Cisco Networking Academy Program: First-Year Companion Guide (2nd Edition)

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Summary: look for a better book; Cs. didn't even name the authors.
Review: after using this book in the netacademy, it was helpful but I don't look back at it with a good memory. I remember it's faults - the glossary that left terms out. Cisco should have editted the text and cirrculum better before sending it. There are graphics that don't make a point - they sometimes don't put together the same information the text gives. First Yr Guide 2nd edition, pg 180 for instance, fig. 5-19 says to use a straight through cable when both ports are designated with 'x' but the correct caption should say "crossover cable". This is just after the text defining the pinout of the 2 RJ-45 connectors in a crossover cable are different from each other. Lots of other errors and shortfalls make this frustrating and disappointing.
By comparison Wendell Odom is a better writer and his Cisco books are a joy. Maybe the 2004 netacad books are better too.

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Summary: Good for reviewing course material, bad CD for Mac
Review: I am a student in Cisco's online academy program. Though this book was not required for my course, I found the online material too hard on the eyes. The book contains nearly identical material to the online course. The main benefit is the review questions at the end of each chapter, which are more extensive and consistent with the chapter testing material than the online quizzes. The book is worth purchasing for these reasons. As for the CD, I am much less satisfied with it. My primary complaint is that it is NOT compatible with Apple computers (so I can't use it at home). Because my course is not as lab intensive as it should be, the CD is vital. I use it at school on a Windows machine, but because I do not have administrative access, cannot view the Movies program. If you have an Apple computer, you may want to purchase some additional software programs that will work on your computer. I hope that Cisco will rectify this issue in upcoming editions.

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Summary: Good content, but too many mistakes!
Review: I found the book to contain excellent content, especially for the first year of Cisco training. I wouldn't mind if they skipped the chapter on Computer Basics, most people should have covered this in another class. The book does not get very advanced, but of course, it is the first year companion and is not meant to be. One reviewer mentioned that the book contains chapters devoted to Cisco router configuration and Cisco specific chapters, of course it does, the book was published by Cisco Press as a study guide for Cisco routers.

The drawbacks to the book are that there are too many typos, incorrect diagrams, text references to listings & diagrams that are mislabeled, etc. The most disappointing part is that the text refers to the movies on the CD to help you understand the concepts, but the movies don't exist. I sent an e-mail to Cisco inquiring about the missing movies from the CD, but never received an answer. Also, the practice labs are pretty slow to start up.

Overall, the book was very helpful if you disregard the misprints and get over the missing practice questions and movie clips from the CD. I expected more from Cisco Press and would expect a third edition to be out soon to replace this one.

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Summary: PESIMA ASISTENCIA
Review: Para la comunidad latina, el libro est? m?s o menos el problema es que el CD que viene con el libro no est? completo ya que faltan los ejemplos de los primeros 15 cap?tulos. Hace 2 meses ped? reemplazo del CD y a?n hasta hoy el CD no llega de hecho ese libro ya dej? de leerlo y que pena porque cre? que cisco press hac?a cosas de mejor calidad y seguramente mi siguiente compra ya no ser? de alg?n material de ellos y quiz? para el 2003 ya me puedan enviar el disco con los archivos.

Hasta pronto

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Summary: New to networking and routing? Learn the basics here.
Review: The First-Year Companion Guide, 2nd Edition was designed as a supplement for the online curriculum version 2.1.4 supplied by Cisco - which is currently being taught in Cisco Networking Academies worldwide. However, you do not have to be a student of the Academy to grasp the concepts this book entails.

The Companion Guide itself is divided into 30 chapters. The first 15 chapters were designed to get you familiar with computer basics, the OSI model, and how data flows on a network. The beginning of each chapter contains an introduction and a list of objectives you will be able to perform after completion of the chapter. Many people do not pay enough attention to these objectives. They read through the chapter, answer the multiple guess questions at the end and move on. If you cannot answer the objectives of the chapter, you will never grasp the concept. Remember if it is in the book, Cisco wants you to know it for a reason. Each chapter ends with a summary of the chapter and a "Check your Understanding" section which poses questions concerning the reviewed material.

The second part of First-Year Companion Guide, 2nd Edition is where you learn the workings of a router and process of routing in a WAN environment. Here you will learn about router configuration, routing protocols, and introduction to network security and residential networking. As with the first part of this book, each chapter contains objectives, summaries, and questions on reviewed material.

This guide is not without it errors. The Cisco Press website contains a 6 page errata for this book. Many of the corrections deal with wrong answers to the "Check you Understanding" section, and diagrams located throughout the book. Also, many of the books come with incomplete CD-ROMs (i.e. missing lab files, videos, etc.) However, Cisco Press did a great job of posting these corrections and making them easy to download for your convenience along with replacing the CD at no cost.

The best thing I like about this book is that is clear and thorough. The authors did a wonderful job of including "More Information" sections to direct readings to RFCs, websites, and other material to help with the learning process. In the end, if you want to get a firm understanding of the basics of networking and routing, this book is for you.

Rating:
Summary: Good for reviewing course material, bad CD for Mac
Review: This book is intended to be used as a text for the Cisco Networking Academy classes. Along with the classroom hands on training and the information you obtain from the text, this is all you need to achieve the CCNA. As a stand alone study resource, I would recommend investing in some kind of router or network configuration simulator.

Overall, a good study resource. I don't know what everyone is talking about with the movies and test questions on the disk not working... Mine seem to work just fine.

Rating:
Summary: A must have for novice networking students.
Review: This book was published in May-2000 and has 500+ pages compared to the Cisco Networking Academy's latest May-2001 book recommended by Cisco which was pubished and has 900+pages. Topics like subnetting are not covered in depth in this book. Overall OK but for more value for the money I would recommed Cisco Networking Academy with ISBN: 1587130254

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Summary: Perfect add-on for Cisco tests.
Review: When you want information about Windows 2000 you ask Microsoft, Netware 5 you ask Novell, with Cisco Routers and the CCNA exam you need to go to Cisco. The First year companion is the book that Cisco trains with at the Cisco Academy and this should be your book too.

The First year companion is 19 chapters starting with basic networking and the OSI model all the way through Network Management. Each chapter is detailed and well documented, yet easy enough to understand that the reading will not lose anyone.

You have figures, pictures, diagrams, tables and review questions with each chapter. You will cover topics like the seven layers of the OSI model, networking devices, ARP and RARP, topologies, TCP/IP, routing and router configuration, RIP and IGRP and the command summary.

The author does a great job in giving you as much information as possible. I think that there should have been practice questions or tests on a cd-rom included with the book; the cd included with the book is filled with videos that enhance the chapter covered in the book. Overall one of the best books I have ever reviewed.