Purchasing in Stages - This is kinda long.

[Odieone]

Dear Trainsignals,

I was wondering if it was possible for me to purchase your products in stages. I used CBTNuggets to study for my CCNA but I found it slightly confusing - I didnt get to practise as there wasnt any labs. Alot of people liked CBTNuggets but unfortunately I wasnt one of them.

My tech forum buddies recommended me to try Trainsignals and raved about how good it was. But I have a few questions I hope you can help me with to help my purchasing decision.

1. I noticed the individual packages give you a lab book or something. Does the Complete Package have that too?

2. My needs are primarily Microsoft but I intend to study for my CCNP and CompTIA certificates in the near future. Could I buy VMWare Server pack first? See what its like. Then upgrade to the Microsoft Pack and then the complete Pack....

3. Relates to question 2, is there are time limit? Do I have like 30 days to decide if I want to upgrade or not and thats it? My problem is most CBT like Nuggets shine early because the topics are much easier but I felt in CCNA at least, he didnt handle Subnetting very well which is the core of CCNA. I want to see how the entire pack handles as a whole.

4. How in depth does your programs go? Is it for total beginners? The reason I am asking is I am sitting my final exam for the my MCSA 2003 certification this weekend. But I feel I need to revise on some stuff I havent touched on for a while from time to time. It would be disappointing to pop in the CD or HDD and find I am being taught how to open a word document.

I understand its not irrelevant as users will have varying skill levels but it would be a tad slow for me.

5. My final question is about questions. If I have questions, is there someone I could ask?

Sorry for the mass questions. I am eager to get started but if I can do it steps that I can afford. it would the best of both worlds.

[Biggles77]

I can't answer you questions 1, 2 & 3 about the "gradual purchase" but I can say that Chris Bryant's coverage of subnetting was just brilliant. If you have trouble with that then purchasing the Lab is worth it just for the subnetting alone.

4. The Labs are designed from the noob to the experienced Administrator. They are real world experiences using senarios that could easily drop into any business. I have used the ISA 2004 Lab and managed to complete a trouble free installation during a first time install of the application and have it all up and running with filtering rules enabled.

You dictate the learning speed. If you have problems with a section you can replay it as often as you want. If you have a section you are extremely familar with you can skim over it or even totally bypass it (I have never done that because there has always been something I have learned from areas I thought I was an "expert" in).

5. Yes, you can post questions back here. The site is monitored and it is even possible that you may even get the same instructor from the Lab to answer you question.

[Odieone]

Thanks Biggles.

I take it you are a returning customer. It always good to hear from someone who has tried it. Actually I dont have problems with Subnetting anymore. When I was done ping ponging around with CBTNuggets. ( I not only didnt learning anything I could use but I felt like I forgot stuff I already knew). A friend recommended Todd Lamle's CCNA from Sybex and now I can subnet in my sleep.

But for Microsoft, I feel I need an instructor to get me thru it and a good one. Reading and studying the text is one heck of a sleepy affair. It also helps to see it in action. I have that problem too where I thought I knew everything but its like wow. I didnt about that.

Kudos on the questions part. I really needed that. Now that I know Trainsignal has got the practise labs, good instructors and I can ask questions. I just have to decide how do I go about getting it.

Thanks buddy.