CISCO CERTIFICATION

Cisco offers three levels of certification representing increasing levels of expertise: Associate, Professional, and Expert. Different tracks across these levels align with varying career needs. The certifications offered are the
Expert Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE), the Professional Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) ,the Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP), the Associate Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and the Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA). Topics covered include Routing and witching, WAN Switching, ISP Dial, SNA/IP Integration and Design. The first step of Cisco networking career track begins at the Associate level.It is the apprentice or foundation level of networking certification. The Professionals the advanced or journeyman level of certification.The Expertis the highest level of achievement for network professionals, certifying an individual as an expert or master. There are two different Tracks. One is Routing and Switching. This track is for network support and design professionals working with LAN, routed WAN, and switched LAN networks.

The other is WAN Switching. This track is for network support and design professionals who configure, operate, and manage WAN switched networks. The only requirement for obtaining Cisco Career Certifications such as CCNA or CCDP is to take and pass one or more Cisco Career Certifications exams (including lab exams for CCIE). The Exams are proctored, timed, and delivered in a secure environment. The exams last approximately one to two hours. Candidates must acknowledge a Cisco Systems Confidentiality Agreement on line at the authorized testing center prior to taking an exam. The examinations are very challenging ,going beyond simple recall and requiring candidates to engage in on-the-job types of problem solving. Questions are usually multiple-choice combined with drag-and-drop. The examinations are delivered on line, in sequence, and do not allow a candidate to "mark" and return to an exam question. At the completion of the exam, candidates receive a score report along with a score breakout by exam section and the passing score for the given exam. Candidates are asked to sign the Cisco Career Certifications Agreement after passing the first exam. Signing this legal agreement is required to be officially certified. Prices vary by exam, but most exams are $100 to $200 in the U.S. and $150 to $300 internationally, paid direct to authorized Cisco testing vendor. Contact an authorized Cisco testing vendor in your area to register for an exam. After a candidate passes all exams required for a certification and signs the required agreements, Cisco will send a Cisco Career Certifications certificate along with a wallet card identifying the candidate's Cisco Career Certifications ID and valid certification dates (arrives 6-8 weeks after you have submitted agreements).

Certified Candidates are authorized to use the appropriate Cisco Career Certifications logos indicating certification status (available through the Cisco Career Certifications Tracking System). For further details visit www.cisco.com .