Training Resources

I am a big fan of Knowledgenet. They offer live online classes, as well as recorded classes. They use official Cisco curriculum, and it is refreshed regularly. The training is not just a series of videos-- you get the book, and they have very realistic labs and pre and post-assessment exams integrated into their training. Highly recommend them. 

Also love Chris Bryant's CCNA program.  If work isn't paying for your classes, and you find that a couple thousand dollars is too much, then you are in luck. The Bryant Advantage is very in-depth, very thorough, and Chris is a personable guy. A dry instructor can really make this curriculum boring. Chris doesn't do that.  He keeps the material interesting, and he has a ton of three to five minute videos that hit the point and get out. Do a couple each day on your coffee break. Follow him on Twitter, Youtube, or hit his blog.  The free videos he gives away each day are worth it alone.  For not a lot of money, you can pick up his CCNA or CCNP video series and study guide. Although I can't speak to his CCNP material yet, I have the CCNA guide and video series, and love them both. It is a quality program at a fraction of the price you would pay elsewhere. He demos everything on live equipment, and really does a great job of explaining the material. Also highly recommend Chris!

LearnSmart (formerly PrepLogic)... Hmmmmm. Really enjoyed the CCNA program for the short time I was subscribed. I like the layout, the organization of the site, the progress clocks and projected completion dates.  But, near as I can tell, the books are not official Cisco curriculum, and they have a lot of complaints on the web from people who apparently didn't read the fine print-- myself included.  I don't think they are a bad or malicious organization, and from what I've been told they have really been working hard to clean up their image. I had some trouble initially getting my money back on a "30 day money back guarantee", but they did come through for me and make it right. I will say, however-- read the fine print-- even if the sales guy tells you that you have a 30 day "no questions asked" return. If the contract says no refunds, then be prepared to not get your money back, no matter what the sales guy said. Like I told their guy on the phone the other day. I don't have a problem with their training. I really liked most of it. But things like automatic renewals are a big red flag to me, especially now. Provide a quality product, be upfront and honest, and instill trust in your clients, and they will come back-- voluntarily.