Put Yourself to the Test

The following series of questions and observations is designed to help you figure out how much work you must do to pursue the BSCI exam and what types of resources you might consult on your quest. Be absolutely honest in your answers; otherwise , you will end up wasting money on an exam you are not yet ready to take (and because the BSCI exam costs around $125, this isn't chump change). There are no right or wrong answers, only steps along the path to certification. Only you can decide where you really belong in the broad spectrum of aspiring candidates.

Two things should be clear from the outset, however:

• Even a modest background in computer technologies is helpful.

• Hands-on experience with networking and Cisco products and technologies is a key ingredient to certification success.

Before you begin this process, take this simple four-step walkthrough to validate your readiness for the BSCI exam:

1. Do you have a current CCNA certification (requires renewal every 3 years )? [Yes or No]

   If Yes, proceed to step 2; if No, proceed to step 4.

2. Have you taken the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI) v1.2 course from Cisco or a comparable training class? (This should be five days of instructor-led, five days of live e-learning, or 3035 hours of Web-based training.) [Yes or No]

   If Yes, you should use this Exam Cram 2 book as a supplement to your acquired knowledge and experience and prepare to take the exam in the near future.

   If No, proceed to step 3.

3. Do you have at least two years of experience in a position such as help-desk engineer, field technician, systems administrator, network administrator, or technical trainer? [Yes or No]

   If Yes, you should use this Exam Cram 2 book as a supplement to your acquired knowledge and experience and prepare to take the exam in the near future.

   If No, you might want to consider taking the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI) v1.2 course from Cisco or a comparable training class. If you are a disciplined and motivated self-studier, you might want to build a home lab or rent some router time online and purchase the CCNP Self-Study: Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI) book from Cisco Press (ISBN: 1-5870-5084-6).

4. Because you do not have a current CCNA certification, you must go to www.cisco.com and find out how you can recertify for your CCNA or take the current CCNA exam for the first time to achieve this certification.

Cisco also maintains a list of pointers to training venues on its Web site. Visit http://cisco.com/en/US/learning/le31/learning_learning_resources_home.html.