I mentioned Wednesday in this blog that Cisco announced three new CCNA exams this week at Networkers: CCNA Voice, CCNA Security, and CCNA Wireless. On the flight down to Orlando, I was pondering the question "why". Turns out that my #1 guess as to why was the main reason I heard from Cisco when I asked at the booth this week. But, just as importantly, I thought is was important to consider what the new certs are not supposed to be.
First on what it's not: It's not a new requirement on Channel Partners. Normally, cert changes have some requirements on Channel Partners, which then results in more time/expense, but no such requirement exists in this case. (Well, at least for today. Never know down the road. That's just me thinking out loud, by the way.)
Second: the new exams aren't required of CCSP/CCVP candidates for a year. So, plenty of time to keep on rolling.
Third: There's no net extra effort or exam for CCSP wanna-bes even with the new CCNA Sec. If you start with the new CCNA Security exam, you'll have 1 less CCSP exam to take (see http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le37/le54/learning_certification_type_home.html). So, comparing the effort and exams to go from the traditional CCNA to CCSP should not require more time/exams than with the addition of CCNA Security.
Fourth, for CCVP candidates, you have maybe ½ exam worth of extra effort in you start with the new CCNA Voice exam. Again, you can essentially ignore this week's announcements for a year, and use the old rules. But, if you instead start with CCNA Voice, you'd have 1 more test to take - the CCNA Voice (IIUC) exam - and then the same old CCVP exams, for a total of 1 more exam. However, there's some overlap between the current CCVP exams and the new IIUC exam, so I'd say it's more like adding half an exam to your CCVP.
To net it out - the changes don't negatively impact CCSP, only add a little effort for CCVP compared to today, and the new certs aren't required of Channel Partners.
So, on to the harder question: why did Cisco do it all? In short:
To give the Networking Generalists a way to certify their skills.
To net it out then, there's no requirement that you take any of the three new CCNAs unless you want to pursue CCVP or CCSP, and then only if you take more than a year from now to finish it. Even then, it's probably a wash for the Security track, and a half-exam effort for the Voice track. It's more of a carrot - you can certify your skills in a variety of key networking technologies, or get all 3 new CCNAs and proove yourself a generalist. As you may remember, many times, even in this blog, people ask "what after CCNA"? Before this week, the answer was to pick a technology and get deeper, ie CCNP, CCSP, CCIP, CCVP. Now, we've got another whole option: get 1 or more of the new CCNA's, and show that you've got broad networking skills.
I'll probably do at least 1 more post on this new announcement, but let me stop there for now, and let all of you give me your thoughts. If you take the above at face value, do you like the idea of people getting multiple CCNAs? Does it help demonstrate a person's broad knowledge of networking? Is it appealing compared to going for a CCxP? Let me know!
Odom, CCIE No, 1624, splits time between writing books for Cisco Press and teaching classes for Skyline ATS. In his 25-ish years in the networking industry, he has worked as as a pre-sale and post-sale SE for a few networking vendors, as well as a network engineer implementing network technology. Wendell has spent the majority of the last 15 years teaching, consulting, and writing about networking technologies, most of which in some way relate to Cisco products. His books include titles on QoS, CCIE R/S, as well as several titles related to CCNA certification, including the September 2007 book CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (CCNA Exam 640-802) (Read a sneak peek of chapter 7). Click for the list of current titles by Wendell.
|
|
"Generalist", hmm thats one
"Generalist", hmm thats one way of putting it =)
I think the new certs are positive step. As you pointed out, it doesn't really impact the CCSP, however it does give someone at the CCNA level a more accessible (in theory) entry point into the Security domain.
IMO, if your starting out and you have your CCNA and are interested in pursuing the CCSP or CCVP--and your current employment doesn't enable you to build experience with these technologies, the new certs really bridge the gap. More to the point, I think it'd be a tough sell to hire a CC*P if they haven't developed CC*P level experience--forcing the person to take a less advanced role, that they likely could achieve with just the CCNA Security or CCNA Voice.
Also, if you really plan on going the distance with Cisco Networking and obtaining the CCSP or CCVP, the new exams allow you to have an additional certification (and specialization)with a single exam--in a matter of months, as opposed to 1-2 years for a CC*P certification. I say its better to have an entry level certification if you seek "entry" into Security or Voice--build your skill set and experience first and work on your CC*P overtime.
Just my 2 cents
What really disappoints me,
What really disappoints me, and has for a few years now, is that Cisco retired the CCCS (Cisco Certified Cable Specialist) exam and didn't/haven't replaced it with anything else.I was hoping there might have been something in this announcement.
The cable side, when you see how many VXR's and 1OK's there are out there, would fit very neatly into this "halfway" house of CCNA certs.It was the reason I started on the CCNA track on the first place.
