will stay in place. And better yet, we avoid the dreaded "single point of failure"!

Passing The Cisco Ccna Exam An Illustrated Guide To Router Modes

Writen by Chris Bryant

When you're getting started on your CCNA studies, learning the different router modes is key to passing your Intro and ICND exams. But keeping those modes straight can be very difficult. (At least it was for me!) Let's take a look at the various router modes you'll need to know about to pass your CCNA, and use IOS Help to illustrate the different uses of each mode.

The first mode you'll see on a router (if the person before you logged off as they should have) is user exec mode. This is also the default mode a user is placed into when using Telnet to connect to a router. The prompt will look like this:

R1>

You can't write or add to a configuration in this mode, but you can run quite a few show commands. This is a good mode to have users in who need to see the configuration, but shouldn't be allowed to change it.

To get to the next level, type enable at the user exec prompt:

R1>enable

R1#

Notice that the prompt changed. This mode has two names, the official one being privileged exec mode. It's more commonly referred to as enable mode, since "enable" is what you type to get into this mode.

This mode gives you more options for show and other commands, but you still can't configure anything. To configure global commands, use "configure terminal", or "conf t", to enter global configuration mode.

R1#conf t

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

R1(config)#

The prompt has changed again, and now global configuration commands such as hostname and no ip domain-lookup can be entered.

From here, you've got a lot of options, but we'll look at three you need to know for your CCNA exams. To apply configuration commands to an interface, enter interface configuration mode, as shown here:

R1(config)#interface serial0

R1(config-if)#

You must be in global config mode to get into interface config mode you cannot go from enable mode straight to interface configuration mode.

R1#interface serial0

^ % Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

Interface configuration mode allows you to apply an IP address to the interface, as well as many other commands related to frame relay, ISDN, and dynamic routing protocols.

For the CCNA, you need to know about two other configuration modes. To configure console commands (such as password protection), enter line configuration mode as shown here:

R1#conf t

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

R1(config)#line console 0

R1(config-line)#password cisco

R1(config-line)#login

The prompt "(config-line)" indicates that you're in line configuration mode. Your console line is not the only line you'll be configuring for the CCNA, though your vty lines are used for incoming telnet connections and must be configured in a similar fashion.

R1#conf t

Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.

R1(config)#line console 0

R1(config-line)#password cisco

R1(config-line)#login

R1(config-line)#line vty 0 4

R1(config-line)#password cisco

R1(config-line)#login

Notice that you do not have to exit one interface mode to go to another one. Let's say that you've configured your vty lines and now want to put an IP address on your Ethernet interface. You don't have to go out with ctrl-z and then start again you can go straight to interface config mode from line config mode. Just make sure you see the prompt change!

R1(config-line)#line vty 0 4

R1(config-line)#password cisco

R1(config-line)#login

R1(config-line)#interface ethernet0

R1(config-if)#ip address 15.1.1.1 255.255.255.0

When you're preparing for CCNA exam success, there's a lot to absorb. Just take it one piece at a time, get some hands-on experience to go with your theory, and before you know it you're moving around in the different Cisco router configuration modes without giving it a second thought. Keep studying and your CCNA exam success is assured!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Online Mcse Training Courses

Writen by Elizabeth Morgan

Because of the prevalence of the Microsoft Windows operating system, a Microsoft certification has become a prerequisite to employment or career advancement in many fields. Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) is the most widely recognized professional certification in the Information Technology field. It enables IT professionals to analyze business requirements, and design, build, and implement the infrastructure for business solutions based on the Microsoft Windows platform and server software.

Acquiring an MCSE certification requires candidates to pass a handful of tests dealing with server operating systems, network security, and computer network infrastructure engineering. MCSE is available for two different products — Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, each having a different set of exams. For Windows 2000, the requirements are one core exam and two elective exams, while for Windows 2003, one of each. Each test costs around $125, takes two or three hours to complete, and consists of fifty to ninety questions.

In order to fine tune your job skills and prepare you for the MCSE exams, you may take online MCSE training courses that are easy and convenient to use. These courses include Exchange 2000 Administration, Microsoft Applications and Architectures, MS Exchange Server, SQL Server, Visual Web Applications, Windows 2000 and NT Server, and many more. These courses will educate you on planning, installation, configuration, and implementation of the Windows Server, managing and monitoring the system, and troubleshooting techniques.

