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Rating: 
Summary: Lammle's CCNP Routing Book is the most comprehensive
Review: Dear CCNP-to-be: don't loose much time looking for routing exam material, what you only need is Mr. Lammle's book from Sybex. I did it yesterday, and the only resource was this book.All what you need to do, is to follow the book structure, solve the practice tests included, and read everything carefully, and I promise you will be there. With my best wishes and thanks again to Mr. Lammle.
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Rating: 
Summary: Waste of time and money!!!
Review: I really wanted to like this book. Don't get me wrong, it's a decent book but after using the Lammle/Sybex book to pass my CCNA this book is a let down. This book, though not intentionally, is two books. The first half is well-written and explains IGRP, EIGRP, and OSPF in an in-depth, easy-to-read fashion. The second half covers BGP and leaves you scratching your head. I don't know if the topic of BGP is so complicated it's hard to put into words, but considering how much of the book covers BGP (3/10)I will have to look elsewhere for more information. Addendum - I took the routing test for the CCNP and I can honestly tell you this book is useless unless you like a birds-eye view of information. I knew this book cover to cover, and still there were topics and commands on the test I had never seen before. I also used the corresponding cram session (again I knew it cover to cover)...and the Sybex virtual trainer...and guess what...I failed! (In case you're wondering if it's just my intelligence, I have a master's degree in aqueous geochemistry). Stick with the Cisco books...a bit more dry to read, but far more informative.
Rating:
Summary: It's amazing how uncritical some people are.
Review: I saw some good reviews, so I bought the book. Then I learned why most reviews are worthless: too many people have been taught, "if you don't have anything nice to say . . .." I scored 900+ on the two CCNP exams I've taken so far (Switching and Support), so I have some idea of the sort of detail that is included in them. I have taken Cisco's routing course (BSCN), and reviewed Cisco's own materials. And I have plenty of hands-on; network engineering, mostly with Cisco equipment, is what I do. So let me tell you: this book is *hideous*. It is stunningly lacking in essential detail. Mr. Lammle, or anyone else for that matter, should be embarrassed to put his name on it. There is far less hyperbole in this review than you might suspect. This book leaves out far too much of what's in the course, in Cisco's own materials, what Cisco TELLS you is on the exam, and what you need to perform routing tasks effectively. This is more of a routing *pamphlet* than a "book." Why two stars instead of one? This book could be of some use as a "starter" text for the novice before going to the actual Cisco course or reading the Cisco Press books. Some of the beginning chapters in particular provide a good review of basic concepts. (But then, the "novice" shouldn't be aiming at a CCNP exam.) But to do well on the CCNP exam, and *certainly* to become skilled at routing tasks, I couldn't advise you more strongly to spend your money elsewhere. I know. Everyone hates "negative" reviews. But love them or hate them, sometimes they're the truth.
Rating: 
Summary: Get another Book to Replace the BGP Chapters
Review: I used only this book to pass the CCNP Routing test, but let it be known that I had significant experience in BGP beforehand. The BGP chapters are vague and will easily confuse. Not to mention some mistakes are contained in those chapters. BGP is tough enough without the author fumbling through it. As for the other routing protocols, it would be a good idea to glance through a little more EIGRP documentation. I remember a question asking how many tables are required in a Cisco IOS router implementation. The answer to that question is not in the book (I never did bother to research it either). In closing, this is the third and final book of that I have purchased of Lammle's. I would heartily recommend that if anyone has done the same, please seek a new author; just to get another viewpoint if nothing else.
Rating:
Summary: Waste of time and money!!!
Review: I used the Cisco Press Exam Certification Guide series to pass the CCNP exams. I got this one and I just don't like the higher level, skimming topics writing style. I'm not saying that I always understand the lower level stuff at first read, but I like the option of trying. The chapters I read of this book seem to offer not much more than high level topic summaries. The high number of typos bug too.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't buy this book!
Review: In studying for my CCNP/CCDP certs, I read the full set from Sybex and also the Exam Preparation Library from Cisco Press. I found that the Sybex books did a better job of introducing certain topics and laying the foundation for further study - further study from Cisco Press, that is. If you are unfamiliar with a lot of the objectives for the exam, the Sybex book will put a framework in place. If you're looking for information that will help you answer and understand each question on the CCNP exams, check out the Exam Prep Library from Cisco. I've read many reviews that state the CP books are too technical and dry - hey, if you're going to be a CCNP, you'd better be able to handle the level at which the Cisco books are written. Yes, it's technical. Get used to it. Besides, the CD Test Engine from CP is MUCH MUCH better. Also, the essay questions at the beginning and end of each Cisco Press chapter really show if you "know" the material. Yes, this book has errors. They all do. Check the publisher's website for errata, and make the corrections. To sum up, CP's collection did a terrific job of preparing me for the tests. With careful reading, they'll do the same for you. Jayson Tobias
CCNP CCDP
Rating: 
Summary: It could be a great book if not for "Typos"
Review: Lammle's and friends CCNP Routing Study Guide discuss everything you need to pass and ace the Cisco 640-503 exam, whats more there's a lot of configuration and debugging example on every routing protocol that is covered in the exam (i.e. OSPF, BGP, EIGP, etc.) and they even give you one chapter to refresh your memory about IP addressing and subnetting, which you should already know when you took the CCNA 2.0 exam. The only problem I found in this book is that it seems they rushed the production of this material. It's not fair to pay USD49.99 for a book with a lot of "typos" problem. If your not planning to take the exam now, wait for the second edition of this book.
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Summary: Routing Study Guide Exam 640-503
Review: Yes, there are a couple of type errors in this book. These typos are very minor, and should be disregarded. Every chapter in the book, with the exception of Chapter 7, was very thorough and presented nicely. BGP is not clear; however, you can get more info on BGP from Cisco. EIGRP, OSPF, and Route Distribution was presented clearly. VLSM was presented clearly. The Routing Exam is very difficult, but if you study this book you will be able to pass this exam. You will not score over 90%, but you will pass. This book prepared me for the Routing Exam, and I passed with a score of 725. I think it is unfair to blame Todd Lammle for Cisco's poor tests. These test are written in Cisconese, but you can get through this exam with this book.
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