Jon Baleva Jan 25, 2024
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Top Cisco Certifications in 2024

Cisco is a conglomerate that develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, software, telecommunications equipment and other high-end services and products. Cisco started providing certifications in 1993 with a small batch of IT employees, at present it has become the gold standard for IT Certification. 

Cisco certifications have played a significant role in reshaping the tech industry and have certified more than 4 million people worldwide so far in 30 years. The Cisco certifications are gaining popularity and the number of takers is on the rise as it helps IT professionals to upskill and stay updated in this competitive world. 

Cisco Systems provides top Networking Certifications that will enhance your career prospects and professional credibility. Information Technology is a vast field and the primary objective of  Cisco Certification is to restore balance among various IT domains and impart in-depth knowledge. The Cisco certification is divided into 4 levels. The table below highlights various levels of CISCO Certifications and the credentials under each level. 

CISCO Certification Levels

The Cisco certification is divided into 4 levels. The table below highlights various levels of CISCO Certifications and the credentials under each level. 

Entry-level Associate Level Professional Level Expert Level
Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician
(CCENT)
Cisco Certified Network Associate
(CCNA)
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
 
Cisco CyberOps Associate Cisco CyberOps Professional Cisco CyberOps Expert
Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE)
 
CCNP Collaboration CCIE Collaboration
CCNP Data Center CCNP Data Center
CCNP Security CCIE Security
CCNP Service Provider CCIE Service Provider
CCNP Enterprise
CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure
CCIE Enterprise Wireless

Best Cisco Certifications in 2024

Cisco-certified professionals are in huge demand worldwide, often commanding impressive salaries. Getting certified in Cisco from the best networking training institutes demonstrates your proficiency in Cisco technologies, making it a solid choice for those seeking career growth in networking. If you are interested in pursuing Cisco Certification,  the following are the most popular Cisco Certifications,

  • CCENT 
  • CCNA
  • CCNP
  • CCDP
  • CCIE
  • CCIE Security V6.0

Here’s a detailed explanation of the best Cisco Certifications that will help you understand these top Cisco Certifications better, 

Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)

The Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) is an entry-level Cisco Certification and one of the most commonly pursued Networking Certification that validates your skills for network support positions. There is no prerequisite for joining the CCENT Course.

This certification opens the door to a rewarding  IT career and imparts confidence to pursue advanced-level certifications.  The candidates are required to clear the CCENT examination of 90-minute duration to get certified in CCENT. It is to be noted that CCENT Certification is valid for 3 years. 

  • Top Skills: This certification imparts skills and knowledge to install, operate, and troubleshoot networks. 
  • Job Roles: Support Technician, Network Technician, and Help Desk Technician are the job roles you can pursue once you get CCENT Certification. 
  • Salary: The global average salary of CCENT professionals is $55,000 Per Year. 

The CCENT Certification is a prerequisite for advanced-level Cisco certifications like CCNA and CCND and the demand for CCENT Certification will continue to keep an upward trend in upcoming years This certification gives you a competitive edge in the IT job market and imparts confidence to carry out technical duties as a Network Technician in multinational companies. 

Here is the list of other major locations where Edoxi offers Networking Certification Courses
Networking Courses in Dubai |
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is an associate-level Cisco certification recognised by all major industry players. The candidates have to clear the CCNA 200-301 Exam to get certified and become a CCNA professional.  The CCNA 200-301 Exam includes 120 questions that cover a wide area of topics from routing & switching to network security. Along with CCENT certification, having working knowledge in IT and Computer Science will help you easily understand the core concepts to start your career as a CCNA professional

  • Top Skills: There are various benefits of CCNA certification, it validates your skill and knowledge in TCP, IP Connectivity and routing, Cabling and Wireless Security.  
  • Job Roles: Even though the CCNA Certification Cost is high, it enables you to take job roles such as Network Engineer, Systems Engineer and Technical Support Lead. 
  • Salary: The global annual pay for CCNA professionals is $71,110 a year. 

The role of CCNA Professionals has become more vital than ever. There are about one million CCNA professionals globally and their demand will continue to increase in the upcoming years. To keep up with the latest industrial standards, various changes have been made to the CCNA syllabus and exam pattern. Enrolling in the CCNA Training Institute will give you better clarity about the CCNA exam and help you stay updated. 

Navigate Networking Excellence with Edoxi. Here is the list of other major locations where Edoxi offers CCNA Course
CCNA Course in Dubai | CCNA Course in Sharjah |

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) is an advanced level Cisco certification that provides a firm knowledge base in physical and virtualized networks.  Individuals holding CCNA Certification can pursue CCNP Certification. A candidate requires rigorous training and has to pass three exams to get CCNP Certification namely; 

  • Cisco Exam # 300-101 "ROUTE":  This exam consists of a total of 45-55 questions including multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blanks, and drag-and-drop.  The candidates will be given 120 minutes to finish this exam.
  • Cisco Exam # 300-115 "SWITCH":For this exam, the candidate is expected to answer 45-65 questions within 120 minutes.  The candidates will be asked questions on Layer-2 Technologies and IT Infrastructure Services. 
  • Cisco Exam # 300-135 "TSHOOT": Each candidate will be allotted 120 minutes to answer 15-20 questions for this exam. Layer-3 Troubleshooting, VLAN Distribution, and Routing Protocols are some of the important topics covered in this exam. 

Scope: The candidate has to score  75% to get CCNP certification and this certification validates your skills to implement, verify and troubleshoot networks. Joining CCNP Training makes you capable of formulating plans to successfully implement networks in the organisation. Once you become a Cisco Certified Network Professional you can pursue job roles like Network Administrator, Systems Administrator, IT Manager, IT Project Lead etc. 

