ADVANTAGE AND BENIFITES OF CCNA

CCNA is one of the most vouched and valued IT certification throughout the world. As much as
or even more than 1 million CCNA certificates have been awarded since it was first launched in
1998. So it is not by fluke that Cisco has achieved such humongous figures.
Cisco certifications have benefited both the employee as well as the employer. It is a known fact
that many people have literally changed their lives and have got real benefits and acquired
valuable skills in the process of becoming certified. There are innumerable instances where
individuals having more than ten years or so in their networking career feel the need of getting
CCNA certified.
A young lad looking to enter the field of computer networking should take the certification
process very seriously. Yeah, yeah I know that either you would be having a first-class or
distinction of marks in your graduation, but now that is not sufficient to sustain and advance in
the ever changing advancements in the IT arena.
It is better to be certified and do networking, rather until one day you end up not-working.
Here is the list of ten advantages of getting CCNA certified.

Benefits of CCNA Certification

1) Knowledge
In the process of getting your CCNA certification you are sure to increase your knowledge base
and understanding of the concepts. Even if you have years and years of experience in the field,
you would definitely increase your knowledge and skills.
As they say, nothing can replace real world experience, but books are also equally important for
keeping up-to-date with the new advancements in the industry. In the process of getting certified
you would be bombarded with many advancements of the industry thus increasing your overall
knowledge.
2) Alphabets behind your name
After getting certified, you would be able to write those four magical letters which certainly do
matter in these days.
So from the day you get certified till the next three years you would be legally and ethically right
to use CCNA in your resume as well as in your business card. Apart from this you will get a
CCNA card, certificate and letter from Cisco validating your achievement.
3) Career Advancements

CCNA Certification increases your chances of promotion. You could expect to move up in the
hierarchy of your organization.
4) Salary Increment
Your next salary increment could be just around the corner after getting your certification. One of
my friend got as much as 100% increase in his salary after getting his certification. You would
tell that 100% increase is just unreal, yes it is possible, if you have good track record and are
willing to switch jobs.
PayScale - Salary Search: CCNA Certification
5) Stepping stone for many other certifications
CCNA certificate is a prerequisite for many other Cisco certification. CCNA concentration like
CCNA Voice, CCNA Security, CCNA Wireless and many other professional level certifications
require a valid CCNA certificate. Also some of the colleges give as much as 6 credits if you hold
a valid CCNA certificate and want to do higher level studies.
6) Respect
Getting a CCNA certificates commands a certain amount of respect from your colleagues and
employer. Some of your colleagues would have also tried to get certified, but could not get
certified. So, this achievement of yours deserves a back-patting.
7) Employer benefits
Many employers like to employ certified people because it demands a well standing in the everincreasing and competitive IT field. That is the reason many employers bear the cost of
certification. It's a kind of mutual give and take.
8) Kick-start your Networking career
Before getting CCNA certified, I used to think as to which option would be better i,e. Cisco or
Microsoft. Now, I am certain that Cisco is the better option as the latter does not needs any
extensive preparation. I could now get other desktop and Server level Microsoft certifications
simultaneously.
9) On track
After getting certified you would be on the right track to go for many other professional level
certifications. Getting the first certification is always hard but once you take the first step, the
journey to the thousand miles at least gets started.
10) Personal Satisfaction

You always wanted to get certified, so after you receive your certification letter and other stuff, a
sense of personal satisfaction, gratification, and relief is felt.
Those were some of the benefits that you could receive after getting CCNA certified.

IMPORTANCE OF CCNA SECURITY

The new Cisco CCNA Security certification can help you verify the specialized security skills
that are in high demand among employers.

Not sure if the CCNA Security certification is the right path for your career? Read on for
information and resource links that will help in your decision making.

1. What industry trends motivated Cisco to create the CCNA Security certification?
Cisco created the CCNA Security certification to offer new IT professionals a rapid path to
specialization in security as well as to offer experienced networking professionals a path to
enhancing their careers with new security knowledge and skills. Security skills are one of the
highest-demand areas in the networking job market. IT organizations need staff with the
specialized knowledge and skills to administer devices and applications in a security
infrastructure, recognize network vulnerabilities, and detect security threats.

