Cisco Network Certifications
A major provider of networking products, Cisco Systems has created certificates to validate the knowledge and skills of Network Administrators and other network support personnel who work with Cisco products. Cisco networks are the most commonly-used networks in the industry so these certifications are quite valuable when looking for a job. Most Cisco network job postings specify that a Cisco certification is either required or strongly desired.
Cisco Network Certifications Available
Cisco's certifications are broken into five levels: Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert and Architect. At some of the higher levels, there are multiple specialized certificates. Each certificate is described below:
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) - This Entry-level network certification validates a network professional’s knowledge of how to install, operate and troubleshoot a small enterprise branch network.
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) – This is the Associate level network certification which confirms the ability to install, configure, troubleshoot and operate a medium-sized route and switched network.
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) – For this Professional level network certificate, a networking professional must demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to install, configure and troubleshoot converged local and wide-area networks with at least 100-500 nodes.
Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) – This is a Professional level certificate that validates advanced knowledge of network design principles and concepts.
Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional (CCIP) – Network service provider professionals may want to earn this Professional level certificate that validates advanced knowledge needed to manage service provider infrastructures.
Expert Certifications - There are also expert certifications for routing and switching (CCIE Routing & Switching), design (CCDE), service providers(CCIE Service Provider) and storage networking (CCIE Storage Networking).
Cisco Certified Architect - This is the highest level of certification available only to exceptionally experienced and competent networking professionals with at least ten years of experience in the field. The certification validates that they can design and manage innovative, complex projects to meet business needs.
Preparing for Exams
Training for Cisco networking exams can be obtained at independent training centers, Cisco authorized training centers and Cisco’s own training centers as well as at other educational institutions such as community colleges and online schools. Different types of training are available to suit the learning style and lifestyle of certificate candidates. These options include traditional classrooms, online classrooms, training at an employer’s location, boot-camp style intensive training and self-study videos.
The prices for each type of training and each certificate vary and start at a low of about $300 for a self-study video to a high of about $8000 for a 14-day intensive boot-camp. As a resource that can be used to supplement training, Cisco provides free online study aids at their Learning Center website.
Exam Content
CCENT - The exam for this certification is called "Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices – Part 1" and covers the knowledge and skills necessary to install, operate and troubleshoot a small network including fundamental routing and switching, security, WAN technologies and IP addressing, among other topics.
CCNA – For those who do not already have the CCENT certification, a composite exam is available that cover the topics in the CCENT exam and the CCNA exam. Otherwise, candidates will take the ““Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices – Part 2” exam. This exam covers VLAN topics, IPv6 addressing, various protocols, managing IP traffic as well as other subject matters.
CCNP – There are four required exams which cover the knowledge and skills needed to manage complex networks :
- Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks
- Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks
- Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks
- Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks
CCDP – This certification has three exams that validate quality network design knowledge and skills:
- Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks
- Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks
- Designing Cisco Network Service Architecture
Expert Certifications – Each of the Expert certifications has both a written exam and a hands-on lab exam except for the design certification which has a written exam and a practical exam. The written exams are two hours long and the lab exams last eight hours.
Cisco Certified Architect - Instead of a written or lab exam, candidates propose and defend an architecture solution to solve a business problem. There is no specific training applicable to this certification.
Taking Exams
Written and lab exams must be taken at a Pearson Vue testing location, which are available worldwide. The Expert certification lab exam locations are more limited due to the equipment requirements. The written exams tend to range in price between $80 and $325 and the lab exams for Expert certifications have recently cost about $1400. All exam prices are subject to change.
Maintaining Certifications
All Entry level, Associate level and Professional level certifications are valid for three years. To re-certify, one must pass the same exam again or pass any other written exam at the same level or higher before the certification’s expiration date. Expert level certifications must be re-certified every two years by passing any expert level written or lab exam. All other active certifications held by the person will be automatically re-certified.
Who Should Get Cisco Server Certifications?
CCENT – This is a good starting point for anyone new to working with Cisco networking products. They should already have some training and experience working with networks. This is an optional certificate as one can skip this certification and take a composite exam to earn the CCNA certification.
CCNA - Network professionals with at least a year of experience and an introductory understanding of networking topics is a good candidate for this certification. They need not already have the CCENT certification since there is a combined exam that covers both.
Professional level certifications – Candidates for these certifications should already possess the CCNA certification and have strong hands-on TCP/IP, subnetting and OSI model knowledge and skills as well as familiarity with other switching concepts.
Expert level certifications – Network professionals should have at least three to five years experience and an in-depth understanding of end-to-end networks. Only a small percentage of Cisco certified professionals have earned an expert level certification as these are rigorous exams that require a high level of knowledge and commitment.
Cisco Certified Architect - Only those who are exceptionally competent and knowledgeable and have at least ten years of experience should attempt this certification.
Evaluating Training Options
- Style of Training – For some people, the type of training, such as whether it is instructor-led or video, weekly classes or boot-camp, can make a difference as to the outcome.
- Exam Guarantee– Some courses provide a guarantee so that if a student fails the exam, they can re-take the training at no cost.
- Lab Environment – Hands-on experience in a lab is an important component of network certifications so it is important that the training facility have up-to-date equipment and enough of it for all the students to get the hands-on time they need.
About Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems is a public, multi-national corporation that sells complete network systems and network management tools to organizations world-wide. It was founded in 1984 by a group of Stanford computer scientists and became a publicly traded company in 1990.
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