Road-Map To The CCNA Certification – Learning Guide
Last updated on 12th Jul 2020, Blog, General
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What is CCNA?
CCNA is a certification given by CISCO in the IT field. There are various types of CCNA certifications that have been introduced by CISCO. Each one of them differs in approach and course. Currently, there are certifications within the CCNA focusing on such areas as:
- Security
- Routing and Switching
- Service providers
- Data centers
- Video
- Voice
- Collaboration
- Wireless
The CCNA gives you an insight into all flavors of the set of Cisco certifications, and once a person has completed CCNA, they would be in a better position to decide further which domain to choose for the next level, based on industry requirements and interest. Generally, CCNA Routing and Switching is the basic credential to obtain, after which one can proceed with the others mentioned below:
- Security
- Service providers
- Data centers
- Video
- Voice
- Collaboration
- Wireless
How to get a CCNA Certification?
The certificate can be obtained by undergoing a test. There are a variety of training procedures being offered by CISCO and its partner companies. There are several examinations depending upon the CCNA Certification you opt for to test a person’s skill in testing, operating and troubleshooting a problem that may vary in size. The prerequisites for these examinations are not very complicated. There are not many requirements just starting a networking license. The validity of a single CCNA certificate is 3 years. After 3 years have gone by, a person needs to appear again in the examination and clear it to maintain the validity.
The program of CCNA was developed to cover the IT skills and enhance the range of knowledge and skills of a holder and many career Opportunities after CCNA Certifications. Thus as the business and technology are pacing forward, CISCO is also introducing new certification programs of CCNA that involve automation and robotics too. The exam also focuses on programmability and security fundamentals.
What Are the Prerequisites?
There are no prerequisites for this examination. But Cisco highly recommends a year of experience on application of implementing and administering Cisco solutions along with the knowledge of basic IP addressing and understanding of the security and network.
What Does the New CCNA Replace?
The replacement of previous CCNA certification courses are fixed by the introduction of this new.
Examination. The courses that will be replaced are named below:
- CCNA Data Center
- CCDA
- CCNA Cloud
- CCNA Collaboration
- CCNA Industrial
- CCNA switching and routing
- CCNA security
- CCNA service provider
- CCNA Wireless
What is the New CCNA 200–301?
Earlier the CCNA security led to CCNP security, this is about to change. The CCNA level is a starting point of networking professionals where they start to work in a basic part that leads them to CCNP security. Now in CCNA (200–301 CCNA) will cover the basics of networking and then you may specialize at CCNP.
There are no prerequisites needed to attempt this examination which is another big advantage been added.
How Many Exams are There in CCNP?
To go for CCNP you still need to pass a core exam and then you have to clear one of the eight core examinations of the CCNP. These CCNP courses for examinations are:
- CCNP Enterprise
- CCNP Security
- CCNP Service provider
- CCNP Collaboration
- CCNP data center
- Cisco certified DevNet Professional
If anyone passes these examinations of CISCO they are termed as Cisco Certified specialists and are acknowledged globally for their skills. There are changes been made to CCIE also? Unlike earlier one does not require clearing a CCIE written exam. Instead, they have to take a CCNP core exam and then undergo an 8-hour lab work.
The entire exam involved in the CCNP Enterprise will also have to follow the same pattern. They will also need to write the CCNP core exam and then appear in the lab for 8 hours of work. The CCIE has a definite lab requirement and can achieve a specific track. There is a complete list of CCIE that has been changed CCIE Enterprise wireless, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, CCIE Security, CCIE service provider, CCIE collaborator, and CCIE DATA Center
Cisco has also launched a new program that is DevNet which combines programming in python along with infrastructure. There are four levels of DevNet track. These are Cisco certified DevNet associate, Cisco certified DevNet Specialist, DevNet Professional, and Cisco certified DevNet Expert in CCIE which is yet to be introduced.
Getting The Right Training For The Certification
Attempting to take the exam, regardless of level of experience, with no prior training would be ill-advised. Aspirants who undergo certified training with experienced training providers such as Simplilearn stand a better chance of clearing the exam first time out.
Simplilearn’s CCNA training course offers 20 hours of high-quality eLearning content, 2 CCNA simulation exams, a comprehensive glossary, and assistance with scheduling your exam with Pearson Vue.
There are plenty of different programs that vary in mode of delivery, length, and effectiveness. It is up to the individual to make sure that they choose a program that will work for them.
Make sure to consider these factors when choosing a training program for the CCNA certification.
- Location – It is important to choose a location for the training that is convenient. Community colleges and other technical schools offer these types of classes. They can also be found online.
- Program Length – The length of the program can be anywhere from a few days to as long as a person needs to prepare for the exam. There is no specific length that is best, as long as all of the necessary material is covered.
Important information – A good training program will cover the following areas:
- WAN and LAN design
- OSI models
- IP addressing and Subnetting
- VLAN and WLAN
- Routing protocol
- Switching Concepts
- Network Address Translation
- Network Security and management (ACL included)
- VOIP Basics
- Wireless Essentials
- Routers, Switches, Firewall and Data center Introduction.
Is Training Enough, Or Is Post-Training Preparation Necessary?
Although training sheds light on what is expected of the candidate in preparation for a particular exam, it cannot possibly cover all topics that may be asked on the exam. A candidate should therefore work on enhancing their knowledge on the outlined topics listed above to ensure all areas of CCNA are covered through self-study.
A single source or method of study is not always sufficient to pass the exams as the technology domain is complex, dynamic, and continually advancing. Therefore, the candidate should always endeavor to keep up-to-date with the technological advancement in the environment as they look to expand their knowledge. For more information about what people are doing to prepare for the CCNA certification exams, consider participating on various CCNA forums on the internet to see what’s new and what’s hot.
Exam Structure
In order to prepare well for the exam, it is essential to know what to expect. Each CCNA exam is a little different from the one before, and is usually delivered in one of the following formats:
- ICDN1 – This exam consists of between 40 to 50 questions and a person has 90 minutes to complete it
- ICDN2 – This exam consists of 40 to 50 questions with a time limit of between 75 and 90 minutes
- Combined CCNA – This exam consists of 45 to 55 questions and has a 90 minute time limit
The tests are designed to assess the individual’s ability when it comes to installing, configuring, and troubleshooting network systems. The certification is valid for 3 years once the exams have been passed with a score of 80% or above.
What if one fails to pass the exam in one go?
Like any other certification exams, not everyone will pass on their first try. Statistics show that it takes people an average of 3 times to pass the test. There are no limits on the number of times that a person can take the test. Hence, it is important to practice with a good partner like Simplilearn. The other thing to consider is the cost of taking the test. At nearly $300 per test, retaking it multiple times can be a problem for some.