Networking Career Path Graphic
Here is another interesting graphic from the Cisco Networking Academy.
This time, the graphic relates to Cisco networking certifications and job roles.
The graphic showed up both in my LinkedIn feed and in my Twitter feed over at @CRyanczak.
Basically, the graphic is trying to give you an idea on how to plan your future career in networking, using certifications and training provided by Cisco.
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| Cisco Networking Career Path |
The graphic is divided into three sections:
- Entry-Level
- Associate-Level
- Professional-Level
Entry-Level
The Entry-Level section consists of what Cisco is calling "Networking Essentials (Version 3.0)". "Networking Essentials" consists of four online courses available from Cisco Networking Academy. The online courses are the following:
- Networking Basics
- Networking Devices and Initial Configuration
- Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting
- Network Support and Security
Apparently, these four courses are available as instructor-led courses. That's interesting as I have always assumed that these four courses were only available online. If you want to more information on how to attend these four courses in-person as opposed to online learning, then I suggest that you search around the Cisco Community website. Completing the four "Networking Essentials" online classes is supposed to put you on what Cisco terms the Network Technician Career Path. According to Cisco, these four classes provide a basic technical and theoretical foundation to qualify you for a Network Technician job role (see graphic). Whether these four online classes provide you with enough knowledge to get a network technician job remains to be seen. Thus far, I have completed both the "Networking Basics" and "Networking Devices and Initial Configuration" online classes. Right now, I have recently started "Module 6: Cisco Switches and Routers" in the Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting online course. After I complete the fourth online course, Network Support and Security, I am planning on starting to apply for Network Technican job openings in my area and see what happens. Of course, I will post updates right here on my blog as I apply for these jobs. Apparently, there are quite a few data center-related jobs in the Maricopa County area. Hopefully, I will be able to secure a network technician job somewhere in the Glendale-Peoria-Phoenix area.
Furthermore, Cisco maintains that completing the four "Networking Essentials" online courses will prepare you for Cisco's revamped certification for Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) in Networking. A few years ago, I remember when Cisco removed the CCST from its list of certifications. When the CCST certification was withdrawn, the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification became the entry-level Cisco certification. Well, the CCST certification is now officially back. The question is will I even bother to pay the $120 testing fee for the certification exam? That is a good question. If you had asked me that question a few months ago, I would have answered in the affirmative. Now, I am not so sure.
As I have worked my way through the four online classes, my opinion on the value of the CCST certification has changed. In the amount of time that I have spent on these "entry-level" classes, I could have just started studying for CCNA back from square one. In other words, I spent A LOT of TIME and EFFORT on these "entry-level" classes, such as taking copious notes in several notebooks, watching all of the training videos, and completing the Packet Tracer exercises. As a result, there has to be some kind of payoff for that kind of effort.
On the other hand, I can say that I have learned A LOT about how computer networking works. If I have to complete another module about the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), then I think that my head will explode. As a result of these online classes, I am a better user of the Packet Tracer software program than I was when I attempted to study for CCNA a couple of years ago.
Getting back to the career progression graphic, I hope to complete the Network Addressing and Basic Troubleshooting online course within the next week or so. Once that online course is complete, I will then start the Network Support and Security online course. It is the shortest course of the four.
ADDED BONUS: While these four online classes may be classified as "entry-level", they BLOW AWAY anything offered by CompTIA for their Network+ certification. Believe me, I wasn't a very happy person when I tried to study for the Network+ certification. I still don't know how CompTIA considers the Network+ certification to be an "entry-level" certification, but that's for another blog post at another time.
Associate-Level
Moving on to the Associate-Level section of the career progression graphic...
Predictably, the centerpiece certification of the Associate-Level section is the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). Surprised? Shocked?
