Cisco is one of the world’s leading networking companies, the networking solutions that they provide are used in almost all organizations. The procedures and processes that Cisco has introduced are considered to be the backbone of networking. No matter what kind of problem your network has, Cisco will always be able to give you a suitable solution. However, aside from being the leading networking company, it also offers a number of certifications.

General overview of Cisco certification courses

Let us discuss the different certification paths that you can take in order to get your hands on a Cisco approved certificate. The paths include many different levels and topics; in this way you can find a credential that you are most interested in. Below you will find a detailed explanation of the three major groups of certifications, divided according to their difficulty requirements.

I. Entry Level

The following are the entry-level certificates that you should know about:

CCENT: The entry-level certification from Cisco is known as CCENT or Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician. CCENT is the lowest level of credentials that you can get, and it only covers the basics that you should know before you become a certified engineer. Anyone who is CCENT certified is equipped with the skills that are required to troubleshoot, manage and install small networks. This also includes basic network security. If you wish to get a higher credential such as CCNA, then it is imperative that you first get the CCENT certification.

CCT: Another entry-level certificate that Cisco offers is known as Cisco Certified Technician, or CCT. A CCT certified technician has the skills to repair, restore, diagnose, and also replace networking when it is required. Such individuals are known to work with the Technical Assistance Center (TAC) so that they are able to resolve problems quickly.

II. Associate Level

There are many associate-level certificates that Cisco provides, below you will find some of them:

III. Professional Level

Then comes the professional level of certificates, which is known as Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP). This certificate validates the person’s knowledge and skill, including installation, configuration, and troubleshooting of local and wide area networks. Before you can go and get your CCNP, you must be in possession of a valid CCNA certificate.

CCNP Routing and Switching: CCNP R&S is the next level of the CCNA R&S certificate. It provides the candidate with additional skills, such as verification, implementation, and planning of local and wide area networks. As mentioned earlier, in order to get a certification of the professional level, the candidate needs to pass CCNA first. Aside from this, there are three additional exams that the candidate must clear. The tests are as follows:

• 300-135 TSHOOT: Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks
• 300-115 SWITCH: Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks
• 300-101 ROUTE: Implementing Cisco IP Routing

 

CCDP: When a person earns the CCDP certificate, then it means that he or she can design, discuss, and create routing, security, network management, data centers, and IP multicast architectures. The prerequisites for this certificate are mentioned below:

• 300-320 Arch: Designing Cisco Network Service Architecture
• 300-115 SWITCH: Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks
• 300-101 ROUTE: Implementing Cisco IP Routing

There are also expert (CCDE and CCIE) and architect (CCAr) levels of Cisco certification courses; to get more information about these certificates, visit the Cisco official website.

Conclusion

This was the essential information that you should know about Cisco certifications. If you want to excel in your professional career, then you should earn one of these credentials. If you are an individual who is interested in networking, then these certifications will certainly prove to be quite helpful for your career.