Anyone studied the CCNA with the Open University?

Discussion in 'General Cisco Certifications' started by jo74, Mar 12, 2010.

  1. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    What were the day schools like?


    I believe that you have to arrange the exam 'on your own', it's not included as part of the course, which seems a bit strange.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA
  2. wizard

    wizard Petabyte Poster

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    I started it, my brain got fried by the time I got to the OU exam. Then looking at the posts here I was a little daft going for it as I didn't have any cisco experience.

    Other than that the day schools were good.
     
    Certifications: SIA DS Licence
    WIP: A+ 2009
  3. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    I was pondering this course, initially for the credit points for the degree.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA
  4. Kitkatninja
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    See here, Millsie is currently studying for it :)

    -Ken
     
    Certifications: MSc, PGDip, PGCert, BSc, HNC, LCGI, MBCS CITP, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCE, A+, N+, S+, Server+
    WIP: MSc Cyber Security
  5. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    Yeah, I noticed that. :D

    I was wondering, would it be worth doing the CCENT but more for the purpose of preparing for the OU CCNA course (I already have the Network+)?
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA
  6. LukeP

    LukeP Gigabyte Poster

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    I don't think it would be. CCENT is part of CCNA. The material overlaps. Get a CCNA book and read through it as you do CCNA in OU. You'll be fine.
     
    WIP: Uhmm... not sure
  7. millsie

    millsie Byte Poster

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    I certainly am on it!

    with regards to having knowledge of cisco or Networking, you dont really need any as they start from the basics and work up to configuring routers etc and gritty stuff like Subnetting!

    Although I had prior knowledge anyway by doing N+ and the basics you learn in that are not really any different to CCNA although Cisco do go into a lot more detail with each layer of the OSI model.

    Anyways, all is going good so far, got my first day school in April looking forward to it as I think thats the best part of doing the CCNA with the OU as you would not get this with the likes of Skillstrain etc. and would most likely have to buy your own equipment in order to get practical experience on the Cisco stuff. So its great from that point of view!

    Regards the exam, it isnt included, you are correct. However, you do 3/4 tests at the day schools followed by a final exam at the end of it all which more than prepares you for the main Cisco Cert exam which you schedule yourself after the course. The other bonus, is that if you get 75% or above in the fianl exam, they give you voucher for the Cisco cert exam for 50% off the exam cost, so thats also great!


    So I do recommend it, definately over the likes of Skillstrain etc as not only do you get the day schools, you get first hand training info from Cisco themselves!
     
    Certifications: N+, CCNA, MCDST
    WIP: CCNP route 642-902
  8. Lev Arris

    Lev Arris Byte Poster

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    I'm enrolled on doing the OU CCNA study as well.

    I've previously self studied so am finding it a bit of a challenge to meet the OU timescales.

    The study material is good so far, I've got the dayschool this weekend so can't really comment on that side of things yet.

    Will try and update this as it goes along.

    One of the factors that did get me to sign up to OU with is the grant, the course overall has cost me £240, I've got a grant of £400 towards a new laptop (as I'm a poorly paid grunt).
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, MCSA (270,290,291)
    WIP: CCNA ..Global Domination
  9. csx

    csx Megabyte Poster

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    I'm doing this! I wanted to study the CCNA and to be honest self studying for this... i wouldn't have a lot of motivation. I also wanted to do a degree part time... so this fits perfectly - Learn Cisco + count towards my degree = win.

    Keeping to the deadlines is a little touch especially if your doing another Open Uni course such as myself (java M255) - but doable - depends how how much you want it.

    Its a great course and i would recommend it to anyone.

    millsie what day school are you going to? Mines on the 24th @ Kingston.
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+, 70-271 & 70-272, CCENT, VCP5-DCV and CCNA
    WIP: Citrix
  10. gurusapprentice

    gurusapprentice Nibble Poster

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    Millsie your doing CCNA with OU is that discovery or exploration version and are you doing it as part of a degree or seperate. Also you say the OU give you a voucher if you get over 75% in final exam? I would check that as I have been advised that the passmark for CCNA1 is 95%. The reason I say this is I decided to get a degree encompassing CCNA/CCNP again your have to pay for what i call the real certificates yourself but the accademic cisco 1-4 you do the assignments with final exam which as I say have been advised is 95% to pass.

    For anybody wondering which route to take if you go the degree route their is v v little networking in 1st yr.
    and learn/practise subnetting before you start.

    On a slightly different note

    Had a mock exam question the other day which asked " what are the 2 configurations used by the cisco IOS known as

    A: startup config
    B: opening config
    C: global config
    D: running config

    I naturally answered running and start up and was marked wrong and told opening and start up

    I mean please tell me if I am wrong but have never heard of anything called opening config on a cisco device ?
     
    Certifications: MCSA+Messaging
    WIP: Degree CCNA/CCNP 70-622 MCITP:E e
  11. RandyFears

    RandyFears Bit Poster

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    I studied the CCNA through the Open University a couple of years ago and it's not a bad way to do it. It's tough with 8 months to complete it and get all the Tutor Marked Assignments in on time! It's a lot cheaper than the competition and you have 4 day schools to attend which is a good opportunity to get your hands on some Cisco gear. I did mine down in Luton and the instructor was really keen on Dynagen which then got me into it and i now use it a lot with the CCNP (doing this one self study). The final written exam for your degree is not too bad at all and when you get to that stage then the past papers are a huge help (hint! hint!) and there you have it with 60 points on your degree.

