Want to start getting into routers etc so looking at doing some cisco stuff?
Think you need to start on the CCNA? but dont really know where or know of any real books that can teach you this from scratch? Here is a guideline for the Cisco newbies to start on the CCNA.

Q: Looking at doing some cisco stuff?

A: Cisco’s Career Certifications & Paths information can be found here.
Cisco also has a CCNA Prep Center — it might impress you, or it might scare you away — but worth a look to get an idea of what Cisco makes available.

http://www.cisco.com/go/prepcenter Only one comment on the prepCenter.
When watching the flash, dont take their word when they say that linux is an operating system.

One who says that linux is an OS, states that his knowledge of operating systems converging to zero (especially linux based).

Q: Don’t really know where or know of any real books that can teach you this from scratch.

A: The books you’ll hear the most about around here are:
Sybex - Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide — by Todd Lammle. Should be on the 5th edition. Great for learning subnetting. Missing some info, but there are one or two new update chapters available for download.

Cisco Press - The CCNA 640-802 books by Wendell Odom. Probably the CCNA Official Exam Certification Library.

You can check out all the Cisco Press Books (and the link to the simulator) at the Cisco Press Web site.
Hands-on practice is important…. but you can get by with the simulator for the CCNA.

Q: Are the exams expensive?

A: The CCNA 640-802 exam is $125.
There is also the 2 exam option (INTRO and ICND). There should be link at the CCNP Prep Center that explains it. I think those are $100 each.

That should be enough links to keep you busy for the rest of the night.

From
http://exam-test-blog.org/cisco-newbie-start-on-the-ccna/

Russian operator Comstar has signed a partnership with Cisco for the delivery of equipment for a new multi-service network in Ukraine. A Sitronics subsidiary, Kvazar Mikro, will be the subcontractor for the installation and launch of the network. In December 2007, Comstar completed the tender for equipment to build and modernize the backbone transportation network in Ukraine and city multi-service communications networks in Kiev and Odessa. Initially, the Russian telecommunications operator will install Cisco’s hub router and backbone router and also aggregation and network management equipment in centres in Kiev and Odessa, after which other cities will be added to the backbone infrastructure. The initiative is scheduled to be launched in Q2. Comstar plans to use the network to provide its private clients with triple-play services and its corporate clients with virtual private networks, telephony and high-speed broadband. By 2011, the number of subscribers is estimated to exceed 125,000 in Kiev and Odessa.

ip.access , the award-winning market leader in femtocell and picocell technologies, today announced that Cisco has made an investment in the company. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.
Already cash-positive with its existing 2G picocell business, ip.access has secured funding from an impressive array of industry supporters for its breakthrough Oyster 3GTM femtocell, which is currently in trials with major mobile network operators globally. Existing ip.access investors include Scottish Equity Partners, Rothschild Gestion, Intel Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners, ADC and Motorola Ventures.
Building on ip.access’ unique experience in cellular-over-IP technology, the Oyster 3G femtocell is a low-power wireless access point which plugs into a residential broadband DSL or cable connection to deliver a 3G mobile phone signal indoors. With operators increasingly seeking to exploit the benefits of all-IP networks, femtocells are a natural choice for delivering cost-effective 3G coverage and high-speed data capacity to mobile phone users at home. Analysts are predicting a huge market for femtocells: a recent report from IDATE forecasts that 10 million UMTS femtocells will ship worldwide in 2010, rising to 18 million in 2011.
Operators plan to integrate femtocell technology within residential gateways and set-top boxes, such as those offered by Cisco’s consumer products business. These integrated products will help enable fixed broadband and mobile services to be bundled together. They will also ultimately help enable mobile phones to better communicate with PCs, TVs and other devices in the ‘Connected Home’ - for example, a slideshow of photos captured on a camera phone could be displayed on a TV set.
“We are delighted to have Cisco as an investor,” said Stephen Mallinson, CEO of ip.access. “As the worldwide leader in Internet Protocol-based networks, Cisco brings complementary skills and experience to address the needs of operator and consumer customers.”
ip.access’ 2G picocells are already deployed in more than 30 live networks around the world. The company was recently selected as a Red Herring 100 Global Award winner. It also won numerous awards during 2007 for its Oyster 3G femtocell technology, including a Global Mobile award for ‘Best Radio Access Product’, Light Reading’s ‘Leading Light’ Award for ‘Best New Product from a Private Company’, and a World Communication Award for ‘Best Technology Foresight’.
ip.access will be demonstrating the capabilities of the Oyster 3G femtocell at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, 11-14 February 2008.

