There is a Cisco certification path that will suit you, whether you are new to Cisco or looking to improve your skills. There have been new Cisco certification options since February 24, 2020. These options allow you to be innovative and reinvent yourself to make a difference in your role in your company. Continue reading to learn more about the Cisco certification path, best path for you career, and training options to help you prepare for certification success.
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Cisco Certifications: Benefits for Your Career
Career advancement is the best reason to become certified in Cisco networking technology. These are the top Cisco certification paths that will help you accelerate your career.
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Network Professional Enterprise (CCNP Enterprise). Cisco certification demonstrates your Cisco expertise. Certified professionals are highly sought-after and highly respected. You can get a job as a Network Engineer, Systems Administrator, or Information Technology (IT Director) with your CCNA.
According to PayScale, the average CCNA salary amounts to $76,000 Certified employees can command a higher salary and have the knowledge to succeed in their job. These tips will help you land a job as a Cisco Networking Specialist once you have earned your certification.
Cisco Certifications are a benefit for organizations
Cisco technologies are the global authority in computer networking. They have become the most popular choice to protect and streamline these networks. Cisco professionals are highly valued by organizations because of this. Cisco certifications allow organizations to provide the necessary skills to enable deployment and give you the ability to use Cisco products to their full potential. This allows you to get more out of your IT investment. It also lowers downtime because skilled technicians can handle any issues that may arise. This increases customer satisfaction as problems can be solved quickly.
Cisco Learning Credits
Cisco Learning Credits can be purchased separately or as an attachment to your software purchase. These prepaid dollars can be used for training. Each Cisco Learning Credit can be used to purchase $100 towards Cisco training at New Horizons. Before you register for your class, let your New Horizons Account Executive know if you have Cisco Learning Credits.
Cisco Certification Paths FAQ Guide
With the right amount of training and experience, it is not difficult to pass the CCNA and CCNP exams. Although there are usually no pre-requisites in most cases, experience levels can vary. Below are the recommended Cisco training and pre-requisites for Cisco certification. The complete Cisco Certification FAQ Guide is available here.
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2020 Updates and Changes
These paths represent Cisco’s largest change to certifications for 25 years. Here is a summary of the changes for Cisco’s new certification pathways:
NewDevNettrack of certification across all levelsCCENTentry level cert is being retiredCCNAwill be consolidated to one certification, requiring one examCCNPwill have only five concentration areas, requiring TWO examsSpecialist Level is earned after the first exam in a CCNP trackCCIEwill require 2 exams, the first being a CCNP exam, the other a CCIE lab examNew courseswill roll out over the next 6 months, aligned with the new certificationsRecertificationrequirement will now be every 3 yearsBenefits to the New Cisco Certification Structure
These are the top benefits of Cisco’s new certification structure.
The ability to start where you want depending on your current level of expertise – no prerequisites to start earning your associate, specialist, professional or expert level certification.Continuing education credits for recertification and ongoing development are available for CCNA, Cisco Certified Specialist, CCNP and CCIE.Easier path to CCIE status.New Emeritus lifetime tenure for CCIE certifications maintained continuously for 20 years.Badging for completing training courses.No more continuing education administrative fee, as of February 24, 2020.The re-certification period for all certifications will be 3 years.Is CCNA Going Away?
The Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT), will be retiring. The new CCNA will be available at the Associate level. The new CCNA will validate a wide range of skills and foundational knowledge. It will only have one exam that covers networking and security fundamentals as well as automation, programmability, and programming. Previously, CCNA candidates had to take multiple exams in order to earn one of the 10 different CCNA certifications. These certifications will be replaced by the new CCNA exam (#200-301).
CCNA CloudCCNA CollaborationCCNA Cyber OpsCCNA Data CenterCCDA Data CenterCCNA SecurityCCNA Service ProviderCCNA WirelessThe CCNA training course will cover the basics of both ICND1 & ICND2, while more advanced information will be covered in the new CCNP courses.
Is CCNA required for CCNP?
No. No. The CCNP title in this focus area will be awarded to you if you pass the second exam. Two exams will be required: one core exam and one focus exam. Here’s a complete list of all the new CCNPs.
CCNP EnterpriseCCNP SecurityCCNP SecurityCCNP Service ProviderCCNP CollaborationCCNP Data CenterCisco Certified Professional DevNet ProfessionalThe CCNP Enterprise replaces CCNP Routing and Switching and CCNP Wireless certifications.
What is Cisco DevNet Certification and how do you get it?
The DevNet certification program validates software developers, DevOps experts, automation specialists, as well as other software professionals. The DevNet track will include both programming (primarily Python) and infrastructure. The program certifies emerging technical skills that enable organizations to harness the power of IT professionals.