A month or so ago I was sent a package from Train Signal containing their video training for the CCNA, BCMSN, and BSCI exams.

I had the chance to go through several of the BSCI videos and have to say I was really impressed. The videos are done by Chris Bryant who writes other certification related items and also contributes to Tech Republic. I’ve read his work in the past and thought him to be a smart guy with a good way of explaining things.

The videos are about an hour each, and are a screencast of a OneNote presentation, graphics, and console sessions. I found them to be informative and well paced. After having watched a few of the Video Mentor series from Cisco Press I was happy to be listening to someone without a heavy Texas accent!

The content of the videos is more or less what you’d expect from a classroom. Unlike the CCNP Video Mentor, this covers all the topics a class would.

A couple of things I didn’t like — the website claims that a PDF should be on the DVD containing a lab guide, which I didn’t find. That’s one thing I like about the CCNP Video Mentor series. Secondly, the practice exams on the DVD are terrible. The questions themselves aren’t too bad, but the interface is so brutal that I gave up on it.

At $199 per exam it’s far cheaper than taking a $3,000 class, and covers the same information. If you’re the kind of person that learns visually, checking out Train Signal’s offerings would be a smart move.

References

1. Train Signal
2. video training