CCENT^® Certification All-In-One For Dummies^®

Introduction

The CCENT certification is a new, fast-growing certification that tests your knowledge of basic Cisco device-management and networking concepts. It is a great stepping stone to the CCNA certification and other Cisco certification tracks. The CCENT exam tests your knowledge of real-world networking concepts and Cisco features found on most networks today!

About This Book

CCENT Certification All-In-One For Dummies is designed to be a hands-on, practical guide to help you pass the CCENT certification exam. This book is written in a way that helps you not only understand complex technical content, but also prepares you to apply that knowledge to real-world scenarios.

I understand the value of a book that covers the points needed to pass the exam, but I also understand the value of ensuring that the information helps you perform IT-related tasks when you are on the job. That is what this book offers you — key points to pass the exam combined with practical information to help you in the real world, which means that you can use this book in more than one way.

♦ An exam preparation tool: Because my goal is to help you pass the CCENT certification exam, this book is packed with exam-specific information and tips to help you with tricky exam questions. You should understand everything that is in this book before taking the exam, but to identify key points that you must know, look for icons named For the Exam. In those paragraphs, you will find helpful tips on topics you are certain to be tested on.

♦ A reference: Rely on my extensive experience in the IT industry not only to study for (and pass) the exam, but also to help you perform common network-related tasks on the job. I hope you find this book a useful tool that you can refer to time and time again in your career as you configure networks and Cisco devices.

Conventions Used in This Book

Each chapter in this book has different elements that help you prepare to pass your CCENT, including the following features:

♦ Quick Assessments: Located at the beginning of each chapter is a Quick Assessment section that gives a number of questions related to the chapter content for you to assess whether you have the knowledge already in that chapter. It is highly recommended to read all chapters in the book, but if you find you are limited on study time you may want to focus on the topics you know the least about — the Quick Assessments help you determine what topics you know and what you need more work on.

♦ Icons: Look for the icons used in each chapter to draw your attention to information needed for the exam or in the real world. For more details on the icons I use, check out the later section, “Icons Used in This Book.”

♦ Chapter Summary: Found at the end of each chapter, the “Chapter Summary” section covers key points you should remember for the exam.

♦ Labs: Lab exercises offer the opportunity to get your hands dirty with a particular topic with real-world experience performing specific tasks. In order to totally grasp the topics discussed in a chapter, be sure to perform the lab exercises. The CCENT certification has a number of simulators that will test your real-world knowledge so you really need to know how to perform the different tasks to pass the exam. Due to the fact that you may have different configurations when you do the labs, there are no lab answers within the Labs section.

♦ Prep Test: Following each “Chapter Summary” section, you can find questions to help review the chapter content and prepare you for the CCENT certification exam. Be sure to answer the review questions in each chapter! Then, after you finish reading the entire book and do the lab exercises, check out the practice exams on the companion CD-ROM, which is designed to function like the real exam, with the same level of difficulty.

♦ Monofont text: To help you distinguish commands you type or text you should see on the screen I apply the monofont style to the text. Examples where you see this style are on router commands, IP addresses, and names of devices.

♦ Boldface text: To help identify new commands that you are learning within a code listing the boldface text style is applied. Although you should read over all code in a code example, using the boldface text will help draw your attention to the new commands presented in a code listing.

Foolish Assumptions

I make a few assumptions about you as a reader and have written this book with these assumptions in mind:

♦ You are interested in obtaining the CCENT Certification. Anyone who is looking to get a solid introduction to networking and how to manage a Cisco device can use this book, but the focus of this book is concentrated on the exam objectives needed to pass the CCENT certification exam.

♦ You have Cisco equipment to work on. To perform the labs in the book, you will need to have two Cisco switches and two Cisco routers. If you do not have access to the Cisco hardware, you can search online for a simulator to purchase. An example simulator you can purchase is the Network simulator for CCENT from www.certexams.com.

♦ You will study hard and do as much hands-on work as possible. There is a lot of content on the CCENT exam, and you will most likely need to read over the information contained in this book a few times to ensure that you understand it. You should also experiment as much as possible on the actual devices after you read a particular topic. For example, after you read about CDP on a router, be sure to spend some time trying the commands on your router to ensure you are comfortable with what the protocol can do and what it offers as a feature.

