Increasing Your Value with CCNA Training and Certification

Even in this soft hiring market, companies are in need of information technology professionals who are certified in particular aspects of networking. Obtaining a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification provides IT professionals with the working knowledge of network protocols that are most sought after in the technology industry.
With the increasing demand for networking specialists, the value placed on CCNA certification is also increasing worldwide, and it is becoming a benchmark for determining who are the best and the most efficient network technicians. It's becoming a standard way to filter job applicants as well as candidates for advancement within the technology industry.
CCNA certification is considered an entry-level certification or minimum requirement for IT professionals specializing in computer networking, and is usually pursued by current technical professionals who are looking for credentials, people who are new to networking, as well as professionals who are updating their training to cover current technology and systems. As an entry-level program, technology employers often consider the CCNA to be a basic qualification requirement for employees who install, configure, operate and problem-solve networks.

Training Courses

There are several ways to obtain the CCNA training needed in order to become certified. There are programs that can be attended where the training is hands-on; there are also online training and certification programs that can be worked into the candidate's schedule more easily. The training program covers installing, configuring, operating and troubleshooting medium-sized route and switched networks as well as implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN. The training program also includes curriculum related to level 1 security threats and an introduction to wireless networking concepts and terminology.

The network protocols covered are:

• IP
• Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)
• Serial Line Interface Protocol Frame Relay
• Routing Information Protocol Version 2 (RIPv2)
• VLANs
• Ethernet
• Access control lists (ACLs)

Certification Examination

In order to become CCNA certified, the training program should be completed and an examination must be passed. The certification examination is structured so that a candidate's technical and special knowledge of networking environments is thoroughly tested and challenged. The questions require real-world expertise to answer and only those who are well trained and have a thorough knowledge of the ins and outs of computer networks will be able to pass the test and become CCNA certified.

Once the IT professional successfully completes the examination, their CCNA certification is valid for three years before they must re-certify in order to continue using their CCNA credentials. In order to re-certify, there are a number of different exams that may be taken, including one of the following:

• ICND2 exam
• Current CCNA exam
• CCNA Concentration exam (wireless, security, voice)
• Current CCDA exam
• 642 - XXX professional level or Cisco Specialist exam (excluding Sales Specialist exams)
• Current CCIE
• CCDE written exam

With the exception of merely taking the current version of the CCNA exam, these many options allow the IT professional to also acquire additional training, knowledge and expertise while pursuing CCNA re-certification.