CCNP certification is getting a new look at the end of 2007. The BSCI and BCMSN exams are being updated, and the CIT and BCRAN exams are being retired. Let's take a look at what to expect from the new BSCI exam.

According to Cisco's exam blueprint - admittedly a very broad blueprint at this time - the major new topics are IP version 6 (IPv6) and multicasting. The addition of these two topics will make an already demanding Cisco certification exam that much tougher, but this is a great change for the exam and for the candidate. IPv6 is just going to become more and more prevalent in today's networks, and multicasting is as well.

Multicasting for the Cisco CCNP BSCI exam is going to go far beyond what you learned about it in your CCNA studies. For the new BSCI exam, you'll need to know the different methods of creating multicast groups as well as assigning members to them. This material was previously limited to CCIE-level books, and while I don't look for the questions to be as hard as the CCIE written exam, multicasting is not an easy topic and should not be taken lightly by the CCNP candidate in 2007.

One major CCNP exam topic that isn't going anywhere is BGP. The Border Gateway Protocol has been a big part of previous BSCI exams, and that looks to continue.

If you're pursuing your CCNP certification in 2008, be sure to monitor Cisco's website for additions to the CCNP blueprint. It's obvious that Cisco has raised the bar for CCNP certification, and earning this important Cisco certification will in turn raise your market value and networking knowledge like never before. Watch for future tutorials examining the other three new CCNP exams!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA certification test prep articles. His exclusive Cisco CCNA study guide and Cisco CCNA training is also available!

Cisco CCNP Certification Exams: 642-812, 642-892, 642-901, 642-845, 642-825, 642-891, 642-811, 642-821, 642-831.

In this article, we won't go through each objective but rather focus on six of the most important things to know to be prepared for Exam 70-291. But first, let's take a minute to determine whether you need to tackle the exam at all.

Do you need to take this exam?

Exam 70-291 is intended to verify networking knowledge and skill with Windows Server 2003 for those new to higher-level Microsoft certification. If you already hold a networking certification from Microsoft above the MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) level, you may be able to bypass this exam altogether.

If you are certified as an MCSA, you can skip this exam as well as 70-290, Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment, and just take exam 70-292, Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSA Certified on Windows 2000. Taking only exam 70-292, you can upgrade your MCSA from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003 in just one test.

If you are certified as an MCSE, you can also bypass 70-290 and 70-291 by taking 70-292, but you need to add exam 70-296, Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment for an MCSE Certified on Windows 2000. These two exams work together to upgrade your certification and save you time in the testing center.

Tip one: Think conceptually

Yes, this is an exam in the Windows Server 2003 track, but it probably focuses more on concepts, as opposed to products, than any other exam in the track. The IP Addressing category expects you to know and understand IP addressing (which is essentially the same as it has been for many years) and DHCP. The Name Resolution category focuses on DNS, which has not changed much since Windows 2000.

The Network Security category concentrates on security concepts with a required knowledge of some of the oldest tools in the Microsoft arsenal—Event Viewer and Network Monitor, to name two. When Windows NT became Windows 2000, "Remote Access" became "Routing and Remote Access" (RRAS vs. RAS), and little is new in the fourth category: You must understand the principles of TCP/IP routing. The final category, Maintaining a Network Infrastructure, requires commonsense knowledge of service dependencies (which are the same in almost every operating system) and some Microsoft tools—Network Monitor and System Monitor as well.

You do need a working knowledge of Windows Server 2003 to pass this exam. Far more important, though, is a knowledge and understanding of the concepts of networking and interacting with the Internet as an administrator.

Tip two: Buy the Resource Kit

As with every Microsoft exam, a dozen publishers will be putting out training guides and study guides and exam prep guides—so many that your head will spin just looking at the bookshelf. Those books are all helpful in studying for a test, but much of the same material used in question creation overlaps content used in one of the most definitive book series that Microsoft Press releases for each operating system. This started with Windows 95 and has become truer with each successive operating system and Resource Kit release, climaxing with Windows 2000. (You almost had to have the Resource Kit to pass the exams.)

As of this writing, the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit (ISBN: 0735614717) is not yet available but is expected to be soon. Although the list price is $299.99, you can already find it greatly discounted at many online retailers. When you factor in the cost of failing an exam or two, along with the fact that this kit can be used to study for every one of the Windows Server 2003 exams, you can see that the money it costs is a great investment.