There are proven-effective methods of training available over the Internet twenty-four hours a day, everyday. They include multimedia CD-ROM, expert video instructions, hands-on lab simulations, online instructor support, and testing modules. These methods will guide you with a step-by-step procedure presented in full motion video and audio to allow you to see the steps, hear the instructions, and perform the tasks. There is also an MCSE training package worth approximately $250 that includes more than 260 courses for over 1,000 hours of training, and a twelve-month access to the online MCSE library.

With these MCSE training courses online, you'll be able to tailor and schedule your education to suit your needs and bring advancement to your career. Make sure to enroll in reputable training providers to give you top-quality training and real-world applicability.

Online Training provides detailed information on Online Training, Online Computer Training, Online MCSE Training Courses, Online Fitness Training and more. Online Training is affiliated with Free Online Courses.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Network Ccna Certification Exam Tutorial Port Numbers And Troubleshooting

Writen by Chris Bryant

Passing the Network+ and CCNA exams demands that you know quite a few port numbers, but they're important to know when working with real-world networks as well. Before we discuss why, here's a partial list of important port numbers to know for these certification exams:

Ports 20 and 21 are used by File Transfer Protocol (FTP).

Port 22 is used by Secure Shell (SSH).

Port 23 is used by Telnet.

Port 25 is used by Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).

Port 53 is used by DNS.

Port 69 is used by Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP).

Port 80 is used by HTTP.

Port 110 is used by POP3.

Port 143 is used by IMAP.

Port 443 is used by Secure HTTP (HTTPS).

When you're faced with a list such as this, there's a temptation to ask yourself something like this: "Besides passing the exam, do I really need to know these port numbers?"

The answer is yes. We do a lot of troubleshooting in this business, and part of becoming an expert troubleshooter is knowing how things work when they're working correctly. That way, when things do go wrong ,you can take a structured approach to fixing them.

Let's say that you're in the middle of a relaxed day at your network monitoring console. A consulting company is at your site to install a new firewall. While they're working, your phone starts going off - users are suddenly unable to send and receive email from outside the office. The first thing to ask yourself in such a situation:

"What has changed since what is now broken was working?"

In this case, a firewall is being installed - but do you know why that would stop email? Do you know that ports 25 (SMTP), 110 (POP3), and 143 (IMAP) must remain unblocked by that firewall? If you do, you already know how to fix the problem.

I can tell you from personal experience that the key to becoming a world-class network troubleshooter is mastering the basics, and that includes knowing common port numbers. And if you're a great network troubleshooter on top of being CompTIA Network+ and CCNA certified, you're always going to be in demand -- and that's where you want to be!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including CCNA and CCNP tutorials. CompTIA Network+, Security+, and A+ certification tutorials are available, also!

Visit his blog and sign up for Certification Central, a daily newsletter packed with CCNA, Network+, Security+, A+, and CCNP certification exam practice questions! A free 7-part course, "How To Pass The CCNA", is also available.

Coming in 2007 -- Microsoft Vista certification with The Bryant Advantage!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Cisco Ccna Certification Exam Tutorial Access List Details You Must Know

Writen by Chris Bryant

To pass the CCNA exam, you have to be able to write and troubleshoot access lists. As you climb the ladder toward the CCNP and CCIE, you'll see more and more uses for ACLs. Therefore, you had better know the basics!

The use of "host" and "any" confuses some newcomers to ACLs, so let's take a look at that first.

It is acceptable to configure a wildcard mask of all ones or all zeroes. A wildcard mask of 0.0.0.0 means the address specified in the ACL line must be matched exactly a wildcard mask of 255.255.255.255 means that all addresses will match the line.

Wildcard masks have the option of using the word host to represent a wildcard mask of 0.0.0.0. Consider a configuration where only packets from IP source 10.1.1.1 should be allowed and all other packets denied. The following ACLs both do that.

R3#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 6 permit 10.1.1.1 0.0.0.0

R3(config)#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 7 permit host 10.1.1.1

The keyword any can be used to represent a wildcard mask of 255.255.255.255.

R3(config)#access-list 15 permit any

Another often overlooked detail is the order of the lines in an ACL. Even in a two- or three-line ACL, the order of the lines in an ACL is vital.

Consider a situation where packets sourced from 172.18.18.0 /24 will be denied, but all others will be permitted. The following ACL would do that.

R3#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 15 deny 172.18.18.0 0.0.0.255

R3(config)#access-list 15 permit any

The previous example also illustrates the importance of configuring the ACL with the lines in the correct order to get the desired results. What would be the result if the lines were reversed?

