Going on a Cisco certification course a getting a Cisco certification is quite an achievement. These exams are notoriously difficult, with a pass mark of 85% and weighting of practical questions these tests separate the men from the boys.
A Cisco certification is a very good thing to have on your resume- if you’re applying for entry level networking jobs. If you want to get into serious networking, security, VoIP convergence and any sort of physical network administration and design go this route from the very beginning.
Being the biggest provider of networking hardware in the world these certifications are considered industry standard for networking professionals regardless of the hardware they operate.
Some of the predicted fastest growing fields of computing such as VoIP, security and wireless are based on basic networking that starts at the CCNA.
Due to the size of the exam question pool and dependence on practical skills it is virtually impossible to cheat on a Cisco exam. This is very good news for candidates who want to achieve a well respected accreditation.
At entry level you’ll want to look at the Intro exam, the first of 2 exams for the CCNA qualification. It is possible to take the CCNA in 1 exam however if you are new to the computing and networking it’s not advisable. I took it in 1 exam but only because I have 7 years computing experience.
Cisco Certification Course - INTRO
Intro, as its name suggests is an introduction to foundational network theory, history and standards. Much of the content of this exam crosses over with Network+ - not all of it though. As it is a Cisco exam it is vendor specific unlike CompTIA Network+.
As well as theory you’ll cover basic router and switch configuration, IP addressing and subnetting, routing protocols, wide area networking (WAN) fundamentals and more.
There is a vast amount of information to take in to pass this exam, not only will you learn theory and networking standards but you’ll also develop an in depth knowledge of the TCP/IP suite of protocols.
One of the main stumbling blocks people find when studying for CCNA certification is IP subnetting. People dread learning how to subnet and if you don’t develop the ability to do it very quickly in your head you don’t stand a chance of passing the exam.
The good news is that it’s really not rocket science; it took me an afternoon of studying for it to click, then all I did was practice, practice and practice some more. A decent Cisco certification course will cover subnetting and have you doing it at lightning speed in your head.
Being able to subnet IP address schemes in your head is like riding a bike or learning to drive a car, once you have the skill you’ll always have it.
IP addressing and subnetting is tested extensively on the exam so you have to be able to do it quickly and confidently.
Cisco Certification Course - ICND
The Introduction to Cisco Networking Devices exam is the second half of the CCNA certification. This exam focuses more on hands-on ability with Cisco devices.
It’s safe to say that without hands-on skills you won’t become CCNA certified. For this reason it is essential to practice configuring routers and switches until you are blue in the face.
People get their hands-on practice in different ways. Depending on budget some people buy second hand routers and switches off of ebay and physically configure them. This is a very good investment for anyone serious about pursuing further Cisco certification with the intention of enjoying a long term career in networking.
Another option is to purchase a simulator. Some people will say that they do not compare to the real thing however in the exam you will use a simulator so Cisco think they are good enough!
Another option is to rent online rack time. These are real routers and switches that you can log into over the Internet and practice your labs for a set fee. This is good if you are on a budget but the drawback here is that you can’t always book the timeslot you want if the equipment is booked out by someone else.
This isn’t very good if you’re running up to the exam and there are no slots available. At least if you have your own equipment or simulator you can practice as much as you want when you want.
Cisco Certification Course - Conclusion
A Cisco certification course is suited to those wanting to pursue a career in networking. There are numerous resources available to candidates who are serious about getting qualified.
The learning curve at the beginning is very steep, the exams are very hard and the first time failure rate is around 50%
The rewards are well worth the effort for this specialised field of computing.
A Cisco certification is a very good thing to have on your resume- if you’re applying for entry level networking jobs. If you want to get into serious networking, security, VoIP convergence and any sort of physical network administration and design go this route from the very beginning. 
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