Q: What are Cisco certifications?

A Cisco certification on your resume or business card lets the world know that you have practical knowledge in networking. If an employer looks at your resume and sees a Cisco CCNA® certification, for instance, that employer knows that your skills are validated in how to configure, operate, troubleshoot, and manage a Cisco network.

Q. Why should I pursue getting a Cisco certification?

Cisco certifications will be good for your career because they will 1) distinguish your skills from other IT networking professionals, 2) help you find more networking jobs, and 3) help you make more money at those jobs.

When applying for networking jobs, you may find that many jobs will require you to have a certification, and most networking jobs will pay you more salary if you have a certification.

Q: How many different types of Cisco certifications are available as of 2010?

There are five levels of Cisco certification: Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert, and Architect level. Each level corresponds to how many years of networking experience and what skills you have.

Cisco certifications span seven technology tracks: Routing and Switching, Design, Security, Voice, Wireless, Service Provider, and Storage.

The most popular entry-level certification path starts with a CCENT™ certification if you’re in high school or college or an associate-level CCNA® if you’re just beginning your career with 0-2 years of experience, and then a professional level CCNP® if you have 2-5 years of experience. An expert-level CCIE® certification is designated for experienced network engineers with at least five years of hands-on experience.

Q: Which certification should I get?

That depends on 1) how many years of experience you have in networking and 2) which technology area you want to build a career in.

Q: How do I get a certification?

To become certified in a Cisco networking technology, you must:

1) Determine which certification to pursue

2) Study for the certification exam by taking courses from a Cisco Authorized Learning Partner, self-study from Cisco Press and Cisco Learning Network or enroll in Cisco Networking Academy at a high school or community college.

3) Take the exam through an official Pearson VUE testing center

4) Pass your Cisco certification exam.

Determining which certification to get. If you are in high school or college with little to no networking experience, a CCENT certification may be a good start The CCNA certification may be a good choice if you are a working professional already in networking. The CCNA certification is a good foundation and a prerequisite for most associate- and professional -level certifications.

Study for the examination. You can take a class on Cisco networking through Cisco Authorized Learning Partners, purchase a self-study guide or learning products at the Cisco Learning Network store http://www.cisco.com/go/learningnetworkstore or Cisco Press, or all of the above. You can also take a college class in Cisco networking through the Cisco Networking Academy®. To locate a class near you, visit: http://netacad.cisco.com.

You might choose to take a Cisco networking training course through an Authorized Cisco Learning Partner. To find a training course near you, visit: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning.

Finally, you can pick up a study guide and study on your own. You can find study guides for the certification exam at the Cisco Press®: http://www.ciscopress.com.

Take the exam. To find a Pearson VUE testing center near you and to make an appointment to take a Cisco certification exam, visit: http://www.vue.com/cisco.

Pass the exam. After taking the exam and passing, you will be Cisco certified and can then list the certification on your resume and begin to enjoy all of the benefits of being a recognized networking professional.

Q: What is the Cisco Learning Network?

The Cisco Learning Network is a social learning community that was built for all levels of IT and technology enthusiasts, especially those seeking support, and information about building a new career in IT. The community comprises some of the foremost experts in networking technologies, midlevel professionals, and career changers or career seekers. The discussion boards are a friendly, supportive, and “safe” place to ask questions. Q. How do I join the Cisco Learning Network? a. Visit the site at http://www.learningnetwork.cisco.com and click the Register button at the top of page. Registration is free and allows access to exclusive content like learning games, certification practice questions, whitepapers, learning modules, and more. Q. Where on Cisco Learning Network should I start if I am new to networking? After registering and logging in, check out these pages first to get started with entry-level material on the site: Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician http://www.learningnetwork/cisco.com/community/certifications/ccent Cisco Mind Share Game: http://www.cisco.com.go/mindshare

Q. Where can I find job information on the Cisco Learning Network? The Cisco Learning Network job board can be accessed directly at: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/careers/get_working/job_portal Q. What types of learning content can I access? Registered users can access and rate all learning games, learning modules, practice questions, technical white papers, Learning Center technical and business content, exclusive demo downloads, technical videos, and more.