Cisco BSCI Exam Preparation

Maybe some folks would know how I prepared for the exam. Here’s what I did:
  • I first read Cisco Student Guides (vol1 and 2). At first, it seemed like learning Chinese. OSPF LSA3,4,5, EIGRP SIA, NSSA, BGP,.. I read each chapter at least twice and took notes.
  • I followed a different reading approach. Instead of reading a book from cover to cover, I made what I call a “topic reading”, i.e. I read all the material related to a specific topic together. I felt a little overwhelmed sometimes when I find myself with the same topic for weeks! But it pays on the long run.
  • I do as many labs as I can per topic. I did all the labs on Chris Bryant’s books, almost all labs from Cisco Lab Portfolio and dozens of mini-labs to understand small mechanisms.
  • sometimes I watch video material after reading books, to break routine and boredom.
  • always jot down questions. any question related to networking, not only to BSCI topics.
  • Last days of preparation:
    • Cisco Exam Guide “Do I know this stuff Already?” section.
    • a first try of the exam, as preparation.
    • created flashcards with virtual flashcards. It helped me a lot memorizing the detailed information. And I’ll keep them for future use (maybe for CCIE prep?)
    • some articles on cisco.com about route maps and configuring IPv6 migration.

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