The most-awaited CCNA certificate

Finally, my most-awaited CCNA certificate was coming this morning. My mother said that I have a package from Inixindo (where I do my CCNA exam). After I receive it, there was NO Inixindo sign in the envelope, instead just an address from San Jose, CA. My heart was beating faster this time. FYI, San Jose, CA is the headquarters of Cisco Systems, Inc. So I open the envelope carefully and then I see a blue envelope with white-grayish Cisco's new logo. At that moment, I was very happy and lost in awe. It's like a dream. Then I reach the blue Cisco envelope and open them. In the inside was, as I predicted, a CCNA certificate and Cisco congratulation letter.

My (flashback) birthday

Location: Universitas Surabaya
Date: August 29, 2006
Time: 9:55 AM

This was my birthday 2 years ago when I was still in college. Many of my friends supposedly were off that day, but because my girl was organized them well, they made a surprise party for me. Then the morning was come. One of my friend was sent to watch me in the class and after class. After the class was over he asked me to the cafetaria, I agreed. In the cafetaria, unnoticed by me, he calls the others to join in the cafetaria. Then, all my friends were coming there and I just can't hide my surpriseness. Then ultimately, while my surspriseness still high, my girl coming too and brought the cake that I like most. I just standing there with awe. And then the party was started.

Dual-mode phone (GSM+CDMA)

Yesterday my father has bought me a ZTE H500 for my birthday. This phone is unique coz' it has two slots for SIM card and RUIM card. So it's being more efficient with only brought a dual-phone that contain them instead of two phones that contain separately. However the bad side of this dual-mode phone is the battery will run out very fast coz' it is actually two phones merge in one. Luckily the vendor is good enough to give you a separate battery right out-of-the-box. So if the battery has run out and the separate battery is far from you, pray that's nothing important matters will call you. This dual-mode phone is sold ranging at Rp. 800.000,00 to Rp. 900.000,00 and as far as I know, being the cheapest dual-mode phone in Indonesia.

10 days of despair

I've passed CCNA exam. The next objective is to get a job.

Then I fly to the net and found some good website for a jobseeker like me. Some of them are JobsDB, JobStreet and JobITCOM. Most of them are located in Jakarta, while my domicile is in Surabaya. So I must recalculate the income when I work there, is it enough for me to live there. It's hard for a low experienced, even with CCNA certificate to get a high income at first job.  

Passed CCNA exam

Alhamdulillah,

Finally, I passed the CCNA exam. It's really worth when comparing with one month of study, practicing & simulating. Even my head was dizzy, even my back was bend, even my stomach is hurt, but having CCNA certification in your hand, it was really good. Thank you very much for all the people who pray for my success taking CCNA exam.

CCNA Exam Topics

Describe how a network works
Describe the purpose and functions of various network devices
Select the components required to meet a network specification
Use the OSI and TCP/IP models and their associated protocols to explain how data flows in a network
Describe common networked applications including web applications
Describe the purpose and basic operation of the protocols in the OSI and TCP models
Describe the impact of applications (Voice Over IP and Video Over IP) on a network
Interpret network diagrams
Determine the path between two hosts across a network
Describe the components required for network and Internet communications
Identify and correct common network problems at layers 1, 2, 3 and 7 using a layered model approach
Differentiate between LAN/WAN operation and features

Configure, verify and troubleshoot a switch with VLANs and interswitch communications
Select the appropriate media, cables, ports, and connectors to connect switches to other network devices and hosts
Explain the technology and media access control method for Ethernet networks
Explain network segmentation and basic traffic management concepts
Explain basic switching concepts and the operation of Cisco switches
Perform and verify initial switch configuration tasks including remote access management
Verify network status and switch operation using basic utilities (including: ping, traceroute, telnet, SSH, arp, ipconfig), SHOW & DEBUG commands
Identify, prescribe, and resolve common switched network media issues, configuration issues, auto negotiation, and switch hardware failures
Describe enhanced switching technologies (including: VTP, RSTP, VLAN, PVSTP, 802.1q)
Describe how VLANs create logically separate networks and the need for routing between them
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot VLANs
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot trunking on Cisco switches
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot interVLAN routing
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot VTP
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot RSTP operation
Interpret the output of various show and debug commands to verify the operational status of a Cisco switched network
Implement basic switch security (including: port security, trunk access, management vlan other than vlan1, etc.)

