Rating: 
Summary: Don't put all your eggs in one basket!!!!!
Review: Positives ¡V
This book is a very well written and has material that is essential in order to pass the Cisco CIT test. What I feel the book covers the following in excellent detail:
Establishing network and end system baseline. Network and End system configuration table, Network and End system topology diagram, Creating effective Network and End system documentation, general troubleshooting process, selecting troubleshooting approach, troubleshooting approach, Isolating problems at all layers and correcting problems at all layers. Weak Areas - It talks about IOS and DOS trouble shooting commands but does a poor job at showing you what the outputs looks like. There are some frame-relay commands in the book, but the book does not go into enough about show and debug commands. You should know these cold!! Negatives- My opinion is that this book only covers 65% of the exam. The other 35% of the exam material that is not covered by this book is: In-depth detail about show and debug outputs. You need to know IOS TCP/IP Commands. PPP debug commands in relation to ISDN call setup and tear down. Be familiar with set/clear switch show commands, and how spanning tree works in relation to port cost, bridge priority, Mac address and STP timers. Know how VTP works. Most Important is your Hands on experience!! In conclusion- The author claims that this book is a complete study guide, however I disagree. It is my opinion that this book does not mention this material because he expects you to either have ¡¥hands on¡¦ experience or have studies the other Cisco press books for CCNP. This is an oversight by the author that makes this book a weak choice as a complete study guide, but I still feel you will need this book to study for this exam. it¡¦s an easy read but lacks the technical detail. I also feel that Cisco press is the best way to get the knowledge you need you pass any Cisco exam.
If you know all of the stuff mentioned you will have no problems. Hope this review sheds some light on the problems with this book. Book¡¦s I used to self-study. Cisco press 642-831 CIT, Exam cram 2 and Cisco Press 640-506 best for all the show and debug commands. (Exam cram 2 Use chapters 4,5,7,8,9,10, 12.) I don¡¦t know what they where thinking about when they published this book for this exam, it covers old test 640-506 and does not cover the Cisco guide line for the new exam, but is Good for commands.
Rating:
Summary: Don't put all your eggs in one basket!!!!!
Review: Positives ¡V
This book is a very well written and has material that is essential in order to pass the Cisco CIT test. What I feel the book covers the following in excellent detail:
Establishing network and end system baseline. Network and End system configuration table, Network and End system topology diagram, Creating effective Network and End system documentation, general troubleshooting process, selecting troubleshooting approach, troubleshooting approach, Isolating problems at all layers and correcting problems at all layers. Weak Areas - It talks about IOS and DOS trouble shooting commands but does a poor job at showing you what the outputs looks like. There are some frame-relay commands in the book, but the book does not go into enough about show and debug commands. You should know these cold!! Negatives- My opinion is that this book only covers 65% of the exam. The other 35% of the exam material that is not covered by this book is: In-depth detail about show and debug outputs. You need to know IOS TCP/IP Commands. PPP debug commands in relation to ISDN call setup and tear down. Be familiar with set/clear switch show commands, and how spanning tree works in relation to port cost, bridge priority, Mac address and STP timers. Know how VTP works. Most Important is your Hands on experience!! In conclusion- The author claims that this book is a complete study guide, however I disagree. It is my opinion that this book does not mention this material because he expects you to either have ¡¥hands on¡¦ experience or have studies the other Cisco press books for CCNP. This is an oversight by the author that makes this book a weak choice as a complete study guide, but I still feel you will need this book to study for this exam. it¡¦s an easy read but lacks the technical detail. I also feel that Cisco press is the best way to get the knowledge you need you pass any Cisco exam.
If you know all of the stuff mentioned you will have no problems. Hope this review sheds some light on the problems with this book. Book¡¦s I used to self-study. Cisco press 642-831 CIT, Exam cram 2 and Cisco Press 640-506 best for all the show and debug commands. (Exam cram 2 Use chapters 4,5,7,8,9,10, 12.) I don¡¦t know what they where thinking about when they published this book for this exam, it covers old test 640-506 and does not cover the Cisco guide line for the new exam, but is Good for commands.
