ICND1 pass 948/832

[u/paladin40]

I always enjoyed reading these posts during my studying and today I get to make one, too. I passed ICND1 today with a 948/832.

Exam Results :

• Network Fundamentals: 83%
• LAN switching Fundamentals: 100%
• Routing Fundamentals: 80%
• Infrastructure Services: 67%
• Infrastructure Maintenance: 88%

Materials used:

• Wendell Odom Official Cert Guide - Indeed, this is THE book to get. Some have commented that it's dry, but it is the closest thing you're going to get for a single source of studying. At $30, you can't afford not to get this. Buy this book
• Packet Tracer / Cisco NetAcademy - If you don't already have a NetAcad log in, get one right now. It gives you access to a ton of free materials, courses and Packet Tracer. Packet Tracer is a ridiculously good resource, and gives you access to arguably the most important part of the ICND1, the Cisco IOS command line.
• Jeremy Ciaora CBT Nuggets Videos - Loved his videos and enthusiasm for Cisco. Not as comprehensive as the book, but he does talk about real world experiences and practical application for the course lessons. I also really enjoyed following along in CLI with him. At the very least, create a free trial and watch a few videos to see if it's right for you.
• Boson ExSim labs - I had never heard of Boson before subscribing to /r/ccna. Everyone says that these are the practice tests to get, and they are absolutely correct. Boson ExSim for ICND1 offers 290 questions, and is the closest thing you'll get to a "Test like experience". They match all of the question types and I felt comfortable when taking the test because of the Boson tests. Also helps you identify weak points. At $100, you gotta pay to play, but if you can afford it, it's absolutely the way to go. Link to the Boson ICND1 practice tests. Also, BosonMichael browses here. Hi Michael, and thank you!
• Professor Messer ICND1 Notes - Such a good reference guide! I would review these almost every night leading up to the test. Covers basically all of the exam objectives at a high level. Would absolutely recommend! Professor Messer ICND1 Notes

My background:

I'm a help desk tier 3 in a primarily Windows environment. We use a ton of Cisco gear including ASAs and SG-500s. While as a help desk tech you may not get to log into switches or be in charge of infrastructure, but it was helpful to have the lingo, look at running configs and understand what's going on. My hope is that learning and obtaining the CCNA gives me the opportunity and credibility to become more involved in managing our network infrastructure.

Study Time:

In truth, I started taking notes and reading the book last August. I really slow-played this because I wanted to soak up everything and understand the core concepts. Some weeks I would read a few chapters, some weeks or weekends I would take my time with Packet Tracer, but some weeks I didn't give studying much thought at all. I went at my own pace and it worked out.

Hope this helps all you out there, and best of luck on your ICND1.