CCNA vs CCNP | Key Differences Every Networking Aspirant Must Know
What is CCNA and CCNP and their differences?
Cisco is the largest manufacturer of routers and switches in the world with its equipment’s present and used in every organization. It is the global giant of the Networking Industry spreading its wings on the entire world. Having so many organizations, companies, individuals using its hardware and networking, Cisco needed networking professionals to directly interact with their clients and support them. It introduced its training and certification to test professionals and set a benchmark in this Industry. This ensured their continuous support for their clients in supporting, troubleshooting and maintaining their network.
Over the last decade, with the credibility of IT certifications diminishing, Cisco has continued to maintain its standards; helping candidates with their jobs, salary compensation and career growth. Cisco Certifications are said to be one of the most renowned and prestigious certifications. Having these certifications in resumes adds the feather in the cap of Networkers.
Networking being a very vast field to cover, Cisco has divided its training and certification into various domains and levels respectively.
| CCENT | CCT | CCNA | CCDA | CCNP | CCDP | CCIE | CCDE |
| R&S | Field Technician | R&S | Design | R&S | Design | R&S | |
| Collaboration | Collaboration | Collaboration | |||||
| Data Center | Data Center | Data Center | |||||
| Security | Security | Security | |||||
| Service Provider | Service Provider | Service Provider | |||||
| Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | |||||
| Cloud | Cloud | ||||||
| Field Technician | |||||||
| Cyber Ops | |||||||
| Industrial | |||||||
CCNA and CCNP are two training divisions of Associate and Professional level respectively.
CCNA Certification
CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is an Associate Level training which requires no prerequisites. This is the most basic level of Cisco Certifications which shares the insights of Cisco Networking environment with the candidate. In this level, the candidate learns the very basics of networking and does the distinct certification. The candidate needs to specialize in Routing and Switching, Collaboration, Data Center, Security, Service Provider, Wireless, Cloud, Field Technician, Cyber Ops, Industrial CCNA. The outline of networking software’s and operating IT equipment’s is being taught at the elementary level. You may want to check CCNA training offered by I-Medita.
The CCNA Certified candidate can install, operate and configure routers and switches of the given network. They can implement networks like WAN (Wide Area Network) and secure it from outside threats. They can support and troubleshoot any network. This certification builds the foundation of the candidate towards its lucrative career.
Career:
CCNA Networkers can get any job in networking field with salary depending on their knowledge and number of years of experience. Following are few of the profiles one can go for.
- Network Technician
- Service Desk Engineer/Technician
- Helpdesk Engineer
- First and Second Line Support
- Network Support Engineer
CCNA Examinations:
One needs to clear the following examination in the respective domain to get CCNA Certification.
| Certification | Exam Number | Exam Name |
|---|---|---|
| R&S | 200-125 CCNA | Cisco Certified Network Associate |
| Collaboration | 210-060 CICD | Implementing Cisco Collaboration Devices |
| 210-065 CIVND | Implementing Cisco Video Network Devices | |
| Data Center | 640-911 DCICN | Introducing Cisco Data Center Networking |
| 640-916 DCICT | Introducing Cisco Data Center Technologies | |
| Service Provider | 640-875 SPNGN1 | Building Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Networks, Part 1 (SPNGN1) |
| 640-878 SPNGN2 | Building Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Networks, Part 2 (SPNGN2) | |
| Wireless | 200-355 WIFUND | Implementing Cisco Wireless Network Fundamentals |
| Security | 210-260 IINS | Implementing Cisco Network Security (IINS) |
| Cyber Ops | 210-250 SECFND | Understanding Cisco Cyber security Fundamentals |
| 210-255 SECOPS | Implementing Cisco Cyber security Operations | |
| Cloud | 210-451 CLDFND | Understanding Cisco Cloud Fundamentals |
| 210-455 CLDADM | Introducing Cisco Cloud Administration | |
| Industrial | 200-601 IMINS2 | Managing Industrial Networking for Manufacturing with Cisco Technologies |
CCNP Certification
Unlike CCNA Certification, CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) is a higher level certification. The aspirant needs to do CCNA before attempting CCNP in the respective field. It is a step above to CCNA Certification making it more difficult to clear. Like CCNA, one learns to do the installation, configuration, and troubleshooting but on a much larger scale. CCNP Certification gives you the firm understanding of various networks, how they work together, their advanced security and video and wireless solutions. The troubleshooting skills of CCNP Certified are on much higher level than of CCNA. CCNP Certified Networkers have profound knowledge and exposure. Check out details about CCNP Training course by I-Medita
Career:
CCNP Certified candidates are those professionals who want to take the further step in networking field in their domain. Like CCNA, the salary compensation of CCNP varies with the knowledge and number of years of experience. One gets high profile with better packages than CCNA Certified Networkers.
