For many years now, OSPF has been a slight blur even with countless hours of reading and going through so called routing books. This book finally has put an end to it and gave me a tremendous motivation to schedule the CCIE Written exam in the process. In addition, there's an excellent coverage of the multicast in general; just the nuts and bolts of them. I recently read the Routing TCP/IP Vol. II 2nd Ed by Jeff Doyle and it was just way too much material (but all good though). This book helped me put all that information in perspective. So this book, to me, is actually just a refresher of all the "extra" knowledge I've gained reading in the past 5 months or so. There's also a good coverage of BGP but still having problem understanding it unlike some good understanding of routing protocols such as EIGRP and OSPF. There were some things I didn't like but that's just costmetics -- for example, embedding of important texts within the IOS outputs as comments. But overall, a good addition to my growing CCIE related books, and when I am done with this book, it will be sitting next to my Routing TCP/IP Volume 2. Oh, there are fairly good amount of typos -- I was surprised to see so many being that it's a Cisco Press book.
This is a wonderful book for those preparing for the CCIE written but not particularly friendly to people just coming out of CCNA. You need to have really worked hard prior to you CCNA exam for you to kinda grasp what is being put across in this literature well.
I would recommend it as a second or third book to studdy for the CCIE after reading books like Jeff Doyle's "Routing TCP/IP" Vols I and II. The only catch in this book over Doyle's is that, it touches on both Routing and Switch but Doyle's is solely IP routing.
I don't think I've *ever* read a Cisco press book where I didn't start finding errata within the first few pages, and this book is no exception. Sure it's usually little things, that may or may not affect exam results, but one reason people buy these books is because they want the standards distilled into a simple, well-explained, format. I think there is an implicit requirement that the facts be correctly stated. The standards are free, but often a dread to read. Cisco Press books are expensive, but worse, usually wrong.
For example, in the first chapter we begin some discussion on the format of bits in the MAC address. We discuss what determines the I/G and U/L bits. The book describes the I/G bit as the most significant bit, and places it on the right. As a CS major, this sent me researching (and reeling): that is not the standard. After an initial check with wiki (yes, I know it's not the gospel) for verification of the book's claim, I find l have further reason for doubt. From there I go to the IEEE standard and find, "The first 24 bits correspond to the OUI as assigned by the IEEE, except that the assignee may set the LSB of the first octet to 1 for group addresses or set it to 0 for individual addresses." The I/G bit is the Least Significant Bit (LSB)... not the Most as Cisco Press would assert. Yes, when transmitting the data across the wire, it's true that the LSB is sent first. It's this fact the author is confusing with the notation of bit order on paper- from left to right the LSB is on the right. I only can only guess the author makes the leap that "transmitted first" translates to "read first" and from there, that the I/G bit is the MSB. It only takes a few minutes of research to find the facts; I'm not sure why these assumptions get printed. I paid for the research, yet I'm still doing it myself.
This is just one example in the first few pages and, like I said, small- perhaps inconsequential. Perhaps not. I could see the exam asking me a question on this, and I wouldn't know how to answer: with the true answer, or Cisco's. It simply bugs me and, furthermore, I don't like wasting time leaving my studies to determine reality. The truth should be presented to me in the text, it's why I spent money on it. How hard would it be to have a few inquisitive people read these books and make the corrections *before* they go to press? Put the books in the hands of someone trying to learn the subject, not someone who thinks he or she already knows it. Then, perhaps, the right questions might be raised rather than assumptions made.
Also a small note on the matter of Cisco Press vs. IEEE standards: The standard was less confusing. I don't mean from the fact that it didn't lie to me; I mean simply from the perspective of having a better, more detailed explanation, on the matter.
I used the book to learn the blueprint topics for CCIE R&S 4.0. I have read the book so many times that I remember each page of the book! I can honestly say that this book has played a large part in giving me the knowledge to pass the CCIE written exam and also the lab exam. Most topics are explained well but some technology aspects are surprisingly missing eg. BPDU filter; some topics are not explained enough eg. PIM BiDir, MSDP; while there are some topics which may not be in the actual blueprint eg. DMVPN. However, I have to say that majority of the topics are very well written and explained. Highly recommended!
I have not read the entire book but the multicast section was great. As usual Wendell Odom describes complex topics precisely and clearly allowing beginners to go on to more advanced books. I would assume that the entire book is written with the same simple and clear style of explanations. I recommend this book to other technical professionals.
I bought the book in order to start my CCIE journey , but after reading lots of topic I found the book is leaking BIG details in the exam and also in the real life scenarios.
The book just give you an overview of the technology and do not take you into the details of it . I am very upset because i thought it will help me in studying but now i am relying on other sources .
Great book, highlights all the aspects of Routing and Switching preparation, structured well, I can say that I started my way to the CCIE after I've got CCNP from this book, it's nice to read and to have but eventually you must study from real exams which can be found all over internet in famous CCIE preparation forums like SADIKHOF or CCIETOPLABS.COM . It's very important for a book like this to be updated frequently and it's a pity it's not that's why people have to buy pretty expensive labs from third parties, although taking into account my advance in career and salary jump it gave me it was definitely WORTH it.
I have to admit that I was a bit intimidated when I saw how thick this book is, as if the CCIE isn't scary enough. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually a pretty easy read and provides a very good foundation for written exam prep. You'll find nearly everything from the 4.0 exam blueprint is covered and the level of detail for each topic seems to be appropriate.
The only flaw I can think of is that the book is about 2 years old now which means it doesn't cover a few of the more recent blueprint tweaks Cisco has made but all in all I'd say it's 90+% of what you'll need to prepare.
