CCNP Certification

1. What is CCNP Certification?

CCNP Certification is awarded by Cisco Systems® and signifies the competency achieved in installing, configuring, and operating LAN, WAN, and dial access services in medium to large networks (500+ nodes or more), including use of these protocols: IP, EIGRP, BGP, OSPF, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIPng, Ethernet, Access Lists.  CCNA is a pre-requisite for CCNP certification. The CCNP certification is awarded after successful completion of the following 4 exams:

1. CCNP Route (Previously known as Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks) 642-902 

2. CCNP Switch (Previously known as Building Cisco^® Multilayer Switched Networks), Exam 642-813

3. CCNP TShoot (Previously known as Cisco^® Internetwork Troubleshooting), Exam 642-832

Please see CCNP preparation page for details.

The certification exams are computer based, and conducted by Sylvan Prometric and VUE testing centers. The certification, being widely recognized, offers improved job prospects in the field of LAN, and WAN infrastructure installation and maintenance using Cisco, and compatible equipment. The pre-requisite for obtaining CCNP certification is passing CCNA exam, in addition to  passing all 4 exams (2 exams if you are pursuing the alternate track (using Foundations exam) . The fee for each of these exams is about US$200. The tests contains identification and situational questions. Recently, Cisco has introduced Flash based simulation questions in CCNP stream also. 

2. What are the test requirements?

As mentioned previously, to attain CCNP certification, you must pass 4 individual exams (or alternatively 2 exams, please see ccnp preparation page for details). 

The practice tests provided by SimulationExams.com covers the exam objectives thoroughly, and help in passing the exams first time. You can down load the CCNP practice test here.

3. How do I prepare for CCNP Certification?

Please visit the  page CCNP preparation written by our Cisco section guide.

4. Other CCNA Certification FAQ:

How long will it take to prepare for CCNA certification exam?

If you are preparing for CCNA exams yourself (self learning), it is likely to take about 4-6 months of preparation (Assuming 3-4 hours of study per day). However, please note that the preparation time greatly depends on your background. If you are already involved in the networking technologies such as LANs, WANs, you may find it easy, and may require only a few weeks of preparation. On the other hand, if you are new to networking technologies, it may take about 6 months (assuming you don't take any formal classroom coaching). 

You can find some useful  Certification books here.

What is the exam fee and who conduct the exams?

The exam fee for CCNA exam is about US$125. The exams are computer based, and Sylvan Prommetric (and VUE) conduct these exams. 

What is the format in which the exams are delivered?

The exams are computer based, and include the following question types:

Multiple choice single answer questions
Multiple choice multiple answer questions
Fill-in-the-blanks
drag-n-drop questions
Exhibit based questions
Flash simulations.

Is it available in other languages?

Yes, please check with official website.

How long the certification is valid?

The certifications offered by Cisco Systems have limited validity (unlike Comptia exams, which have lifetime validity). The validity of Cisco certifications is usually of 3 years. You need to re-certify or achieve next level of certification to retain validity after 3 years.

What other certifications are available from Cisco Systems?

The other certification available are CCDA, CCNP, CCDP, CCIE, and others.

Note: It is recommended to check with the official website for accurate and up-to-date information.

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