When it comes to Cisco’s CCNA exams, you will find a lot of materials online -YouTube, Udemy, and lots of paid courses. The CCNA is arguably the most popular IT certification exam there is. (Cisco is by far the largest for networking devices). It is not an easy exam -neither is it a particularly difficult exam – you just need to right study material and the discipline to follow a good study routine. Selecting the right material should be one of your first steps. This blog is a recommendation of some of the best books for the CCNA exam.
Much of the materials of the CCNA (200-301) available online are in videos, which is something good but we all have different learning preferences, some of us prefer books, others videos, Audio, or a combination of all. If you are a fan of books or you want to get a book as part of your study this article is for you.
The following are recommendations for books for the CCNA.
1. CCNA 200-301 OFFICIAL CERT GUIDE, VOLUME 1 & 2
The CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide written by Odom Wendell, was Published/Cisco in 2019 by Pearson. It comes in two Volumes (1&2). What better way to prepare for the Cisco Exam than using their own guide? This is Cisco’s handbook for the CCNA and is a reference guide when you need to do some clarifications. It covers all the topics of the CCNA in great detail. You will also find a lot of Exam-type questions to help you prepare for the actual exam.
The price for Vol.2 is $51.74 (list price is $89.98) and Vol.2 is $35.99 (list price $44.99) They are both available at Cisco Press
The Pros
- It is officially certified by Cisco. It is on sale on Cisco Press
- It contains Exam Preparation Questions and quizzes to test what you need to know or what you already know.
- It treats all the exam topics extensively.
The Cons
- It is kind of pricey especially if you are on a budget
- It is voluminous and may not be the best option for some readers who want straight-to-the-point answers. Volume 1 is 848 pages while Volume 2 is 624 pages.
2. ACING THE CCNA EXAM
This book has one goal -that is, for you to Pass the CCNA. It is written by Jeremy McDowell of Jeremy’s IT Lab. This is a great book by a good teacher and is meant to be synergized with one of the best free CCNA courses online by the same author. Very few persons can do a better job at treating the CCNA than Jeremy. His course on Udemy is in the top spot. The book is at the moment a part of the Publisher’s MEAP program (Manning Early Access Program).
Acing the CCNA discusses each topic of the CCNA in a way that is easy to understand, it has great clarity on the subject discussed. There are lots of Exam-like questions and quizzes to help reinforce your learning. You also get ample lab demonstrations – something that is now a part of the CCNA exam. You also get very specific exam tips for each concept the book discusses to help understand the style of the CCNA exam questions.
It costs $28.79. You can gain some access to the book at manning.com/books/acing-the-ccna-exam.
The Pros
- Simple and Easy to understand
- It is very affordable
- Exam preparation Questions, Quizzes, and labs, Specifically designed for you to pass the CCNA,
- Taught by someone who has an excellent record of producing some of the best material on the CCNA.
The Con
- It is currently not 100 percent ready but you do get an inside peep into the book. The final copy will be ready in Spring 2024
3. Cisco CCNA Certification, Exam 200-301, 2 Vol.
The Cisco CCNA Certification, Exam 200-301 by Todd Lammle is a great book for you to pass the CCNA 200-301 and gain an adequate knowledge base for industry practice. It was published in 2020 and it comes in two volumes, Volume 1 Understanding Cisco Networking Technologies and the CCNA Study Certification Guide, and Volume 2: Understanding Cisco Networking Technologies provides comprehensive information and foundational knowledge about core Cisco technologies, helping you implement and administer Cisco solutions. Volumes 1 and 2 cover all 7 core segments of the CCNA Certification exam.
Todd Lammie is a Cisco expert with several Cisco books to his credit. His book is extensive on the various topics of the CCNA official study guide and will help prepare you to pass the Exam and function as a Network administrator. This book connects you to additional online interactive learning tools, including some sample questions, exam practice questions, and pre-assessment questions to gauge your knowledge base before each topic (so you do not waste so much time reading what you already know), flashcards and a glossary of items for quick search.
The price tag is a total of $52.99 on Amazon for the two volumes (paperback copy).
The Pros
- It comes in highly recommended by many of the experts in the CCNA course education.
- It comes with additional online interactive tools to aid your learning.
- It is relatively cheap with the two volumes at only $52.99.
The Cons
- It is voluminous, according to some readers who just want to quickly pass the exam and move on.
CONCLUSION
Getting the right book to help you study and master the CCNA 200-301 can be tasking. Acing The CCNA by Jeremy McDowell, CCNA Cert Guide vol.1&2 by Odom Wendell, and Cisco CCNA Certification (by Todd Lammle) are great Books that can help you prepare for the CCNA. These books come with additional resources like Exam Preparation Questions, quizzes, lab diagrams, and demonstrations to help you master all the topics covered by the CCNA. The prices are fair with Acing the CCNA costing $28, the Official Cert Guide costing a little over $100 for both volumes, and the Cisco CCNA Certification (Todd Lammle) 2 volumes, at $52.99.
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