I don't normally ask this sort of question but...

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If I wanted to renew my CCNA, which book(s) would I need. I'm looking at the shortest route to victory and since this time I don't have access to a lab, I'd need a sim. Recommentations? BTW, I found these:

http://www.ciscopress.com/title/1587200945

http://www.ciscopress.com/title/1587200953

 

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dont use a sim
rent some time on some online rackspace
you wont be dissapointed

as for books
Im using the Sybex one and ExamCram2

 

racks I used:

http://www.mindtechcom.com/

I recommend them 150%, $9 USD for 10 50 minute slots using the CCNP rack.

Customer service is second to none from my experience, I had a problem with the way the default telnet clients worked (I didn't have hyperterminal as my default just DOS windows) and emailed them about it and they mailed me straight back and credited me with an extra 5 50 minute CCNP slots because I hadn't been able to use extended pings and tracerts even though it was my own stupid fault for not knowing to change my default telnet client to something else other than DOS.

They even gave me instrauctions on how to get the DOS ones to work properly and not jump down an extra prompt when I pressed enter... It would jump past the source IP address option for extended ping so I could never really use it, and it would autoenter a blank password if I wanted to telnet from one device to another.

They've got frame relay, ISDN everything you need except for 2 switches if you want to practice VTP trunking, only the one switch in the CCNP rack, forget the CCNA rack it's only 3 routers and no switch. The CCIE rack looks pretty cool.

I emailed the support guy (Niklas) after I passed my CCNA thanking him for all his help and support, he replied asking me if I had any suggestions as they're revamping thier racks, I'll suggest another switch for the CCNP rack- maybe a 1900 seeing as they are 'fair game' according to Cisco.

 

id recommend another switch in the CCNA rack too
2 switches isnt really out of the norm :P
and they can be had for like 100 USD these days