Wendell-any chance you could ask someone in Cisco training if they have any plans to re-place the CCCS exam?
cheers
stew
I can try!
Hey Stew,
I can try to find an answer. I don't know if it'll ever bubble up with the folks I know at the professional certs group. You might get some traction with a post to the new www.cisco.com/go/learnnetspace community site. If you do, re-post here!
Wendell
For Cisco, certs are first
For Cisco, certs are first and foremost:
- A cash cow, milking candidates
- An extension of its marketing efforts.
Compared to the enterprise space, the carrier space is small, and the cable space smaller still. There are few cert candidate cows to milk.
As for marketing, Cisco already has a very healthy presence in the CMTS and STB space with very few remaining competitors. It acquired Scientific-Atlanta, and competes only against ARRIS and Motorola. ADC, Big Band, and Juniper have all left the building.
Consequently, there's little ROI incentive for Cisco to spend money on re-developing a cable cert track.
New Certs
Hi Wendell,
I recently completed my CCNP series and will have CCSP done in a few weeks. You know we get a nice introduction to Voice and Wireless all throughout the CCNP series especially in ONT as well.
I like what I see here. After looking at the exam objectives I'd feel more comfortable knowing these guys had at least that level of knowledge before I brought them into my department.
As far as the number of exams... it's not about exams. It's about presenting an objective measure of ones competancy in a set of skills or knowledge. 3 exams or 5 so what... just show me the goods. The only thing that should matter is the extra $150.00 of beer money I had to pay for another exam.
BTW... Wendell, Your technical editor Terri Cook was my first CCNA instructor 3 or 4 years ago. Have her check that Key Topic Point on pg 207 in CCENT/ICND1 text. 9600|8|N|1 or 9600baud, 8bits data, no parity, 1 stop bit. Hi Terri... :)
Skills rule, certs drool again?
John,
Yep, it always gets back to skills doesn't it? I too am liking what I see with the new CCNAs.
Terri and Tammi - the Network Twins - rock. They did a great job on the books. I always ask for them to work on my new projects!
Thanks for the post.
Wendell
More to think about.
Mr Wendell,
Aragoen here, your favorite stalker! ;) Geez! I just finished my CCNA and now there's more to think about. I was really set on going straight to CCNP but a week before I took my CCNA test, these new CCNA tracks were announced.
I'm still going to go straight to CCNP but with all these new CCNA tracks, I'll have to consider them more seriously based off the enriching experience I've had while studying for the CCNA.
But to give you a little bit of my opinion about some your questions: getting multiple CCNAs. The CCNA has gone through serious devaluation over the years. But over the years, the exam itself has gotten more difficult. And yes, it IS a difficult exam - mainly because of the broad topics it covers. But done correctly, a person can gain a lot of knowledge and basic skills out of it. Although I have to admit that I studied far more than what the exam demanded from me. That's only because I have a goal in mind and I took my CCNA experience as preparation for the more advanced stuff. So getting multiple CCNAs, if done correctly, to acquire valuable skills, not just to pass a cert, can be a good thing.
I realize that routing and switching is no longer the price to achieve. It is now just a basis to move to other things such as voice or security. I think the new CCNAs would only be beneficial to someone following a certain track. Getting all the CCNA certs might not be the smartest things if you only plan to specialize in voice later. Obviously it doesn't make sense. Does it demonstrate broad knowledge of the subject? Yes and no. I thought the exam itself was very manageable. The CCNA blueprint asked me to know all those bulleted objectives and I did my best to know them well. Anyone that does that can safely say that they have acquired that broad knowledge you're referring to. But if you only study enough to make sure you know the right answer to the cert exam, that might not pass as knowledge. And I certainly hope I've studied enough to gain that knowledge that I can build upon with CCNP training - you need to have depth to complement breadth.
In the end, I like what Cisco is doing. Is it a ploy to make more money? I don't know. They are in business to make money after all. But I have to believe that the think tanks in the Cisco dungeons have considered how these new certs will be of help to the networking world. If the excitement I've been noticing from forumers and bloggers are any indication, maybe this new thing is good enough to get people to be more excited about training and gaining valuable skills. It could serve as a catalyst to get them going.
There's nothing more prestigious than to flash those credit card sized token of your achievements ;)
I'm being facetious, of course.
Arogoen, Yep, nothing like
Arogoen,
Yep, nothing like being able to go to parties and introduce yourself with a business card that's covered with nothing but IT cert logos! Great way to break the ice and make an impression! ;-)
I think from a sequencing perspective, I think the measurement of how many people go for the new CCNAs as an end to themselves - rather than a side-effect of getting an CCxP - will tell us whether its hit the mark or not.
Wendell