Tip three: Think 70-216

I know that I am not alone in saying that exam 70-216, Implementing and Administering a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Infrastructure, is one of the most difficult that Microsoft's psychometricians ever conjured up. After sailing through exam 70-210 (Windows 2000 Professional) and 70-215 (Windows 2000 Server), I confidently took 70-216 without much study. "How hard can an exam on networking basics be?" I thought.

I don't mind saying that I failed the exam on more than one occasion. I honestly believe that the pass rate on this exam was so low that it served as an impetus in Microsoft's decision to create the much easier 70-218 exam, Managing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment.

If you look at the title of exam 70-291, you'll note that it uses "Network Infrastructure" (from 70-216) instead of "Network Environment" (from 70-218). If you look closely at the objectives, you'll see that they mirror many of the counterparts on 70-216. Although the number of objective categories has shrunk from 70-216 to 70-291, the difficulty level has not. This is not an exam you can sail through just because you've been working with networking concepts since the days when Peter Frampton had hair.

Tip four: Know that simple things can be difficult

Tying in with the last tip, you need to mentally acknowledge before taking the exam that some easy things can be made more difficult than they should be and be prepared for this. It is no secret that exam questions often focus on minutiae, and that is difficult enough when taking a test. But be ready for question formats—not just content—that try your nerves.

Brace yourself for marathon-length multiple-choice questions that list lots of possible answers and ask you to "choose all that apply." The problem with this format is that you still only get the question right or wrong. If there are seven possible choices and three that are correct, you don't get partial credit if you only chose two and the two that you chose are among those correct. You missed the question. Miss enough of them, and you can plan on taking the exam again, and again, and….

Microsoft has also added a new type of question that divides the information among three screens that you have to maneuver and scroll through. There are not a lot of these questions yet, but enough to make things frustrating. Before signing up for this test, I would recommend calling the testing center of your choice and asking what size monitors they administer the exams on; the bigger the better for these questions.

Tip five: Focus on the Microsoft angle

The concepts are universal—networking, DHCP, etc.—but spend some time concentrating on anything that Microsoft does with these items that make them sales bullets for the company. For example, DNS has been around since the days when it became apparent that scaling HOSTS files was impossible, but you need to know how Microsoft intertwines Active Directory with DNS. In other words, don't just know DNS, but know Microsoft's take on it.

Read the overview of DNS posted on the Microsoft site, then delve deeper into selections about understanding, installing, and securing.

Other items to similarly focus on include all the tools and utilities related to the networking functions. Add ipconfig to the list and know all the parameters/options that can be used with it.

Tip six: Spend some time with IAS

Microsoft's Internet Authentication Service (IAS) is its implementation of Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service (RADIUS), and it forms a large component of RRAS. Knowledge of this topic is crucial to passing the Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining Routing and Remote Access portion of the exam.

For studying, start with the overview, and then read how the Network Access Quarantine Control works with Windows Server 2003. After reading that information, get as much experience with it as you possibly can.

Emmett's recommendation

The 70-291 exam is a step you must take to become MCSA or MCSE certified on Windows Server 2003 if you don't hold those certs for Windows 2000. It is a much more difficult exam than you would think, given the subject material. If you can avoid taking it—and you can, if you're already MCSA/MCSE certified—that is the best way to handle it.

CCNA is one of the most respected Associate level Certification in the world today.

Getting a CCNA will definitely help you to get a better job or at least get your foot into Professional Networking Field. When you meet a person that has CCNA degree you will notice that he or she knows something about Networking.

This article will describe and give you some tips on how to achieve CCNA.

I did it so can you, so lets get started.

1. Getting ready mentally

First thing you need to do is mentally prepare your self. What I mean by that is that you have to seriously think about on why are you getting CCNA and why do you want to be CCNA certified. You have to firmly decide and believe that you will get CCNA within next 3-6 months or so.

Try to budget your study time well. If you a very social person (like me) you will have to give up some of your social time for the next couple of months.

Your friends and family will understand. Trust me: it is well worth it. Once you get that cert you can make up for the lost social time.

2. Getting the right study material

Second thing you need to do is to get proper study material.

There is lot of controversy around this and some people go overboard with study guides, books, simulators and such.

I believe that two Cisco Press books INTR and ICND by Wendell Odom are enough as far as the books go. They are really well written and easy to follow. So sign up at http://www.ciscopress.com and get those two books. Make sure you got the latest version.

You will also want to get some kind of a simulator that will let you practice commands and that will also build up your confidence.

