How to Pass the Cisco CCNA or CCNP Exam

Too often we get asked by our readers “What is the easiest/fastest/best/simplest way to pass the Cisco CCNA or CCNP exam”.  Too many people want a quick answer or a quick fix.  We live in a fast paced society where everything needs to be done quickly so we can get on to “other” things. In this article we will present the best cisco practice exam, a must-have in order to pass Cisco certifications

Pass the CCNA/CCNP Using Best Cisco Practice Exam

Many people will swear by practice exams or by using practice questions.  For the most part this can be a good way to learn, as this is somewhat akin to using flash cards to study…. provided your not just memorizing stolen questions from the test itself.

There are companies that make a good profit from selling the real test questions to aspiring engineers. Companies like Pass4Sure and TestKing both offer products that contain, word-for-word the exact test question you will see on the exam.

Companies like these have people over seas that will sit and copy the questions or screen scrap the test and sell it to you so that you will pass the exam.   That’s how they are able to say that you are 100% guaranteed to pass.  It is basically cheating and does not help you as an engineer.  And does not help the rest of us who do study our ass off to pass the exam.

Don’t get me wrong. There are GOOD companies that do offer practice exams and practice questions that will help you study (we recommend Boson).  These questions are designed to test your knowledge and make you think to ensure you understand the technology. Transcender and Boson both have been in business for a long time and both offer great product.  CBT Nuggets is also another great company that offers Video study courses for most any certification exam.

Pass the CCNA/CCNP by Studying

But no matter what product you buy, nothing can substitute for good ole’  fashioned STUDY!  If you want to be a great engineer and truly learn the technology, then start by sitting down and opening up a book.  It is the only way you are going to really learn the material.

Pass the CCNA/CCNP with Experience

Some people have a real hard time studying.  Trust me, reading a Cisco manual is not the most exciting thing I’ve  read.   Many people have to get their hands on the equipment and dig into the commands and see for themselves how things are setup and how they work.

And Cisco knows this.  Having hands on experience beats book smarts any day.  This is the main reason Cisco has router simulations on the tests themselves.  This is practical knowledge is what is needed to be a great engineer.  That you can’t get from a book.

Pass the CCNA/CCNP exams with a little bit of both

In the end you are going to need to both study the book facts and understand the “Cisco Way” of networking by applying what you have learned.  But to do so, you will also need to solidify that knowledge by putting it to practical use and configuring a router or switch.

What’s your favorite way to study

What helps you in your study?  Which practice exams do the best job of re-enforcing what you’ve read without giving away the exact questions and answers?  Leave a comment below and let us know how you pass the Cisco CCNA or CCNP exams.