how to obtain handon experience

[hanwucisco]

For a person with CCNA, but without handon experience on any cisoc software or hardware,

1.what is the best way to learn handon experience?

2.are there any software that imitate cisco network, like virutal lab?

any other advice?

thanks

[Josef Oduwo]

Han,

1. The best way to gain some hands-on experience is join your nearest NetAcademy (http://cisco.netacad.net/cnams/redirect?key=locator). I recommend a visit to your local Academty because it will let you see whether you actually like the subject matter before you go any further.

You can also buy and build a home lab with actual equipment (do a search on Netpro with "Home lab" as string). "Pre-loved" equipment is fairly affordable on eBay now.

2. Yes. They are called simulators and are an important bit of virtually every Cisco exam.

Visit http://www.boson.com, http://www.routersim to have an idea of commercial simulators. Also, check out the tutorial at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/10/wwtraining/certprog/testing/simulation/tutorial.html to have an idea of the actual exam's simulator.

The Cisco Prep Center (http://www.cisco.com/go/prepcenter) also has a few practice labs.

Good luck in your studies,

Josef.

PS - rate the post if it helps... :-)

[hanwucisco]

Hi, Josef,

it is great helpful.

by the way, is cisco Academy free ? :)

thanks!

[Josef Oduwo]

No they are not. But they are very reasonably priced compared to commercial training providers as they have to be Not-For-Profit organisations.

Do a search as indicated in my post above, give your closest one a call or pay them a visit and ask them questions...

Otherwise to resolve/rate a post, click on the link at the bottm right of the relevnt post ("rate this post") and select one of the five options that vary from Extremely Helpful to Not Helpful. It is a good idea to rate posts because they lead others to information that may be helpful to them.

Josef.