Unable to find what you're searching for?
We're here to help you find it.pngL.jpg "Cisco Adds Specializations To Its CCNP Certification | Koenig Soutions"){kind=logo}
The network certifications offered by Cisco went through a major shift in 2020. Among the most significant changes was the option to specialise in the Cisco CCNP certification at a professional level. Before the changes that came in last year, Cisco offered ten specialisations and certifications related to the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification. But now, there are no different CCNA certification tracks. There is only one exam and it focuses on the fundamentals of networking. Likewise, the CCNP certification has seen a few significant changes in terms of its specialisations and the path to getting certified.
Before we get into that, let’s take a look at the various certification programs that Cisco offers.
Cisco offers a wide range of certification tracks. These are:
In the career program that Cisco offers, you can choose from a wide range of pathways and certifications as mentioned above. The two broad routes in which you can categorise these certifications are network architecture and network activity.
In the Cisco network certification track, candidates usually start with the CCENT certification, followed by the CCNA. The next step is the CCNP certification and, at last, the CCIE. On the other hand, while design-oriented professionals also start with CCENT, their next step is not the CCNA. Instead, they move up to the CCDA, then CCDP, CCDE and finally, CCAr.
A wide range of specialisations is available to you through the Cisco Career Certification program. These credentials assess and validate a candidate’s expertise in working with specific Cisco technologies. This could be data centre application services, rich media, messaging and voicemail. These technology specialisations are divided in two categories. One focuses on technological specialists while the other focuses on digital transformation specialists. Both of these groups of specialists can choose from 15 technological specialisations.
In the technical category, there are six areas in which you can look at gaining expertise. These are:
It takes three years to complete certifications at the fundamental level, associate level and professional level. The CCIE and other specialist certifications take another two years and the CCAr takes five years. A Cisco professional needs to regularly update their skills and credentials through recertification tests.
The fundamental CCNP exam comes as a multiple-choice question exam focused on providing a deeper understanding of concepts that have been introduced in the CCNA curriculum. This includes building larger networks to provide complex solutions and determining effective troubleshooting.
The specialisation exam or concentration exam goes into deeper detail and covers key areas. The concentration or specialisation you choose will depend on the career path you wish to take and your IT knowledge background. With the rapid advancements in technology, new tech jobs in areas like network security are bound to increase exponentially. There is a rising demand for all technology domains today, so you don’t need to worry about skills or certifications becoming obsolete anytime soon.
Candidates who focus on the CCNP certification need to clear two certification exams. The first one focuses on fundamental networking principles, while the other one covers one of the six CCNP domains of specialisation. These domains are:
There are two entry-level credentials you can earn with Cisco - the CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician) and the CCT (Cisco Certified Technician) credentials. These certifications don’t have any prerequisites. An applicant needs to pass just one exam to earn either credential. It covers specific domains like installing, managing and troubleshooting small networks or branches of enterprise networks and enforcing fundamental network security.
The CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and CCDA (Cisco Certified Design Associate) credentials are the two certifications Cisco provides at the associate level. You need to clear either one or two qualifying exams to earn these credentials, based on which track you choose. The CCNA credential validates your skills with wired or wireless network installation, troubleshooting and support. Some specialisation tracks you can choose from are Collaboration, Cloud, Data Centre, Cyber Ops, Routing and Switching, Industrial, Wireless and Security.
This is the level where CCNP credentials lie. Cisco provides two professional or technical certifications. These are the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) and CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional). If you want to earn the Cisco CCDP credential, you need to clear three qualifying exams. You also need to hold the CCDA and CCNA Enterprise certifications, along with the CCDE or CCIE credentials,
There are two prestigious Cisco certifications provided at the expert level. These are the CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) and CCDE (Cisco Certified Design Expert) credentials. Neither of these certifications has any prerequisites and require you to clear one qualifying written exam and a comprehensive practical exam.
Getting the CCAr (Cisco Certified Architect) certification is a rewarding step for professionals working in roles like data centre architects and network architects. A CCAr credential is the Cisco equivalent of a doctorate, the highest certification level you can achieve in this track. The CCAr certification validates your skills as a senior network infrastructure architect, especially relating to designing and planning IT infrastructures for business strategies.
You May Also Like: CCNA vs CCNP: Which is Better For Certification For You
According to a Foote Partners research report, a networking certification holder sees an average increase in base pay of about 5% per annum. This aligns perfectly with the CCNP certification. However, some CCNP credentials perform even better. The CCNP Security credential is among the world’s most valued specialisations CCNP offers today. It comes with an average annual pay rise of 10%.
More and more businesses today are searching for candidates who have more than simple fundamental-level networking skills. With the growing challenges for network security, business organisations no longer want to outsource cybersecurity requirements to third parties. Instead, they want to hire security professionals to work as a part of their internal team. This is the key reason for the rising demand for network security professionals today.
The CCNP Enterprise certification has also seen a high level of growth, adding growth pay at 6% per annum. It has grown in value by 20% since 2021. According to data shared by Payscale, a CCNP certification holder’s average salary is approximately $97,000 per annum.
Several factors affect the exact salary you earn, including your location, industry, employer, experience and specialisation. However, it is safe to say that CCNP specialisations earn you a significant salary jump and will certainly jumpstart your career.
If you know the area you wish to specialise in, it’s time to take your career to the next level. Enrol in a Cisco CCNP certification training course on Koenig today.
Avni Singh has a PhD in Machine Learning and is an Artificial Intelligence developer, researcher, practitioner, and educator as well as an Open Source Software developer, with over 7 years in the industry.
