Cisco Certifications: Your Way to Success in IT

Getting a professional certification is highly recommended in IT careers. It not only builds up your skill in your specific area of expertise but also shines on your profile as you apply for job positions or already occupy one. You need certification to be distinguished from those who compete with you.

Administered by Pearson VUE, there are five levels of Cisco certification and eight different paths.

The first level is entry level certification. The CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician) is relatively basic. It enables you to install and manage a network. At the second level of the program, we have second Associate certifications which include Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) for which the CCENT makes a sound base by dealing with small networks. In CCNA you work on medium networks. Now, there are paths within CCNA: CCNA security, CCNA voice, CCNA wireless, and CCNA routing and switching.

In CCNA security, you gain knowledge and skills concerning threats to a network, dealing with troubleshooting, confidentiality, and monitoring the devices.

For jobs involving voice technologies, CCNA voice is a great help. It trains you to work efficiently with VOIP technologies and also enhances skills used to maintain Telepresence applications in addition to other voice technologies.

For those of you who are WLAN project managers and administrators, CCNA Wireless is your path. It trains you to effectively support wireless in addition to its installation and application. The training concerns the implementation of Cisco Unified Wireless Networking Essentials, and so deals with the networks that use CISCO products specifically.

The third level would be Professional certifications, which has a CCNA certification as a pre-requisite. This training involves installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of large networks. Achieve the peak of your profession with a CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional). This certification represents your ability to manage wide area and advanced networks, along with creating security and routing. The exams have been updated lately so you need to follow the latest version for your preparation. The units focusing on switching and routing have been eliminated.

From October, 2011 there will be further changes. The CCSP exam, involving the understanding about security systems, would not be held anymore and candidates are required to take CCNP-security to cover up.

Finally, there are Expert Level certifications. CCDE (Cisco Certified Design Expert) involves training of the fundamentals of designing of an infrastructure. Further, we have CCIE (Cisco Certified Interne Expert) and CCIE Numbering and Re-certification. So stay updated and design the appropriate path that suits your career and preferences best. Good Luck!

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CCNA Certification Exams - A Tough Nut to Crack Or Not?

Unlike any other exam CCNA exam is not a tough nut to crack. It just requires the right amount of preparation with adequate skills. The CCNA exam is of one and a half hour duration comprising of around fifty questions. The level of the exam is moderate with very little hard questions. Candidates appearing for this exam can take courses such as the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1(ICND1) or the Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 2(ICND2). The exam tests the rudimentary knowledge acquired by the candidate during the training process. It tests knowledge of installation, operation and troubleshooting of a small network. The basic topics include

• Different Network types(LAN, WAN)


• Implementation of network security


• IP protocols(TCP/IP), determining IP routes


• Switched networks and establishing Frame Relay connections.

CCNA certification is valid for three years after which the candidate has to reappear for recertification. It is a process Cisco has envisaged to keep the candidate's knowledge up to date. So to obtain recertification the candidate has to pass the ongoing CCNA exam or ICND2 exam or any exam of the 642 category. Other CCNA concentration exams include CCNA Voice Exam, CCNA Wireless Exam, and the CCNA Security Exam. These exams test the competency of the candidate in areas like IP telephony installation, and technologies the Cisco uses in security infrastructure etc. It is entirely up to the candidate to go for recertification process. But Cisco always recommends going for the recertification because it is very important for IT professionals and other candidates to be aware of the changing trends and keep your knowledge updated.

The exam of Cisco is not difficult. It requires dedication and sincerity on the part of the candidate and hard work. Once cleared, this exam lays down the foundation of glorious future with miles to go and laurels to follow. Know more about Hot Cisco IP Contact Center Express and resources for Meeting Place Certification there are plenty of quality study guides and practice exams available.

Top-Notch Interview Tips For Those Owning New CCNA Certificates

Aha, you did it! You've now earned one of those awesome CCNA Certificates.

What's next?

Did you know that people who just passed their CCNA exam will typically end up in 1 of 3 categories? The first category consists of newbies. These are people who are trying to get into the IT field and see what it's all about. In the second category, there are people wanting to move from the LAN are to the WAN area. The third category consists of folks that are already settled in to the WAN side, but yearn for something more.

Nonetheless, the time will come when you'll have to face that lovely job interview. A good number of new CCNAs do really well in their job interviews. Many of them, though, do not. The pointers below can help you become the CCNA that walks away with the job.

Exude self-confidence, but not arrogance. Without a doubt, CCNA Certificates are outstanding to have. In fact, they are what many of us start our careers with. Nevertheless, I wouldn't recommend walking into an interview thinking you are a Networking black belt just because you have that awesome piece of paper. Even the certified experts have occasional mishaps during interviews.

Answer questions as if you're 100% sure. This is extremely important if the answer isn't coming to mind right away. If you earned your CCNA and were able to understand all of the topics, especially tough ones like binary math and Network Address Translation, then you'll do fine. If they ever happen to be outside the scope of the CCNA, it may be worthwhile to mention your ability to learn new things quickly.

Make sure to keep studying even after you've passed the exam. Knowledge that you don't use quickly becomes forgotten. It's cool if you want to reward yourself by taking off a day or two to celebrate. Of course, then it's time to get back to the business at hand. Make sure to review your CCNA topics and shortly thereafter, get started on your CCNP. A good amount of people who earn their CCNA will stop studying after their exam and quickly forget what they learned.

Start preparing for that upcoming interview like it's an additional CCNA exam - because essentially, it is. The only thing different is that you don't get multiple choice.

Prepare for the interview prior to even taking the exam. How do you do it? Learn and prepare for your exam the proper way. Get some hands-on time, either through your own equipment or a good software simulator. Get a high-caliber Cisco education. Talk to people you know that are already in the field. Do these things now and you won't just be one of the many holding CCNA certificates. You'll be a high-quality candidate and one step closer to getting that job.

Getting one of Cisco's CCNA Certificates [http://www.completeittraining.com] can be easier if you have the right training resources and information. For more awesome tips on how to get the best IT training and how computer-based video training can help your IT career, simply go to [http://www.completeittraining.com].