R3#conf t

R3(config)#access-list 15 permit any

R3(config)#access-list 15 deny 172.18.18.0 0.0.0.255

If the lines were reversed, traffic from 172.18.18.0 /24 would be matched against the first line of the ACL. The first line is "permit any", meaning all traffic is permitted. The traffic from 172.18.18.0/24 matches that line, the traffic is permitted, and the ACL stops running. The statement denying the traffic from 172.18.18.0 is never run.

The key to writing and troubleshoot access lists is to take just an extra moment to read it over and make sure it's going to do what you intend it to do. It's better to realize your mistake on paper instead of once the ACL's been applied to an interface!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", visit the website and download your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Get your CCNA study guide from The Bryant Advantage!

Cisco Ccna Certification Why You Need Handson Practice

Writen by Chris Bryant

CCNA and CCNP candidates hear it all the time: "you have to get some hands-on experience to pass the exams".

Candidates tend to think that's just so they can solve the simulator problems, but that's only the more obvious reason.

First, I want to make it clear that I'm not bashing learning from books you have to learn theory before you can really know what's going on in the first place. The key is that to truly understand routing and switching processes, you've got to have that hands-on experience.

So if the simulator questions are the more obvious reason to get hands-on experience, what are the less obvious reasons?

Glad you asked!

You see what happens when things don't go according to the script. One of the biggest problems with learning your skills on software programs such as "router simulators" is that with simulators, things go pretty much as planned.

I have news for you: that doesn't always happen in the real world. While Cisco routers and switches are highly reliable devices, every once in a while you're going to get an unexpected result from a command. Maybe it didn't work after you typed it in maybe it has an effect on your prior configuration that you didn't expect. Maybe you don't know what happened – you just typed in that command and the router went nuts!

Sooner or later, that's going to happen to you in the real world. And as I tell my students, it's actually a good thing to have happen to you in a lab.

You don't learn to troubleshoot or fine-tune a configuration when everything works perfectly. You don't learn much at all when things go perfectly. And you're practicing to learn!

I often say that great chefs don't learn to cook on cooking simulators they learn in the kitchen, and they burn a lot of meals on the way to greatness. You need to screw up some configs on the way to greatness, and you can't do that on a computer program. You have to be on the real thing.

You build confidence by working with real Cisco routers and switches. Would you want the Super Bowl to be the first football game you ever really played in? Of course not. Then why would you take router configuration exams and be nervous about having to create a VLAN, or troubleshoot an OSPF configuration?

You cannot walk into the testing room a nervous wreck. You must have the attitude that you are already a CCNA or CCNP, and you're just there to make it official. I can tell you from firsthand experience with many students that the way you develop than confidence is to work with the real deal.

You can't buy that confidence, and you can't simulate your way to it. You've got to work with real Cisco routers and switches. By working with the real equipment, you develop the real skills and real confidence you need to pass the CCNA and CCNP exams.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Getting Ahead With Computer Software Training

Writen by Morgan Hamilton

It's quite evident that computers have changed virtually every aspect of modern living. Anything worth doing these days involves computers. Everyone uses them these days. Computer jargon like cyberspace, email, software, and hardware are now ordinary pieces of our everyday language. To take advantage of this technological revolution it's sensible to learn more about computer related issues and undergo computer software training.

Having computer software training can really give you an edge in a world largely influenced by computers. Those fresh out of high school are now considering a future that involves computers. Universities throughout the countries around the country have also responded by offering computer related courses. Companies nowadays prefer computer savvy applicants With companies on the look out for computer literate graduates having some computer skills certainly gives you some much needed advantage.

Try checking out some job opportunities at Monster.Com and CareerBuilder.com. You will immediately notice the abundance of career opportunities for those who have computer software training. Most businesses these days are using computers and they require workers who have the proper skills to help them. And career trends clearly show that the demand for computer literate individuals will steadily increase making those who are familiar with computer in a good position to capitalize.

Are you considering having computer software training? If you are you can enroll at the local university. You can also acquire information about classes on the internet. If you are involved with other things you can try a community college. They can offer flexible schedules for computer software training and are also more economical than other options. You can also get all the computer soft fare training you need form the comfort and privacy of your home. With a PC and internet access you can e on our way to a very promising future.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Computer Software Training. Visit our site for more helpful information about Computer Software Training and other similar topics.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Cisco Ccnp Bsci Exam Tutorial Ospf Router Types

Writen by Chris Bryant

When you're preparing to pass the BSCI exam on the way to the coveted Cisco CCNP certification, you can be quickly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of BGP and OSPF knowledge you must demonstrate a mastery of. One set of details that some BSCI and CCNP candidates underestimate are the differences between the OSPF router types. The OSPF router types seem straightforward enough, but what you must keep in mind is that a router can fill more than one of these roles!

