Reading
Cisco Career Certifications and Paths
Training target:
Read the following reading materials and
use the reading skills mentioned in the
passages above. You may also choose
some parts of this passage to practice.
Text
Cisco Career Certifications are
your way to validate your knowledge and further your professional
opportunities.
Introduction

The widely respected Cisco Career Certifications bring
valuable，measurable rewards to network professionals，
their managers，and the organizations that employ
them. Cisco offers three levels of general certification—
from Associate to Professional to Expert，representing
the highest level of achievement—available in various
paths（or tracks）and designations. A variety of Cisco
Qualified Specialist focused certifications are available
as well to show knowledge in specific technologies，
solutions or job roles.
 General
Certifications: Three Levels of
Certification
 Associate: The first step in Cisco
networking begins at the Associate
level Think of this as the apprentice or
foundation level of networking
certification.
Professional: This is the advanced or
journeyman level of certification.
Expert: This is the highest level of
achievement for network professionals，
certifying an individual as an expert or
master.
General Certifications: Four Different Paths
 Network Installation and Support: This path is
for professionals who install and support Cisco
technology-based networks in which LAN and
WAN routers and switches reside.

Network Engineering and Design: This
path is for professionals who design Cisco
technology-based networks in which LAN
and WAN routers and switches reside.
Communications and Services: This
path is aimed at professionals working with
infrastructure or access solutions in a Cisco
end-to-end environment primarily within
the telecommunications area. Each of these
certifications includes a choice of electives
such as DSL or Content Networking related
to a specific technology.
Network Security: This path is directed
toward network professionals who design
and implement Cisco Secure networks.
 Career Certifications Type Associate
（Consists of CCDA&CCNA，here mainly
introduce CCNA）The first step in general
Cisco Career Certifications begins with
associate-level certifications—CCDA and
CCNA，which show expertise with
networking foundations. Think of this level as
the apprentice，or foundation level of
networking certifications.

CCNA Certification
The CCNA certification（Cisco Certified Network
Associate）indicates a foundation in and apprentice
knowledge of networking. CCNA certified
professionals can install，configure，and operate
LAN，WAN，and dial access services for small
networks（100 nodes or fewer），including but not
limited to the
use of these protocols: IP，IGRP，Serial，Frame
Relay，IP RIP，VLANs，RIP，Ethernet，Access
Lists.
CCNA Prerequisites
No prerequisites
CCNA Exams & Recommended Training
Required Exam（s）
Recommended Training
640-607CCNA
Cisco Certified Network Associate
Basics (CCNAB2.0)
Interconnecting Cisco Network
Devices（ICND2.0）
 CCNA Recertification
CCNA certifications are valid for
three years. To recertify，pass the
current certification exam or any new
exam at the Professional or Cisco
Qualified Specialist level bearing the
prefix 642.
 Professional
Professional level consists of CCDP，
CCIP，CCSP&CCNP. Mainly introduce
CCNP here.
CCNP Certification

The CCNP certification（Cisco Certified Network Professional）
indicates advanced or journeyman knowledge of networks. With
a CCNP，a network professional can install，configure，and
operate LAN，WAN，and dial access services for organizations
with networks from 100 to more than 500 nodes，including but
not limited to these protocols: IP，IGRP，IPX，Async Routing，
AppleTalk，Extended Access Lists，IP RIP，Route
Redistribution，RIP，Route Summarization，OSPF，VLSM，
BGP，Serial，Frame Relay，ISDN，ISL，X.25，DDN，
PSTN，PPP，VLANs ，Ethernet，Access Lists，802.10，
FDDI，Transparent and Translational Bridging.
 CCNP
Prerequisites
Valid CCNA certification

CCNP Exams & Recommended Training
Required Exam（s）
Recommended Training
640-901 BSCI
Building Scalable Cisco
Internetworks（BSCI）
640ˉ604Switching
Building Cisco Multilayer Switched
Networks（BCMSN）
640ˉ605Remote Access Building Cisco Remote Access
Networks（BCRAN）
640ˉ606 Support
Cisco Internetwork
Troubleshooting Support（CIT）

OR
Required Exam（s）
640-841 Foundations
Recommended Training
Building Scalable Cisco
Internetworks（BSCI）
Building Cisco Multilayer
Switched Networks（BCMSN）
Building Cisco Remote Access
Networks（BCRAN）
640ˉ606Support
Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting
Support（CIT）
 CCNP
Recertification
Required Exam:640-851 CCNP
Recertification
CCNP certifications are valid for three years.
（Recertifying at the Professional level
automatically renews the related CCNA
certification）
Expert（Expert level consists of four kinds
of CCIE certifications）
 CCIE Communications and Services: The
CCIE Communications and Services written
exams cover IP and IP routing，Optical，
DSL，Dial，Cable，Wireless，Wan
Switching, Content Networking, and IP
Telephony.

 CCIE
Routing and Switching: The CCIE
Routing and Switching written and/or lab
exams cover IP, IP routing, non-IP desktop
protocols such as IPX, as well as bridge and
switch-related technologies.
 CCIE
Security: The CCIE security exam
covers IP and IP routing as well as specific
security components.
 CCIE Voice: The CCIE Voice exam covers
those technologies and applications that
comprise a Cisco Enterprise VoIP solution.
Specialist
 Cisco
Cable Communications Specialist
 Cisco Content Networking Specialist
 Cisco Firewall Specialist
 Cisco IDS Specialist
 Cisco IP Telephony Design Specialist
 Cisco IP Telephony Operations Specialist
 Cisco IP Telephony Support Specialist
 Cisco
Internet Solutions Specialist
 Cisco Multiservice Switching Specialist
 Cisco MXU Specialist
 Cisco Optical Specialist
 Cisco SNA/IP Design Specialist
 Cisco SNA/IP Support Specialist
 Cisco Security Specialist
 Cisco
VPN Specialist
 Cisco Wireless LAN Design Specialist
 Cisco Wireless LAN Support Specialist

The End