Getting a Cisco certification is one of the best things you can do for your career if you want to get into computer networking technology or if you are an experienced network administrator or developer. If you work with networking technology of any kind, it's likely that a lot of the hardware you use will have the name Cisco on it somewhere.
Cisco gives professionals at all stages of their careers a number of different certifications. They also have certifications in Wireless, Security, Voice, Service Provider, and Data Center. Let's talk about this list of popular Cisco certifications and who should look into them based on where they are in their careers.
Check out the detailed information about how much Cisco Certification Costs overall.
Cisco Certification Path
Cisco has certification paths that help IT professionals advance their careers by taking courses at the entry, associate, professional, and expert levels. Network Design and Network Operations are the two most common ways to get certified. Both of these require multiple levels of Cisco certification. Either of these Cisco certification paths can lead to jobs as network engineers, IT infrastructure leaders, or IT Directors.
Cisco Certified Technician (CCT)
With the CCENT certification no longer available, the CCT is the only Cisco certification below the CCNA that is for beginners. This certification is not needed for the CCNA, but it is a great way to start learning about how to support Cisco products in the field. Those with the CTT certification are able to diagnose, fix, repair, and replace Cisco customers' important system and networking devices at their sites.
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
The most popular Cisco certification is the CCNA certification, which is an associate-level certification. The Cisco Certified Network Associate certification is well-known and respected by many big companies, and it can help you get many IT jobs. The CCNA is a great certification for new college graduates or anyone who wants to start a career in IT. There are no formal requirements or prerequisites.
The CCNA certification programme is broken up into several different specialties: cloud, collaboration, cyber-ops, data centre, industrial, routing and switching, security, service provider, and wireless. This is the certification you need if you want to move on to higher-level certifications like CCNP and CCIE. You can take one test or split the work into two separate tests on the different topics.
Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP)
The CCNP is considered a certification for professionals. Like the CCNA, this certification is broken up into different specialties. Still, at this level, you are expected to have more experience and a higher level of skill. To get the CCNP certification, you must have already earned a CCNA. To get this certification, you have to pass three tests: 300-101 (Routing), 300-115 (Switching), and 300-135 (Troubleshooting).
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
This certification is the gold standard for networking certifications around the world, and getting it is a very prestigious accomplishment in the networking field. For this certification, you not only have to pass a very difficult test, but there is also a lab section that is based on how well you do. The information is always being updated so that it stays on the cutting edge of networking technology.
A CCIE is a continuing certification, which means that you have to recertify at certain times to show that you are still an expert. This certification also gives your employer some perks because they have a Cisco Certified Expert on staff. If you don't keep your certification up to date, you could lose these benefits, so your employer has a reason to help you keep your certification up to date.
Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr)
The CCAr is the highest level of certification you can get from Cisco. This certification is for network designers who know enough about architecture to design, build, and keep up global networks. This certification also shows that the person who holds it can take business strategies and make them work in the real world.
The CCAr certification exam is very hard, and the applicant has to present their proposed network solution in front of a board of Cisco-selected committee members. It's kind of like defending your thesis when you're trying to get a college degree. As you might have guessed, this certification is not easy to get. That's what gives it such a good name.
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) - Retired
The CCENT certification was the first step on the Cisco certification path for new professionals. With this certification, professionals could set up, maintain, and fix problems in a small network with basic security. As of February 24, 2020, Cisco is no longer giving out this certification, which means it is no longer valid.
Get your Next Cisco Certification
In the achievements section of your resume, it's always a good thing if you can list any technical certifications you have. But if you want to work in networking technology, you might want to think about getting a Cisco certification first. It will make you stand out from the crowd and help you learn more about and become more skilled in your chosen network specialty.
Are you ready to get your next Cisco certification or do you want to learn more about Cisco networking technology? Then you need to get in touch with 101labs. Whether you're just starting out or want to add to the certifications you already have, we have the technical resources you need to keep going in the right direction. You can check out detailed CompTIA Certification Cost information here.
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