In the world of IT networking, Cisco is undoubtedly a leader. A big part of their success as an IT vendor is related to their focus on IT networking education. Cisco has developed training and certifications for all levels of expertise and all areas of IT networking technology. Cisco Learning is one of the most prestigious IT education programs in the IT industry. Many employers require Cisco certifications, which are certainly a good badge to add to your CV, regardless of the role you are seeking.
If you are learning about networking with Cisco, there are basically three levels of difficulty. Choose one at your own peril…
CCNA a.k.a. Associate Level of Cisco Learning:
This is your basic quest that most people take to learn about the game, gather some coins, and get informed about whether to become a wizard, a warrior, or an evil enchantress. It covers all the basic concepts of IT networking: routing, switching, wireless, security, and a sprinkle of automation.
The reward – the title of Cisco Certified Network Associate – opens the door to more advanced quests and gets you started on a rewarding career.
CCNP a.k.a. Professional Level of Cisco Learning
The professional level is a natural progression from the Associate quest. Here you need to decide which “clan” to belong to. You can choose between 5 different main clans: worker (enterprise), warrior (service provider), wizard (data center), defender (security), and evil enchantress (collaboration). Each clan further offers you the choice of specialization in a particular area. For example, you may choose to become a defender by choosing the CCNP security option and then further specialize in being a bouncer by taking the firewall exam. All in all, you have 5 clan choices by choosing the corresponding core exam, with a further choice of specialization in a particular area by choosing a concentration exam (between 4 and 8 choices depending on your clan).
The coveted title of Cisco Certified Networking Professional is awarded to those who pass both their core exam and at least one concentration exam. The title conveys fear in your lesser-trained peers and further enhances your prestige by making you the keeper of the knowledge for your chosen specialization. Your career will never be the same and from that moment onwards, you will be able to stamp all your business cards with the coveted CCNP laurels.
CCIE/CCDE a.k.a. Expert Level of Cisco Learning
There is no prerequisite to have attained Associate or Professional titles to undertake this level. Only the bravest and most fierce questers will take the treacherous path of the expert certification. Not only will you have to choose a clan by passing a core exam… but you will also have to face a beast, a final boss… the CCIE lab exam. Many brave engineers choose to take this path, but not all of them survive. At this level, there are 6 clans as the mischievous air whisperers have split from the workers (enterprise) into their own wireless path. For each of the 6 choices, there is a core exam, which you may or may not have already taken for your CCNP quest, and an uber-quest to kill the boss during a live lab exam. Do not underestimate this final challenge as it has claimed many egos.
The anointed ones that defeat one of the 6 final bosses, the lab exam beast, will get the extremely rare and respected title of Cisco Certified Networking Expert. With the CCIE title comes a number, a number that will forever be yours, the number that tells the world how lucky you are to have survived and obtained your CCIE… and that you are one of but a few.
For those of extreme abilities to connect the dots between different areas, there is one more option: the 7th choice, the network design path in which you get to create your own worlds.
These great thinkers that choose the design path and defeat the practical exam, will receive the ultra-rare title of Cisco Certified Design Expert. Only a handful of these CCDE experts can be found in the wild…
Cisco Learning Quest Map
If the descriptions above were not clear enough (not sure how they could not be… but well…), please see the following chart which can provide further details.
Cisco Learning Map and Guide to Cisco Certifications:
Cisco Career Certifications (pdf, 860 KB)
All joking aside, Cisco certifications are well respected and coveted by many employers. They can help you further your career and they can help your employer obtain company-level certifications. If you achieve the CCIE level, you will not only have definitive proof of your awesomeness, but you will also become part of a very tight and supportive community of CCIE experts worldwide.
Cisco Learning: Questing on Your Own or with a Master
There are many ways to prepare for the required Cisco exams. Cisco provides training that helps you prepare for each level. Following the official training course curriculum is the easiest and most effective way of passing an exam. You will still have to put a lot of effort on your part, but the official training will set you up for a good chance of success.
Cisco trainings can be consumed in different ways:
- Instructor-led: A master mage (Cisco instructor) teaches the class in person.
- Virtual instructor-led: The same master mage (Cisco instructor) teaches the class online in real time.
- Online self-paced or e-learning: You learn at your own pace, but no master mage is there to support you.
Questing on your own works well for people that like to delve into things and learn best by digging into every detail. If this is you, then Cisco digital learning (online self-paced or e-learning), may be the best option for you.
If you like to endlessly ask annoying questions (like me), or if you learn best from another person explaining the concepts, then you may want to engage the services of a master mage. Cisco expert guided training (in person or virtual) may be the best option for you. This option is the fastest way to learn as Cisco instructors usually have all the answers for the subject they teach, and it will save you time you would otherwise spend on side quests.
Where to Start with Cisco Learning?
You may be wondering what to do next… well… start at the beginning and take it from there. Prepare for your basic quest to achieve CCNA certification. Depending on your own personal preference and budget, choose the best way to learn (self-paced or instructor-led). On the subject of budget: talk to your employer. Many times, it is good business for the company to invest in your knowledge and to get you trained fast rather than over a long period of time.
Once you are a CCNA, you will have a better idea of which technologies inspire you. I chose Wireless as I have never met an electromagnetic wave that I didn’t like (some of them are dangerous but still good-looking). Others may find routing protocols irresistible or may be fascinated by firewall rules or server deployment. Regardless of the technology, if you are a Cisco engineer at heart, you will be able to achieve every quest on your way to the coveted CCIE.