♦ You will read the chapters of this book in the order presented. Although you are not required to read the chapters in order, it is highly recommended as chapters that appear later in the book assume you have read, or have the knowledge, of the previous chapters. For example, during the routing discussion I assume you have already read the subnetting and variable-length subnet mask (VLSM) chapter and use those terms within the routing chapter. It is best to read the book from cover to cover at least once and then you can jump to the chapters you need more work on.

How This Book Is Organized

Like all All-In-One For Dummies books, chapters are organized into minibooks. The chapters in each minibook are related by a specific theme or topic. For example, Book I — “Networking Basics” — contains all the basic networking information, including explanations of terminology and devices.

This book is designed as a study tool that you can read from cover to cover; reading the chapters in the order they are presented. I recommend that you read through the book at least once in the order it is presented and then after that pick the chapters that you need to revisit. The reason I recommend reading the chapters in order is because each chapter is written assuming you have the knowledge of the previous chapters.

The following sections outline what you can find in each minibook.

Book I: Networking Basics

In this minibook, you discover what the CCENT certification is all about and what you will be tested on when taking the exam. You also find out about the basics of networking, starting with network types, cables, and devices, and then move on to the basics of IP addressing and the very important exam topic of subnetting.

Book II: Cisco Device Basics

In Book II, you are introduced to Cisco devices and the basics of how they work. You first read about the physical aspects of the devices, such as the ports, and then move on to discover the Cisco operating system and the boot process. You then learn how to perform some basic configuration tasks, such as configuring interfaces and passwords before finding out how to back up your configuration, discover neighbors, and manage devices remotely with Telnet. This minibook finishes with a discussion on network services like name resolution, DHCP, and NAT.

Book III: Routing and Switching

Book III first focuses on the routing process and how data is routed from one network to another, and then discusses static routing and dynamic routing protocols and how to control the routing process with the routing table. The minibook then changes focus to switches and talks about basic features of the switch, and I tell you how to perform basic configuration tasks on switches. The final topic in this minibook is troubleshooting, which covers basic troubleshooting steps and commands you can use on Cisco devices.

Book IV: Advanced Topics

The final minibook starts with two chapters on network security and introduces the security best practices you need to know for the CCENT certification exam. The minibook then continues with chapters on wireless networks and introduces you to wide area networks (WANs).

Appendixes

Appendix A gives you an overview of what you can find on the CD-ROM that accompanies the book. Please have a look at this section to get the scoop on valuable resources on the book’s companion CD-ROM, such the Test Engine.

Appendix B is an exam-objective mapping table that lets you know where in the book you can find details on each of the exam objectives. This is very useful when you are preparing for the exam; it can help you make sure that you know each point in the objectives.

Online Cheatsheet

To help you prepare for the CCENT certification exam, and to give you a quick listing of commands for the real world, I have created an online cheatsheet that is designed to give you some of the core facts to remember for the exam. Be sure to read and understand this book, but the online resource is there as a good refresher.

The URL for the online cheatsheet is:

www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/ccentcertificationaio

Icons Used in This Book

I use a number of icons in this book to draw your attention to pieces of useful information.

This icon gives you a heads-up on information you should absolutely know for the certification exams.

Information that would be helpful to you in the real world is indicated with a Tip icon. Expect to find shortcuts and timesavers here.

This icon flags information that may be useful to remember on the job.

Information that could cause problems to you or to the devices you are working with is indicated with a Warning icon. If you see a Warning icon, make sure you read it. The computer you save may be your own.

Detailed information that is not needed for the exams or that is a step above the knowledge you absolutely need to know for the exams is indicated with a Technical Stuff icon.

This icon lets you know when you can find accompanying information or supporting documents on the CD-ROM.

Where to Go from Here

The CCENT certification is considered an entry-level certification for candidates interested in a certification career with Cisco products. It provides a great networking foundation for other certification paths, such as these:

♦ CCNA: The logical next step would be to take the ICND2 exam, which is exam number 640-816. The 640-816 exam combined with your CCENT certification earns you the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification.

♦ Other Vendors: After receiving your CCNA certification, you could look to other certifications, such as Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS), or even look to security certifications such as SCP’s Security Certified Network Professional (SCNP) or EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification.

