Cisco Certification: Recertifying Your CCNA and CCNPPage: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 or Go To our Certification Articles Section
Once you get your CCNA and CCNP, you can't just rest on your
accomplishment. You've got to continue to study and add to
your skill set - and then prove to Cisco you've been doing
just that by recertifying.
Recertification sounds like a pain, but it's actually one
of the best things to ever happen to computer certification,
and it helps your career as well. One trap many LAN and WAN
personnel fall into is that they fail to keep up with changes
in technology, and if they happen to be laid off or want to
change jobs, they're unable to because they didn't keep their
skill set up.
Cisco's recertification policies ensure that if you want
to keep your CCNA, CCNP, or one of the other valuable Cisco
certifications, you've got to take a recertification exam.
As of November 2005, to recertify as a CCNA, you need to
pass either the current CCNA exam, ICND exam, or any 642 professional
level or Cisco Qualified Specialist exam. (This does not include
Sales Specialist exams.) Passing a CCIE written qualification
exam also recertifies you as a CCNA. CCNAs are valid for three
years.
For the CCNP, you need to pass the 642-891 Composite exam,
a CCIE written qualification exam, or BOTH the BSCI and BCMSN
exams (642-801 and 642-811, respectively.) CCNP certifications
are valid for three years.
As you can see, you've got quite a few options either way.
The one classic mistake you must not make is waiting too long
to begin preparing for the exams, and give yourself a little
leeway just in case you don't recertify the first time around.
Once the deadline passes, your certification is gone, and
in the case of the CCNP that means taking all the exams again.
As a professional, it's your responsibility to keep up with
changes in the Cisco certification world, and this includes
changes in the recertification program. Make a point of visiting
the "Learning And Events" section of Cisco's website
regularly to look for changes in the certification program.
And while you're there, you just might see another cert that
catches your eye!
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!
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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