Want to build a successful career in the IT industry?
Well, then you need a credential from a reputable certification provider like Cisco Systems, Inc. Cisco has dominated the networking and communications industry for years. They are known for producing excellent routing and switching products that are used to transfer data, voice and video traffic across networks.
Currently, Cisco provides services all over the world. Therefore, they continuously need qualified IT professionals to manage their products and applications. That’s whyCisco has introduced a number of certification programs for individuals who want to become a part of the IT industry.
There are 5 levels in Cisco certification program: entry (CCENT), associate (CCNA/CCDA), professional (CCNP/CCDP), expert (CCIE/CCDE) and architect (CCAr).The best thing about these certification paths is that they enable you to develop your skills gradually. Even a beginner that doesn’t have any idea of IT technologies can become a part of the Cisco certification program.
If you are interested in boosting your career with Cisco certifications, you can choose from the following domains:
- Routing & Switching
- Cloud
- Collaboration
- Cyber Ops
- Service Provider
- Design
- Security
- Wireless
- Industrial
- Data Center
Today we will talk about the first four levels of Cisco certification here https://www.examsnap.com.
Advantages of Being Cisco Certified
The benefits offered by the Cisco certification program are hardly found elsewhere. There are thousands of recruiters that continuously need professionals who are good at managing IT infrastructures. So, being a Cisco certified means you’d easily qualify for numerous jobs. The interesting thing about these certifications is that they provide you with endless opportunities for growth.
The Cisco certified professionals are free from following that 9-5 schedule. In fact, they can easily manage the company’s IT infrastructure while sitting in their farmhouse. Isn’t it great? So, without wasting any time, let’s take a look at how Cisco certifications help in building a successful IT career.
Entry-Level Certification
CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician) is the entry-level certification for individuals who are determined to build a successful career in the networking industry. Even a newbie can register for these certifications. This level covers only Design, Routing & Switching and Security domains. You need to pass 100-105 ICND1 exam in order to earn your CCENT.
CCENT (100-105 ICND1) exam tests your skills of installing, maintaining and troubleshooting networks. It also covers the skills needed to implement basic network security. Basically, this exam is important for individuals who are willing to take the associate-level CCNA credentials.
This certification makes you eligible for certain job roles like Network Technician, Network Engineer and System Administrator. According to a survey, the CCENT certified professionals earn around $44,230 to $66,210 annually. Some candidates stop after getting this certification, but we strongly recommend taking your skills to the next level because CCENT isn’t helpful for a long-term IT career. It’s always better to earn the advanced-level certifications before it’s too late.
Associate-Level Certification
CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is an associate-level certification for candidates who want to become more valuable in the networking industry. It basically tests your skills of installing and troubleshooting wired and wireless networks. CCNA Routing & Switching is the most important track for individuals who want to grow their skills in this industry, so we’ll take this track as an example to show you the certification process.
To get CCNA Routing and Switching certification, you need to pass either both 100-105 ICND1 and 200-105 ICND2 or single 200-125 CCNA exam. You can jumpstart your career with CCNA Routing and Switching even if you don’t have CCENT certification. However, the candidates that have already earned CCENT are only required to take 200-105 ICND2 exam in order to earn CCNA Routing and Switching.
After earning CCNA R&S, you can opt for several other tracks such as Security, Data Center, Cyber Ops, Collaboration, Cloud, Service Provider and Wireless. Similarly, this certification makes you eligible for a number of professional-level certifications. In simple words, the candidates cannot grow their skills in the networking industry if they haven’t earned CCNA R&S certification.
CCNA certified professionals qualify for jobs such as Network Administrator, IT Manager and Sr. Network Engineer. The CCNA certified professionals earn around $60,455 to $82,460 annually. So, it’s absolutely worth taking this certification if you want to become successful in the networking industry.
Professional-Level Certification
CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) is the professional-level certification for candidates who are willing to get rid of the fear of being replaced by other professionals. CCNP is a bit difficult than the previous certification programs, but it’s not impossible at all. Like CCNA, CCNP also comes with a number of tracks. The candidates need to choose the right track based on their particular goals.
However, a huge number of candidates apply for CCNP Routing & Switching certification because it’s easier than the other tracks. CCNP Routing & Switching certification consists of three different exams such as 300-101 ROUTE, 300-115 SWITCH and 300-135 TSHOOT. These exams strictly test your skills in dealing with routing and switching technologies.
Cisco officials cannot take the risk of sending an inexperienced candidate to the field with the professional-level certification. So, the candidates need to work very hard in order to earn this certification and first of all, attain CCNA credential to be eligible for CCNP. The CCNP certified professionals qualify for jobs such as Network Administrator, Network Specialist and Solution Architect.According to a survey, CCNP certified specialistsare earning around $79,000 to $120,000 p.a. So, it’s a great chance for those who are willing to pursue their dreams.
Expert-Level Certification
CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) is the highest certification from Cisco that helps candidates in achieving a reputable position in the IT industry. The certification has no prerequisites and consists of two different parts. The first part is the written exam and the second part is the rigorous practical/lab exam. The candidates need to pass both tests in order to become CCIE certified.
CCIE isn’t a piece of cake, therefore, only a few candidates agree upon taking this test. But we bet that you’d achieve an extremely valuable position in the IT industry with this certification. Network Architect, Senior System Engineer andSenior Network Engineer are the most popular job roles for CCIE certified individuals. These jobs enable you to earn around $119,400 to 137,030 annually.
How to Prepare for Cisco Certifications?
The Cisco official website is the perfect resource for individuals who want to pass the certification exams with excellent score. The articles and video tutorials available on this site are very helpful in exam preparation. The Cisco officials have also developed different books for each certification so that the students can find all the information necessary to pass the exam. Also, while preparing for the exam, the candidates shouldn’t forget that practice is really important. Cisco Packet Tracer and GNS3 are the most important software products for candidates willing to practice their skills during exam preparation.
Finally, you need to take help from the exam dumps before you appear in the final exam. The exam dumps are supposed to provide you with an overview of the final test and help in measuring your skills. For authentic exam dumps, we recommend using reputable sources like ExamSnap. This platform is regularly updated by the experts who clearly understand the structure of Cisco certification exams.
The community tab on ExamSnap is particularly designed for the candidates who are facing trouble during exam preparation. So, if you have any questions about a particular test, you can use this option to find an answer. The ExamSnap experts will provide you with all the necessary materials.
Conclusion
Cisco certification program is particularly designed for individuals who are determined to build a successful career in the IT industry. CCENT, CCNA, CCNP and CCIE are the different programs that enable you to gradually become an IT expert. There are plenty of benefits you can enjoy with these certifications. So, it’s time to make a decision and get certified!
