CCNA Command Quick Reference
Reviewer Name: Penny Jakes, University of Montana Faculty
Reviewer Certifications: CCNP, CCAI
Rating: ***** out of *****
CCNA Command Quick Reference is a short and concise reference to the commands needed for CCNA level and the CCNA exam. It is published by Cisco Press for the Cisco Networking Academy Program, but is excellent for anyone on the job or studying for the CCNA.
The reference manual is effective because it follows the logical sequence presented in the Academy courses. This is a proven way of building on basics, moving to more advanced concepts, and presenting "tips and tricks" to assist network managers. The organization of the book follows specific chapters in the CCNA curriculum, but is not a "textbook" and is just a good, all-around reference manual with commands, what they do, variations/parameters, and explanations.
The commands are grouped by topic, grouped by Cisco device/model, and presented in table format, which is easy to read. To accompany these groups of commands, there are "notes" to improve understanding of command or to improve performance. I would recommend this as a resource for not only Academy students, but it would be handy on the job and definitely beneficial to have when studying for the CCNA exam.
This reference manual also contains a "Quick Reference Chart" inside the front cover to help navigate the manual according to task. This is especially helpful for those who do not know the command, but know what they want to do. The back cover has a "Steps to Configuring a Router" list in logical sequence — again a concise summary of what needs to be done.
Appendices include IP subnetting and VLSM. The tables and examples are clear and easy to read. These are a good review for everyone as it is expected network managers are very proficient in subnetting. There is not an index, but the Table of Contents is detailed.
This manual introduces Cisco routers and other devices, covers managing IOS, then moves on to routing protocols, TCP/IP error and control messages, troubleshooting, and ACLs. The network topologies are representative of real-world situations with examples that can be easily applied to a variety of situations.
As the author, Scott Empson, indicates, CCNA Command Quick Reference contains "All the CCNA-level commands in one compact, portable resource." It is easy to read and understand and written for the beginner; the design is specifically for Academy students. Because of this, it is also relevant for network managers on the job and those studying for the CCNA. This quality publication from Cisco Press deserves 5 stars.
CCNA Command Quick Reference
Reviewer Name: Samuel Bolanos, Cisco Networking Academy Program Instructor
This book is a blessing!
When I knew about this book, I was precisely in the difficult task of making a list of the IOS commands that are studied in version 3.1 of the CCNA course. This was a task that I started with great enthusiasm because I firmly believed in the convenience of having a list to quickly locate a command, its syntax, description and parameters. I knew I was asking for too much, but it was worth the effort.
When I was five pages deep in my work (all handwritten, with incomplete and disorganized commands) and with around six hours invested in the effort, I received some news from Cisco Press about this new book, and just by reading the title, I immediately knew what it was about and how valuable it could be. I stopped my work and waited for the book, and believe me, it is worth it.
The book is a full compilation of the IOS commands that are studied in courses 2, 3 and 4 of CCNA in the Cisco Networking Academy Program. In course number 1 there aren't IOS commands, but even though, the subject of subnetting is included in one of the appendixes. Commands are organized by course and chapter, therefore, its location corresponds to the subject distribution of the CCNA program. The commands presentation is excellent, but the book is more than a command list; it is full of examples and explanations, and many of them include network diagrams that are used to describe, step-by-step, a configuration process or the results of issuing a command.
The book is not a replacement for other study materials; it is still necessary to go through each course and understand the theory behind each command, but the problem is remembering all those commands and their possible variations, and it is here where this book doesn't have a comparison. The book has a small size, making it portable and easy to handle—very different from the two thick Companion Guides volumes, where we can also find the same information but scattered along the chapters. I also think that having this Quick Reference in electronic format would be very convenient.
CCNA instructors and students: Don't waste your time! Just one of your working days is much more expensive than the cost of this book, and you would need plenty of those days to produce something slightly similar to this material. Get a copy as soon as possible and thank the author for his work. I hope I will see more books like this for the other certifications.