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CCDE v3 Practice Labs: Preparing for the Cisco Certified Design Expert Lab Exam – Official Cisco Press Practice Labs for v3 of the exam. Full lab scenarios with scoring and debrief material focusing not just on the correct answers but why the answers were correct and why the distractors were not valid based on defined requirements and constraints. Take the labs in the book under exam conditions to really benefit from the material and enhance your training.
What it will help you with: Practicing for the real lab exam, demystifying the certification, finding areas of weakness and mastering the techniques required in order to pass. Learn to understand what the examiners are effectively testing you on and focus on the all important “why” in terms of technology choice and “why” an answer is correct or more correct than other distractors.
What it won’t help you with: This book is not going to teach you intricate technologies, the book will likely however find technical areas that you need to research in case you meet them in the real exam.
Take a detailed look at CCDE v3 Practice Labs
Practice Labs for v2 of the exam, this is a culmination of the 3 practice labs available separately on Leanpub from Martin Duggan (detailed below) with additional hints and tips in paperback format. Although some of the v3 specific content isn’t included there are 3 complex labs covering core technology found within v3 with scoring and debrief material which still provide an excellent practice lab experience.
CCDE Blog users receive over 30% discount on these Leanpub Titles
CCDE Practical Studies – Practice Lab 1 – iSize. From Leanpub a standalone practice lab with full debrief based around an enterprise that requires a new Next Generation Data Center.
What it will help you with: Practicing for the real lab exam, demystifying the certification, finding areas of weakness and mastering the techniques required in order to pass. Learn about VXLAN and dual site DC’s.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you specific protocols but it will find weaknesses in your technical knowledge.
CCDE Practical Studies – Practice Lab 2 – Diamond TV. From Leanpub a standalone practice lab with full debrief based around a Cable TV Company that modernizes and introduces new technology to their network.
What it will help you with: Practicing for the real lab exam, demystifying the certification, finding areas of weakness and mastering the techniques required in order to pass. Learn about Service Provider networks.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you specific protocols but it will find weaknesses in your technical knowledge.
CCDE Practical Studies – Practice Lab 3 – Western Rail. From Leanpub a standalone practice lab with full debrief based around a rail company that pivots into becoming a Service Provider providing a secondary revenue stream.
What it will help you with: Practicing for the real lab exam, demystifying the certification, finding areas of weakness and mastering the techniques required in order to pass. Learn about Service Provider networks.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you specific protocols but it will find weaknesses in your technical knowledge.
CCDE Study Guide from Cisco Press, this is mainly aimed at the written exam covering core technology and is currently being refreshed by Michael “Zig” Zsiga, watch this space for the new book!
What it will help you with: Understanding the technology you will be tested on in the lab exam.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you how to deal with the practical lab exam.
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CCIE and CCDE Evolving Technologies Study Guide from Cisco Press, again mainly aimed at the written exam covering emerging technology so it’s a great supplement to study guides and practice labs.
What it will help you with: Emerging technologies that you will encounter in the lab exam.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you core technologies & how to deal with the lab exam.
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Art of Network Architecture, The: Business-Driven Design from Cisco Press, written by Russ White, the daddy of the CCDE certification, a must.
What it will help you with: Reviewing the crucial links between architecture and business requirements.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you specific protocols or how to be successful in the practical exam.
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Definitive MPLS Network Designs from Cisco Press, It’s quite old now but the author presents the information in a similar manner to CCDE scenarios so it’s a really useful book and provides great detail around MPLS which is still actually relevant for the v3 Blueprint.
What it will help you with: Familiarization with scenario background information and customer requirements with an obvious bias towards MPLS technology.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you how to deal with the practical lab but it’s a great resource for MPLS.
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Optimal Routing Design from Cisco Press by Russ, in depth detail on routing protocols you will meet in your CCDE lab and how to incorporate then into network designs, hands down the best Layer 3 resource you can find.
What it will help you with: Fantastic resource for routing protocol information with a bias on design, where to place ABR’s etc for OSPF.
What it won’t help you with: This book won’t teach you how to deal with the practical lab.
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