Cisco Certification
Cisco IT Certification and Career Paths.
Introduction
Cisco offers a widely respected IT certification program. These certifications bring value, measurable rewards to network professionals, their managers, and the organisations that employ them.
Cisco Systems Certification Levels
Cisco offers three levels of IT certification:-
1 - Associate
The first step in general Cisco Career Certifications begins either with CCENT as an interim step to Associate level, or directly with CCNA for network operations or CCDA for network design. Think of the Associate level as the apprentice or foundation level of networking certification.
- CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician)
- CCDA (Cisco Certified Design Associate)
- CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
- CCNA Security (Security Associate)
- CCNA Wireless (Wireless Associate)
- CCNA Voice (Voice Associate)
2 - Professional
The second level in general Cisco Career Certifications is professional-level certifications such as CCNP, CCSP, CCDP, and CCIP each falling within a different certification path (or track) for meeting varying career needs. Think of this level as the advanced, or journeyman, level of certification that shows expertise with networking foundations.
- CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional)
- CCIP (Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional)
- CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional)
- CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional)
- CCVP (Cisco Certified Voice Professional)
3 - Expert
Currently there are two expert level certifications.
- CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
CCIE Routing and Switching
CCIE Security
CCIE Service Provider
CCIE Storage Networking
CCIE Voice
- CCDE (Cisco Certified Design Expert)
Cisco Certification Paths
Cisco offers six different certification paths so you can match your certification path with your job role or industry:-
- Design
- Network Security
- Routing and Switching
- Service Provider
- Storage Networking
- Voice
|
|
Associate
|
Professional
|
Expert
|
|
Design
|
CCDA
|
CCDP
|
CCDE
|
|
Network Security
|
CCNA Security
|
CCSP
|
CCIE Security
|
|
Routing / Switching
|
CCNA
|
CCNP
|
CCIE R&S
|
|
Service Provider
|
CCNA
|
CCIP
|
CCIE SP
|
|
Storage Networking
|
CCNA
|
CCNP
|
CCIE SN
|
|
Voice
|
CCNA Voice
|
CCVP
|
CCIE Voice
|
Cisco Specialisations
In addition to general certifications, network professionals can enhance their core networking knowledge by achieving specialist certifications, Cisco offers six specialisation areas:-
1. Advanced Routing and Switching
- Cisco Routing and Switching Field Specialist
- Cisco Routing and Switching Sales Specialist
- Cisco Routing and Switching Solutions Specialist
2. Data Centre Certifications
Data Center Application Services
- Cisco Data Center Application Services Support Specialist
- Cisco Data Center Application Services Design Specialist
Data Center Switching Network Infrastructure
- Cisco Data Center Networking Infrastructure Design Specialist
- Cisco Data Center Networking Infrastructure Support Specialist
- Cisco Data Center Networking Sales Specialist
Data Center Storage Networking
- Cisco Data Center Storage Networking Design Specialist
- Cisco Data Center Storage Networking Support Specialist
- Cisco Data Center Storage Networking Sales Specialist
3. Foundation for Channel Partners
- Cisco Express Foundation Design Specialist
- Cisco Express Foundation Field Specialist
- Cisco Express Foundation Sales Specialist
4. IP Communications Certifications
- Cisco Advanced IP Communications Sales Specialist
- Cisco IP Communications Express Specialist
- Cisco IP Communications Express Sales Specialist
- Cisco IP Contact Center Express Specialist
- Cisco IP Telephony Design Specialist
- Cisco Rich Media Communications Specialist
- Cisco Unity Design Specialist
- Cisco Unity Support Specialist
- Cisco Unified Presence Specialist
5. VPN and Security Certifications
- Cisco ASA Specialist
- Cisco Firewall Specialist
- Cisco IOS Security Specialist
- Cisco IPS Specialist
- Cisco Information Security Specialist
- Cisco Security Sales Specialist
- Cisco Network Admission Control Specialist
- Cisco Security Solutions and Design Specialist
6. Wireless LAN Certifications
- Cisco Advanced Wireless LAN Design Specialist
- Cisco Advanced Wireless LAN Field Specialist
- Cisco Advanced Wireless LAN Sales Specialist
About Recertification
Recertification is an important indicator to IT professionals and their employers, ensuring that the certification holder has kept up with current trends in networking technology. Valid certifications may be renewed indefinitely, but without timely renewal, certifications expire or become inactive. To keep certifications current, individuals should recertify by advancing to the next level of certification or passing the designated recertification exam(s).
Recertification Renewal Timeframes
- CCENT, CCNA, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CCNA Wireless, CCDA, CCNP, CCDP, CCSP, CCVP, and CCIP certifications are valid for three years.
- All CCIE certifications and Specialist certifications are valid for two years.
- Cisco Sales Expert (CSE) designations are valid for two years and must be recertified regardless of other certifications you have achieved, are currently pursuing or are in the process of recertifying.
Recertification Options
CCENT, CCNA, CCDA certifications complete one of the following recertification options:
- Pass the current certification exam. For CCENT and CCNA, ICND 2 will also recertify.
- Pass a current Specialist exam bearing a 642 prefix (excluding Sales Specialist exams)
- Pass any Professional level exam bearing a 642 prefix
- Advancing to the next level or recertifying at the Professional level automatically renews all related Associate level certifications
- Pass any current CCIE or CCDE written exam.
CCNA Voice, CCNA Wireless, CCNA Security, complete one of the following recertification options:
- Pass the current certification exam.
- Pass a current Specialist exam bearing a 642 prefix (excluding Sales Specialist exams)
- Pass any Professional level exam bearing a 642 prefix
- Advancing to the next level or recertifying at the Professional level automatically renews all related Associate level certifications
- Pass any current CCIE or CCDE written exam.
CCNP, CCDP, CCIP, CCSP & CCVP certifications complete one of the following recertification options:
- Pass any 642 exam that is part of the professional level curriculum after 01/01/06
- Pass any current CCIE or CCDE written exam.
Specialist certifications complete one of the following recertification options:
- Pass the current version of the Specialist certification exam(s) or the designated recertification exam indicated on the specific certification page
- Pass any current CCIE or CCDE written exam.
CCIE certification
- Complete one CCIE written exam or the CCDE qualification exam within the 24 month period immediately preceding your current recertification deadline.
Cisco Sales Expert designation
- Complete the Cisco Sales Expert exam within the 24 month period preceding your recertification deadline.
|