2. What do employers say about their needs for people with this type of knowledge and
skill?

More than any other area, security and risk management skills are some of the most highly
sought after skills across the network, and demand is continuing to grow. Within five years,
dedicated security roles are expected to exist in 80 percent of the companies studied versus
todays dedicated security role, which exists in only 46 percent of the companies surveyed.

3. Where will the CCNA Security certification be the most relevant?

With the CCNA Security, youll be ready for specialized jobs such as network security specialist,
security administrator, and security support engineer.

Through the CCNA Security training, you will gain an overview of security challenges and
solutions, and be able to install, monitor, and troubleshoot Cisco security solutions to secure a
small branch office network. Cisco IOS security features on Cisco routers and switches are
deployed using both graphical user interface tools (GUIs such as the Cisco Security Device
Manager or SDM) and command line interfaces (CLIs). You will also understand the necessity of
a comprehensive security policy and how it affects the posture of the network.

4. Is the CCNA Security path right for you?

The choice to pursue a networking specialist or generalist path is an important career decision.
Your interests, the jobs available in your area, and other factors will likely influence your choice.

Your potential salary is another important factor. Industry surveys show that IT specialists
receive higher compensation. TCPmag.com reports in a 2006-2007 survey that workers holding a
Cisco CCSP certification had an average annual salary of nearly US$94,000.

All of the CCNA concentrations help you to distinguish yourself in the highly competitive world
of IT networking. CCNA Security takes full advantage of your current CCNA certification as a
foundation, while specifically preparing you for new career opportunities in network security.

CCNA remains the certification of choice for individuals who want to demonstrate a solid
foundation in core routing and switching skills, and then later advance as network generalists.

5. Will the CCNA Security concentration lead to higher-level certifications?

The CCNA Security certification is the prerequisite for the Cisco CCSP professional-level
certification. A CCSP certification is excellent preparation for attaining the highest Cisco security
designation, the Cisco CCIE Security certification. However, the CCIE Security certification
has no prerequisites.

6. If I already have a CCNA certification, whats my best path to becoming a Security

Specialist?
With the introduction of the CCNA concentrations, Cisco has changed the prerequisites and
paths to higher-level certifications. To become a security specialist, one possible path is shown
below:

7. Are there any prerequisites for the CCNA Security certification?

Holding the CCNA certification is required before you can earn the CCNA Security certification.
You may take one or more CCNA concentration exams without retaking original CCNA exams.
Through November 17, 2011, the CCNA + SND exam from the CCSP certification will be
accepted as a pre-requisite for CCSP in addition to CCNA Security to accommodate those in
process or starting their CCSP.

8. Is any training available or required for the CCNA Security certification?

Training for all new CCNA concentrations is available through Learning Solutions Partners and
Learning Partners.

As of mid-2008, instructor-led classroom training courses are only available through Cisco
Learning Partners. For CCNA Security, the recommended training is Implementing Cisco IOS
Network Security (IINS), a five-day classroom course with labs that simulate real-world
scenarios.

Cisco Press will offer corresponding products for each CCNA concentration. In addition to their
best-selling exam certification guides, Cisco Press will offer digital quick reference guides and
other online materials to help you prepare for the CCNA Security exam.

9. What are the details about the CCNA Security course and exam?
Only one exam is required for the CCNA Security certification: Cisco 640-553 IINS. To prepare
for the exam, the suggested IINS training course covers network security principles, perimeter
security, LAN/SAN/voice/endpoint security, Cisco IOS firewalls, Cisco IOS intrusion protection
systems (IPS), and site-to-site VPNs. In-classroom labs enhance the learning experience.

You will develop skills for installation, troubleshooting, and monitoring of network devices to
maintain integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data and devices and develop competency
in the technologies that Cisco uses in its security infrastructure.

10. Where can I get more information about the CCNA Security concentration?
Technical requirements and information about the CCNA Security can be found here on the
Cisco Learning Network.