A Beginner Guide on Cisco Certifications

Cisco certifications are the most renowned and are considered as one of the toughest certification primarily dealing with the networking and security systems in an organization categorized under IT Domain. Cisco Certifications provides milestone of opportunities for the interested individuals seeking to enlighten their carriers in this field, thereby providing milestones not only nationally but also internationally, which is can be better analyzed by its head office at San Francisco, USA. That being said, the Cisco certifications and it’s benefits have been recognized worldwide. CISCO certification is a 5 level certification program under the IT domain that is:
Recommended Read:
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Types of Cisco Certifications:
- Entry Level
- Associate Level
- Professional Level
- Expert level
- The Architect
Qualification required to avail Cisco Certification:
- The primary educational qualification required for being recognized as the Network Engineer is the 3/4 year bachelor degree in computer science, IT, Network Administrator etc from any recognized institution will suffice.
- After a bachelor’s program it’s advisable to opt for an IT Training and then Certification so as to have a hike in financial and non-financial incentives. For example Cisco certifications, Microsoft Certifications, Juniper Certifications, Checkpoint Certification and much more can be considered whilst making a prominent decision. Although in this article we will focus only about Cisco
COURSES AND DESIGNATIONS:
CCENT/CCT:
CISCO Certified Entry Networking Technician/ Cisco Certified Technician.
A CCNT Certification that is the Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician or the Cisco Certified Technician that provides a platform in the field of networking, thereby, managing the networking domain the small scale enterprises. A CCENT certified professional will be easily distinguished in the crowd of IT degree holders, as it not only develops skills but enhances smartness and conceptual abilities on practical basis. Thus, It is the collaboration, data center, service providing, routing and switching, security and wireless.
Following are the job designations:
CCNA/CCDA [Associate level]:
The CCNA certification that is Cisco Certified Network Associate is the foundation level of networking certification that is CCNA for network installation operations and troubleshooting. CCDA for network design. The certificate ensures validation of professional’s ability in understanding, configuration, operations and troubleshooting of the medium-level switching and routing networks which also includes to verify and implement various connections via remote sites using WAN.
CCDP/CCNP [Professional Level]:
The Cisco Certified Network Professional validates and ensures in that the certified shall have the ability to plan, implement, verify and troubleshoot local and in probably, medium and large enterprises wherein collaborative efforts with distinguished specialists on matters of advanced security, voice, wireless and video solutions. The professional level forecasts more expertise with networking skills. It’s certification covers broader aspects of technology which is required to meet job roles.
CCIE [ Expert Level]:
The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert is one who is recognized as an expert of different networking domain. CCIE Engineers are the highest paid IT Professionals.These experts have an apt knowledge and skills to architect, engineer, implement, troubleshoot and support the full suite of Cisco Security Technologies and solutions thereby, using various sophisticated technologies that serve the best to an industry to secure their web protocols and systems. Thus, it is an expert level certification stage, accepted as the most honorable certification worldwide in the networking industry.
CCAr [ Architect]:
Cisco Certified Associate is the highest level of accreditation achievable and recognizes the architectural expertise of network designs who can support the increasingly complex networks of global organizations and effectively translate business strategies into evolutionary technical strategies.
List of Examinations for different Levels of CISCO Certification:
CCIE:
Basis | Examination |
---|---|
Collaboration | 400-051 CCIE |
Wireless | 400-351 CCIE |
Routing and Switching | 400-101 CCIE |
Security | 400-251 CCIE |
Data Centre | 400-151 CCIE |
Service Provider |
400-201 CCIE |
CCENT:
Exam Number: 100-105 ICND1
CCNA:
Basis | Examination |
---|---|
Cloud | 210-451 CLDFND 210-455 CLDADM |
Collaboration | 210-060 CICD 210-065 CIVND |
Data Centre | 200-150 DCICN 200-155 DCICI |
Industrial | 200-601 IMINS2 |
Routing & Switching | 200-125 CCNA or 100-105 ICNDI 200-105 ICND2 |
Security | 210-260 IINS |
Service Provider | 640-875 SPNGNI 640-878 SPNGN2 |
Wireless | 200-355 WIFUND |
CCNP:
Basis | Examination |
---|---|
Cloud | 300-460 CLDINF 300-465 CLDDES 300-470 CLDAUT 300-475 CLDACI |
Collaboration | 300-070 CIPTVI 300-075 CIPTV2 300-080 CTCOLLAB 300-085 CAPPS |
Data Centre | 642-999 DCVCI OR 300-175DCUCI 642-997 DCUFI OR 300-165 DCII 300-170 DCVAI 642-998 DCUCD 642-996 DCUFD 300-160 DCID 642-035 DCUCT 642-980 DCUFT 300-180 DCIT |
Routing & Switching | 300-101 ROUTE 300-115 SWITCH 300-135 TSHOOT |
Security | 300-208 SISAS 300-206 SENSS 300-209 SIMOS 300-210 SITCS |
Service Provider | 642-883 SPROUTE 642-885 SPADVROUTE 642-887 SPCORE 642-889 SPEDGE |
Wireless | 300-360 WIDESIGN 300-365 WIDEPLOY 300-370 WITSHOOT 300-375 WISECURE |
Pay scale with various other cisco certifications:
COURSE | BASIS | SALARY Per Annum |
---|---|---|
CCENT | – | $70,698 |
CCNA | Routing & Switching | $79,942 |
CCNA | Routing & Switching | $79,942 |
CCNA | Security | $85,598 |
CCNA | Video | $86,425 |
CCNA | Voice | $89,889 |
CCDE | Design Expert | $94,743 |
CCNP | Voice | $95,060 |
CCIE | Security | $95,176 |
CCNP | Routing & Switching | $95,881 |
CCDA | – | $99,946 |
CCNP | Security | $101,414 |
CCDP | – | $105,008 |
CCNA | Data Centre | $107,045 |
CCIE | Routing And Switching | $112,858 |
CCNP | Wireless | $115,875 |
CCNP | Data Centres | $123,444 |
Pay scale according to different designations:
Sr No. | Designations | Salary [ in Thousand Rs.] |
---|---|---|
1 | Network Support Engineer | 134-336 |
2 | Network Administrator | 220-521 |
3 | Network Engineer IT | 174-463 |
4 | Network Specialist | 610-1118 |
5 | Network Support Engineer | 124-295 |
6 | Software Engineer | 321-657 |
7 | Sr. Network Engineer | 484-1033 |
8 | System Administrator | 217-513 |
9 | Computer Networking IT | 215-421 |
10 | System Engineer | 297-448 |
Pay Scale of Top Technical Giants:
Sr.No | Companies | Salary [in Thousand Rs.] |
---|---|---|
1 | HCL Technologies | 230-362 |
2 | Ericsson Inc | 301-488 |
3 | Cisco Systems | 325-1070 |
4 | Tata Communication | 432-953 |
5 | Wipro Technologies | 197-442 |
6 | Wipro | 254-411 |
7 | TCS | 171-260 |
8 | HCL Infosystems | 324-782 |
9 | Sify | 140-280 |
10 | Aricent Inc | 161-355 |
11 | Dimension Data | 399-560 |
12 | Accenture | 322-586 |
13 | Reliance Communications | 150-448 |
Pay Scale In Top Cities In India
Hence, CISCO Certifications are accepted worldwide. It not only adds weightage to your resume but also, inculcates such professionalism in oneself, that one stands different from the crowd of network engineers. Be it decent designations, various financial and non-financial incentives and handsome remunerations CISCO collectively helps in upbringing of an individual.