Cisco today introduced new Catalyst switches and capabilities to the Campus Communication Fabric, its blueprint for network services, to help customers increase operational flexibility and use the network as a platform to accelerate the delivery of applications and to support evolving networks. In an industry first, Cisco announced innovative enhanced Power-over-Ethernet (ePoE) capabilities across its Catalyst portfolio beginning with the Catalyst 3750-E and 3560-E Series, with the Catalyst 6500 and Catalyst 4500-E Series scheduled to follow in the second quarter of this calendar year. With ePoE, customers can power Cisco 802.11n wireless access points from a single switch port, delivering greater operational simplicity and business flexibility for secure wired and wireless integrated network.
Cisco today also announced new fixed 10 Gigabit Ethernet aggregation switching solutions in its Catalyst 3560-E Series and has introduced Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support in its Catalyst 2960 Series, providing greater deployment flexibility to enterprises and small and medium-sized business customers.
“On the one-year anniversary of the Cisco Catalyst 3750-E and 3560-E Series, we are proud to demonstrate continued switch innovation to help our customers meet the growing demand of faster applications and media-rich business collaboration,” said Inbar Lasser-Raab, senior director of Cisco Network Systems. “We’re seeing rapid adoption of our Catalyst 3750-E and 3560-E Series as customers roll out these services and require higher performance, easy migration to next-generation 10 Gigabit Ethernet and extended Power-over-Ethernet capabilities.”

A specially equipped shipping container that can be used as a mobile networking hub is being marketed by Cisco to telecommunications companies and government disaster response agencies.
Called the Cisco Express Network on Wheels, the 40-foot, 20-ton container highlights the network equipment maker’s latest technologies and can connect to other networks via satellite or a hard-wired connection.
In Thailand, Cisco customized the mobile network hub into an emergency response system for use by the Thai government, said Christian Hentschel, director for Cisco’s commercial business for the Asia Pacific region.
In the US, Cisco has deployed the system for use by state police and universities.
“Intelligence comes from the applications that run on the infrastructure,” Hentschel said during the unveiling of the Cisco Express held at the Fort Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. “In the US, for example, the system links police radio networks with an IP network.”
Cisco’s local team is demonstrating the system before the National Disaster Coordinating Council, in the hope of having it deployed in a manner similar to the way it was used in Thailand.
Hentschel added that the Cisco Express can be customized to fit other market segments like education.
Cisco also announced it is building another truck to be deployed by the middle of the month. Cisco said it has invested more than $1 million in the system with the help of partners like EMC, Panduit and Emerson Power.
The truck recently began its five-city tour in the country, following similar road shows in Malaysia and Thailand. It is expected to visit 30 cities in the Asia Pacific region.

Sheikh Ibrahim M. Alissa of Madinah Knowledge Economic City (KEC) and Mr. John Chambers, chairman and chief executive officer of Cisco, yesterday confirmed a strategic agreement has been finalized for the infrastructure development of the five-million-square-meter “smart city” project. The project is designed to attract global information and communications technology (ICT) firms who wish to establish operations and research-and-development facilities in Saudi, as well as creating more than 20,000 jobs within the city. Residents should benefit as well, with the initiative providing an attractive and interconnected living environment.
The Knowledge Economic City’s expected aggregated investment is approximately US$8 billion in the overall development of the city. As part of its Connected Real Estate initiative, Cisco will provide the network architecture for the city. All buildings in KEC will be interconnected and can be managed over a highly secure Internet Protocol (IP) network, allowing for centralized management and reduced operational costs for the city. The city’s network will facilitate data, voice, video and mobile communications across commercial and residential buildings.

UK-based Cisco IP telephony applications developer Arc Solutions has entered the Middle East networking market by setting up operations in the UAE.
The company has opened an office in Dubai, which it will use to serve the entire Middle East and Africa region. Three-locally recruited sales and technical staff have already been brought on board to join managing director Ioan Macrae in attempting to build the firm’s market share.
Arc, which develops and distributes software applications that add functionality to Cisco voice solutions, works exclusively through accredited Cisco resellers to target customers in vertical sectors such as finance, legal, retail and media.
“There is a huge opportunity for Arc Solutions in the Middle East with many greenfield sites and enterprises that want to embrace new IPT technology,” said Macrae. “Dubai is arguably the technology capital of the region with significant investments in new communications infrastructure and gives Arc the best possible opportunity for success.”
The launch of the Dubai office is part of a wider expansion plan that has also seen the company establish operations in the US, a market estimated to account for more than 50% of the world’s IP telephony revenues. The US arm is being headed by Arc’s former UK boss Richard Betts.

