CCNA Routing and Switching Exam Cram Flashcards (Exam: 640-507)

Exam Cram: Routing and Switching Flash Cards is a set of paper cards, each of which contains a fact or question that's meant to help you prepare for the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Routing and Switching exam (640-507). Most of the cards have multiple-choice questions printed on one side and the answer (with a brief, somewhat helpful explanation) on the other. The multiple-choice format mimics the exam, but some learners might prefer not having options presented for drill--these people can cross out the answers with a marker and test their knowledge without help. Fortunately, also for these folks, the 50 "free-response" cards pose questions along the lines of, "Detail the five steps of encapsulation."

You could wish for heavier cardstock, but the cards are conveniently sized --approximately four inches (6 cm) by five inches (12.5 cm)--which is large enough to handle easily, but small enough that you can fit a few dozen in your breast pocket or all 250 in a corner of your briefcase. The cards seem well suited to an irregular study schedule, when you can snatch only a few moments now and then to prepare for your CCNA exam. They spare you from having to tote around a big book or spin up your notebook computer every time you want to review some facts. For good measure, there's a multimedia version of the flash cards on a CD-ROM that comes with the kit. --David Wall

Topics covered: The subjects you're supposed to understand to pass the Routing and Switching exam (640-507) en route to your Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam. Subjects include addressing, routing protocols, connectivity, the seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, and the basics of configuring Cisco devices.