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Cisco Certification: In What Order Should You Take Your CCNP Exams? |
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When you choose to pursue your Cisco Certified Network Professional
certification, you've got some decisions to make right at
the beginning. Cisco offers a three-exam path and a four-exam
path, and you select the order in which you'll take and pass
the exams.
While every CCNP candidate has to make their own decision,
I'd like to share some thoughts based on my personal experience
and the experiences of CCNPs worldwide.
The solid foundation of networking knowledge you built as
a CCNA will help you a great deal on your BSCI (Building Scalable
Cisco Internetworks, 642-801) exam. This is the most common
exam to take first, and I'd recommend you do so as well. While
there are some topics that will be new to you, such as BGP,
many of the BSCI topics will be familiar to you from your
CCNA studies.
The "middle" exams are the BCMSN (Building Cisco
Multilayer Switched Networks, 642-811) and BCRAN (Building
Cisco Remote Access Networks, 642-821). There is no real advantage
in taking one of these before the other, although most candidates
take the switching exam, then the remote access exam.
I do recommend you take the CIT (Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting)
exam last. This exam will demand you put into action the skills
you have learned while earning your CCNA and passing the first
three exams. Again, it's not written in stone and there are
always exceptions, but CCNP candidates do seem to have more
success on this exam when they take it last. Should you choose
the three-exam path, you'll be taking a Composite exam (642-891).
This exam combines the BSCI and BCMSN exams, and it's best
to take this one first. It builds nicely with your CCNA skills.
Again, I would take the BCRAN exam after the Composite, and
the Troubleshooting exam last.
Whichever path you choose, you've chosen wisely in which
certification to pursue. The CCNP is a true test of your networking
skills, and when you make the decision to go after the CCIE,
you'll be glad to have the solid foundation of networking
skills your CCNA and CCNP studies gave you.
About the Author:
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage,
home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study
Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. For a FREE copy
of his latest e-books, “How To Pass The CCNA” and
“How To Pass The CCNP”, visit the website and download
your free copies. You can also get FREE CCNA and CCNP exam
questions every day! Pass the CCNA exam with The Bryant Advantage!
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| Call 813.852.6400 now for more information to find the best router or switch to best help you with your certification exam. Having "real" hands-on experience is extremely beneficial not just for testing, but also ensures you are actually familiar with the device you are working on.
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