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Rating: 
Summary: This is a terrible product
Review: Don't waste your [money] on this peice of junk. You do not get to configure switches like they want you to believe. You have to follow their training program and then do the labs, which tell you what to type in. I want a product that simulates a switch where I can configure what I want. This is not that product. Do not waste your money!
Rating: 
Summary: Great hand-on practice!
Review: I also agree with the last reviewer.For someone without access to a real Catalyst 5000, this is a great practice. Also, the questions and module quizes make excellent reinforcement. I don't know why some rate this product so poorly. Between this simulator and a good book, you can definately get quality Cisco LAN switching technology training. Dan Young (CCNP+Security, CCDP, CCSE, MCSE+I)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent material for the CCNA/CCNP/CCIE student
Review: I think it's well worth the money. There are ten modules, each with all the key information broken down into manageable chunks, and at the end of each module there is a lab narrated by a woman who talks you through the steps. The CIM-SE (simulation environment) is limited to the commands necessary for the lab, so you have to be word perfect when typing the commands out. It's definitely good for CCNP, and if you can't get time on your own or someone elses Catalyst then this is the next best thing. If you can absorb the content of this CIM then you will probably have all you need for switching side of the CCIE lab exam.
(version 3.0)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent material for the CCNA/CCNP/CCIE student
Review: I think it's well worth the money. There are ten modules, each with all the key information broken down into manageable chunks, and at the end of each module there is a lab narrated by a woman who talks you through the steps. The CIM-SE (simulation environment) is limited to the commands necessary for the lab, so you have to be word perfect when typing the commands out. It's definitely good for CCNP, and if you can't get time on your own or someone elses Catalyst then this is the next best thing. If you can absorb the content of this CIM then you will probably have all you need for switching side of the CCIE lab exam.
(version 3.0)
Rating:
Summary: Switching Prep...
Review: I was quite surprised by the majority of reviews panning this product. I've previously gone through almost all of the 1.0 product and thought it was so worthwhile, I purchased the 2.0 version for myself for home use. I took the official CIT course never having worked with a Catalyst 5000 series switch. Even though it had been several months since I used LAN Switching 1.0, I had NO PROBLEMS configuring and troubleshooting the CAT 5000 switches while on course. I breezed through the labs while others struggled--some of whom worked with the CATs as part of their day-to-day job responsibilities. It's a good product if you want to learn how to configure Cisco switches, and about switching in general. Perhaps one reason why people have been disappointed in this product is because they thought it could be used as a single-source of study for the CCNP LAN Switching exam. The LAN Switching CIM doesn't claim to provide all the knowledge required to pass that exam--it's not part of the CCNP study series. Perhaps another reason why people have been disappointed in this product is because they didn't understand that the Cisco LAN Switching CIM wasn't intended to be a full-featured "routersim" type product. This product, billed as an "interactive mentor" was designed to simulate a learning environment where a "virtual instructor" leading a student through a series of controlled tutorials and configuration exercises designed to hone LAN switching skills. It presents controlled challenge and configuration labs in very much the same type of manner that labs would be provided from an educational institution (college, authorized training center, etc.). Although each lab provides access to different subsets of Catalyst commands, I personally didn't find the product limiting in its usefulness--my intent for the product was to gain simulated hands-on experience configuring Cisco Catalyst switches. I thought it did a fantastic job... DISCLAIMER: The only reason I gave the product 4 stars instead of 5 is because I found 1.0 a bit buggy. I haven't had a chance to go through all the labs in 2.0 to see if the same problems exist...
Rating: 
Summary: It's an "Interactive Mentor"
Review: I was quite surprised by the majority of reviews panning this product. I've previously gone through almost all of the 1.0 product and thought it was so worthwhile, I purchased the 2.0 version for myself for home use. I took the official CIT course never having worked with a Catalyst 5000 series switch. Even though it had been several months since I used LAN Switching 1.0, I had NO PROBLEMS configuring and troubleshooting the CAT 5000 switches while on course. I breezed through the labs while others struggled--some of whom worked with the CATs as part of their day-to-day job responsibilities. It's a good product if you want to learn how to configure Cisco switches, and about switching in general. Perhaps one reason why people have been disappointed in this product is because they thought it could be used as a single-source of study for the CCNP LAN Switching exam. The LAN Switching CIM doesn't claim to provide all the knowledge required to pass that exam--it's not part of the CCNP study series. Perhaps another reason why people have been disappointed in this product is because they didn't understand that the Cisco LAN Switching CIM wasn't intended to be a full-featured "routersim" type product. This product, billed as an "interactive mentor" was designed to simulate a learning environment where a "virtual instructor" leading a student through a series of controlled tutorials and configuration exercises designed to hone LAN switching skills. It presents controlled challenge and configuration labs in very much the same type of manner that labs would be provided from an educational institution (college, authorized training center, etc.). Although each lab provides access to different subsets of Catalyst commands, I personally didn't find the product limiting in its usefulness--my intent for the product was to gain simulated hands-on experience configuring Cisco Catalyst switches. I thought it did a fantastic job... DISCLAIMER: The only reason I gave the product 4 stars instead of 5 is because I found 1.0 a bit buggy. I haven't had a chance to go through all the labs in 2.0 to see if the same problems exist...
Rating:
Summary: Cisco finally has good study materials and labs
Review: Simulators are the best way to experiment and make mistakes without taking your live network down. Multi-layer Switching is the direction networks are going these days, so this is a great tool to get experience on.
Rating:
Summary: Cisco finally has good study materials and labs
Review: Simulators are the best way to experiment and make mistakes without taking your live network down. Multi-layer Switching is the direction networks are going these days, so this is a great tool to get experience on.
Rating:
Summary: Switching Prep...
Review: This is a great way to reinforce all that you have learned from the Cisco courseware. I went through the coursware, read the Sybex book and read the Exam Cram by Richard Deal - which is absolutley brilliant BTW - then used this to cover the holes left by SwitchSim. In hindsight i probably covered way too much material - i would do it this way: Cisco Coursware OR Sybex, Exam Cram, and the Interactive Mentor.... I can understand some peoples disappointment - but it isn't a simulated networking environment as such - it just shows you how to configure a Cat switch and why...and it does this very well. Not only that but where else are you going to be able to get hands on configuring ATM modules and a LightStream ATM Switch??? Pricey i know - but still very handy come CCIE-time.....
Rating:
Summary: Terrible product!
Review: This is not a Switch simulator like you would find at routersim.com. This is a Cisco product overview that makes you type in the commands when they tell you to type in the command and exactly how you should type it. This teaches you nothing!
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