Implement an IP addressing scheme and IP Services to meet network requirements in a medium-size Enterprise branch office network
Describe the operation and benefits of using private and public IP addressing
Explain the operation and benefits of using DHCP and DNS
Configure, verify and troubleshoot DHCP and DNS operation on a router.(including: CLI/SDM)
Implement static and dynamic addressing services for hosts in a LAN environment
Calculate and apply an addressing scheme including VLSM IP addressing design to a network
Determine the appropriate classless addressing scheme using VLSM and summarization to satisfy addressing requirements in a LAN/WAN environment
Describe the technological requirements for running IPv6 in conjunction with IPv4 (including: protocols, dual stack, tunneling, etc.)
Describe IPv6 addresses
Identify and correct common problems associated with IP addressing and host configurations

Configure, verify, and troubleshoot basic router operation and routing on Cisco devices
Describe basic routing concepts (including: packet forwarding, router lookup process)
Describe the operation of Cisco routers (including: router bootup process, POST, router components)
Select the appropriate media, cables, ports, and connectors to connect routers to other network devices and hosts
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot RIPv2
Access and utilize the router to set basic parameters.(including: CLI/SDM)
Connect, configure, and verify operation status of a device interface
Verify device configuration and network connectivity using ping, traceroute, telnet, SSH or other utilities
Perform and verify routing configuration tasks for a static or default route given specific routing requirements
Manage IOS configuration files. (including: save, edit, upgrade, restore)
Manage Cisco IOS
Compare and contrast methods of routing and routing protocols
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot OSPF
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot EIGRP
Verify network connectivity (including: using ping, traceroute, and telnet or SSH)
Troubleshoot routing issues
Verify router hardware and software operation using SHOW & DEBUG commands.
Implement basic router security

Explain and select the appropriate administrative tasks required for a WLAN
Describe standards associated with wireless media (including: IEEE WI-FI Alliance, ITU/FCC)
Identify and describe the purpose of the components in a small wireless network. (Including: SSID, BSS, ESS)
Identify the basic parameters to configure on a wireless network to ensure that devices connect to the correct access point
Compare and contrast wireless security features and capabilities of WPA security (including: open, WEP, WPA-1/2)
Identify common issues with implementing wireless networks. (Including: Interface, missconfiguration)

Identify security threats to a network and describe general methods to mitigate those threats
Describe today's increasing network security threats and explain the need to implement a comprehensive security policy to mitigate the threats
Explain general methods to mitigate common security threats to network devices, hosts, and applications
Describe the functions of common security appliances and applications
Describe security recommended practices including initial steps to secure network devices

Implement, verify, and troubleshoot NAT and ACLs in a medium-size Enterprise branch office network
Describe the purpose and types of ACLs
Configure and apply ACLs based on network filtering requirements.(including: CLI/SDM)
Configure and apply an ACLs to limit telnet and SSH access to the router using (including: SDM/CLI)
Verify and monitor ACLs in a network environment
Troubleshoot ACL issues
Explain the basic operation of NAT
Configure NAT for given network requirements using (including: CLI/SDM)
Troubleshoot NAT issues

Implement and verify WAN links
Describe different methods for connecting to a WAN
Configure and verify a basic WAN serial connection
Configure and verify Frame Relay on Cisco routers
Troubleshoot WAN implementation issues
Describe VPN technology (including: importance, benefits, role, impact, components)
Configure and verify a PPP connection between Cisco routers

August is coming

In August 2008, I have 2 important day in my life.

In August 5, I'll do the CCNA exam. I've studied so hard, training so hard, and I hope, I'll pass the exam.
Also in late August, precisely at 29, I celebrate my 25 birthday.

1 week to CCNA exam

In the late June I decided to take CCNA training for finding a job. The training started at June 16 until June 28. After the training is done, I started to find the source from the internet. Braindumps, e-books, flashcards and simulators were my primary objectives. So I download them all and ram it all inside my brain. I hope I can pass the exam on the next Tuesday.

Let's start blogging

After a few misunderstanding, my original blog has back. So, without further ado, let's blogging.