Cisco Certification Changes and Additions

Cisco recently added two designations to its Data Center Specialist group of certifications: Cisco Data Center Application Services Design Specialist and Cisco Data Center Application Services Support Specialist. The support certification has CCNA certification as a prerequisite while the design option requires CCDA certification first. Each requires an additional corresponding Data Center Application Services exam.

Is this Enough for CCNA

A firend of mine named Tesl and me are currently working away at our CCNA, and hope to get it within the next couple of weeks. We are trying to read all the material we can get his hands on, but we are a little worried that we need to buy some more.

We are using the Sybex CCNA 4th Edition by Todd Lammle. Has the exam changed enough to justify buying the 5th edition? Ideally we don't want to have to fork out more if its not really necessary.

We've read that book through front to back three times now, twice in the past week. We've a fair bit of background in networking so feel like We've picked it up really quickly. But is that book really enough to pass with? (HWe really can't afford to buy any equipment right now).

How much of a Cisco background do we have?

Admittedly, not that much. Obviously the N+ helps and W've limited experience with simple cisco router configurations, but since We don"t have our own equipment its hard to practice. Our new job is actually not in the IT field, although we will be looking for work in the Networking/Linux field not too long after arriving in Japan.

We've spent quite a bit of the time in the past writing a lot of networking code, including a linux kernel module that altered how the OS would respond to certain TCP/IP requests (for security reasons).

Some of that was a while back though, and obviously doesn't help with things like WAN technologies and the equipment/protocols used within those. We would say that is our weak point.

What are we using to prepare for the sims (the practical element of the exam)?

Alas, not that much. More or less just what we can find online, since we don"t have access to the equipment right now. We would honestly love to hit ebay and buy some bits and pieces, but it really isn't ideal right now. Once we get my own place to live sorted out, we may buy some cisco gear and set up my own lab once in Japan =)

Have a read through similar topics on the net and take some practice tests to gauge our knowledge.

We were away for a week where we picked up that book for the first time in about a year or so, and read it twice through. Doing the practice tests on the net we are scoring anywhere between 65% - 90%. Not really good enough.

The CCNA (List of Cisco CCNA Exams: 640-802, 640-822, 640-811, 640-821, 640-801, 640-816) doesn't strike us as being difficult per se, there is just quite a wide variety of information that needs to be memorised.

Cheaters be Advised, Cisco Will Catch You

In a recent article on TrainingIndustry.com, Rick Gregory reports on new exam security measures by Cisco and Pearson VUE intended to slap the cuffs on those who attempt to cheat or compromise exam security. In addition to the candidate identification program GoCertify has reported on in the past, LINK.Cisco and VUE have implemented an impressive exam forensics program that captures and analyzes every keystroke during a certification exam, including time spent on each question and much more. The resulting log is analyzed and compared to a storehouse of data profiles that have been developed based on age, sex, country, first time test takers, exam retakers, and numerous other criteria. If something doesn't measure up, Gregory reports, the exam taker may face civil and criminal charges. See what else Gregory has to report at TrainingIndustry.com.

Computer Certification: 2007 in Review and a Peek at What Lies Ahead

There was plenty going on in the certification marketplace in 2007, and the industry is showing signs of emerging from the relative doldrums of the last few years. From players large to small, certification vendors kept busy rolling out new exams and updating existing ones to incorporate the latest products and technologies. Going beyond maintenance, certification vendors are exhibiting an increasing will to revitalize the perception of computer certifications by employers and certification candidates, not just through wishful thinking, but with concrete action plans. It is not clear yet, however, how strong the will is to do this and what resources will truly be put into it, so success is far from assured.

Cisco Updates CCVP Exams

Cisco Systems announced yesterday that it has updated two exams for its mid level Cisco Certified Voice Professional certification.

The titles' Cisco IP Telephony exam has been updated to cover Cisco Unified CallManager 5.0 (exam 642-445). Candidates can now choose between it or the earlier exam, 642-444, which tackles CallManager 4.1.

Cisco also revamped the credential's Voice Gateways and Gatekeepers exam to a new version (642-453) that "features expanded labs, and updates to the lessons on IP to IP gateways and RSVP," the company said. The previous version of the exam, 642-452, will be retired in late April 2007.

Optional training courses for the new exams are available, as well.

The other three exams required to earn this title - Quality of Service, Cisco Voice over IP and IP Telephony Troublehsooting - were not updated.