Learning CCNA? – Things to Keep in Mind

Certified Cisco Network Associate (CCNA) is a certification course provided by Cisco, which is the market leading vendor of the IT industry. This certification validates the ability, skill and prowess of an individual to configure, fix and troubleshoot networks. The CCNA certified professionals ensure the adequate performance of the firewalls, routers, switches and various other network devices of an organization.

With the growing demand of Cisco-certified professionals, the  areas of the CCNA certification, have been expanded to include, Routing and Switching, Security, Data centers ,VideoVoiceCollaboration, Service providers,  and Wireless. The CCNA forms the basis of a host of Cisco certifications.

The CCNA Routing and Switching certification program is the best basic credential to choose. After which the other domains can be selected for higher learning, according to the industry requirement.

#1. The Accreditation Body for the CCNA Certification:

The credibility of a certificate depends on the accreditation behind it and CCNA has the support of the leading organizations. Cisco operates with the goal of altering the way people collaborate and communicate and thereby manufactures the huge IT communication apparatus now. It is thus a highly acclaimed certification which is recognized globally.

#2. Eligibility for the CCNA Certification Course:

There are no requirements as such to take up the CCNA certification course. Organizations employ CCNA certified Network Engineers, irrespective of the experience level.

#3. How to Get Certified:

The Following Exams Have To Be Passed In Order To Get The CCNA Certification:

• ICDN1 (100-101) / the ICDN2 (200-101) Exams.

• Combined CCNA (200-120) Exam.

• In order to pass the exams, the candidate will need to score 80% or above.

#4. Getting the Right Training for the Certification:

Factors to Keep in Mind While Choosing a Training Program For CCNA Certification:

• Location – The proper location for the training should be chosen, which could be training schools, community colleges or online training can be pursued.

• Program Length –The training program might vary in length and no particular length is considered to be the best, as long as all the material is covered.

The Following Areas Are Covered By a Good CCNA Training Program:

• WAN and LAN design

• OSI models

• IP addressing and Subnetting

• VLAN and WLAN

• Routing protocol

• Switching Concepts

• Network Address Translation

• Network Security and Management

• VOIP Basics

• Wireless Essentials

• Routers, Switches, Firewall and Data center Introduction.

#5. Post-Training Preparation To Obtain The CCNA Certification:

A single method of study or source of information is not adequate to pass these exams as the field of knowledge and technology domain is vast, complex, continually progressing and dynamic. Hence candidates should always strive to be abreast with the technological advancements and participate on the different CCNA forums to learn about the latest breakthrough technologies and information related to this field.

#6. Exam Structure:

The candidate should be acquainted with the structure of the CCNA exam for his convenience. All the CCNA exams are a bit different and are available in the following formats:

• ICDN1 – This CCNA exam comprises of 40-50 questions, which are to be completed in 90 minutes.

• ICDN2 – This CCNA exam comprises of 40 to 50 questions,to be completed between 75 to 90 minutes.

• The Combined CCNA exam comprises of 45 to 55 questions, to be completed within 90 minute time limit.

The exams are designed to determine the candidate’s capability in configuring, installing and troubleshooting the network systems. The validity of these certifications is 3 years and 80% or above is needed to pass these exams.

#7. The RoleCCNA Certification Plays in Career Growth:

The average salary hike after obtaining a CCNA certification is considered to be 20%.

#8. Post Examination Requirement:

The CCNA certified individual should apply his knowledge in the day-to-day activities in an organization. Only then can he get success professionally.

Therefore, Skyrocket your career in the IT field by learning CCNA.