Adding in the cost of exams up-front and presenting it as a guarantee for your exams is common for a good many training companies. However, let's consider what's really going on:

You'll be charged for it ultimately. It certainly isn't free - it's simply been shoe-horned into the price as a whole. Trainees who take exams one at a time, paying for them just before taking them are much more likely to pass. They're thoughtful of what they've paid and revise more thoroughly to be up to the task.

Do your exams somewhere local and look for the very best offer you can at the time. Big margins are secured by a number of companies that take the exam money up-front. Many students don't take them for one reason or another but no refunds are given. Amazingly, there are companies around that depend on students not taking their exams - as that's very profitable for them. Also, 'Exam Guarantees' often aren't worth the paper they're written on. The majority of organisations won't pay again for an exam until you've completely satisfied them that you're ready this time.

With average prices for VUE and Pro-metric tests costing in the region of 112 pounds in this country, the most cost-effective way to cover the cost is by paying when you need them. Why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra at the beginning of your training? Commitment, effort and practice with quality exam preparation systems are the factors that really get you through.

The CCNA exam (640-802) is broken down into its 2 component parts: 'Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices' Part 1 & Part 2, or 'ICND1' (640-822) & ICND2 (640-816). An alternative name for Part-1 is Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician or CCENT for short. Each of these acronyms do nothing at all to simplify matters for the student getting into IT, but the most simple bit of advice is normally to consider the CCNA 640-802 as a combined qualification. Cisco students will find it extremely useful to start their training course with the 'CompTIA' qualifications 'A+' and Network+ . That will provide them with excellent vendor neutral training ahead of getting into the 'Cisco' arena itself. You should allow about 400-500 hrs of study-time for a combined program such as this. In common with all technical career training courses, make sure you find one that provides 24/7 real-time connection to tutor assistance, to problem-solve any kind of learning issues that occur. The appropriate learning materials are vital - look for interactive multi-media disc-based packages, & an accredited & effective exam prep system.

One thing which is frequently overlooked when preparing for 'Cisco' exams is simply how to reproduce the 'Cisco' environment. If you are working on a Microsoft MCSE or MCSA for example, some old PC's can be networked together to allow economical practice in your own home using real devices. Not so with Cisco - to create any sort of useful environment you would need complicated routers and hardware, as well as a lot of computers and other really costly technologies. The solution therefore is to use Cisco authorised network simulators and visualisers. Allowing you to practice 'on-screen', these software-systems give you the option to construct and test virtual networks. You work with particular routers and switches, & can even 'interrogate' data as it travels through the network system. A software program of this standard is precisely what splits training programs apart - it's not wise to decide upon any 'Cisco' package which doesn't encompass it. We have now included 'RouterSim's' 'CCNA' Network-Visualiser in all of our CCNA career-tracks - it's a very highly respected simulator & without any doubt among the finest we examined.

Controllers, routers & data switches are essentially what 'Cisco' technology is based on. If we didn't have these types of devices, data wouldn't be able to pass around networking systems. Just as an 'Operating System' is necessary in a PC for it to communicate throughout a network, the network hardware also has it's own 'language' & standards that need to be set up, configured & maintained. For a network to run smoothly there needs to be on-going trouble-shooting, with frequent re-programming & reconfiguring. In every area of modern communications, Cisco is playing a fundamental part. This is in no small part because of the move towards full system-integration of voice and information both in commercial and public office buildings.

A big contender for the biggest issue to be got round across all IT training is usually having to turn up to 'In Centre' days or workshops. A lot of training academies wax lyrical on the 'benefits' of going in to their classes, however, they quickly become a burden to be carried because of:

- Recurrent driving or public transport - 100's of miles usually.

- If you're working, then weekday events are hard to attend. Typically you are contending with at least 2, if not 3 days in a row.

- Let's not disregard lost holiday time. Often, we get four weeks vacation allowance. If half is given up to classes, then we haven't got much left for ourselves.

- Because of the cost involved, many training companies have to put on larger classes - which isn't ideal (increasing the ratio of students to teachers).

- Some students hope to push through at quite a pace, others want a more steady pace and not be pushed beyond their comfort-zone. This breeds difficulty and tension in most workshops.

- A lot of trainees tell us of the considerable cost of getting to and from the facility and paying for food and accommodation can get very expensive.

- Study privacy can be high on the list of priorities to a lot of students. There's no need to sacrifice potential advancement, pay-rises or accomplishment with your current employer because of your studies. If your employer knows you've committed to training in a different industry, what will they think?

- Raising questions in front of other class-mates will sometimes make us a little nervous. Have you ever left a question un-asked because you didn't want to look foolish?

- Being away from home with your work during the week - some attendees find they're living or working somewhere else for certain parts of their training. Events end up being very difficult then, unfortunately the monies have already been handed over in your initial payment.

Why not simply watch and be trained by industry specialists one-on-one via ready-made modules, taking them at your convenience - not somebody else's. Think... With a laptop you can study wherever you happen to be at that time. And live 24 hr-a-day support is just a web-browser away at times of difficulty. Irrespective of how many times you have to re-cover a topic, filmed teachers are never going to run out of patience! And remember, as a consequence, you don't have to worry about any note-taking. It's already there for you to use. The upshot: Reduced stress, money saved, and absolutely no travelling.

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