Everything You Need to Know About CCNA Certification

A popular type of IT certification, CCNA aka Cisco Certified Network Associate certification is an associate-level certification that is offered by Cisco Systems. Over the years, with the evolution in information technology, the Cisco exams have also changed to cater to the changing trends. The credentials and training curriculum have been updated to match with new job roles. Although there are different categories of CCNA certifications, the most on-demand credential is the CCNA Routing and Switching. Additional CCNA revolve around the concepts of security + security operations, cloud, collaboration, data center technologies, design, industrial plants, service providers, and wireless.

CCNA Preparation & Prerequisites

CCNA exam questions are composed from a proprietary Cisco syllabus. Cisco itself, as well as, multiple reputed learning partners deal in offering training classes to prospective exam candidates. You can use books published by Cisco Press or enroll for online and offline classroom courses, which are administered under Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices. For better preparation, you can also take the help of CCNA exam questions and CCNA dumps -- which shall give you an idea of the content of the test.

To qualify for appearing in a CCNA Routing and Switching certification, you need to pass the Cisco exam or achieve a passing score in both Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices and Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices (ICND1) exams. Once you clear the ICND1 examination, you will get a Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) certification. You will additionally receive a score report and a score breakout by exam section and the passing score for the specific test.

The 200-125 CCNA Exam

This is a comprehensive test that is connected to the Cisco Certified Network Associate Routing & Switching certification. The questions are designed to gauge your knowledge and skill sets that are essential for carrying out tasks such as installation, operation, and troubleshooting in a small and medium enterprise branch network. Some of the usual topics covered in the test include WAN connections, network security, types of networks, network media, routing and switching basics, the TCP/IP and OSI models, IP addressing, WAN know-how, using and configuring IOS devices, extending switched networks with VLANs, calculating IP routes, managing IP traffic, determining access lists, and installing point-to-point connections.

On the other hand, the 200-301 Cisco Certified Network Associate is more comprehensive and covers multiple network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security basics, automation, programming knowledge.

For a CCNA Routing & Switching certification exam, you do not need any set prerequisites. Some of the starting licenses for beginners include CCENT and CCT. Moreover, the latest version of the CCNA exam does away with candidates needing to pass CCNA Cloud, CCNA Collaboration, CCNA Data Center, CCNA Networking, CCNA Industrial, CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Security, CCNA Service Provider, and CCNA Wireless. Moreover, the Associate Level Certifications are again classified into three types: CCNA, DevNet Associate, and CCNA Cyber Ops.

Again, to receive the CCNA certification, you need to pass anyone of the following exams: the ICND1 Exam (100-101) and the ICND2 Exam (200-102), the combined CCNA Exam (200-), 200-301 CCNA Exam, 200-901 DEVASC Exam, 210-250 SECFND, or 210-255 SECOPS.

Benefits of CCNA Certification

A CCNA certification offers multiple benefits. You can land a premium, high-paying job in the IT industry. CCNA certified professionals are considered to be masters of networking concepts such as Routing and Switching and Security. This credential validates that you have the required knowledge in the specific networking field. You have a thorough understanding of all the networking concepts and hence, you are considered as a worthy candidate for good jobs.

When you receive the required training from a reputed institute, you can easily obtain a CCNA certificate. Once you get the certificate, you can enhance your career path by getting additional certifications in networking. Some of the jobs for CCNA certificate holders are software engineer, technical support engineer, network engineer, system engineer, network administrator, or system administrator.

Once you start preparing for the CCNA exam, you increase your knowledge base. You are now more confident about the different concepts of Cisco networking. After receiving the certificate, you can add it on your resume. Since the certificate is valid for three years, you get enough time to make the maximum use of this added qualification in your cv.

CCNA certified professionals also receive promotions faster as compared to their peers. What’s more? It has a positive impact on your hikes, appraisals, and salary. Finally, several Cisco certifications need you to clear the CCNA exam first. It gives you the option to garner many more credentials in the future.

Cisco certification programs do not have extensive outlines. Hence, you can easily take the course. You can additionally enroll for Microsoft certification programs alongside CCNA training sessions. Again, since the CCNA certification is globally accepted in different countries, you can negotiate for a better position and pay on an international scale!

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