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Book I

Networking Basics

Contents at a Glance

Chapter 1: About the CCENT Exam

The Value of CCENT Certification

CCENT Exam Details

What to Expect on the CCENT Exam

Using This Book to Prepare for the Exam

On Your Test Day

Chapter 2: Introduction to Network Technologies

Understanding Network Types

Identifying Network Topologies

Looking at Cable Types

Accessing the Network with Access Methods

Understanding Network Architectures

Looking at the OSI Model

Chapter Summary

Lab Exercises

Chapter 3: Network Devices and Services

Building Networks with Network Devices

Identifying Network Services

Traffic Management Concepts

Chapter Summary

Lab Exercises

Chapter 4: Introduction to TCP/IP

The Basics of TCP/IP

IP Address Classes

Looking at Special Addresses

Assigning IP Addresses

The TCP/IP Internet Model

Chapter Summary

Lab Exercises

Chapter 5: Subnetting and VLSM

Identifying Reasons to Subnet

Subnetting a Network

Understanding Variable-Length Subnet Masks

Chapter Summary

Lab Exercises

Chapter 1: About the CCENT Exam

In This Chapter

Mapping your Cisco certification path

CCENT exam details

What to expect on the CCENT exam

Using this book to prepare for the exam

On your test day

Welcome to the world of Cisco certification! If you are reading this book, you have most likely decided that you are interested in furthering your career in networking by attaining your first Cisco certification — the Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT). I have to say that the CCENT certification is one of my favorite certifications because (though it is considered an entry-level certification) it ensures the exam candidate has basic networking knowledge and knows the fundamentals of Cisco device configuration.

This chapter is designed to give you information on what to expect on the CCENT certification exam and how to go about registering for it. Study hard and good luck!

The Value of CCENT Certification

For years, the first Cisco certification exam you would have taken to attain a Cisco certification was the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). This has changed in recent years, and now the first Cisco certification that certification candidates work toward is the CCENT. The reason for the change is that the CCNA exam topics that are now covered have expanded to the point that someone new to Cisco networking would find it very difficult to know the details of all the exam topics — so the CCNA was broken into two different exams.

Cisco decided to provide two options for someone looking to obtain a CCNA. The first option allows an individual to take two exams, known as the Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices (ICND) exams. The two exams are known as the ICND1 and ICND2; the ICND1 is the first exam, and after passing it, you can do your ICND2 exam to reach your CCNA certification.

The second option available to someone looking to obtain a CCNA is to take one CCNA exam — an option for those individuals who feel they are up for the challenge of taking on all exam topics in one exam.

Cisco also decided that if someone was to take and pass the ICND1 exam, they would earn the CCENT certification — the first Cisco certification in the many Cisco certification paths. The CCENT is a very hands-on certification exam that tests the exam-taker’s networking knowledge and basic configuration and troubleshooting skills with Cisco devices.

Cisco has many different certification paths that IT professionals can take, such as the Routing and Switching path, Security path, and Wireless path. The CCENT certification is the first certification exam in all the Cisco certification paths and, as a result, has become a very popular certification.

Obtaining the CCENT certification is your way of proving to employers and customers that you have the skills to manage Cisco devices in a small network environment.

CCENT Exam Details

You earn the CCENT certification after you pass Cisco’s ICND1 exam, which is exam number 640-822. You can schedule your exam appointment at any VUE testing center by calling one of the following phone numbers or by scheduling it online at www.vue.com/cisco/schedule. Pearson VUE is a company that provides computer-based testing and certification exams and is the testing provider selected by Cisco for the Cisco certification exams.

♦ United States and Canada: 1-877-404-EXAM (1-877-404-3926)

♦ Other Countries: For other parts of the world, check out VUE’s Web site at www.vue.com/cisco/contact.

The exam is approximately 90 minutes in length, and you will be presented with 40 to 50 questions. The exam is available in a number of different languages, such as English, Japanese, Chinese, and French — to name just a few.

In order to take the CCENT certification exam, you must be 18 years old or older if you wish to take the exam without a parent’s consent. If you are between 13 and 17 years old, you may still take the exam but only with a parent’s consent.

If for some reason you do not pass the exam, Cisco requires that you wait six days before retaking the exam (five days from the day after your last exam). After passing the CCENT certification exam, the certification is valid for three years, at which point you will need to renew it.