Even if you're not looking to take the CCIE written this book is a worthwhile read just to become a more rounded network engineer.
It's very good and focus just in the most important. I didn't rate 5 stars just because sometimes I found a minors miss-mistakes calligraphic and it is not enough to prepare CCIE Exam. It's just a blue-print about the exam but if you really want to pass it, you will need extra video/book material.
This book has allot of errors. Besides typos and references to tables they have some information just wrong. For example it talks about PIM-DM state refresh messages. Book says they are sent upstream from routers, however when I tested it in the lab I found that the messages can only be originated at the source interface for the S,G and sent downstream and are not enabled by default as the book would have you think. This makes me wonder about the credibility of the rest of the information in the book. Most information seems correct however. They really should have taken more time fact-checking and editing this book. Some sections are broad overviews and I find myself reading into more specifics in the CCNP books that cover the same topic.
I found this book to be well-organized and presented in a fashion that aids learning. In particular, I really enjoyed the IPv6 and MPLS chapters, which I didn't have much experience with. I feel like I have a solid understanding of both now. Most of the errors I found were corrected in released Errata; however, one still has not. Don't let this trip you up--regarding 3560 Switch QoS on page 558 it states the following in regards to Egress Queues:
"Both shared and shaped mode schedulers prevent the PQ from exceeding its configured bandwidth when all the other queues have frames waiting to be sent. The shaped scheduler never allows any queue, PQ or non-PQ, to exceed its configured percentage of link bandwidth, even if that means that link sits idle."
I bought this book to prepare my CCIE written exam and what can I say is that this book is one of the best books I've ever read on networking. I started my Cisco Career with the CCNA exam book and the style is very similar (thanks Mr Odom).
You will be able to find DIKTA topic (Do I Know This Already ?) and it really help to gauge your knowledge on the topic. I tought I knew the spanning-tree protocol and after I checked the answer I told myself that I needed to read a bit more about it .... Such a great thing !
The content is very well-structured, all concepts are supported by numerous examples so even if one doesn't understand the subject in it's depth he or she can find an answer to a specific real-world question.
This book will provide you great insight and deep understanding of a wide scope of networking subject.
It definitely helps to understand the technology. The words used by the authors are very simple to understand and it is very easy then for a non fluent english speaker (such as me).
The examples used in the scenarios makes you feel confident with the topic.
This book is A MUST Have for every serious CCIE student. I highly recommend it !
Also you will receive a DVD which let you install Boson software and practice the CCIE written exam. It is awesome to train on that product. It really helped me !
Exceptionnal work Wendell Odom, Rus Healy, Denise Donohue.
I just got the book. Maybe for the written you have to use other books but you will have to anyway later. I certainly expect to. I don't think one book can do it all. I was planning to do it in the next 3-4 months but now I have a few other certs to do before I tackle the written. I have seen some of the practice questions here and other sources and given the number of areas, ie BGP, OSPF, QOS, router in general, switches, IPv6, MPLS, etc. you certainly will be using a book, or a lot of time on [...] on each area.
So QOS, BGP, MPLS, etc Cisco has certainly written a book on each subject as well as their web site. So to do the lab anyway you will certainly need those books anyway. So for a test that has those areas, its nearly impossible unless the book would be several thousand pages. Yes the book just introduces each area, and is better in some areas than others but if the level of questions asked then you consult/read other books, internet to get the information you need. You are going to have to do that eventually anyway unless your goal is to just pass the written.
Given my schedlule currently, I have about 2-3 other certs to finish before I can take it, probably late 2011. Also given the job I currently have and finances and of course TIME,
my situation is such that I need lots of hands on, just to even attmept the lab. My job while I have access, I need lab time period. I have a CCNP, CCSP, AND CCVP and most likely this year a CCNP wireless. So I will need to recertify anyway so I may have to take the CCIE written in 2012-2013 to recert my paper from a practical point of view.
Given my situation, I would rather start lab prep as much as possible first, take the written in earnest, once I have enough book, lab time in. Just my 2 cents worth. So most likely have to take it twice, once to recert my paper and second time when I am somewhat close to taking the real cert.
Feb 20-2013 OK I've got all my Cisco mid level certs; I still want to do the CISSP first so another few months after May-2013 and I finally finsh school; Then in late April or May I hit the CISSP and when I finally pass this, need it for new jobs:) :)
Ok NOW hopefully I can start hitting the CCIE trail; So besides Odom book, I have all the CCIE books, DOle v1,v2, BPG book, MPLS, QOS, switch books, etc.
Guess I will follow the INE path; BTW Webber and INE is unpaid endorsement, just happen to buy their stuff:) :)
I am getting older age 63 in APril this year. Not sure I have drive to do the CCIE:) :) Hope I don't give up but there are days:) :) Anyway once I start on CCIE studies, my plan is to
take the written, late 2014 or early 2015, to renew CCNPs, also hope I am somewhat close to the lab. Probably pick up other volumes of INE stuff as I can afford it by then:) :) That will give me another 18 months to take my first attempt;
So late 2016 would be my first real CCIE lab attempt, I want to be real sure I am ready before I blow my lab attempt money $$. Can't believe I am real saying this. I first even heard about the CCIE letters in late 1990's at NIH, I was doing MCSE NT 4.0:) :)
I got my CCNA I think in May 2000, 2nd attempt. I was 50 years old. Now many certs, a couple of Master degrees later ... Ok enough rambling:) :) Good luck to all:) Carey
Product Details :
Hardcover: 1080 pages
Publisher: Cisco Press; 4 edition (December 18, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1587059800
ISBN-13: 978-1587059803
Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 2.4 x 9.3 inches
More Details about CCIE Routing and Switching Certification Guide, 4th edition
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