INTRODUCTION
This is a review of the BOSON ExSim-Max Practice Exam for the Cisco Certified Network Associate Examination (CCNA 200-301). There are different product offerings by BOSON but this review is specifically for the CCNA 200-301. It will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the practice exam and also highlight other things you will need to know should you decide to purchase it. It is also worth noting that this is not a paid review, no financial incentives for me to write this, just my personal experience in using the product.
My Background
I work as a Network Engineer. I enrolled for the CCNA Certification exam in 2022 and passed it. The BOSON ExSim Practice exam was an integral part of my exam preparation resource. My experience on the exam is available here here.
What Is The BOSON ExSim Practice Exam
The BOSON ExSim Practice Exam is a collection of exam-like practice questions from BOSON Labs to help you prepare for many IT certifications. It simulates the style and difficulty of the real exam. They are not exam dumps (brain dumps) but offer questions that are similar to those you may get in the real exam. They are legal and a great way to prepare for your exams.
The BOSON ExSim Max-Practice for the CCNA 200-301 comes in highly recommended by some of the best CCNA tutors like Jeremy IT Labs and David Bombai. Jeremy IT Labs has some free featured questions from BOSON ExSim in his free course on YouTube. David Bombai has a collaborative partnership with BOSON and you can check out his course on his official page or his free course on his YouTube channel.
All Exam Simulations are primarily should give you a feel of what you will likely encounter when you sit for the real exams. I personally do not encourage these exam dumps because they are illegal and hinder your growth as an IT professional. So, this is my preferred alternative. (TOP 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID EXAM DUMPS).
The true value of an Exam Simulations package is based on whether it adequately “resembles” the real exam, that will be what I will discuss for BOSON ExSim -my unbiased opinion.
Cost Of The Boson ExSim-Max (or Exam Preparation)
The BOSON ExSim Exam Preparation doesn’t exactly come free. It costs $99 for the practice exam only. You can also get up to 25 percent discount when you use a discount code or take advantage of one of their Seasonal promotions. You can also purchase the Practice Exam as a part of other BOSON packages for the CCNA, that way, you get some added value.
Description Of The Boson ExSim Product
The BOSON ExSim for the CCNA 200-301 will give you access to 312 Exam Simulated questions divided into 3 different exams.
Exam A, Exam B, and Exam C, each with 104 questions and answers.
Each of the exams covers the 6 different sections of the CCNA exam Guide – Network Fundamentals, Network Access, IP Connectivity, IP Services, Security Fundamentals, Automation, and Programmability. The number of questions in each section reflects the percentage or weight of that section. This way, you will be paying attention proportionately to each section.
Each of these exams comes in two Modes
A. The Study Mode
The study mode focuses on helping you study for the exam. You click on the questions, pick your answers, check if you are correct, and then read the added notes and references to aid your understanding. In this mode, the timer is not important and there is no pressure to complete the exam in the set time. It allows you to pause the exam anytime you wish, take breaks, and return to the same questions at your own pace.
You can also choose to study specific sections, that way, you will only get questions that are specific to that section. You get a score at the end of each session and you can review the questions you failed in greater depth.
B. The Simulation Mode
The simulation mode gives you a feel of what the real exam is like. You have an active timer that ends the exam as soon as the timer runs out. The scores will be displayed and how well you did in each of the sections. This will help you focus on the areas where you show weakness and improve on them.
The duration for each exam is 120 minutes, similar to what you will have in the real CCNA exam.
Types Of Questions
The Boson Exsim features three types of questions that you will normally find in the CCNA 200-301 exam. They are
- Drag and Drop
- Multiple Questions to select one answer
- Multiple Choice where you select more than one option
There are a lot of the typical CCNA questions on troubleshooting based on a snippet of configuration output
Validity of The Boson Exam Preparation Package
The product is only valid for 1 year. If you have not written or passed your exam by that time, you may have to pay for another package.
PROS OF THE BOSON EXSIM-MAX FOR THE CCNA
1. Appropriate Style and Difficulty
It simulates the style and difficulty of the real exam. The questions are not cheap, and they are not too difficult either – just the right dose in my opinion. I found the questions to be very similar in style to the exam. The “drag and drop” questions are excellent, similar to the way Cisco presents in the real exam.
2. Study and Simulation Mode
I think this is the best thing about the Boson Exam Questions preparation. It is a great way to hone in directly on specific exam topics using questions. Boson presents a good explanation for each question answered and why the other answers are wrong, and also points you sometimes to some Cisco Documentation (or other reputable sources) for further clarification. You will learn more than just having the correct answers to a question. The Simulation mode, on the other hand, tests your preparedness for the real exam – Here you will have to manage your emotions and time.
3. Good Reference Materials And Correct Answers
You will not find typographical errors or misleading questions/answers in the package. The presentation is very professional. I could point to an obvious error throughout the package. There is adequate reference material for each answer they give.
4. Good User Interface/Experience
The product interface is clean and attractive. The design is good, to give users a seamless experience. Questions are in a nice format, there are no dead-ends on the links provided. You can go to the exam history section to see how much progress you have made.
5. Good Recommendation and Reputation
The BOSON Exsim is highly recommended by some of the best tutors of the CCNA coursework – Notable among them are Jeremy IT Labs and David Bombai. You are sure you can trust the answers and explanations given. As far as the CCNA is concerned, it is not unusual to find varying opinions on the same question, so it helps that BOSON is highly recommended by good course tutors.
CONS OF THE BOSON EXSIM-MAX FOR THE CCNA
1. No Lab Configurations
There are no questions where you will have to type in your answers using the Command Line Interface(CLI). I had some lab configurations in my CCNA exam. Cisco has introduced that into the CCNA exam. You will do better practicing some Lab questions using other materials. It is a glaring omission in my opinion. There should be a lab configuration built into the exam package.
2. Product Validity
I was a bit pissed when I could not access the product after just one year. The package is valid for 1 year. I do not think this is nice. Sometimes, you may want to take a lot of the questions just to brush up your knowledge. Also considering the fact that the CCNA is valid for 2 years, you will not be able to use the same product for recertification.
3. Limited Number of Questions
Just 312 Questions were fitted in the package I bought, divided into 3 exams. I wished there were more. Over time you get used to the same questions and if you are not careful, you start answering them from memory rather than from your understanding of the concept being tested. The more the better.
4. A Few Outdated Questions (Minor)
There were some questions that BOSON placed so much emphasis on, they are either not mentioned in the exam guide, or CISCO is not focused on them. The knowledge is still useful but you should be aware of it. For example, FHRP, HSRP, GLBP, and VRRP are not mentioned in the exam topic but then, Cisco can sometimes go beyond the exam guide. So you really will not be losing anything learning about them.
CONCLUSIONS
I think it is a good product overall, it aided my passing the CCNA exam. The style and difficulty are appropriate for the CCNA, the answers come with good explanations and references for further study. It has some shortcomings such as the short validity period of 1 year, a price tag of $99(or $66 with a discount code), and the absence of lab configuration questions. Personal opinion, it is a good deal considering the fact that you are spending $300 to sit for the CCNA exam.
BOSON EXSIM DISCOUNT CODE
It is a coupon that reduces the cost you are paying for any of BOSON’S Exam packages. It may change from time to time, but at the moment, you can apply the code or coupon below to get a 25 percent discount on any of BOSON’s Exam Products. The code below is valid for a discount.
SUMMER23, It is redeemable at the purchase site. Just paste it in the provided column before you do a final check-out. Redeem code here https://www.boson.com/exsim-max-practice-exams
Photo Credit: https://courses.davidbombal.com/p/free-boson-exsim-and-netsim
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