| Preface | p. xi |
| Why Certify? | p. 1 |
| The Quick FAQs | p. 3 |
| What Does Cisco Certified Mean? | p. 4 |
| Who Benefits from Cisco Certification? | p. 4 |
| What Cisco Certifications Are There? | p. 6 |
| What Is Internetworking? | p. 7 |
| What Are Routers and Who Uses Them Anyway? | p. 7 |
| How Do Cisco Certifications Compare to Other Certifications such as Microsoft's MCSE? | p. 8 |
| Will Cisco Certification Help Me Earn More? | p. 9 |
| How Will Cisco Certification Affect My Marketability? | p. 10 |
| Can Certification Compensate for Inexperience? | p. 10 |
| Which Cisco Certification Is Best for Me? | p. 11 |
| How Much Will Getting Certified Cost? | p. 12 |
| Is Financial Assistance Available for Certification Training? | p. 13 |
| How Long Does Earning Certification Take? | p. 14 |
| Where Will I Have to Go for Certification Training and Testing? | p. 15 |
| What Will I Receive from Cisco When I Get Certified? | p. 17 |
| Is Passing Exams the Only Thing I Have to Do to Become Certified? | p. 17 |
| Do I Need a College Degree to Get Cisco Certified? | p. 18 |
| What If I Don't Remember How to Study? | p. 18 |
| What Resources Are Available to Help Me Achieve Certification? | p. 18 |
| Do I Need Access to Cisco Routers to Get Cisco Certified? | p. 19 |
| What Are the Certification Tests Like? | p. 20 |
| How Can I (or Anyone Else) Verify That Someone Is Really a CCIE? | p. 20 |
| How Can I Promote Myself and My Certification? | p. 21 |
| What Is the Future of Cisco Certification? | p. 21 |
| The Evolution of Cisco Certification | p. 23 |
| The First Certification | p. 24 |
| Novell Dives In | p. 25 |
| Cisco Participates as Certification Takes Off | p. 26 |
| Opportunities and Benefits | p. 33 |
| More Options, Better Pay | p. 34 |
| Jobs, Jobs, Jobs | p. 34 |
| Training to Train | p. 36 |
| Adding to Your Bottom Line | p. 37 |
| Leading the Crowd | p. 39 |
| Career Shifting | p. 40 |
| Power Perks | p. 41 |
| Priority Technical Support | p. 42 |
| Exclusive Forum | p. 42 |
| Training and Conference Admission | p. 43 |
| Free Subscriptions | p. 43 |
| Use of Logos and Marketing Materials | p. 43 |
| Other Payoffs | p. 45 |
| Study Dividends | p. 45 |
| Peace of Mind | p. 45 |
| Food for Your Ego | p. 47 |
| The Certifications | p. 49 |
| Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) | p. 52 |
| CCNA Suggested Curriculum | p. 53 |
| CCNA-WAN Switching Suggested Curriculum | p. 54 |
| Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) | p. 54 |
| CCNP Suggested Curriculum | p. 56 |
| CCNP-WAN Switching Suggested Curriculum | p. 57 |
| CCNP Specialties | p. 57 |
| Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) | p. 58 |
| CCDA Suggested Curriculum | p. 59 |
| Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) | p. 59 |
| CCDP Suggested Curriculum | p. 60 |
| CCDP-WAN Switching Suggested Curriculum | p. 61 |
| Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) | p. 62 |
| CCIE-R/S | p. 63 |
| CCIE-WAN Switching | p. 63 |
| CCIE-ISP Dial | p. 64 |
| Certified Cisco Systems Instructor (CCSI) | p. 65 |
| Learning Tree International Cisco Router Certification | p. 66 |
| How to Get (Happily) Certified | p. 69 |
| Inside Perspectives | p. 71 |
| The Way In | p. 72 |
| Reports from the Field | p. 72 |
