CCNA 3 and 4: Companion Guide (Cisco Networking Academy Program)
£22.49
A poor book! - This book is a disappointment because it contains a large number of typos and errors. There are diagrams labelled incorrectly, sections of text which have been copied and pasted in the wrong place and references to figures which have not been included. As if this were not bad enough, the descriptions of the technologies is sometimes vague and often follows an illogical order leading to confusion. The on-line text is much better but I would avoid this book unless you can get it free. It is inexcusable that Cisco would let this book onto the market in its current state, since it is aimed at the entry level and will create a poor impression of Cisco Press which it does not really deserve.
A vital companion which could and should be improved!!! - Cisco is offering the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate Program) professional qualification and therefore they have published the appropriate companions for their on-line curriculum.CCNA 3 and 4: Companion Guide is a useful companion that has helped me a lot during semesters 3 and 4, as has CCNA 1 and 2: Companion Guide also done, since I am a CCNA student at the moment. The book is well written, in an easy-to-understand way and they try to make things as easy and understandable as they can be.But, there are huge differences between the book and the on-line curriculum and that shows the poor effort from Cisco in devising the whole new version 3 of the CCNA. The book introduces during semester 3 concepts that will be taugth in semester 4 and this goes on!!!I am not at all dissapointed that I bought the book, but I am a bit dissapointed in Cisco! They could do a better job. After all, they want to call themselves leaders, right???Buy the book and try no to pay too much attention to some stuff that you will immediately recognise as alien...
Don t Buy....New version to be released - Don t be put off by the title, this is a very good book that guides you in the right direction, but if you are part of a cisco networking acadamy program and have access to the online curriculum then you will notice that the content of this book differs a great deal, why you ask? The book itself hasn t been proof read against the online curriculum, the book covers alot of information that is aimed more so to the CCNP qualification. Cisco are actually bringing out a 3.1 version of the companion guide in April, so I would wait until that comes out if you wish to just concentrate your studies on getting the CCNA but if you are looking to progress in to the CCNP then this book will certainly give you a bit of a headstart.