There are two major ways to study for the CCNA certification. First, you can attend an instructor-led course. Cisco breaks up the CCNA certification into three courses. In sequential order, the classes are:
- CCNA: Introduction to Networks
- CCNA: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials
- CCNA: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation
So, you how do you attend an instructor-led course for these three CCNA classes? The easiest way would be go to Cisco's webpage and then search for instructor-led training in your area. There might be Cisco-authorized providers in your area that specialize in providing training for IT certifications, such as CCNA, A+, Network+, Security+, Microsoft Azure, and so on. You might also find that there is a community college in your area that offers classes that might prepare you for taking the CCNA certification exam. When I make another effort to study for CCNA, I will go through Cisco's website with a fine-tooth comb to find a provider that offers the three training classes for CCNA. Just know going in that the tuition for these three classes is EXPENSIVE. I could be wrong, but I think I remember seeing a $739 price tag from a provider in the Phoenix, AZ area for the CCNA: Introduction to Networks class. Aside from the cost of tuition, you might have to wait weeks or months to attend an instructor-led class at an authornized provider.
Don't want to attend an instructor-led class at a Cisco-authorized provider? Well, Cisco offers these classes online. Again, you will have to pay money to enroll in the CCNA online classes. Cisco doesn't offer these classes for free.
Believe it or not, there is a third option for studying for CCNA. It's self-study. You can purchase the official CCNA certification guides online from Amazon, from Cisco Press, or from a local bookstore. You can then download Cisco Packet Tracer for free from Cisco's webpage. The Cisco webpage has a ton of FREE resources for studying for CCNA. Probably too many. There is a caveat to self-study, however. The caveat is that you have to be very self-disciplined to study for CCNA on your own. It can be a daunting task to study for CCNA by yourself. I tried studying for CCNA by myself a couple of years ago. Once I got to the chapters that covered VLANs and the Spanning Tree Protocol after studying for a couple of months, I got OVERWHELMED. It was a humbling experience. Plus, it didn't help that I always seemed to be busy with work. When I study for CCNA again, I will seriously consider attending an instructor-led course(s).
According to Cisco, once you pass the CCNA certification exam, you are qualified to become a Network Engineer job role.
Congratulations.
Alternatively, according to Cisco's career progression graphic, you can go the DevNet Associate route after completing the CCNA: Introduction to Networks class. Once you pass the Cisco Certified DevNet Associate certification, you are then qualified to be a DevOps Engineer. What is a DevOps Engineer? I couldn't tell you. In my six years working at the Social Security Administration's Tier 1 IT help desk, I never met anyone that had that certification or wanted to study for that certification.
Here is what Cisco has to say about the DevNet Associate certification from their own website: "Achieving Cisco Certified DevNet Associate certification proves your skills in developing and maintaining applications built on Cisco platforms." The DevNet certification covers "the fundamentals of software development and design for Cisco platforms." That description could explain why I haven't met anyone that pursuing that Cisco certification.
Expert-Level
The third section of the career progression chart is labelled as Expert-level.
I have to admit that I don't know much about the CCNP certification. To be honest, the CCNP is not even on my radar.
Here is how Cisco describes the CCNP certification on their own website:
Achieving CCNP Enterprise certification proves your skills with enterprise networking solutions. To earn CCNP Enterprise certification, you pass two exams: one that covers core enterprise technologies and one concentration exam of your choice, so you can customize your certification to your technical area of focus. Candidates must pass the required exams to earn the certification. Having an active Specialist certification does not fulfill the exam requirements for Professional- and Expert-level certifications.
Thus, to achieve the CCNP certification, you must pass the certification exam for 350-401 ENCOR: Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies. Then, you must pass the certification exam for one of the following concentrations:
- 300-410 ENARSI: Implementing Cisco Enterprise Advanced Routing and Services
- 300-415 ENSDWI: Implementing Cisco SD-WAN Solutions
- 300-420 ENSLD: Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks
- 300-425 ENWLSD: Designing Cisco Enterprise Wireless Networks
- 300-430 ENWLSI: Implementing Cisco Enterprise Wireless Networks
- 300-435 ENAUTO: Automating Cisco Enterprise Solutions
- 300-440 ENCC: Designing and Implementing Cloud Connectivity
- 300-445 ENNA: Designing and Implementing Enterprise Network Assurance
So, if you achieve the CCNP certification, what can you do with it?
Well, according to Cisco, the CCNP certification trains you to be a... (Wait for it.) Network Administrator.
Finally, if you haven't had enough of studying for CCNA and CCNP, you can then study for the CCIE certification. You can read about the CCIE certification here.