You can buy real equipment but that could get expensive. I highly recommend that you become member of Cisco Certification forum.

Forum is huge and you will get lot of helpful answers, tips and advices pretty quick. (I know I did)

3. Approach and diving deep

There are many different approaches to studying from books but I will tell you about mine. This step will take the most of your studying time.

- Before you even start reading any of the books I suggest learning binary math (really easy) and subnetting so you can do it in your sleep.

- Read both books casually once from front to cover (make sure you cover introduction and practice questions too). This will give you good overview.

- Install both CD’s that came with books and practices some of the questions. Don’t worry if you get lot of them wrong.

- Now, you will ready both books again but this time you will have to read it to truly understand the concept and how things work. Master one chapter and do questions from just that chapter until you sick of it. Then move to the next chapter.

- Once you mastered all chapters do lot of questions and labexercises. Those two CD’s will give you ability to do that.

4. Schedule the test

You’re not done yet with studying but it is really good to schedule the test after you completed step 3 in this article. Here is why:

If you schedule the test a month in advance right after you completed step 3, you won’t be able to slack and make excuses not to study hard until tests and it is also good to give your self a headline. I have seen people working on their CCNA for 2 years. They master one or two chapters, then they rest for 2 two months and right when they think they are ready for the next chapter, they forget what they have learned in the first chapter.

5. Read both books one more time to refresh

This is optional, but I highly recommend reading the both books one more time. If you read both books in a three week that will give you one more week before the test to cram which is subject of the next step. So by now you should’ve read both books three times over. I also suggest re-reading questions and answers from both books one more time.

6. Cram, Cram and Cram

- This is the last part of your study and there is no turning back.

Deadline is hanging around your neck like a noose. You should cram Q&A for no more then 10 days before you take the test.

At this point it is really important that you get fresh and different questions then those included with your CD’s. Some people claims that brain dumps or Q&A are bad and evil. I tend to disagree with that. At this point you already firmly grasped the whole CCNA concept and Q&A will only help you. So get some Q&A exam question and cram, cram and cram them for a week.

- Don’t use books or CD’s anymore.

There is no looking back. No worries, material from the books will return to you at the right time.

- Don’t do any studying a night or a day before the test.

Go out with your wife or significant other to a dinner and a movie. Relax. It is very important to relax and get a good night sleep since one of those testing boots could really be intimidating. If you did all the steps above and read books with intention to understand the topics and how stuff works (no pun intended), and not just to pass the test you should be more then ready by now.

We came to an end of this short tutorial. I hope this article give you at least some ideas on how to approach studying for CCNA.

If you fail CCNA first time, don’t get discouraged. You will have more knowledge and confidence when you attempt it the next time then the person who passed it on the first try. Whatever approach you take I wish you good luck and prosper career.

CCNA exams list: 640-802, 640-816, 640-822, 640-811, 640-821.

About the Author:

Vanja Buric is Network Engineer, and works for Charter Communication Business Engineering Department, and also owner of the http://www.vanjaburic.com website, where you can get latest networking news, articles,tips, free e-Books, virus alerts and lot more… as well as purchase IT Exam study guides.

Microsoft Corp., trailing Apple Inc. badly in the market for portable music and video players, is introducing a new technology that will let users of its Zune portable devices legally share portions of their song libraries with other Zune users. The Redmond, Wash., company on Tuesday also plans to announce it has started selling downloads of television shows that will play on Zunes, including “South Park” and “Heroes,” through relationships with Comedy Central, NBC, MTV and other broadcasters. The company says it will have about 800 episodes available for purchase at $1.99 each on its Zune online store, compared with thousands of episodes from 600 different shows on Apple’s iTunes Store.

The music-sharing function for Zunes underscores how Microsoft is seeking to set itself apart from Apple, which dominates the portable-music and movie-player market. Microsoft has failed to take any meaningful share from Apple since it entered the business with Zune in late 2006. According to market-research firm NPD Group Inc., Apple had 71% of the U.S. portable-music-player market in the first quarter, compared with 4% for Microsoft. Microsoft has for some time allowed users to view the titles of the latest songs that friends are listening to and to hear clips through the Zune Web site. A new feature will allow users access their friends nine most recently played songs, as well as nine other songs flagged as favorites, and copy them onto their own Zunes. To play back the tracks, users will need a $14.99-a-month subscription to Microsoft’s Zune Pass service, which offers unlimited access to a library of millions of tracks.

Source: WSJ