Failed..

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I failed my 640-863 DESGN exam on Friday..

Annoying really, as i've read the CiscoPress book from cover to cover 3 times, and could answer all the questions in the book / accompanying CDs.. (I have also been in a Network Admin role the last 2 years, and held my CCNA for 12 months)

There seemed to be a lot of questions that weren't covered at all in the book. I wonder if that's what they mean by 'BCMSN-level knowledge'..

Any other books that people can recommend?

 

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I haven't taken the DESGN exam in a long while, so I don't know what they focus on these days. Back then, if you were familiar with the Cisco design methodology and the various flavors of routers and switches out there, you could pass...

 

You are right, I failed my BCMSN recently and the study materials I was using didn't cover even half of the content of the exam, it was only my existing knowledge and some common sense that meant I barely failed rather than totally crashed and burned.

So yes, it is a BCMSN level exam ;) hehe

Strangely enough the majority of my resources were cisco press as well, I've now branched out to other sources

 

That's the thing, i'm happy with Routing and Switching, even Security..

Not sure how much I can say (because of the NDA), but the exam covered much more than I was expecting in terms of convergence, - Voice, Video and Data..

 

HMSPresident,

I was previously CCDA Certified because I took and passed the 640-441 DCN exam and a 640-861 DESGN exam attempter but failed so I understand how you are feeling.

Back in the days of the 640-441 DCN exam days, the 640-441 DCN's exam material was basically the CCNA [Routing & Switching] certification exam material but instead of the Physical Layer towards Application Layer emphasis of implementation and troubleshooting, the 640-441 DCN's exam material was more of an Application Layer towards Physical Layer organization. However, things changed when the 640-441 DCN exam was retired and the 640-861 DESGN exam replaced the 640-441 DCN exam.

One of the biggest changes that occured is that while the 640-441 DCN exam material seemed restricted within the Routing & Switching track, the 640-861 DESGN exam material expanded it's scope into all four Cisco Partner Specialization tracks of Routing & Switching, Wireless, Security, and Voice. So as of the 640-861 DESGN exam material, the breadth of knowledge has expanded to include not only basic CCNA certification level of Routing & Switching knowledge but more to the CCNP certification level of Routing & Switching knowledge (thus the 642-812 BCMSN level knowledge pre-requisite), but I'd also include
CCSP certification level of Security knowledge, and CCVP certificaton level of Voice knowledge. I think the reason why the CCDA is "only" an Associate level certificate because the Professional level certifications require implementation and troubleshooting skills as well. So that's why the 640-863 DESGN exam material might seem as heavy as the Professional level certifications based on knowledge-load.

So as far as additional study material recommendations, here's my current library that I've got for studying towards the 640-863 DESGN exam:

1. Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (DESGN) (Authorized CCDA Self-Study Guide) (Exam 640-863), 2nd Edition - http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587052725
2. Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN) (Authorized Self-Study Guide), 4th Edition - http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587052733
3. Network Security Fundamentals - http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587051672
4. Voice over IP Fundamentals, 2nd Edition - http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587052571

If I had more funding, I would probably get the following books:

1. CCDA Official Exam Certification Guide (Exam 640-863), 3rd Edition - http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587201771
2. Cisco Voice over IP (CVOICE) (Authorized Self-Study Guide), 3rd Edition - http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587055546

As far as Wireless knowledge, I went through the "Fundamentals of Wireless LANs" course through my local Cisco Networking Academy.

Do you have any other questions?

Source:

1. 640-441 DCN - Designing Cisco Networks Exam - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/current_exams/640-441.html
2. 640-861 DESGN - Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions Exam - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/current_exams/640-861.html
3. 640-863 DESGN - Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions Exam - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/current_exams/640-863.html
4. Cisco Express Foundation Design Specialist - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/l...ning_certification_type_home_extra_level.html
5. Cisco Routing and Switching Solutions Specialist - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/l...ning_certification_type_home_extra_level.html
6. Cisco Security Solutions and Design Specialist - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/l...ning_certification_type_home_extra_level.html
7. Cisco Advanced Wireless LAN Design Specialist - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/l...ning_certification_type_home_extra_level.html
8. Cisco IP Telephony Design Specialist - http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/l...ning_certification_type_home_extra_level.html