Cisco yesterday announced it will feature new consumer products and innovative prototypes at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 7-10 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The featured demonstrations highlight new visual networking experiences that combine streaming digital video technology and social networking applications.
Internet video accounts for 40 percent of Internet traffic today. YouTube alone receives more than 65,000 new videos everyday. This explosion of professional and user-generated video content, including video for use as entertainment and communications, can now span three screens via the TV, PC and mobile phone. Visual networking is enabling video content to be transparently created, further customized, stored and delivered on a single, integrated wire-to-wireless network.
“Video is the next wave of Internet disruption,” said John Chambers, chairman and CEO, Cisco. “Cisco is at the forefront of this market transition, providing consumers with more choice, better navigation of content, higher quality video, and faster, more personalized interaction. Together with our partners, we are expanding the Human Network to create compelling visual networking experiences by connecting consumers to digital content in ways never before possible - when, where and how they want it.”
The company will showcase several existing products and innovative prototypes at the 2008 International CES that deliver a superior multi-media experience and allow consumers to experience visual networking:
• Next-Generation Cable Set-Top Boxes and OpenCable Applications - Cisco offers access to the Internet and premium content services on consumers’ TVs via its next-generation set-top boxes. The set-top boxes are also designed to stream digital video content through the entire home and offer consumers added storage for storing music, movies, programs and photos, and feature new interactive guide capabilities, search functions and more;
• Internet Protocol Set-Top Boxes and Middleware Solutions - Cisco’s Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) set-top boxes integrate the home media experience by delivering many services including data, voice and video to many screens such as a television, PC, game station, mobile phone or other devices;
• Integrated Connected Home and Connected Life Technologies for Service Providers and Retail - Linksys Media Center Extenders work with PCs from most major manufacturers to stream video, including home video, live TV and movies plus music and photos to other devices in the home. Cisco also offers Interactive & Community Applications making it easy for service providers to support communications outside the home, across a broad range of devices; and
• High-Speed Data, Voice and Wireless Solutions - Wireless-N Dual Band Home Networking technology from Cisco’s Linksys division offers video-grade wireless networking that can help consumers to stream high-quality premium video content on media devices throughout the home.
Cisco creates “connections” between people and what they treasure most. The company offers consumers innovative new ways to communicate with friends and family, discover entertainment content and access information in different locations via multiple devices. Cisco’s consumer business includes the Linksys family of home networking products, Scientific Atlanta’s set-top boxes, and Cisco’s media solutions and content delivery system. Through a close collaboration with its technology partners, service providers, content publishers, retailers and consumer electronic device manufacturers, Cisco is expanding the Human Network to create new visual networking experiences.

“The emerging markets are leading the future,” Cisco Systems CEO John Chambers told the audience at the annual Asian American Multi-Technology Association conference on December 12.
Chambers delivered the conference keynote speech, focusing on the collaboration model implemented by his company’s management, and on ways to integrate several countries in an open platform.
Cisco’s recent announcement of its $16 billion investment in China has sent a new wave into the sea of Chinese financing by world multinationals. Its cooperation with the China Development Bank and Chinese Ministry of Education is helping Cisco ride the crest of this wave.
“China is becoming the center of innovation and creativity,” Chambers said, emphasizing Cisco’s establishment of another 300 Cisco Network Academies in that country, in addition to the 200 that have trained 90,000 students. Chambers also discussed Cisco’s increasing involvement in health care and environmental projects as part of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Cisco’s latest funding for the Alibaba Group, along with its hefty investment in China overall, have positioned the company at the center of the Middle Kingdom’s technological platform. Last month, Alibaba received a $17 million investment from Cisco before its IPO at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the company’s shares tripled on the first day of trading, boosting its reputation as the largest e-commerce company in China.
Founded in 1979, the Asian American MultiTechnology Association is a business network based in Silicon Valley that promotes the success of technology enterprises in the Pacific Rim. The association has a worldwide network of 10,000 members from more than 2,000 companies, including members in the Internet, wireless, telecommunications, computers, semiconductor, software, hardware, electronics and bio-tech industries. The AAMA has a Beijing office and a new Shanghai chapter started by William Chen, an American-born, Chinese venture capitalist with DT Capital.
“This is the largest conference in the AAMA history with such positive energy and high quality and quantity of attendees,” said Kyung Yoon, the group’s president and vice chairman of Heidrick & Struggles. Yoon added that China’s emergence as an economy influencing the markets of the Asia Pacific region and around the world motivated the group to focus its conference on China this year.
“It is incredible to meet the members of my network from all over the world here,” said Christine Hsu, founder of ORIENTED.com, a happy-hour social network for cross-cultural professionals that also served as a media sponsor for the conference. Hsu started ORIENTED.com in Shanghai, Beijing and Taipei five years ago with funds from angel investors in the Greater China region, and it now boasts 300,000 members worldwide.
For other tech entrepreneurs, it was the direct contact with VCs that attracted them to the AAMA Connect conference. “The Venture Capitalists Day is truly educational,” said Dr. Liming Yang, a VP with Algaen, a biotech company founded by a group of mainland Chinese academics in California. Dr. Liming submitted a business plan that won interest among the VCs at the conference.
An IPO discussion led by Anna Mok, a partner at Deloitte, also inspired the attending entrepreneurs with their future possibilities.
The AAMA conference has helped connect rising entrepreneurs with VC communities from China, India, Vietnam and the United States. Gerd Goette, managing partner of Siemens Venture Capital, estimated that their Beijing office staff will double over the next couple years with their intention to increase their investment in China. “It is a new wave of gold rush,” said Goette about the VC funding pouring into China.
From http://www.asianweek.com