| Scott Urban, CCIE, CCNA | p. 73 |
| Pamela Forsyth, CCIE, former CCSI | p. 75 |
| Terry Slattery, CCIE, CCSI | p. 78 |
| Ben Lovegrove, CCNA | p. 80 |
| Chad Marsh, CCNA | p. 82 |
| Lou Rossi, CCIE, CCSI, CCNA | p. 84 |
| Putting the Pieces Together | p. 86 |
| Dollars and Sense: Financial Answers Before You Begin | p. 89 |
| Total Expenditure | p. 90 |
| Creating a Worksheet | p. 92 |
| How to Cut Your Costs | p. 93 |
| Getting Subsidized | p. 94 |
| Training on the Cheap | p. 98 |
| Training Methods and Costs | p. 99 |
| Taking Advantage of Tax Breaks | p. 105 |
| Do You Qualify? | p. 106 |
| What You Can Deduct | p. 107 |
| Claiming Your Deductions | p. 109 |
| Taking Out a Loan | p. 114 |
| Certification Mistakes You Need Not Make | p. 117 |
| Choosing the Wrong Certification | p. 118 |
| Error: Choosing a Certification Because It's "Hot" | p. 118 |
| Error: Unrealistic Expectations | p. 119 |
| Error: Underestimating Cost | p. 120 |
| Mistakes While Working Toward Certification | p. 121 |
| Error: Purchasing a Complete Certification Package Right Away | p. 122 |
| Error: Assuming Your Employer Will Pay for Your Training | p. 123 |
| Error: Assuming Your Employer Won't Pay for Your Training | p. 123 |
| Error: Failing to Shop Around | p. 124 |
| Error: Ignoring/Missing Time Constraints | p. 124 |
| Error: Failing to Get Certified After Your Employer Agrees to Pay for It | p. 125 |
| Error: Neglecting Your Job in Order to Study for Certification | p. 126 |
| Error: Assuming You Don't Need to Study | p. 127 |
| Error: Assuming You Know the Best Way to Study | p. 128 |
| Error: Failure to Set Deadlines for Yourself | p. 128 |
| Mistakes After Certification Is Achieved | p. 129 |
| Error: Forgetting about Continuing Requirements | p. 129 |
| Error: Failing to Take Advantage of Perks and Privileges | p. 129 |
| Error: Failing to Advertise Your New Status | p. 131 |
| Plan, Perform, and Follow Through | p. 132 |
| Understanding Training Alternatives | p. 133 |
| Workbooks and Study Guides | p. 136 |
| Product Documentation | p. 138 |
| Computer-Based Training (CBT) | p. 138 |
| Online Classes | p. 141 |
| Ziff-Davis University | p. 143 |
| CyberState University | p. 144 |
| Scholars.com | p. 144 |
| Training Web Sites | p. 146 |
| Authorized Training Centers | p. 148 |
| Cisco Academies | p. 150 |
| Online Resources | p. 150 |
| Unofficial Training Programs | p. 153 |
| Training Videos | p. 154 |
| Your Personal Training and Certification Road Map | p. 157 |
| A Word on Tracks | p. 160 |
| Deciding How to Prepare | p. 162 |
| How Do You Learn? | p. 162 |
| Finding Preparation Tools | p. 167 |
| How to Evaluate a Training Center | p. 169 |
| How to Set Up a Home Practice Lab | p. 171 |
| CCNA Practice Lab Equipment List | p. 172 |
| CCNP Practice Lab Equipment List | p. 172 |
| CCIE Practice Lab Equipment List | p. 173 |
| Where to Get the Gear | p. 173 |
| Following Your Plan | p. 175 |
| Study Secrets | p. 177 |
| You Might Have Heard That... | p. 179 |
| When to Study | p. 181 |
| Where to Study | p. 183 |
| How to Study | p. 185 |
| How to Read a Textbook | p. 186 |
| How to Get the Most from a Class | p. 188 |
| Note Taking 101 | p. 190 |
| How to Remember | p. 192 |
| Taking Tests | p. 200 |
| Before the Test | p. 201 |
| The Day of the Test | p. 202 |
