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I Survived CCNP Bootcamp

by Warren Wyrostek

March 2001

A few months ago I decided to enroll in a CCNP bootcamp offered by CCPrep.com. I had earned the CCNA back in 1999 after attending the five-day bootcamp offered by CCPrep. But instead of pursuing Cisco certifications in 1999 I wandered back to other topics that I teach on a contract basis. I've been an instructor and trainer for the better part of 20 years. Not being a novice to the classroom, and understanding my learning style, I figured I could sit the CCNP bootcamp, learn the material, maybe pass one of the four tests, and then finish the testing process after the bootcamp was over. When I told that to the owner of CCPrep, Lou Rossi, he laughed and assured me that I would leave with the CCNP if I were willing to work. Yeah, right.

CCPrep's bootcamp is an intense, instructor-led learning experience that takes place over the course of a couple of weeks. Currently, the programs are offered in Jacksonville, Florida; and Dallas, Texas. It's not Cisco-approved, but the school uses instructors with Cisco experience.

Students work, eat and sleep in a hotel setting. Your sole job is to learn, practice, study and pass the four exams. Everything else, except plane fares, for example, are covered by the tuition. I took the bootcamp in Jacksonville, held in the LaQuinta Inns and Suites, where all of the students and instructor stayed.

The class began on Monday morning at 8:30. Instructor Ron Anthony clearly outlined our roadmap for the next 12 days. We would take the BSCN exam on Thursday afternoon, the BCRAN early Sunday morning, the BCMSN Tuesday morning and finish up with the CIT on Thursday afternoon. To summarize, that meant four days for Routing, 2.5 days for Remote Access, two days for Switching, and 2.5 days for Support.

If someone failed an exam along the way, there was time built in to retake the exam. All exams were scheduled for us and covered by the tuition.

In between exams we were exposed to a variety of learning methods, including lectures, demos, hands-on-labs, instructor-led study sessions, and student initiated group study sessions. With all of the work, most days lasted 17 or 18 hours. About 30 to 40 percent of the instructor-led time was devoted to hands-on labs. Each group of three students had a pod of three routers to work with. Each student had administrative control of at least one router at all times. We used Cisco Press textbooks in each of the classes, along with a lab manual developed by CCPrep, which provided hands-on exercises coordinated with the lecture material.

Our typical class day consisted of prep/study time from 7:15 to 8:30 each morning. We received instruction from 8:30 to 11:30. At 1 p.m. we regrouped and continued instructor-led time and lab time. Classes normally ended in the somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30 each evening. After dinner students got back together to review, study and practice doing labs and hands-on exercises for several hours. The rest of the day was devoted to individual study. Sleep? Who needs that?

Of course, having taught many instructor-led courses, I know that not everyone learns at the same pace or in the same manner. Some prefer self-paced study, while others prefer on-line learning. I wasn't sure, when I entered the bootcamp, that I was in the right environment. It turned out to be ideal.

What made it so? Three things. First was the intense focus on Cisco technologies. The purpose of the class wasn't just to pass the test. It was to train students in the concepts, thought processes and research skills required to manage and configure Cisco routers and switches. This was in no way a braindump environment. Second, the instructor's superb teaching style made the class outstanding. The instructor was sensitive to each student's learning needs and provided one-on-one support as needed. The class, if you can believe it, was fun and relaxed, though exhausting. Finally, the learning environment provided by the hotel and CCPrep relieved students of outside concerns. Our jobs, over 12 days were to become CCNPs.

The downside to the whole experience was the intense focus and exhausting hours. I felt like I was back doing my thesis in graduate school. Long hours, no life, just work. In the end it was all worth it. I was willing to put in the hours and study. Those who aren't might have a different experience.

When I left I knew that I had been in exactly the right learning environment. Students who enter the CCNP bootcamp need to have a very strong background in networking to be successful. A good understanding of Cisco technologies and the CCNA are a good -- perhaps essential -- base.

So Rossi turned out to be right and I was dead wrong. On Thursday afternoon, January 18th, I successfully finished the process of earning the CCNP, having passed all four exams on my first try. In fact, every member of my diverse class passed every test on the first attempt. All five of us earned the CCNP on that final day.

I came away from the experience so fired up (though tired), I continued studying the weekend I got home and passed the CCDA four days later. I'm preparing now for the CID exam and the CCDP. With my new background provided, I hope to work towards the CCIE. If I achieve that goal in the next year or two it will be, without a doubt, because of the foundation provided by CCPrep's CCNA and CCNP bootcamps.

I look forward to taking CCPrep's new CCIE bootcamp in the next few months. I'll let you know how that goes.

Warren E. Wyrostek, M.Ed., MCNI, MCSE+Internet, MCT, CIW CI is devoted to technology education as reflected by his list of certifications including MCNI, MCNE, MCIWA, A+, Network +, i-Net+ and CCNP. Warren’s main joy comes as a contract trainer in Prosoft, Microsoft, Novell and CompTIA technologies. At heart, he is a teacher who loves what education offers. You can reach Warren at wyrostekw@msn.com You can contact Warren about "I Survived CCNP Bootcamp" at bnagel@101com.com.

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