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 [...]

read more from this topic.....

I was excited to receive Practical Packet Analysis in the mail. A book on the topic of packet analysis is one of those “gee, I wish I had thought of that!” type of things.
PPA is all about using Ethereal/Wireshark to solve network problems. While not explicitly written as such, the book is done [...]

read more from this topic.....

I’ve got a bunch of books on my shelf I’ve been meaning to review, but I really wanted to mention the CCNP BSCI Portable Command Guide. It was sent to me a few weeks ago and I’ve recently had the chance to go through it.
It’s a lot like O’Reilly’s cookbook series, but more concise. [...]

read more from this topic.....

I got a chance to look at the new CCNA Video Mentor (CVM) by Wendell Odom. It’s a 2 hour Video on CD (all Flash videos) on a variety of topics that’s meant to go alongside the
CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (Exam #640-801), 2nd Edition. The videos are really worked through labs to [...]

read more from this topic.....

I just got back from passing 642-811. Even though I ended up with a 962 the number of questions that I thought “I think that’s the right answer” would have made me think my score would have been lower (though as I go back and check, it looks like I was right on most)
Compared [...]

read more from this topic.....

Every so often I get books in the mail from publishers for review. I love doing it, not only for the free books, but also because people are always asking me which books are worth buying.
Normally I try to do a detailed review of the good ones, but sometimes I get backed up. [...]

read more from this topic.....

Build the Best Data Center Facility for Your Business
Douglas Alger
Cisco Press, 2005
Synopsis
This book is a must for anyone in charge of a datacenter, be they building, expanding, or just running the operation. It provides a solid grounding in HVAC, electrical, layout, and other concerns.
Working in IT, I’m quite familiar with the inside of a [...]

read more from this topic.....

Network Administrators Survival Guide
Anand Deveriya
Cisco Press, 2006
Synopsis
A book covering the use of Open Source software to manage and document your Cisco network. Topics range from the traditional availablity and performance graphs, to more advanced security tools.
The Book
I was pretty happy when I received this book because a year ago I thought of the exact [...]

read more from this topic.....