The following summarizes the exam details you should know when you schedule your exam:

♦ Exam Number: 640-822

♦ Time Limit: 90 minutes

♦ Number of Questions: 40–50 questions

♦ Passing Score: 804 (based on a scale of 300–1000)

♦ Test Provider: Pearson VUE

♦ Available Languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Korean, French, Portuguese

The CCENT certification exam is a nonadaptive exam, meaning that you receive all 40–50 questions. Adaptive exams are shorter exams as they move on to the next topic once you answer a question in a topic area correctly — this is not the case with the CCENT certification exam! Also note that Cisco does not publish the passing score and scoring details as they are subject to change.

What to Expect on the CCENT Exam

A big part of passing any certification exam is trying to be as prepared as possible. This means knowing what to expect on the exam as far as the technical content you need to know and the style of questions on the exam.

Types of questions

The CCENT certification exam has a number of different style questions. Each style of question is designed to test you in a different way. For example, the multiple-choice questions are designed to test your knowledge level (the theory), while the simulation questions will test your hands-on skills — ensuring you can perform the task.

The following are some of the different types of question formats you will find on the CCENT certification exam:

♦ Multiple-choice, single answer: This type of question will present you with a question and then list a number of choices as potential answers. You are required to select the best answer from the list of choices.

♦ Multiple-choice, multiple answer: With this type of question, you are asked a question and you need to choose multiple answers from the list of choices. This type of question will normally specify “select all that apply” or may tell you how many items to select, such as “select three.”

♦ Drag-and-drop: These questions are a little more interactive and typically involve you dragging items from the left side of the screen and dropping them in the correct place on the right side of the screen. For example, you may be given a list of definitions on the right side of the screen and you need to drop the correct term onto the proper definition.

♦ Fill-in-the-blank: You may receive a fill-in-the-blank question that requires you to read it and (instead of selecting the correct answer) type in the correct answer.

♦ Testlet: A testlet is a group of questions that applies (group) to the same scenario. You will first be presented with a scenario and then you will be given four or five multiple-choice questions to answer for that scenario.

♦ Simlet: A simlet is similar to testlet in the sense that you are given a scenario and have to answer multiple questions for the scenario. The difference is that the scenario is in the form of a simulation. With a simlet, you are asked multiple questions and, in order to answer the questions, you will need to use router commands to view the configuration of the router in the simulator.

♦ Router Simulation: Router simulations are a popular type of question in Cisco exams. With a simulation, you are given a number of tasks that need to be performed in the simulator and you are graded on how you do with your configuration within the simulation.

It is very important that you get familiar with how to answer each of the question types discussed above. I recommend visiting Cisco’s Web site and go through the Cisco Certification Exam Tutorial. This exam tutorial shows you what each of the question types look like as well as how you go about answering the questions. The URL for the exam tutorial is

www.cisco.com/web/learning/wwtraining/certprog/training/cert_exam_tutorial.html

You can also prepare for the style of questions by taking the exam tutorial that is provided with the actual CCENT certification exam. When you actually begin your exam on test day, Cisco will ask if you would like to take the exam tutorial. I highly recommend doing the exam tutorial as it will give you a chance to see how to use the test engine. It only takes a few minutes to do the tutorial, and the time does not come off your exam time. Again, you want to be as prepared as possible!

One last point to make about the exam questions is that you cannot mark questions and go back to them at a later time like you can with Microsoft or CompTIA exams. Once you have answered a question, you cannot change the answer after moving on to the next question. Also note that it is best to select an answer to a question even if you do not know the answer because you are unable to go back to the question at a later time.

Exam objectives

The CCENT certification is very popular because it tests the exam candidate on basic networking concepts and the skills needed to configure Cisco devices in a small network environment. The following is a list of the major exam objectives that you will be tested on, with a quick description of that objective. For full detail on the exam objectives and the chapters of this book that cover each exam objective, take a look at Appendix B: CCENT Exam Reference Matrix.

♦ Describe the operation of data networks. This objective is designed to test your knowledge of basic networking concepts, and it includes an understanding of the OSI model, the different types of networking devices, and the pathway of communication on a network.

♦ Implement a small switch network. This objective tests your knowledge of the different types of connectors that exist on Cisco switches and the basic concepts of Cisco switches. You will also be tested on configuration tasks such as disabling ports and configuring port security on a switch.