| A Half Dozen Ways to Beat Procrastination--Today | p. 204 |
| Study 15 Minutes a Day | p. 204 |
| Put Procrastination to Work for You | p. 205 |
| Quell Household Distractions | p. 205 |
| Respect What You're Doing | p. 206 |
| Get Regular | p. 206 |
| Entering the Zone | p. 207 |
| Putting It All Together | p. 207 |
| All About Cisco Tests | p. 209 |
| Registering for an Exam | p. 210 |
| Exam and Question Formats | p. 213 |
| CCIE Lab Exams | p. 219 |
| Utilize Your Certification to the Max | p. 223 |
| Advertising Your New Status | p. 225 |
| Looking Good in Print | p. 226 |
| Marketing Magic Via the Internet | p. 228 |
| A Quick Guide to Getting Connected | p. 228 |
| Direct E-mail | p. 232 |
| Your Cyber Billboard | p. 233 |
| Networking and Lurking | p. 240 |
| Moving Up | p. 245 |
| Up or Out? | p. 246 |
| Laying the Groundwork | p. 247 |
| Understand Your Manager | p. 247 |
| Share the Good News | p. 248 |
| Be a (Visible) Problem Solver | p. 250 |
| Be Part of the Team (Better Yet, Be the Captain) | p. 251 |
| Asking for a Raise | p. 252 |
| What Are You Worth? | p. 253 |
| How Does Your Employer Pay? | p. 256 |
| How Has Your Organization Been Performing Lately? | p. 257 |
| Preparing Your Case | p. 257 |
| Timing | p. 259 |
| Raise Day | p. 259 |
| Securing a Promotion | p. 260 |
| Promotion to What? | p. 261 |
| Honing In On Your Target | p. 261 |
| Get On the Schedule | p. 262 |
| Preparing for the Interview | p. 262 |
| The Interview | p. 263 |
| Follow Up | p. 265 |
| Increasing Consulting Rates | p. 265 |
| What to Do If Your Efforts Don't Work | p. 267 |
| Moving On | p. 269 |
| Before You Start Your Search | p. 270 |
| A Resume Tune-Up | p. 272 |
| Keeping It Hush-Hush | p. 277 |
| How to Find Job Openings | p. 278 |
| Cisco's Web Site | p. 279 |
| Headhunters | p. 280 |
| Print Advertisements | p. 282 |
| Job Fairs | p. 285 |
| Online Job Hunting | p. 287 |
| Networking | p. 289 |
| Follow Up | p. 289 |
| Going Independent | p. 289 |
| Spare Those Bridges | p. 293 |
| Keeping Current | p. 295 |
| Training Offered by Cisco | p. 300 |
| Company Training | p. 300 |
| Do-It-Yourself Options | p. 301 |
| Training Directories | p. 302 |
| Bonus Benefits | p. 303 |
| Record Keeping | p. 305 |
| Taking Advantage of Perks and Privileges | p. 307 |
| Cisco Certification Benefits | p. 308 |
| Getting the Most from Restricted Forums | p. 310 |
| How to Benefit from Priority Tech Support | p. 313 |
| Putting Priority to Work | p. 315 |
| Landing in the Spotlight | p. 316 |
| Another Certification? | p. 319 |
| More Can Be Better | p. 320 |
| Drawbacks | p. 322 |
| Selecting Additional Certifications | p. 325 |
| The Bottom Line | p. 326 |
| Resources | p. 329 |
| Certification Fact Sheets | p. 331 |
| Cisco Certification Resources | p. 341 |
| Publications | p. 342 |
| Self-study Vendors (see also Web sites) | p. 343 |
| Training Companies (not Cisco partners) | p. 345 |
| Web Sites | p. 346 |
| Used Cisco Equipment Sources | p. 348 |
| Cisco Users Groups | p. 349 |
| On Cisco's Web Site | p. 350 |
| Cisco Certified Training Partners Worldwide | p. 352 |
| Glossary of Internetworking Terminology | p. 373 |
| Cisco and Internetworking Acronyms | p. 383 |
| Index | p. 387 |
| Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved. |