Introduction

CISCO Certifications have become an important and highly acclaimed training in the Information Technology field. Today system networks of a company is developing in an intricate and multifaceted range of systems and devices that streamlining and integrating the complete workflow has becomes an integrated part of business management and system integration.  Professionals with CISCO Certifications qualification are mainly responsible for streamlining and providing protection for network integrity, hence they are in wide demand in professional field.

There are five levels of Cisco Certifications: these are Entry level, Associate level, Professional level, Expert level, and Architect level. There are 9 specialization paths which a professional can select from CISCO specialization forms according to the job role he/she plays or aspired to play in an organization. These nine paths are Designing, Routing and switching, Networking security, Voice, wireless, Serviceprovider, Service provider operations, Data center, and storage networking.

The most popular CISCO Certifications

Although there are various Cisco Certifications, the most discussed ones are CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE. However, level wise CISCO certifications are discussed here with an outline details.

CISCO Certification at entry level

This is popularly known as Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) module. The CCENT certification forms basic networking skill set for an entry-level IT professional, and is a requirement for the popular CCNA certification credential.

Associate-level Cisco certifications

• CCNA stands for Cisco Certified Network Associate. The CCNA certificate authenticates a professional’s aptitude to configure, install, operate and repair company router and swapped networks. Expert CCNA authorizations include: CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CCNA Routing & Switching,CCNA Wireless,and CCNA Service Provider Operations.
• CCDA stands for Cisco Certified Design Associate. CCDA qualification certifies that specialized expert can design routed and switched networks, including LANs, WANs, and broadband networks.

Professional Cisco certifications

• CCNP stands for Cisco Certified Network Professional. The CCNP certification authenticates that a professional can install, configure, as well as repair local-and wide-area-networks with minimum 100 devices. A professional must have achieved CCNA certification for getting qualified as CCNP accredited professional.
• CCDP stands for Cisco Certified Design Professional. The CCDP certification is acknowledged advanced network design certification that confirms a professional’s aptitudefor designing advanced routing, network management,security, data center, and IP architectures for corporate companies those use wireless domains and privet network.
• CCSP stands for Cisco Certified Security Professional, and the CCSP is a certificate designed for advanced network security professionals, for certifying their competency in the following areas: IDS,VPN, PIX firewall, Cisco Safe, and Secure IOS. A CCNA is a precondition for acquiring CCSP certification.
• CCIP stands for Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional. The CCIP certification authorizes that a CCIPaccredited can launch end-to-end protocols for complicated and large networks.

Expert Cisco certifications

• CCIE module stands for Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert. The CCIE certification is known as one of the most rewarding as well as challenging CISCO certifications in the world, and is acknowledged as one of the most honored credentials by CertCities. CCIE certification is obtainable in the following tracks: Routing and Switching, Security,Wireless and Service Provider Operations, Service Provider, Voice, Storage Networking.
• CCDE stands for Certified Cisco Design Expert. The CCDE authorizes expert competency of the certified professional in advanced network infrastructure design, incorporatingclient network planning and design, streamlining, optimization, integration,operations, and launching of security and  adequate back-up and support.

Benefit of Cisco certifications

The benefit of cisco certification is manifold. It includes:

• Professional benefit- CISCO certification is a highly acclaimed professional qualification.
• Financial benefit- It is extremely rewarding hence certified professional can enjoy excellent financial benefit from best TI companies.
• Global exposure in career prospect- CISCO Certification is highly respected worldwide.

Suggested references

https://certification.about.com/od/ciscocertification/

https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/career-management/a-relatively-brief-guide-to-cisco-it-certifications/

https://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/certifications/cisco-certifications/

https://www.cisco.com/web/learning/certifications/index.html

Books                                                  

1. Cisco CCENT/CCNA ICND1 100-101 Official Certif. Guide by Wendell Odom

2. CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate Certification Kit (640-802) by Todd Lammle and William Tedde

3. CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide, 7th Edition by Todd Lammle

4. Cisco CCNA Routing & Switching IC-ND2 200-101 Official Cert Guide by Wendell Odom

5. CCNA Certification All-In-One For Dummies by Silviu Angelescu

Video tutorials

For CISCO Certification Training kindly visit us

[lastupdated]