CCNP Practical Studies: Routing skips over all the ISO, TCP/IP and Basic Subnetting chapters that appear in every network book printed since the invention of the Cisco router... If you are reading this book you probably don't need them anyway. It covers Subnetting and VLSM in context of route summarization only.
The practicals are labs that you can do if you have the equipment. If you don't have the equipment, there are all the screenscapes you would normally see on the router console printed in the book. The only complaint I have about the book is that there is no "suggested equipment" list that lets you know what equipment is used throughout the exercises. I don't think the author expected all the configurations to be done in a home lab as he suggests a 6509 as the switch used in CCNP Routing Self-Study Lab. It would definitely help us crazyfolk that scour ebay for network equipment to keep next to our stereo, TV, and entertainment center.
Practicals included:
RIPv2
Basic OSPF
OSPF w RIP Redistribution
EIGRP
EBGP
Advanced BGP
Route Redistribution
And Finally the CCNP Routing Self-Study Lab that ties it all together
There are also many scenarios in each chapter that are almost as useful as the labs.
Although, it's possible to pass the exam without ever looking at a Cisco router, BUY THIS BOOK anyway. If you have been collecting Cisco equipment, and are looking for some exercises that will help you learn, this is a must have.
Finally, the chapter on advanced OSPF covers a bit of Integrated IS-IS and IS-IS redistribution. For those of you that know the new Cisco exam that recently replaced "Routing" (Called BCSI or Building Cisco Scalable Internetworks) has quite a bit about IS-IS on the exam. That is not covered at all in the BCSN books. Todd Lammle has got a book out that covers the new exam material
