Cisco is a well-known company that helps seize the opportunities of tomorrow and believes that amazing things can happen when you connect the unconnected. The goal of this organization is to create long-lasting customer partnerships and provide solutions that fuel the success of its clients. Cisco offers different solutions in the domains, such as networking, Cloud & compute, collaboration, and security. Many companies rely on Cisco solutions, which is why it also offers its own certification program that can enhance the skills of the IT specialists of any level.
Certification Program
The Cisco certification program is really broad and diverse in terms of the networking sector. This means that if you want to gain the skills working with Cisco networking solutions to lead your company to success, its portfolio can help you earn the required level of expertise. You can explore several levels, and there are also additional partner exams that can validate your special skills. All in all, the Cisco program consists of the following options:
Entry
This is a starting point for those individuals who want to become networking professionals. There are only the following certifications:
- CCT Collaboration – This certification focuses on the Cisco collaboration endpoints and operating environments. It can be obtained by passing the 100-890 exam;
- CCT Data Center – This certification is about the maintenance and onsite support needed for Cisco Unified Computing Systems and servers. The qualification exam is known as 010-151;
- CCT Routing & Switching – If you pass the 100-490 test, you will validate your knowledge of Cisco routers, operating environments, and switches.
Associate
This is an ideal level to master the fundamental skills needed in the industry and find an entry-level job. The following certificates are available here:
- CyberOps Associate – This certification validates your knowledge of security concepts, host-based analysis, security monitoring, security policies and procedures, and network intrusion analysis. You can validate your skills by passing the 200-201 exam;
- DevNet Associate – As for this certification, it proves that you have the skills in developing applications built on the Cisco platforms. The qualification exam of this path is 200-901;
- CCNA – This is one of the popular certifications as it covers such domains as the networking and security fundamentals, IP services, programmability, and automation. The 200-301 exam proves that you have the needed skills in these areas.
Professional
This level offers various paths, each of which contains the core technology exams and specialty-focused concentration tests. It is recommended that you have 3 to 5 years of experience beforehand. The paths are the following:
- CCNP Collaboration – Passing the 350-801 test with one of 5 concentration exams proves your knowledge of collaboration solutions;
- CyberOps Professional – To obtain this certification, a potential candidate needs to clear the 350-201 and 300-215 exams;
- CCNP Data Center – 350-601 is the core exam that you need to nail along with one of 6 concentration tests to prove your skills in working with data center solutions;
- DevNet Professional – There are 8 concentration tests, and you need to choose one that you pass after dealing with the core exam (350-901). This certification validates that you are able to develop and maintain apps that are built on the Cisco platforms;
- CCNP Enterprise – To obtain this certification, it is required that you sit for the 350-401 exam and one of the available concentration tests. All in all, there are 6 of them;
- CCNP Security – If you want to prove your skills in working with security solutions, you will need to take the 350-701 exam and one of 6 specialty-based tests;
- CCNP Service Provider – To know everything about service provider solutions, you should ace the 350-501 exam and one of 3 concentration tests.
Expert
This level proves that you have the required skills and knowledge to be an expert in your field. Each path contains one core exam from the professional-level track and one 8-hour lab test. You can choose from the following options if you have about 5-7 years of experience:
- CCIE Service Provider;
- CCIE Collaboration;
- CCIE Security;
- CCIE Data Center;
- DevNet Expert;
- CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure;
- CCIE Enterprise Wireless;
- CCDE (this is the only certification that has no options at other levels and consists of the 400-007 test and the practical exam).
Career Prospects
Obtaining a Cisco certification is a sure way to become an IT professional who can be a valuable asset for any company. You will be able to join the community of in-demand specialists who have the skills that can greatly enhance their careers. Depending on your choice, you will be able to identify interface and cable issues, compare IPv6 address types, and work with the software-defined architecture and controller-based solution design. You will also know how to identify the constraints when consuming APIs or learn about the usage of various customer project management methodologies.
