Cisco Certifications. Which One to Choose?

Cisco is one of the leading companies in Information Technology. They mainly focus on providing hardware devices for networking needs. Another part that has really made it very prominent in the IT world is the popular certification courses they provide. There are a lot of Cisco certifications available nowadays and one interested in faces a question, which one to choose? In this article, we will try to shed some light on available certifications and their advantages.

So, Cisco certifications are divided into the following sectors:

    Technician Certifications

    Business Transform Certifications

    Specialist Certifications

    Career Certifications

Technician Certifications (CCT)

A Cisco Certified technician is one of the new paths under Cisco certification. They are basically enabled to undertake the day to day repair and maintenance of Cisco hardware. This certification involves instilling the skills required to maintain, restore, diagnose, repair and replace Cisco hardware devices. Cisco hardware devices include things like switches, routers, phones and even cables. This certification will always be in demand due to the fact that network technicians will always be required to perform various repair and maintenance of network facilities. CCT certification mainly focuses on the following areas:

Data Center

This part focuses on providing the knowledge that is required when configuring, installing and maintaining data center technology. It includes the following exams 200-150 DCICN and 200-155 DCICT.

Routing and Switching

This is responsible for ensuring that individuals have the skills necessary to handle the foundational technologies used in networking. This is one of the Cisco certifications that is widely recognized by various individuals. It mainly deals with interconnecting of network devices and ensuring that they work well. It can be of various levels Associste, Professional or Expert. The higher the level of the certification is, the more professional you are. To get CCNA R&S for example, the candidate should either take 200-125 exam or 2 exams, one by one 100-105 ICND1 and 200-105 ICND2.

Telepresence

This certification level involves ensuring that individuals have the correct understanding of Cisco IX5000 and IX5200 systems. These are systems that are used to link two rooms and make them seem like one. These are the kind of technologies that are used in teleconferencing. This path is in high demand due to the fact that it is being used by a lot of companies to hold conferences and also share resources. It makes international business more global and, what’s more important, possible. An individual has to sit for the following exam 700-070 IX5K.

Business Transform Certifications

This part of the Cisco certification mainly focuses on the use of Information Technology to enable a business to achieve its core objectives. This path is rising in popularity due to the fact that most companies are increasingly adopting information technology to aid them in achieving their objectives. This means that individuals who are skilled in applying this field are in a very high demand. Business Transform Certifications are divided into two:

Cisco Enterprise IT Business Specialist

This is the individual who is solely focused on advising the firm on how to properly use IT to enable a company to be successful. This certification focuses on both sides of the coin. It means that it involves both the business world and the Information Technology world.

Sales Professionals

This part largely focuses on the business part of things. An individual who undertakes this certification path is more business inclined. It has four certifications namely:

    Cisco Business Value Specialist

    Cisco Business Value Practitioner

    Cisco Business IT Roadmap Specialist

    Cisco Business Value Analyst

Specialist Certification

They are also called Collaboration Specialist certifications. These certifications are offered to individuals whose companies have partnered with Cisco. These organizations are called partner organizations. Within these partner organizations, Cisco defines the certification and specialization categories. There are seven certifications categories in total:

    Data Center

    Internet of Things

    Network Programmability

    Operating System Software

    Security

    SP

    Collaboration

It is however not advisable for individuals to partake in these certifications until Cisco becomes a partner in their organization. This is because the certification has to be defined by Cisco before enrollment.

Career Certifications

There are very many Cisco certifications programs. It includes giants such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). This group can be divided in a hierarchical manner as shown below:

    Architect

    Expert

    Professional

    Associate

    Entry

When an individual signs up to do this certification they have to start from the entry level. The scope also narrows as one moves from the entry level towards the architect level. These five layers consist of the following certifications:

    Cloud – is a certification that is aimed at instilling the skills required to manage and operate cloud technologies. It consists of the following exams; 210-451 CLDFND and 210-455 CLDADM.

    Collaboration – is a training that is aimed at instilling the skills required for developing collaboration and video skills of an individual. The exams include 210-065 CIVND and 210-060 CICD.

    Data center – is a certification that is used to instill skills of handling big data within an organization. The exams include 200-150 DCICN and 200-155 DCICT.

    Design – this certification mainly involves the designing of new network interconnections. The exams required at this stage include 200-310 DESGN.

    Industrial/ IOT – this certification is aimed at professionals who are in the manufacturing industry. The exams for this certification include 200-401 IMINS.

    Routing & Switching – is mainly aimed at network engineers. The exams include 200-125 CCNA R&S or two exams that should be taken one after another 100-105 ICND1, and 200-105 ICND2. This considers to be the most popular as networking is a wide field in IT and gains its popularity from day to day.

    Security – this certification is mainly focused on instilling the skills required in preventing systems from unauthorized access and manipulation. An individual has to sit for the following exam CCNA Security 210-260 IINS.

    Service Provider – this certification is responsible for teaching individual on the handling of base technologies responsible for service production. It entails the following exams 640-875 SPNGN1 and 640-878 SPNGN2.

    Wireless – this certification is more modern and involves the skills required in the handling of wireless networks such as Wi-Fi. To get CCNA Wireless one has to pass 2000-355 certification exam.

Conclusion

As seen from the information above, it is crystal clear that Cisco has covered almost all the bases when it comes to IT. It is now up to the individual to decide which path suits him/her most and for which one has passion and wants to get or mater one’s skills. Only after setting the goal here’s the sense to get Cisco certification.