Cisco is the world’s largest manufacturer of networking and communications equipment. It’s also the number one entry in the Forbes Global 2000 listings for the Communications Equipment industry. Cisco switches, routers and other networking gear are found in data centers and network closets in corporations and government organizations worldwide.
Cisco CCDA Certification Training
Cisco CCDP Certification Training
There likely hasn’t been a more exciting time to work as a network design professional since the LAN-WAN early years. The every looming ‘Internet of Things’ movement promises to provide challenge, excitement and a lucrative career opportunity.
CCENT training courses represent a strong first step toward a career in network administration. Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician or CCENT certification validates your ability to install, operate and troubleshoot networks.
Cisco CCIE Certification Training
Arguably the world’s most elite certification for networking pros, learn more about Cisco’s Certified Internetworking Expert here.
Cisco’s most popular entry-level networking certification, learn more about CCNA including the benefits of becoming CCNA certified, curriculum, exam options, study tips and more.
Cisco CCNP Certification Training
Given the advent of Internet connectivity, demand for mobility and a robust need for specific network skills the career outlook for certified network professionals is healthy. Here’s the lowdown on how certification as of network professional can prove valuable.
Cisco CCSP Certification Training
As the world becomes more digital, data security becomes more imperative. Cisco Certified Security Professional training is one way for IT workers to increase their skills in the security field while enhancing their employment opportunities.
Cisco certification courses and training have existed since the early days of network technology, and has evolved into a well-respected, industry-recognized program. There are Cisco certifications for all levels of networking technicians, from entry level all the way up to the elite expert status.
Why should you become Cisco certified?
The value of certification when it comes to finding employment, maximizing job compensation, and providing career advancement has been well-documented in numerous salary surveys and industry studies for over a decade. Cisco certifications like the CCNA and CCNP regularly appear in annual “most valuable certifications” lists published by industry websites.
Here are two persuasive findings from recent investigations into the value of Cisco certification.
From a Cisco certification study conducted by Forrester Research in 2008:
“IT decision makers rated certifications second only to four-year degrees in qualifying for positions. They rated certifications first for predicting job performance.“
Cisco performed a similar certification value study in 2013, and reported the following:
“The research demonstrates that employers place high value upon Cisco certifications, with almost three-quarters concurring that their Cisco-certified employees are more knowledgeable and more valuable than their non-certified employees.“
Cisco certification types
Cisco certifications are classified into the following categories, from lowest to highest difficulty:
- Entry
- Associate
- Professional
- Expert
- Architect
Cisco Entry
Cisco Entry Certifications are meant for people just starting out as networking professionals. Here is a list of the current Cisco Entry certs:
- Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)
- Cisco Certified Technician (CCT)
Cisco Associate
Cisco Associate certifications are considered to be foundation-level certs. These are more advanced than the Entry certs, but are still below the Professional designations. Here is a list of the current Cisco Associate certifications:
The CCNA certification can be earned in any of the following specializations:
- Routing and Switching
- Data Center
- Security
- Service Provider
- Service Provider Operations
- Video
- Voice
- Wireless
Cisco Professional
Cisco Professional certifications are, as the name suggests, more-advanced designations for people who have years of experience working with Cisco technologies. Here is a list of the current Cisco Professional certs:
The CCNP certification can be earned in any of the following specializations:
- Routing and Switching
- Data Center
- Security
- Service Provider
- Service Provider Operations
- Voice
- Wireless
Cisco Expert
Cisco Expert certifications are considered to be among the most advanced, and, therefore, the most valuable, networking designations in the industry. Here is a list of the current Cisco Expert certs:
- Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)
- Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
The CCIE cert can be earned in any of the following specializations:
- Collaboration
- Data Center
- Routing and Switching
- Security
- Service Provider
- Service Provider Operations
- Wireless
Cisco Architect
The Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) is the highest-level designation awarded by the Cisco cert program. A CCAr-certified professional has the skills and knowledge necessary to take a business’s strategic goals and translate them into a set of customized network infrastructure specifications designed to meet these goals.
Cisco boot camps
An hour and a half may not seem like a big deal, but if it’s the 90 minutes of Cisco’s 640-802 exam that grants Cisco Certified Network Associate status, you want to give it your best shot. Preparing for the CCNA test normally takes between a month and six weeks of study, but it could involve as little as five days with a third-party trainer’s Cisco boot camp program.
Training institutions like NetCom Learning, CCPrep.com, Global Knowledge and others often guarantee that their students will pass Cisco certification exams, typically offering a chance to retake either the exam or the boot camp–excluding the latter’s lodging and meals. A variety of curricula are available for different Cisco certs, such as 10- or 12-day camps for CCNA + Security or Voice or Wireless or the three-exam Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) program. CED Solutions offers a whopping 23-day combo CCNA, Windows 7 and Windows 2008 Server and Enterprise Administrator package.
Boot camps usually include everything but airfare and are available in locations ranging from Las Vegas to Tampa. Many camps offer genuine Cisco instruction materials. The most qualified trainers generally hold a Certified Cisco Systems Instructor (CCSI) or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) credential. It’s also vital that the trainers screen or pretest students for basic familiarity with TCP/IP, the OSI model, and other network protocols and architectures, so that newbies do not slow the camp’s quick pace.
Cisco boot camps are anything but relaxing vacation times. These intensive training sessions do provide a fast way to get ready for those valuable certification exams.
Sources
http://www.cisco.com/web/offer/emea/15070/docs/The_importance_of_Certification_1.pdf
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/blogs/certifications/2014/02/04/6-reasons-employers-value-cisco-certifications