- Third Line Support
- Network Specialist
- IT Team Leader
- Network Analyst
- Network Engineer
- Systems Engineer
CCNP Examinations:
One needs to be an active CCIE or clears the CCNA Examination to be eligible for CCNP Certification. To earn CCNP Certification, one needs to clear the following examination.
| Certification | Exam Number | Exam Name |
|---|---|---|
| R&S | 300-101 ROUTE | Implementing Cisco IP Routing |
| 300-115 SWITCH | Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks | |
| 300-135 TSHOOT | Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks | |
| Collaboration | 300-070 CIPTV1 | Implementing Cisco IP Telephony and Video, Part 1 |
| 300-075 CIPTV2 | Implementing Cisco IP Telephony and Video, Part 2 | |
| 300-080 CTCOLLAB | Troubleshooting Cisco IP Telephony and Video | |
| 300-085 CAPPS | Implementing Cisco Collaboration Applications | |
| Data Center | 642-999 DCUCI | Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCI) |
| 642-997 DCUFI | Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFI) | |
| 642-998 DCUCD | Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCD) | |
| 642-996 DCUFD | Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFD) | |
| 642-035 DCUCT | Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Computing (DCUCT) | |
| 642-980 DCUFT | Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFT) | |
| Security | 300-206 SENSS | Implementing Cisco Edge Network Security Solutions (SENSS) |
| 300-208 SISAS | Implementing Cisco Secure Access Solutions (SISAS) | |
| 300-209 SIMOS | Implementing Cisco Secure Mobility Solutions (SIMOS) | |
| 300-207 SITCS | Implementing Cisco Threat Control Solutions (SITCS) | |
| 300-210 SITCS | Implementing Cisco Threat Control Solutions (SITCS) | |
| Service Provider | 642-883 SPROUTE | Deploying Cisco Service Provider Network Routing (SPROUTE) |
| 642-885 SPADVROUTE | Deploying Cisco Service Provider Advanced Routing (SPADVOUTE) | |
| 642-887 SPCORE | Implementing Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Core Network Services (SPCORE) | |
| 642-889 SPEDGE | Implementing Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Edge Network Services (SPEDGE) | |
| Wireless | 300-360 WIDESIGN | Designing Cisco Wireless Enterprise Networks |
| 300-365 WIDEPLOY | Deploying Cisco Wireless Enterprise Networks | |
| 300-370 WITSHOOT | Troubleshooting Cisco Wireless Enterprise Network | |
| 300-375 WISECURE | Securing Cisco Wireless Enterprise Networks | |
| Cloud | 300-460 CLDINF | Implementing and Troubleshooting the Cisco Cloud Infrastructure |
| 300-465 CLDDES | Designing the Cisco Cloud | |
| 300-470 CLDAUT | Automating the Cisco Enterprise Cloud | |
| 300-475 CLDDACI | Building the Cisco Cloud with Application Centric Infrastructure | |
| Design | 300-320 ARCH | Designing Cisco Network Service Architectures |
| 300-101 ROUTE | Implementing Cisco IP Routing | |
| 300-115 SWITCH | Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks | |
Recommended Read:
One of my friend have done engineering in electronics and telecommunication. Now she’s willing to do some course in CCNA. Some one suggested to do CCNA in security. Can you help with some good suggestion. Is it good for her? What should be alternative if not ?
Got your reference from Quora
Hi Siddhesh,
Good to hear about your concern about your friend!
See CCNA RS is the prerequisite for CCNA Security in terms of training as well as certification.
Yes CCNA Sec is good, but we personally feel any CCNA is almost useless without CCNP Knowledge, we are not recommending certifications here, its knowledge that matters for a fresher candidate. Certification helps those already who are inside the industry more
Assuming she is 2016 graduate, suggestion is to take CCNA and CCNP and make sure the trainer is at least CCIE certified and institutes have real Cisco devices to help her practice. Rest is totally her hard work. Openings are in plenty, do things before February/march as there are plenty of hirings in march/April/may off campus.
Hope we were able to answer your question, if not then feel free to call us anytime at 8750004411.
Regards
To your success
Team I-Medita