♦ Implement an IP addressing scheme and IP services to meet network requirements for a small branch office. This objective is designed to test your knowledge of basic network services such as DHCP, DNS, and NAT. You are also tested on IP addressing and troubleshooting communication problems that are due to IP addressing issues.

♦ Implement a small routed network. In this objective, you are tested on the basic configuration of a router and the routing process. You are required to know how to implement static routing and dynamic routing using the RIP and RIPv2 routing protocols. This objective is also designed to cover tasks such as backing up your router configuration.

♦ Explain and select the appropriate administrative tasks required for a WLAN. This objective is designed to test you on basic wireless terminology and security protocols surrounding wireless. You are also tested on the purpose of wireless components such as SSID and security protocols such as WEP, WPA, and WPA2.

♦ Identify security threats to a network and describe general methods to mitigate those threats. This objective tests you on basic security principles with networks and networking equipment. You are also tested on best practices with router configuration and location of equipment.

♦ Implement and verify WAN links. The last objective tests you on basic WAN terminology and configuration of a serial link on a Cisco router.

When you have finished your exam, you will get a printout indicating your score and whether you have passed or failed. The exam results printout also gives you your score as a percentage of the objectives listed above. This lets you know what areas you need to work on to improve your knowledge when working with Cisco devices.

Using This Book to Prepare for the Exam

The Cisco CCENT certification is not a certification that you can pass by only reading the chapters in this book. It is important to make sure that after reading a chapter, you spend some time on an actual Cisco device or in a simulator practicing the topics covered in that chapter. You can download simulators from many different Web sites for a fee; for example, you can purchase the Network simulator for CCENT from www.certexams.com.

The best way to use this book to prepare for the exam is to first read a chapter, starting with the Quick Assessments section, to determine how much you know about the topic before you start reading. Then, read the chapter again — but this time, spend some time trying out the commands that are discussed in the chapter.

After practicing the commands as you read through the chapter, try the lab exercises at the end of the chapter. The lab exercises are designed to give you the hands-on skills you need to pass the CCENT exam.

After you have done the lab exercises for a chapter, do the review questions located in the Prep Test at the end of the chapter. These questions are designed to review the concepts presented in the chapter and give you an idea of the types of questions you may be asked on the exam.

After you have gone through the book two or three times and read and practiced the lab exercises, try the practice exams located on the book’s companion CD-ROM.

I highly recommend not doing the practice tests on the CD until you have completed the entire book. I know a lot of people try the practice exams as they are reading through the book just to gauge their progress — as a result, they know all the practice test answers by the time they are done with the book. I think the practice tests will be better served if you don’t try them until you have 100 percent completed the book (and labs) and then want to see how you would do if you were to take the real exam.

The CCENT certification is a hands-on, practical certification, so be sure to get as much hands-on experience as possible as you are studying each chapter.

On Your Test Day

Over the years, I have taken many different certification exams and picked up some good habits. (I am sure I have some bad habits as well, but I will keep those to myself.) This section outlines some basic steps you should take to make sure that you are prepared for your exam.

Arriving at the test site

The first thing you want to do on test day is make sure that you show up to the testing center early so that you can familiarize yourself with the facility and do things like get a drink and use the restroom before your exam starts.

Make sure that you bring two forms of ID, and one of them has to have a picture. Also, note that Cisco requires the test center take a photo of you on test day, and this photo is printed on your score card.

Getting lots of rest

Another habit I have learned over the years is that sometimes it is not best to cram any more information in my head the night before the exam. For most people, it is more effective to get a good night’s sleep the night before the exam. Be sure to eat a good breakfast when you wake up in the morning before heading out to take your exam.

Also, if you are a morning person you may want to make sure that you schedule the exam earlier in the day. For me, I do not seem to do too well on an exam if I book the exam after lunchtime. I seem to think clearer in the morning, so as a result, I make sure I book all my exams around 10 a.m.

Answering questions

When you are answering questions on the exam, always read the questions thoroughly and be sure you understand the question before looking at the answer choices. When you do look at the answer choices, always eliminate the obvious choices first and then choose the best answer from those remaining. And remember that your first instinct is usually always correct, so go with your gut if you are not 100 percent sure.