According to IDC research consultancy, the IT field is on track to hit a $5.2 trillion value by 2021. This is a massive achievement that can be attributed to several factors and one of them is that multiple industries, jobs, and businesses become more automated, connected, and digital.
Innovative ideas grow over time, and if the recent studies are anything to go by, IT could yet be facing another huge step in the coming years. The importance of cloud technologies, networking, and IoT cannot be ignored. But, spending on new IT solutions may seem worthless if you lack a competent IT team to manage your services. That’s why, even with the new developments, today professionals should ensure they possess up to date skills to meet the market requirements. Do you also have such an aim? Then Exam-Labs Cisco Cloud Certifications has something for you.
Cisco is a company with an unrivaled reputation in the IT landscape. It offers IT products as well as high-quality credentials, and there are lots of them to choose from. Still, this variety has led to the situation when many candidates struggle to pick the right badge to pursue, and the right learning materials to help them pass the required exams.
So, with all your pain points in mind, here’s our comprehensive guide to the new Cisco CCNP learning path. What does it entail? Is it worth it? Do you qualify for the CCNP credential? Let’s find out in the next section.
Cisco Certification Levels
Following its most recent certification overhaul, the Free IT Certifications career track has been reorganized to better reflect modern technologies that go hand in hand with new job roles. However, the levels have remained the same and include 5 stages: entry, associate, professional, expert, and architect.
To begin with, the currently attainable Cisco badge at the entry-level is CCT which offers the best starting point for students willing to launch a networking career. As you advance, you will get the Associate credential, and going by the latest changes, Cisco only offers 3 options at this level. These include the new CCNA, CyberOps, and DevNet Associate.
The professional-level path is still comprehensive and allows for specialization depending on what you want to achieve with your career. Lastly, Cisco offers expert and architect badges that have also witnessed a few changes in the past. But, as long as professional certifications are on our focus today, let’s move to exploring their details.
Cisco’s CCNP Options Available
Becoming a CCNP accredited IT specialist implies that you can implement networking solutions on the advanced level and are proficient in your specific area. Currently, Cisco offers the following badges under this category;
- DevNet Professional
- CyberOps Professional
- CCNP Collaboration
- CCNP Data Center
- CCNP Security
- CCNP Service Provider
- CCNP Enterprise
- Real Certifications Exams
CCNP or CCNA Which is the Best to Start with?
The good news is that now there are no strict prerequisites for applying for the mentioned accreditations. So, if you want to complete your CCNP training, now you don’t need to have CCNA but only need to attempt two exams: a technology core assessment and one concentration test. Both the associate and professional level badges validate your knowledge relating to networking technologies as it only depends on you from which level you want to begin considering how experienced you are.
Also, notice that you’ll have different career opportunities when obtaining any of these credentials. Certifications Practice is the mid-level track coming after completing your entry-level CCT training. CCNP certifications, on the other hand, verify more advanced skills and prepare you for specific professional-level jobs in IT.
Major Career Perks to Enjoy with Your CCNP
Indeed, these are exciting times if you are working in IT. If you’ve chosen to earn the CCNP badge, you can be sure it will give you the best foot forward if you are aiming for new roles in the field. And this is just one of the many benefits they bring. The following list outlines the major perks in becoming a CCNP accredited IT geek;
- Helps you build a firm knowledge base for professional growth
- CCNP is a gateway towards great jobs in the networking industry
- Skills gained will better position you for massive job promotions
- Earns you respect within your organization and beyond since only a few people take such a bold step towards realizing their career goals
- CCNP is the path leading to high earning potential
- Real IT Certifications Tests
Career Options
As you can see, the new CCNP track focuses on technologies, rather than titles. And the career options that will become available for you will depend on the path you choose and the specific technology area your organization focuses on. For instance, if you work extensively with data and networking concepts, CCNP Data Center is the best choice regardless of how your position is named. Still, this doesn’t eliminate the need to tailor your certification needs according to your experience level.
Speaking generally of the areas you can succeed in with these credentials, it is to be noted that CCNP certified IT specialists have a broad scope of activities that include maintaining, resolving, and implementing LAN and WAN-related issues at the professional networking level. They work together with other experts to manage advanced technologies such as video, wireless, voice, and security solutions. With this in-depth understanding of such a wide range of IT concepts, you’ll be able to fill the roles in the following IT areas:
- Network engineering,
- Network administration,
- and Network architecture, to name a few
- Exam-Labs Cisco CCNA Cloud Certifications (200-301)
Conclusion
Advancing your IT knowledge in creating infrastructure networks or developing a digital workforce does not happen overnight. It starts with the right mindset and a strong desire to make a difference. Before you jump directly to the emerging technologies and IT trends, understand what your career needs and why the transition matters.
Then, consider earning one of the Cisco CCNP badges as they have been created to prepare you for top-tier job roles in computer networking at the professional level. If the industry continues to grow at the current rate, and businesses continue to integrate technologies into their services, you can be confident about your future job prospects if you possess CCNP certification!