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My Experience With 640-801 |
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By Anson
The most striking thing about the exam is that you cannot review any of the questions. It's a one direction thing from start to finish. Also, it is very tricky and the simulations work very slowly. I actually spent about 30 minutes on my first one and although I am convinced that I did the right thing, the simulation suggested differently. So then I just gave up and continued on to try to get a peek at the rest of the questions and prepare myself for my next attempt. My renewed focus was now to complete the exam without deliberating excessively on any of the other questions. I just wanted to see as much as I could whilst making the best choices along the way. I ended up doing the last 30 questions in a little over 30 minutes including 2 more simple simulations. To my surprise, I got 889 from a pass mark of 849. Talk about being shocked!!
I am obviously elated but at the same time I think that a faulty simulation question caused me to waste 30 minutes is not an acceptable standard. The thing that turned me off the most was the response of the keyboard in the simulations. It was absolutely ridiculous!! Imagine typing and the characters popping up on the screen after 3 seconds or more. Don’t even think of suggesting that something was wrong with the computer as the invigilator confirmed that it was the same on all of the computers. Besides, I am pretty sure that while the exam was loading it did some kind of a test to validate that the machine had met the minimum specifications.
In all the experience was of a far less standard than I expected from Cisco. I discussed the particular simulation question with a CCNA tutor afterwards even though I did the full self-study method and he told me that what I did seemed right. I will definitely give Cisco feedback.
Unlike the CISSP which is described as 2 miles wide and an inch thick, this one seems more like a mile wide and a mile thick….and it is. I was told that you NEVER quite feel prepared for this exam and I agree wholeheartedly as this was also my experience. Don’t overlook any area while preparing for this exam! I have found that there was a heavy focus on ACLs, frame-relay, switching, knowing the differences between the routing protocols as well as subnetting. I answered all of the subnetting questions by calculating the answers in my head. This becomes absolute necessary when you are left with too much to do in too little time. I did not expect such an outcome and it is a good thing that I regained my composure after I initially panicked. If I weren't for the fact that I am a quick subnetter I would have failed for sure. I am also convinced that an angel was sitting next to me in that room.
I studied for this exam using Richard Deal's book ISBN: 0072229349 included with the Boson NetSim. I am not overly impressed with either the book or the Sim. The book had too many mistakes and the Sim was clearly designed to frustrate you to the point of buying the full blown version just so you would get rid of the annoying popup that reminds you of the limitations of the LE version. Sorry, I just don't admire that kind of marketing. See my review on Amazon.
Before that however, I used the 4-CD pack CD-baces training from CBT Nuggets as a precursor to prepare me mentally for the scope of the exam. They were well worth it and covered most if not every topic. As with all CBT Nuggets products I have used so far, the trainer really knows his stuff.
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