Unlock Advanced Networking Expertise at Edoxi. Here is the list of other major locations where Edoxi offers CCNP Course
CCNP Course in Dubai | CCNP Course in Sharjah

Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)

Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) Certification imparts knowledge of advanced routing protocols, service virtualization and the latest network designing tools. Candidates with Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) or CCNA Certification can pursue CCDP Certification. The candidates are required to have 6 years of work experience in network and security to appear for the CCDP exam. The candidates have to pass the following three exams to become Cisco Certified Design Professional,

  • 300-101  ROUTE: This exam evaluates your knowledge to analyse OSPF multiarea routing functions, implementing multi-protocol network solutions and many more. The candidate is required to answer 35-65 questions within 120 minutes. 
  • 300-115 SWITCH:This exam evaluates your skills in switch port configuration, multilayer switching, switch port configuration etc. The candidates have to attempt different patterns of questions and they will be allotted 120 minutes. 
  • 300-320 ARCH:This exam evaluates your knowledge and skills to create stable routing designs for  EIGRP, OSPF & BGP and many more. The candidates will be allotted 75 minutes and they have to answer 60-70 questions for this exam.  

Scope: The CCDP Certification validates your expertise in troubleshooting technically challenging networks and helps you upgrade your professional networking skills. The professionals have to renew their certification every 3 years. Becoming a Cisco Certified Design Professional enables you to take job roles such as Integrations Solution Consultant, Senior Network Engineer, and Network Analyst. 

Check out: What Is Cloud Networking And How Does It Work?

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Certification is an advanced technical certification for Networking Professionals. Individuals holding Professional-level Cisco credentials can pursue this certification. The candidates have to pass the 400-101 CCIE Routing and Switching Written and Lab Exam to get CCIE certification. 

The written exam section consists of 90-110 questions and the candidates will be allotted 120 minutes to finish the test. The  8-hour lab exam consists of 30 minutes of the diagnostic session, a 2-hour troubleshooting session and 5 hours 30 minutes of configuration session. The candidates are required to get 85% to pass the examination. 

  • Top Skills: This certification validates your skills and knowledge to handle advanced routers and switches to establish greater communication and networking systems. 
  • Job Roles: Network Security Engineer, Project Engineer, Senior Network Engineer and Data Security Engineer are the job roles you can pursue once you get CCIE Certification. 
  • Salary: Professionals can earn an average salary up to $1,02,000 P. A with CCIE Certification. 

There are over 50,000 active CCIE Certification holders worldwide. CCIE Certification training imparts wizard technical skills and makes you one of the finest networking professionals. As CCIE is a globally recognised certification you can work in any part of the world and you can keep enhancing your career prospects. 

Check out the Top System Administrator Certifications as well

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Security V6.0

CCIE Security V6.0 is a top-level Network Security Certification that is designed to prepare professionals for expert-level network security technologies and programmability. It is recommended to have 5-7 years of work experience in Networking to pursue this certification.

The candidates are required to pass the Implementing & Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR 350-701) Exam and 8-Hour CCIE Security v6.0 Lab Exam to get this certification. Content security, Network Security, Secured Network Access, visibility and enforcement and Endpoint Protection. 

  • Top Skills: This certification validates your skills and knowledge to design and implement core network security solutions. The training solidifies your knowledge in the network cycle from designing & deploying to operating & optimising. 
  • Job Roles: Network Architect, Senior Network Security Engineer, and Network Administrator are the job roles that you can pursue after getting certified. 
  • Salary: Professionals can earn an average salary of up to $1,09,600 P. A with this Certification. 

Getting a CCIE Security V6.0 Certificate enables you to undertake challenging roles in Network Security. This certification helps you to keep up with the ever-expanding threat landscape and enhance your career prospects in IT/Network Security. You can become a Principal Network Architect or Network Security Consultant with the help of a CCIE Security V6.0 Certificate. 

Check out the CISA Salary in UAE as well

Latest Changes in Cisco Certification Structure: 

The latest Cisco certification is designed to enable IT professionals and engineers to gain comprehensive knowledge in automation, development, networking, and IT security. The changes made in Cisco Certification ensure IT professionals keep up with the pace of changing technologies and get the latest industrial skills and knowledge. 

As a result, some structural changes were made to the Cisco Certification Roadmap. You can now earn Cisco Certified Expert certification by taking a non-CCNA exam and after getting CCNA Training. The new Cisco Certified Professional exam serves as a midpoint for anyone wishing to acquire a CCNP Certification. Once you have a professional qualification, you can continue to be certified as an Expert and Architect.

Check out: Best Entry-level IT Certifications to Launch Your Career

Wrapping Up:

The IT job market is getting more competitive with each passing and it has become inevitable to keep upskilling. If you are an IT fresher, Network Professional or an IT Professional looking forward to making a career switch in Networking, pursuing Cisco Certification is the best way to give a boost to your professional.

Cisco Certifications are agile and hold a high reputation in the IT job market. Pursuing Cisco Certification Training requires tremendous hard work and dedication. Before you consider pursuing it is necessary to look into your skill level, area of interest, certification cost, trainer’s fee and availability of timing.

Here is the list of other major locations where Edoxi offers CompTIA Courses

Locations Where Edoxi Offers CISCO Certification Courses

Here is a list of other major locations where Edoxi offers  CISCO Certification Courses

CISCO Training in Dubai

SENIOR TRAINER: NETWORKING AND PROGRAMMING

Jon Baleva is an IT professional with 20 years of experience in programming and networking. He is an expert in Python & IT Security domains as well as in Operating Systems (OS). He has trained professionals and students in IT Programming courses, Microsoft Azure, Linux   & MAC OS. He is also a writer who writes on tech-related topics for various tech magazines in Philippine. He is now an IT Trainer with Edoxi Training Institute, Dubai.

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