Cisco is one of the biggest technology companies available anywhere, & just like 'Microsoft', is a market leader. It began together with many more in the I.T. silicon-valley explosion of the 1980's, and has become the worldwide major networking hardware developer. Every year Cisco's R and D outlay on it's own comes to something like $5 billion. Technology from 'Cisco' underpins the whole web. Cisco provide over 2/3rds of the network hardware employed around the world at this time. Unsurprisingly then, anyone planning to build a career related to networking-hardware should preferably refer to 'Cisco'. Cisco also has a number of trading-arms that necessarily permeate the Security, VOIP (Voice Over IP) Communications and Wireless-Data (Wi-Fi) fields - as they gain more business relevance.

Following the CCNA, accreditation tracks are varied and could very well include a specialization in Security or Wireless areas, alternatively you could look at progressing onto the 'CCNP' (Cisco Certified Networking Professional.) It's not advisable to consider taking the CCNP until you've totally completed your 'CCNA'. You'd expect to be working in a 'Cisco' environment for not less than a year or two (together with your 'CCNA' accreditation) prior to getting started to train for your 'CCNP'. There are actually some exceptions to this, mainly if you have worked in IT for some time, & have got equivalent accreditation covering much of similar information (armed service examinations for example.) In essence, if you're starting off in I.T., no recruiter will expect you to be at such a high level of accreditation, and could quite rightly question your exact understanding, if you've not even worked in a 'CCNA' role first.

It's hardly surprising then that Cisco has a wide range of accreditation routes, handling all of its various technologies & it's patents. Individuals are often recommended to start with the same certification course, & then branch into specialised subjects as they develop. The 'Cisco' CCNA ('Cisco Certified Network Associate') training program consists of two exams, that will equip the right entrant candidate with the necessary skill in installation, configuration, operation, and trouble-shooting of middle-sized enterprise-level router and data-switched networks.

The 2 examinations are 640/802, and they are divided like this - The ICND1 (640/822), and the ICND2 (640/816). ICND is short for Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices, but the 'ICND1' exam is often known as 'CCENT' (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician). While all of this may seem like a mouth full (as often seems the case with IT acronyms,) the most straightforward way to take this qualification is as the blended 'CCNA' (640/802) examination. An outstanding career training-track for Cisco entrants would be a blended package starting with CompTIA A+ , followed by CompTIA N+ and then the rather more specialised 'Cisco' CCNA. A merged training package such as this should take approximately a year to finish if studying part time. Technical IT training programs should always offer you solid qualified support. Make sure you select one with 24 hour, instant reply provision. Search also for the latest multi-media study materials, & the best exam practice software.

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