An Overview of Cisco Career Certifications
By Tiffany Nickels, Manager of Professional Services Support
Cisco Systems, Inc. has released a set of Career Certifications which stratify skill development and promote networking expertise in Routing and Switching and WAN Switching. This article will focus on the certifications included in the Routing and Switching Solutions track.
These new Cisco Career Certifications allow a greater number of individuals the capacity to become qualified and aggrandize their career opportunities. The Career Certifications are divided into two principle avenues: network design and network support. An expanded series of supervised testing has also been instituted and now gives the individual both independent and aggregated test tracks from which to choose.
The foundational programs for the Routing and Switching track begin with the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification. The primary skills embodied in the CCNA certification are the installation, configuration, and operation of simple-routed LANs, WANs, and switched LAN networks. The CCNA experience can be built upon and foster additional certifications. In the Network Design path, supplementary coursework and testing lead to the Cisco Certifed Design Associate (CCDA) and Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) certifications. The CCDA candidate must attain his/her CCNA certification as well as be able to design routed LANs, routed WANs, and switched LAN networks. The CCDP candidate can build on his/her CCDA certification and must be able to perform complex routed LAN, WAN, and switched LAN design.
In the Network Support Path, supplementary coursework and testing lead to the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certifications. The CCNP certification is designed to reflect expertise in the areas of installing, configuring, operating, and troubleshooting complex routed LANs, WANs, switched LANs, and Dial Access Services. The network support certifications build upon each other: CCNP requires CCNA and CCIE requires CCNP.
The CCIE program is divided in to two relevant areas of concentration: Routing and Switching (R/S) and ISP-Dial Technology. The CCIE-Routing and Switching expert builds on the skills of the CCNP certification with the addition of network fault diagnosis and resolution, packet/frame analysis and Cisco debugging tools, and problem-solving process reporting and documentation. The CCIE-ISP Dial specialist must demonstrate expertise in implementing all forms of dial-on-demand routing and transmission protocols, router/access server configuration, dial firewall and security implementation, access-lists, and authentication. Cisco recommends that all CCIE candidates not only leverage instructor-led training to prepare for the obligatory certification examinations, but that at least two years of on-the-job experience have also been completed.
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ROUTING AND SWITCHING CAREER TRACK