Cisco CCNA / CCNP Home Labs: Developing Troubleshooting Skills
CCNA / CCNP candidates are going to be drilled by Cisco when it comes to troubleshooting questions. You’re going to have to be able to analyze configurations to see what the problem is (and if there is a problem in the first place), determine the meaning of different debug outputs, and show the ability not just to configure a router or switch, but troubleshoot one.
That’s just as it should be, because CCNAs and CCNPs will find themselves doing a lot of troubleshooting in their careers. Troubleshooting isn’t something that can just be learned from a book; you’ve got to have some experience working with routers and switches. The only real way to learn how to troubleshoot is to develop that ability while working on live equipment.
Of course, your company or client is going to take a very dim view of you developing this skill on their live network. So what can you do?
Assemble a Cisco home lab. When you start working with real Cisco equipment, you’re doing yourself a lot of favors. First, you’re going to be amazed at how well you retain information...