The authors cover all subjects on the CCNA objective list published by Cisco. They explain the Open System Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model in considerable detail, then take on the specifics of implementing networks with the Internetworking Operating System (IOS) router operating system. This book details Internet Protocol (IP) addressing and routing as it applies to TCP/IP, with significant focus on IP address allocation and access-control lists. This preparatory guide also features coverage of WAN, including ISDN information, and virtual LAN material.
CCNA would be much better if it included more guided procedures that helped reveal facts. To partially compensate for the light touch on experiments, the authors have included a lot of multiple-choice practice questions. Answers appear (with brief but adequate explanations) in an appendix. The same questions and answers are on the companion CD-ROM, which presents them in a fairly clunky format that is unable to track your score or even process your answers. -- David Wall