Rating: 
Summary: Coriolis CCNA Exam Prep is an Excellent Prep book for CCNA
Review: I highly recommend all Coriolis Exam Prep and Exam Cram books and the Exam Prep "Routing and Switching" is no different. I just passed the CCNA exam today after reading both the Exam Cram and Exam Prep books. They were a tremendous help.I have used this series of books to acquire 3 certifications in the IT field.Coriolis has designed these books to work as a 2-part system. Step 1, read the larger and more detailed Exam Prep book to gain a thorough understanding of the material. Step 2, read the Exam Cram book to prepare you for the test itself. Reading both books gives you a solid foundation of understanding and excellent preparation for the exams themselves. I feel skipping either book is cheating yourself of knowledge and will make obtaining the certification more difficult. I have heard that Coriolis is having problems and maybe going out of production. I hope not. Their Exam Prep and Exam Cram books are some of the best on the market and been a valuable resource in my career development.
Rating:
Summary: My step up from the MCSE
Review: I thought after finishing my MCSE last year I knew all about computer networks. This book sure opened my eyes. It's a smooth path from that curriculum to the Cisco networking world. It starts with the OSI model and moves into network structure then has a real good chapter on the different Cisco products: switches, routers, modular devices, DSL, ATM etc. Then it explains the Cisco IOS, how to program the router copy and transfer images, NVRAM, Flash etc. This was all well explained so I could move on with confidence. Next came the protocols, IP, IPX and routing protocols which I never knew existed, but learned well. The book finishes with lots of coverage on WANs particularly Frame Relay which was heavily covered on the exam. Then came access lists which were well explained and also covered on the exam. Simply put, this book had all the coverage for the exam and only having unrelated A+ and Microsoft training I was able to pass the CCNA on the first try. Word of warning though, don't take it lightly, study hard, the test is hard but the material is all in here. The CD is great to determine if your ready too.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book...
Review: I used this book and the Exam Cram series only to study for my CCNA 2.0 exam and passed with little trouble. The Exam Cram has a few errors but nothing that will cause you much grief. I highly recommend the Exam Prep Series to all test takers.
Rating: 
Summary: The Cram has more that the Prep
Review: No doubt this CCNA book is very easy to read, unlike the ones from Cisco Press. I am reading it alongside with the Exam Cram & found out that this Prep book actually has less info on Switching & VLANs as compared to the smaller size Cram, which is ODD. The 1st edition CCNA Exam Cram which I got, actually shows what the IOS looks like when booting Cisco switches, it also shows how to enter the IP address & netmask, but none of that in the Prep. I don't have the newer 2nd edition CCNA Exam Cram, therefore I can't comment. I notice that the CCNA for Dummies also left out the IOS part in Switches & maybe it's not that important in the exam, but "Less in Prep & More in Cram"... goodness, the "Less is more" sounds about right. To conclude, I think the CCNA focus more on routing than switching, it is better to get the CCNP or the new CCIP to get you a job. Hope the Exam Prep series can find a new home soon...
The Exam Cram is now owned by QUE & called it Exam Cram 2.
Rating:
Summary: The Cram has more that the Prep
Review: No doubt this CCNA book is very easy to read, unlike the ones from Cisco Press. I am reading it alongside with the Exam Cram & found out that this Prep book actually has less info on Switching & VLANs as compared to the smaller size Cram, which is ODD. The 1st edition CCNA Exam Cram which I got, actually shows what the IOS looks like when booting Cisco switches, it also shows how to enter the IP address & netmask, but none of that in the Prep. I don't have the newer 2nd edition CCNA Exam Cram, therefore I can't comment. I notice that the CCNA for Dummies also left out the IOS part in Switches & maybe it's not that important in the exam, but "Less in Prep & More in Cram"... goodness, the "Less is more" sounds about right. To conclude, I think the CCNA focus more on routing than switching, it is better to get the CCNP or the new CCIP to get you a job. Hope the Exam Prep series can find a new home soon...
