Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
The CCNA certification was the first in the new line of Cisco certifications and was the precursor
to all higher Cisco certifications. The CCNA is no longer an entry-level certification,
hence the need for Cisco to create the CCENT certification. After you pass the ICND1 exam,
which provides you with a CCENT certification, you can take just one more test, the ICND2
(640-816), and you will receive your CCNA certification.
However, the Cisco Certified Network Associate can be achieved by taking either one test
at $150 (640-802) or two tests at $125 each (ICND1 and ICND2). All the CCNA exams are
extremely hard and cover a lot of material, so you have to really know your stuff! Taking a
Cisco class or spending months with hands-on experience is not out of the norm.
And once you have your CCNA, you don’t have to stop there—you can choose to continue
with your studies and achieve a higher certification, called the Cisco Certified Network
Professional (CCNP). Someone with a CCNP has all the skills and knowledge they need to
attempt the Routing and Switching CCIE lab. Just becoming a CCNA can land you that job
you’ve dreamed about.