Rating: 
Summary: Everything is there, but do we need it for the exam?
Review: Everybody who has done Cisco, Microsoft and Novell exams knows that it's like taking a snapshot. If you forget half of what you learned the next day, it does not particularly hamper your functioning at the job. That what reference-books are for. Having failed the exam on 7 points with Todd Lammle's book I virtually learned this book by heart for the next test. And of course passed with flying colours. So that's what it's good for. It contains far more material than is ever asked for in the exam and as such is a wonderful reference book. As a tool to learn for the CCNA exam, it's overkill.
Rating:
Summary: Very helpful but it could be better
Review: I just took and passed the CCNA exam. I used this book as well
as Todd Lammle's CCNA Study Guide. Probably overkill but I learned some good stuff. The interesting thing about these books is how they complement each other. Odom's book is great for commands, especially towards the end of the book in the routing, ipx and WAN sections. He has these cool charts that list out all the commands and make it really easy to review ones that you might not use at work (like all that frame relay and isdn stuff). I've seen other reviews mention typos - maybe I'm just not very observant but I didn't notice too many and the ones I did notice were no big deal. I also liked the CD - a full practice test that changes each time you take it. Some of the questions repeat - but it's still a useful tool. Don't be too concerned if you fail the practice test. I took like 5 practice tests before the exam (using Odom's, Lammle's and some I found online) - failed them all but passed the real thing. This book could definately use a glossary. Lammle's book has one
and it really helps with all those silly acronyms Cisco wants you to know. I preferred the questions in Lammle's book as well. There are no multiple choice questions in the book - all are on the CD. This book, as well as Lammle's, is very dry. How about some real life examples? There are scenarios in some chapters but they lack realism. Odom must has been a CCIE for quite some time now. He must have all kinds of cool stories - would have been great if some of them had made it into this book.
Rating:
Summary: A good, authoritative CCNA text
Review: I looked at both this book and the Sybex/Todd Lammle book, and decided to order this one. I feel it was a good decision, due to the more rigorous coverage this book provides of the subject matter. I don't think this book's style is "overkill". If you have some networking experience, you can go through this book in two evenings with a highlighter to get a good review before taking a certification exam. And once you've completed the test, this book, unlike the Sybex book, will have some value as a quick reference in your tech library. If you don't have any network experience, I really think this book gives a good tutorial in networking fundamentals although it would take considerable time and effort to soak up all the information in here for the first time. Regardless of your experience level, this book gives you the "Cisco spin" on various topics that you'll need to answer the test questions, even if you're intimately familiar with the works of Richard Stevens, Radia Perlman, etc.
Rating: 
Summary: Cisco Press is best when taking their tests.
Review: I'm guilty of the exam-crams and exam-prep's. Take it from me - those books are not adequate for the CCNA exam. Here's the logic folks, the best way to pass a Cisco test is with CISCO PRESS. Buy this book for the CCNA and you will pass. I passed it yesturday (finally) after reading it. Here's the formula for the book. Read though the entire book once. Go back and take the "Do I know this Quiz" for each chapter to access what you have learned. Revisit those sections your weak in. When the test date is close read the foundation summaries (excellent for review). Finally begin using the CD about 1 week before it's time to test. Take the study mode exams(as often as possible) they offer you the most questions, this will provide you a scale of the sections you know best as well as the ones you still need to work on. When you are able to score 90-100% in each category then you are ready. Good luck.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprise, Surprise
Review: In the very first pages of the book, the author strongly urges the reader to read another book, Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices, prior to reading this one in preparation for the CCNA exam. This is an unwelcome and costly surprise considering this book was written as a exam preparation guide and as such, should sufficiently address the exam contents on its own. Odom does provide detailed information, but his dry and strained writing style makes it rather difficult for the reader to maintain proper perspective on the topics presented. The CD test engine accompanying this guide does have some bugs as well. Rather disappointing, this book could have been much better.
Rating:
Summary: Great, Better Than Some Others
Review: Just had this book for one day, but I must say I am very impressed with it. I used to have problems with the terms "synchronous", "asynchronous", "port" and "socket". The book explains them so beautifully. I am preparing for the CCNA test and I believe this book is the key. I recommend the book to anyone preparing for the test.
Rating:
Summary: In the fine Cisco Press tradition...Fantastic CCNA Primer!
Review: The first edition of this book was good, and the second is even better. I have been Cisco certified for several years -- CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, CCDP, even passed the CCIE written -- and I still use this book as a reference. I used the first edition as a study guide for the 640-507 exam, and did just fine. I think this book is much, much better than the Sybex study guide. A few plusses: The entire book is on CDROM (in .pdf format) and there is a pretest at the beginning of each chapter so you can skip the stuff you already know.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book, but won't prepare you for the test.
Review: This is a good book, accurate and up to date, but won't fully prepare you for the CCNA exam. Cisco's ICND book is still considered the official text for the exam.
Rating:
Summary: Good Book, but won't prepare you for the test.
Review: This is a good book, accurate and up to date, but won't fully prepare you for the CCNA exam. Cisco's ICND book is still considered the official text for the exam.
Rating:
Summary: Want to Pass CCNA TEST ? Start Here
Review: To start the things let me say that I pass CCNA exam and this book was one of the responsibles for that. I?m not american and I can say that if you know english enough to read and understand and you want to pass you can buy this book. The Quizes of "Do I know it already" at the beggening of each chapter gives you a good base to know where you are and summaries at the end of the chapters are good enough as a remember of the chapters contents to use the days before the exam. After all ,you've to agree that the best way of try to find out how CISCO sees things(and that a very important point to the exam) is to read CISCO press books. All exam is there you've only to study it hard. Also is very good to try the labs exercises if you can.so that its , good luck!.
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