Rating: 
Summary: Easily one of best books published by Cisco Press
Review: The CCNP Support Examination Certification Guide, by Amir S. Ranjbar, is an essential addition to the library of anyone aspiring to pass the 640-506 exam and complete their CCNP 2.0. Those who has studied Cisco's CIT 4.0 official courseware will immediately recognize the excellence of Ranjbar's work as a second-generation effort. Given the breadth of Cisco's troubleshooting subject areas (such as TCP/IP, IPX, VLANs, ISDN, Frame-Relay, etc.), that traditionally have been laborious to cover, this text is one of streamlined clarity and time-saving precision. The summary tables of show and debug commands are simply outstanding, while its lucid diagrams unravel complex relationships and consolidate disparate facts. Ranjbar's obvious skills, both as an engineer and an educator, combine nicely to make this easily one of best books published by Cisco Press.
Rating:
Summary: excellent book!
Review: This book covers everything on the CIT course. It is actually the official study guide. The course material is explained in detail, and it covers everything on the exam. Amir provides you with numerous output from debug and show commands and gives a detailed explanation of everything. He also takes you through real world troubleshooting scenarios and numerous solutions to them. I actually encountered one of these at work and solved it in a blink of an eye. Must get book for troubleshooting reference and for the CIT exam. Passed the exam today and I am now a CCNP!!!!!. Great job Amir!.
Rating:
Summary: A great study tool for the Support exam.
Review: This book is a perfect example of being that close to having the perfect book to learn and train from. What is needed is a few modification and touchups in the grammar and spelling areas along with a few more working labs and this book may just be the one to go to. 11 Chapters make up this book with coverage of the problem solving model, which is the first book I have seen to cover this topic. Also the book has extensive coverage of troubleshooting commands and tools. You learn to troubleshoot TCP/IP, AppleTalk, 5000 series switches, VLANS, Frame Relay, ISDN and more. There should be more coverage of different routers and routing protocols. The cd rom included does have practice test questions, overall a few improvements and you have a real winner.
Rating: 
Summary: Look somewhere else
Review: This book is lacking in technical instruction. I depended on this book and failed the test.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect
Review: This book will continue to live on my shelf. Not only an excellent preparation guide for the CCNP Suuport Exam, but a great reference for cut-to-the-chase troubleshooting on Cisco routing and switching products. Although geared specifically towards passing the CCNP Support exam, the text would be an excellent addition to the library of any Cisco networking professional.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This is one of the best Cisco Press titles, very well written, I experienced plenty of aha!! mouments while reading.
Rating:
Summary: The right stuff!
Review: This one has it all you need to become a CCNP. I tried different ones before and they don't compare. Some are too descriptive in areas that you don't need for this exam, others lack information that you must have. Beside improving the Cisco official training course, Amir also added real life tips which are helpful. You will have an assurance to pass with flying colors if you understand this book throughly. Good job Amir! Cisco Press, what about CCIE written and others?
Rating: 
Summary: Good resource for passing CIT exam
Review: To summarize, this book is focused on troubleshooting methodology. It goes over procedures, guidelines, and methods. It is not intended as a specific blow by blow review of troubleshooting technology - you are assumed to already have this information through studying and job experience. The author is straightforward in his writing and does a good job of boiling down the information, and physically it is considerably thinner than the other study guides.
Unlike every other Cisco Press book I've read for the CCNP exam, this book is not plagued with editing errors. Finally.
The included CDROM is adequate, but there are at least three very obvious errors I counted.
There really isn't anything wrong with this book, but I gave it four stars instead of five because sometimes it wasn't as clear as it could have been (solving a problem in the Gathering Symptoms stage? I thought that happened at the Correct the Problem stage). Another reviewer thought Chapter 13, which covers scenarios, was valuable but I didn't get much use from it as it was basically rote repetition of earlier chapters with no additional detail.
I am assuming that people are buying this book to pass an exam, so the rest of my review focuses on how the book relates to it.
Essentially it covers all the areas Cisco outlines for the exam. If you know the material in this book, you should be able to pass. There are certainly exam questions that were not in the book, but solidly being able to answer book covered questions will keep you from failing. As with every Cisco test, you will be asked a few questions that are not in the book. Cisco makes it a point to make their certifications more rigorous than simply memorizing a slew of chapters without having to think.
If you are seeking certification, take this test last as the author assumes you have taken the other certifications already. You will appreciate that the preparation length for this book is much shorter than the others. I read the entire book, took notes, and prepared for a Monday exam over the preceding Saturday and Sunday. Any other test would have taken me weeks of preparation.
I am now a CCNP! Warm wishes and good luck!
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