We kick off our series with one of the most popular certifications of all, the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).
Title: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
Web home: Cisco’s CCNA page
About.com home: Cisco Certification
Requirements: Passing one or two tests. The single test is the CCNA (640-802); the other option is taking two tests (ICND1 -- 640-822 and ICND2 -- 640-816) that cover the same material. Note that passing ICND1 earns the entry-level Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) credential; it’s normally a stepping stone on the way to the CCNA.
Cisco recently added three new specializations within the CCNA category: Voice , Wireless and Security. To be eligible for one of the specializations, which Cisco calls “concentrations,” the basic CCNA must be earned first.
Cost: $250. The CCNA single test is $250; the ICND tests are $125 each.
Prerequisite(s): None
Discussion groups:
- TechExams.net has an active Cisco cert community.
- Cisco’s own CCNA forum has lots of good questions and answers.
- Facebook, of all places, has more than 7,600 registered members of the CCNA global group. Who’d have guessed that?
- I wasn’t familiar with ProProfs, but it looks like a healthy forum.
Expiration: The CCNA is valid for three years.
About the CCNA: The CCNA is a very popular certification that focuses on networking. Although it’s no longer Cisco’s lowest-level credential (the CCENT is), it’s still considered entry-level, and those who earn it should keep their job expectations modest. You likely won’t start off as a network engineer, unless you join a tiny company.
The CCNA is often the gateway to higher-level Cisco certs like the Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) and the daunting Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE). However, a good career likely awaits if you decide not to go after the more difficult credentials. A search of two popular IT-related job sites, Dice.com and Monster.com, found CCNA listed in 732 and 656 job descriptions, respectively.
Other options exist as well, as it’s now possible to concentrate on one of the three new specializations (Voice, Security, Wireless) mentioned earlier. That means you have multiple certification options at the CCNA level.
Finally, let me know how I can make these Resource Centers better. What additional information would you like to see? What certifications would you like to see be the focus of future Resource Centers?