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Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certifications

Certification: Cisco CCNP Enterprise - CCNP Enterprise

Certification overview

It is expected for any IT practitioner to update his/her skills and knowledge on various IT systems, products, services and other technological developments. One of the most highly regarded group of accreditations available today is the Cisco certification. This accredication advances the level of the candidate's resume – it is a validation of the expertise and technical aptitude of candidates. Cisco network certification has various levels: Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert and Architect. These levels of expertise are attained by passing CCNP exams.

The professional level of Cisco certification is an advanced degree that validates more expertise with networking skills. Being a Cisco certified network professional (CCNP) warrants an IT practitioner's skills and qualifications in handling Cisco networking products and services. Under the professional level, a candidate could apply for a certification in various paths:

  • Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)
  • CCNP Routing and Switching
  • CCNP Data Center
  • CCNP Security
  • CCNP Service Provider
  • CCNP Service Provider Operations
  • CCNP Voice
  • CCNP Wireless

CCNP Data Center certification is for business services and technology architects, as well as for presales, design, and implementation engineers who would like to save time, effort and resources on data center blueprint, installation, and maintenance. CCNP Data Center certification is a training and certification program that is focused on job roles and permit an individual to maximize investment in education and elevate the value of data center network.

CCNP Routing and Switching certification warrants a candidate's capabilities to plan, execute, confirm, and troubleshoot wide-area as well as local organizational networks. It also validates the IT professional's ability to collaborate with experts specializing on advanced security, voice, wireless and video solutions. These skills and knowledge are tested through the CCNP route final exam.

Built specifically for the job role of the Cisco Network Security Engineer is the CCNP Security certification program. This enables the security engineer to ensure security in routers, switches, networking devices and appliances. The training also prepares the engineer for weighing options, deploying, supporting and troubleshooting Firewalls, VPNS, as well as IDS/IPS solutions for network systems. There are CCNP Security PDF files accessible online that elaborate and give a wider perspective on this path.

CCNP Service Provider is for network engineers, systems engineers, and network specialists who are tasked with delivering an infrastructure that is scalable and carrier-grade and can expand rapidly to support introduction of new managed services and other requirements.

CCNP SP Operations certification on the other hand is for network professionals to demonstrate knowledge and skills needed to seclude network performance problems and execute fault measures. However, this certification is being retired and the last day to take the test for CCNP Service Provider Operations certification will be on January 31, 2015.

The advance knowledge and skills required to integrate into underlying network architectures are validated by CCNP Voice certification. This also validates a set of knowledge and know-hows on executing, configuring, operating, and troubleshooting a clustered IP network.

Lastly, CCNP Wireless certification emphasizes principles and theory of networking. This confirms the IT professional's skills and knowledge in designing, implementing, and operating Cisco Wireless networks as well as mobility infrastructures.

Any Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification can act as prerequisite to CCNP certifications. The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification equivalent of the candidate's chosen path could also be a prerequisite to CNNP certification.

For the CCNP Service Provider, any of the following could be prerequisites:

  • Valid Cisco CCNA Service Provider
  • Valid Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching plus have passed minimum of 1 CCIP exam (QOS, BGP, MPLS, BGP+MPLS, ROUTE, BSCI)
  • Valid Cisco CCIP
  • Any Cisco CCIE certification

To take the CCNP Voice certification, it is required to have a Cisco CCNA Voice, CCNA Video or any Cisco CCIE certification.

Required exams

A candidate must complete the required CCNP exams for the chosen certification. Each test tackles various aspects needed for the chosen path. Because of these multiple exams, CCNP PDF files online are popular among candidates who are reviewing to qualify as CCNP. For CCNP Data Center certification, a candidate must pass the required CCNP exams with the following CCNP exam code:

  • 642-999 DCUCI, 642-997 DCUFI
  • 642-998 DCUCD, 642-996 DCUFD or
  • 642-035 DCUCT, 642-980 DCUFT

For CCNP route exam and CCNP switch exam, the following tests with CCNP exam codes must be taken:

  • 642-902 ROUTE or 300-101 ROUTE
  • 642-813 SWITCH or 300-115 SWITCH
  • 642-832 TSHOOT or 300-135 TSHOOT

CCNP Security certification requires 4 tests with the following CCNP exam codes to be completed by the candidate:

  • 300-208 SISAS
  • 300-206 SENSS
  • 300-209 SIMOS
  • 300-207 SITCS

There are 4 exams to be completed to qualify for a CCNP Service Provider certification:

  • 642-883 SPROUTE
  • 642-885 SPADVROUTE
  • 642-887 SPCORE
  • 642-889 SPEDGE

There are also required tests for candidates aiming to achieve CCNP Service Provider Operations certification. The CCNP exam code names for these test are:

  • 642-770 OFCN
  • 642-775 MSPRP
  • 642-780 MSPVM
  • 642-785 MSPQS

For candidates aspiring to attain a CCNP Voice certification, the following exams are required:

  • 642-437 CVOICE
  • 642-447 CIPT1
  • 642-457 CIPT2
  • 642-427 TVOICE
  • 642-467 CAPPS

Candidates seeking CCNP Wireless certification need to pass the following exams:

  • 642-732 CUWSS
  • 642-742 IUWVN
  • 642-747 IUWMS
  • 642-737 IAUWS

Required courses

As preparation for the required CCNP exams, students are recommended to complete courses that would educate them for the test. Each test has an equivalent training that would prepare the candidate for the evaluation. Aside from studying downloadable CCNP PDF files, students subscribe to Cisco accredited learning centers to prepare for each CCNP exam. For CCNP Data Center certification, the following trainings should be completed:

- Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFT)

- Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCI),

- Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCT)

- Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFI), Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCD), Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFD), or

As for CCNP route exam and CCNP switch exam, the following trainings are recommended before taking the examination:

  • Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks (TSHOOT)
  • Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE)
  • Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH)

CNNP Security certification also requires trainings before the qualifying exams could be taken. These are:

  • Implementing Cisco Threat Control Solutions (SITCS)
  • Implementing Cisco Edge Network Security Solutions (SENSS)
  • Implementing Cisco Secure Access Solutions (SISAS)

For those aspiring to achieve the CCNP Service Provider certification, it is recommended to complete the following courses:

  • Implementing Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Edge Network Services (SPEDGE)
  • Deploying Cisco Service Provider Advanced Routing (SPADVROUTE)
  • Implementing Cisco Service Provider Next-Generation Core Network Services (SPCORE)
  • Deploying Cisco Service Provider Network Routing (SPROUTE)

Five trainings are recommended for IT professionals who would be taking the CCNP Voice certification examination:

  • Integrating Cisco Unified Communications Applications (CAPPS v8.0)
  • Implementing Cisco Voice Communications and QoS (CVOICE v8.0)
  • Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communications (TVOICE v8.0)
  • Implementing Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Part 2 (CIPT2 v8.0)
  • Implementing Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Part 1 (CIPT1 v8.0)

Cisco CCNP Wireless certification covers 4 exams and a candidate must pass all of these in order to get the certification. These are:

  • Implementing Advanced Cisco Unified Wireless Security (IAUWS)
  • Conducting Cisco Unified Wireless Site Surveys (CUWSS)
  • Implementing Cisco Unified Mobility Services (IUWVN)
  • Implementing Cisco Unified Wireless Voice Networks (IUWMS)

Study materials

Various study materials are available online to help a candidate prepare for his/her CCNP exams. There also is a study group for every path and level where candidates could ask questions and share ideas and tips with other students who are also aspiring to attain their certifications. Candidates can also avail of instructor-led trainings in preparing for their CCNP exams.