Cisco QoS Exam Certification Guide, Second Ed.
Reviewer Name: Tim Roberts
Reviewer Certification: CCNP
Cisco QoS Exam Certification Guide by Wendell Odom and Michael J. Cavanaugh is a good book for anyone who needs a reference guide for QoS.
The first thing that I noticed about this book is that the format is completely different from any other Cisco Press book I have read. This includes the diagrams and topologies, as well as the text formatting. I found that the new format made the book a little difficult to follow but that might just be due to my familiarity with the previous format.
What I found the most useful was the configurations that were presented. They allowed me to see what the exact configurations looked like for specific QoS methods. This came in very handy when it came time to plan an implementation. This alone makes this book a must have for the reference library. The reader is going to need to make sure that they have a good grasp of networking basics in order to understand a lot of the concepts presented. The book does not spend that much time providing background on basic networking concepts.
This title is designed to be a self-study certification guide for the Cisco 642-642 QoS exam. Each chapter of the book covers specific exam topics. In the beginning of each chapter there is a "Do I Know This Already?" quiz. This enables the reader to gauge their existing knowledge to know whether or not they need to study the section. There are questions at the end of each chapter to assess what the reader has learned and to reinforce key topics.
A CD-ROM is included with the book. This CD-ROM contains both an electronic version of the book as well as a testing engine that can be used to prepare for the certification exam. The testing engine allows the user to take a timed exam and access what areas they are strong and weak in. This will allow users to validate their knowledge in the concepts and techniques that were presented in the book.
The final chapter in the book covers Cisco's recommended best practices. I found this book the most informational because it illustrated the recommended way to tie all of the QoS technologies together. After all, most networks will have more than one type of QoS implemented.
The one thing that I thought this book was missing was some type of practice labs. It is after all a "self-study" book. The user could try to perform some of the examples that are presented in the book. It would have been nice to see some well put together labs that really drive home the configuration and functionality of each QoS method.
Overall, I would have to say that this is a good book for those looking to learn more about QoS technologies. As long as you have a good networking foundation you will learn a lot from this book.