The Exam Cram is now owned by QUE & called it Exam Cram 2.
Rating: 
Summary: Crisp and engaging
Review: Read the second chapter and you've been exposed to one of the cleanest descriptions of the OSI model you're likely to find anywhere (although if you have a better example, hook me up!) The Exam Prep is totally unlike the Exam Cram and well worth the additional money. Even if you know the topic cold, the practice questions are far more varied. And the text itself is sufficiently balanced between tutorial and reference that it can be a great memory jogger for those obscure functional quirks that respond to a well worded, in-context nudge. What's lacking: Sex, nudity, and any references to Zen, world issues, or Albert Schwitzer. I'm a CNE that used the Novell books extensively to learn much of the same material. I would have to say that this book will supplement the studies of anyone that needs to have a basic understanding of internetworking. It might just serve as a good guide for the Novell Fundamentals of Internetworking examination. Regrettably, there are also no references to cavies. Be aware that no single teaching book can contain all of the funky little details that exam writers love to glom upon, but this one does far better than most. Combine this with a decent test prep software, and some committed time to the CISCO pubs that go with your network gear, and you definitely have a fighting chance.
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Summary: BOOK READS VERY WELL, A MUST HAVE FOR CCNA
Review: The key to learning any subject is to be able to read and understand it. This book takes some very complex topics and makes it easy to read and understand. I give it 5 thumbs up. I used this book along with Todd Lammle and Transcender Exams for CCNA. It was a combination of all three which gave you the well rounded approach to pass the exam. No book is the answer to all, its the matter of author view point. This book is no exception, but it is a very good, easy to read easy to understand book that makes it its strength. The combination of all 3 should make you pass the exam. Best of Luck.
Rating:
Summary: ALotOfGoodStuff
Review: This book has a ton of good information about Cisco devices, the IOS and the many routed and routing protocols. Most of it is covered in real detail and is not really for those (who are) new to computer networking. I'd say this is a little of the advanced course although it does start with the beginning Cisco information you do need to have some decent backround in computer networking to be able to read this and pass the exam. All the different protocols which are on the exam were covered in detail here. It covered the IOS real well, the different parts of Cisco switches and routers and troubleshooting. The chapter on Access Lists covered the exam questions real well. I felt real comfortable and passed with a 92%. Warning though: The test is not easy and if you don't understand the material in the book, you won't pass. If you know the book and do the questions and exercises you'll pass. It's all in there.
Rating:
Summary: ALotOfGoodStuff
Review: This book has a ton of good information about Cisco devices, the IOS and the many routed and routing protocols. Most of it is covered in real detail and is not really for those (who are) new to computer networking. I'd say this is a little of the advanced course although it does start with the beginning Cisco information you do need to have some decent backround in computer networking to be able to read this and pass the exam. All the different protocols which are on the exam were covered in detail here. It covered the IOS real well, the different parts of Cisco switches and routers and troubleshooting. The chapter on Access Lists covered the exam questions real well. I felt real comfortable and passed with a 92%. Warning though: The test is not easy and if you don't understand the material in the book, you won't pass. If you know the book and do the questions and exercises you'll pass. It's all in there.
Rating:
Summary: Well-Written Study-Guide
Review: This book is the definitive study-guide for the CCNA2.0 next only to Todd Lammle's Sybex book. After reading both I can confidently say that each book covers off where the other misses. I found the accuracy in this book to be lacking at times in the lab sections (e.g. diagrams that didn't match the question) but the raw curriculum (i.e. 95% of the book) was bang on. This book does a much better job than the Sybex equivalent of explaining some concepts (OSI model, access lists) but falls short(er) than the Sybex in other areas (IPX, security). As with the Sybex, a good 30% of this book deals with routing, from base concepts to protocol specifics. I found this book dragged it out over a few more chapters and, as a result, was able to explain everything in a much more readable fashion. If you can afford both books, go for it. A single book is rarely enough to pass an exam of this magnitude, and the above mentioned 2 make the perfect combo.
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