An OSPF Internal router has one rule - it must have all its interfaces in a single area. It does not mean that area has to be Area 0.

An OSPF Backbone router is a router with at least a single area in the OSPF backbone area, Area 0. A router can be both an Internal and Backbone router if all its interfaces are in Area 0.

An Area Border Router has at least one interface in Area 0 and another interface in a non-backbone area. ABRs are also one of two router types that can perform OSPF route summarization. (To advertise a summary route from one OSPF area to another, use the area range command on the ABR.)

Finally, an ASBR is an OSPF router that is performing route redistribution by injecting routes from another source into the OSPF domain. This is the other OSPF router type that can perform route summarization; to summarize routes being redistributed into OSPF, use the summary-address command on the ASBR.

There are several commands you can use to determine the router types in a given OSPF area. The command "show ip ospf" will display quite a bit of information regarding the local router, and this includes whether that router is acting as an ABR or ASBR. To see the routes to the ABRs and ASBRs from the local router, run "show ip ospf border-routers".

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of free CCNP and CCNA tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" and "How To Pass The CCNP", just visit the website! You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam questions every day! Pass the BSCI exam with The Bryant Advantage!

Computer Networking Schools Produce Qualified Technicians

Writen by Michael Bustamante

A penchant for computers and acquired technical abilities are desirable attributes for future computer networking technicians. Computer networking schools offer an education in the hands-on processes of computer networking. Students learn to configure routers and switches, and install wiring, as well as skills in maintenance and network diagnostics.

Computer networking schools offer professional training at many levels. Entry-level students can opt for a computer networking certification or a career diploma; they may further their education and obtain an associate's degree. For the computer networking professional, a bachelor's degree or master's degree can greatly improve employment outlook.

A good computer networking college will cover all aspects of computer technology to prepare students to compete in the vast world of informational technology. Potential employment opportunities for graduates include positions in computer science, computer information systems, network administration, network systems engineering, network service technology, network analysis and programming, network information systems management, electrical and computer engineering, communications, telecommunications, and many other computer-related areas.

Computer networking has become one of the major career fields in today's modern business world, and there is a constant need for qualified computer networking professionals. If you like working with computers and are you seeking a career in computers, a computer networking school is the right choice for you!

To learn more about the exciting and promising field of Computer Networking, and to choose the right Computer Networking School for you, look for more in-depth information and resources on our website.

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Free Ccna Study Guides

Writen by Marcus Peterson

The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is a certification that indicates a foundation in and apprentice knowledge of networking. CCNA certified professionals can install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer) including (but not limited to) the use of protocols such as IP, IGRP, serial, frame relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, and access lists. There are no prerequisites that are required for a CCNA certification.

There are two options available for CCNA certification: 640-801 CCNA or 640-821 INTRO combined with 640-811 ICND. The 640-801 single exam option is the most popular route for earning the CCNA certification; however, a two-exam option has been introduced by Cisco since 2003.

There are several free CCNA study guides available on the market. Most of these sites provide free tutorials and study notes. While some sites provide free practice exams for CCNA, others include a section on tips for studying articles and tips and suggestions on how to get the maximum out of the studying time. Also, people residing in the U.S. or Canada can also get a completely free subscription to many computer magazines that can help them further in preparing for these exams.

Some of the best free guides include notes on topics such as Cisco three layered hierarchical model, cabling Cisco devices, and selecting Cisco products. The interactive tutorials explain the key concepts in a concise and easy-to-read language.

Generally, each course includes a pre-assessment, course map, and post-assessment module. The course covers topics such as sub-netting, layered communication models (OSI, TCP/IP & Cisco), IP addressing, and hex and binary.

Some free study centers not only include free study guides for CCNA but also provide interactive networking tools such as a sub-netting calculator and real IP address catcher for better understanding of networking concepts.

These free study guides are proven to be a good stepping stone towards preparation for the CCNA exams; it should be the first step of CCNA aspirants towards the certification.

CCNA provides detailed information on CCNA, CCNA Certifications, CCNA Exams, CCNA Training and more. CCNA is affiliated with Fiber Optics Training.

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