    One thing i would advise is that if you are new to Networking and you have a little time before starting the course then maybe pick up an N+ book and just get to grips with some fundamentals including subnetting or make a start and get as far ahead as you can before the course starts. Oh yes, and during the course if you can, then get ahead so that you can have more time with the TMA's. Another common gripe you get with students is the staggering of the day schools and people do complain about not having as much time as other students to prepare for the Cisco exam you need to do. Another good reason to get ahead! You will also find that if you are behind you will find yourself getting lost very quickly at the day schools when it comes to playing with the routers and you will miss out on some really valuable learning time.

    Just a quick after thought ............. if like me you don't really like studying online and prefer to hold a book in your hands then you will have to buy them as books are not supplied due to having access to the Academy. If you can afford it i would do both the official guides and the Todd Lammle book as this is excellent for teaching subnetting. I struggled with subnetting then read Lammle's book and got subnetting in a day and then wondered why i ever found it so hard!

    When asked about feedback the only negative i really had about doing it with the Open University is that there was no lectures or video content which i thought would have been a huge help at the time. The answer was that they did not do this so that they can keep the cost of the course down which on hindsight and seeing how much other places charge is a fair one.

    There you have it and i hope the advice has helped in some way.
     
    Certifications: never enough
    WIP: so many and so little time
  12. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    So is there a final written exam for T216 (OU's CCNA) or do you go to a test centre? Are the TMAs completed online or are they integrated into the day schools?

    I've got the Network+ and I've been doing some swotting up for the CCENT (don't know whether I could afford T216).

    So there are no print units?:ohmy

    I suppose there's plenty of material on the web that can be used to back up this course.:D
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA
  13. MadMat

    MadMat Bit Poster

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    I'm currently doing CCNA with the OU, there is a LOT of testing :)

    OU use the Cisco Academy CCNA Discovery materials.

    This is broken down into 4 Semesters - Network Fundamentals, Routing protocols and Concepts, Lan Switching and Wireless, Accessing the Wan.

    At the end of each Semester there is a day school, where you get some classroom time, and sit a Cisco Set end of Semester exam.

    At the same time as you are working on the Cisco material you'll also be set 5 Tutor Marked Assesments - which are a combination of written questions and Packet Tracer excercises.

    At the end of the course you have to arrange your own certification exam(s) via Pearson VUE in the same way any other CCNA candidate does. pass this and you are cisco certified no matter what the outcome of any of the other testing.

    You Also sit a 3 hour written exam set by the OU.

    The OU set assesments and exams do not count towards getting your certification, they count towards OU Credit points, which you can accumulate towards qualifications such as degrees. (passing CCNA is worth 60 credits, you need 300 credits for a Bsc, 360 for a Bsc(hons))

    There is no printed material supplied, it is all delivered online Via Cisco Academy and the OU website. A set of the companion books will set you back around £85 on Amazon. but I find them very useful as I can study while away from my PC.

    The OU TMAs are delivered as PDFs and packet tracer files - you prepare your written answers in Word .doc format and submit them for marking via the OU website.

    The Cisco end of Semester tests are done online and are multiple choice format.

    Mat
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2010
    Certifications: CCENT
    WIP: CCNA
  14. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    Thanks for that. A three hour OU exam and having to go to a test centre! I was hoping it would just be the test at the end.:oops:

    Do you know how long you have to take the test? Does it have to be within a certain time period of sitting the exam?

    Are the books these Cisco Networking Academy programme ones?

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/CCNA-Compan...=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282815641&sr=8-3

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Companion-G...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282815763&sr=8-2
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2010
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA
  15. MadMat

    MadMat Bit Poster

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    Top four books on this link -

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...books&field-keywords=CCNA+Exploration&x=0&y=0

    As the OU exam counts as university credit, it is done under the same conditions as you'd be tested at any other university. It's at an OU exam centre, and a set time and date, and under strict exam conditions, at my last exam they even made us hand in our phones before the exam started!

    The CCNA Certification test you can take any time, but at the end of Semester 4, if you score 75% or more in the final test you get a voucher for 50% off the cost of the certification exam thats valid for 6 months

    Mat
     
    Certifications: CCENT
    WIP: CCNA
  16. MadMat

    MadMat Bit Poster

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    One other thing to be aware of, the OU day schools are fairly rigid too, there was a choice of about 12 locations and 2 dates at each location - I have to drive 70 miles to my nearest location!

    Mat
     
    Certifications: CCENT
    WIP: CCNA
  17. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    Yeah, I've done OU exams before :) The locations for the practical day schools do seem a bit odd and arbitrary - there's one in Cambourne (Cornwall?), none in Wales so it's off to Brum for me.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA
  18. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    I was going to sign up for this course and pay for it with a Career Development loan - only the OU have told me they don't accept that as a form of payment anymore
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA
  19. MadMat

    MadMat Bit Poster

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    Call and ask to speak to the financial assistance team - if you are earning less than £25k, or on certain benefits you can get a grant towards to cost.

    If not they also offer payments by instalment - the OU budget account, although unlike a CDL you start paying the OU budget account at the start of the course, not the end!

    Mat
     
    Certifications: CCENT
    WIP: CCNA
  20. jo74

    jo74 Byte Poster

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    Just double checking but these are the right books before I take the plunge! :biggrin

    I've already bought the first of these books for a bargain price on ebay

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Network-Fun...=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285233328&sr=1-1

    But now it looks like I'm going to have to stump up the cash for the second

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Protocols-C...=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1285233328&sr=1-3

    I didn't realise I could apply for financial support for the OU :oops:
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, Sec+
    WIP: CCENT, CCNA

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