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Introduction

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Tips for Taking Your CCNP Exam

The CCNP Routing test contains about 60 questions to be completed in
about 75 minutes. However, understand that your test may vary.

Many questions on the exam have answer choices that at first glance look

identical--especially the syntax questions! Remember to read through the
choices carefully because "close doesn't cut it." If you put commands in the
wrong order or forget one measly character, you'll get the question wrong.
So, to practice, do the hands-on exercises at the end of the chapters over and
over again until they feel natural to you.

Unlike Microsoft or Novell tests, the exam has answer choices that are

really similar in syntax--although some syntax is dead wrong, it is usually
just

subtly

wrong. Some other syntax choices may be right, but they're

shown in the wrong order. Cisco does split hairs, and it is not at all averse
to giving you classic trick questions. Here's an example:

access-list 101 deny ip any eq 23

denies Telnet access to all

systems.

This item looks correct because most people refer to the port number (23)

and think, "Yes, that's the port used for Telnet." The catch is that you can't
filter IP on port numbers (only TCP and UDP). Another indicator is the use
of an extended access list number but no destination address or "any" for the
destination.

Also, never forget that the right answer is the Cisco answer. In many

cases, more than one appropriate answer is presented, but the

correct

answer

is the one that Cisco recommends.

Here are some general tips for exam success:

Arrive early at the exam center, so you can relax and review your
study materials.

Read the questions

carefully

. Don't just jump to conclusions. Make

sure that you're clear about

exactly

what each question asks.

Don't leave any questions unanswered. They count against you.

When answering multiple-choice questions that you're not sure about,
use a process of elimination to get rid of the obviously incorrect
answers first. Doing this greatly improves your odds if you need to
make an educated guess.

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