Many
CCNA and CCNP candidates don't realize that one of their most powerful
study tools is online - and free! Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, introduces
you to Cisco's online documentation website.
When studying for your Cisco CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE exam, you’ve got a
powerful online weapon at your disposal. It’s Cisco Connection
Documentation, found at www.cisco.com/univercd. This site contains
product, code, and protocol documentation for all Cisco products.
Many exam candidates really don’t start using this powerful tool until
they’re studying for their more advanced exams. However, it’s important
for CCNAs, CCNPs, and candidates for these certifications to learn
their way around this site. It comes in handy for finding default
values that Cisco really enjoys asking about on exams, and the protocol
documentation found there can help you study as well.
The site can be a little overwhelming for newcomers, but it’s actually
easy to navigate. On the site’s homepage, you’re presented with a list
of products and several drop-down menus. To get started, I suggest you
choose “Cisco IOS Software” in the top-right drop-down menu, and select
a code version. 12.2 is a good one to start with. From there, select
the IOS Release 12.2 Configuration Guide and Command References.
You’re then presented with a list of technologies, and each has a
Configuration Guide and a Command Reference. If you’re studying
Interior Gateway Protocols at this point (such as OSPF, RIP, and
EIGRP), select “IP Configuration Guide” and then “IP Routing
Protocols”.
You then have the official Cisco documentation on how to configure RIP,
IGRP, OSPF, EIGRP, ISIS, and BGP. Reading this documentation is
invaluable. Many study guides skip the details to give you an overview
of the protocol. This documentation doesn’t skip anything. The
documentation shows how and when to use any command for that protocol.
There are also real-world examples and notes on when to use each
command. I’ve always learned something new when reading the online
Cisco documentation.
You can then back out and go through the same steps for the Command
Reference. For those studying for Cisco exams, this section will
quickly answer any question you have about a command’s syntax or
default values. Instead of trying to remember which book you saw a
value in, just zoom out to this site and you’ll have your answer in
seconds. Real-world examples of command usage are prevalent as well.
As with anything, the more you use the online Cisco documentation, the
better you get at it. The Configuration Guide for the various Cisco
switches give you a great picture of how switches work. I highly
recommend reading at least one of their switches’ config guides.
Beyond any exam value the online Cisco documentation gives you, it
serves another valuable purpose. The more you use it now, and the more
comfortable you get with it, the better you’ll be with it when the day
comes that you need it on the job. And trust me – that day will come!
Chris Bryant
CCIE™ #12933
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (www.thebryantadvantage.com), home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study
Packages. Video courses and training, binary and subnetting help, and
corporate training are also available.
For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" or "How To Pass The CCNP", send a request to chris@thebryantadvantage.com today !
