As network engineers skills become more and more generalized, Cisco aims to match its certifications to the skills that network engineers need in their daily lives.
Announced at Cisco Live 2019, new modifications to Cisco certification are deployed on February 24, 2020. Experts praised the relevant equipment and the myriad of subjects that Cisco certifications cover with these changes and potential advantages for network engineers. With more Focus on automation and software skills And less on the coding languages ​​rarely used, Cisco aims to bring out its certification in the new decade.
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) and Cisco Expert (CCIE) have all widened the extent of covered subjects, but all narrowed. Cisco too Introduced new Devnet certifications Among other Cisco certification changes.
How have existing Cisco certifications changed?
The standard Cisco – CCNA, CCNP and CCIE – have all added new materials that aim to be more relevant for current working roles and to advance the career of network engineers. In addition to the new equipment, the certifications also include fewer track options than before.
Cisco certified network partner. CCNA is an entry -level certification for network engineers at the start of their career. In the past, Cisco published Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT), which was the measure before CCNA. After Ccent, CCNA offered different certifications for various career tracks, including routing and change of CCNA and CCNA collaboration.
Now Ccent has left, and recent Cisco certification changes have transformed the CCNA of 10 distinct tracks into a single unified exam, outside the CCNA Cyberops track. The author of Cisco Wendell Odom said Most subjects in the new CCNA review come from the old CCNA routing and switching track, with around a third of new materials.
A CCNA certification is not a prerequisite for higher certifications, but it provides fundamental networking skills that network engineers need for current working roles.
Cisco Certified Network Professional. CCNP is an intermediate level certification and a CCNA stage. Similar to CCNA changes, Cisco has consolidated CCNP certification tracks, although less radically than with CCNA. Cisco has reduced the CCNP from eight to five tracks, which, as accused, reflect the holistic changes in the industry to bring more relevant equipment to Cisco certifications.
According to Cisco, the new CCNP tracks – which are also the new CCIE tracks – are as follows:
- Business
- Security
- Service provider
- Collaboration
- Data center
Although it is the five basic examinations that a network engineer can take, they must also take a concentration examination in the basic subject to reach a CCNP certification. If a person only passes the basic examination and goes, they receive a Cisco certified certified specialist in this area.
Network engineers can take several basic or concentration exams and receive specialized Cisco certified certification during success, which can prove to employers that the engineer has these specific skills.
The authors Brad Edgeworth and Jason Gooley said These changes have not deleted a lot of equipment, but they have added more width to knowledge and skills network engineers should have in their career.
Cisco certified internet expert. CCIE is an expert level certification and a CCNP stage. The CCIE and CCNP tracks fall under the same umbrellas and have narrowed the five aforementioned tracks. To become CCIE certified, network engineers must take and take a basic examination – business, security, etc. – and the corresponding laboratory of this subject.
Previously, CCIE exams focused more on very advanced skills and less on critical knowledge in areas such as Network design skills. After Cisco certification changes, CCIE exams now include more practical knowledge for advanced network engineers.

What are the new Cisco certifications?
In Cisco's new Devnet trackThe company has added three certifications which reflect the certification pyramid for Cisco Standard certifications. Devnet certifications are as follows:
- Cisco Certified Devnet Associate
- Cisco certified Devnet specialist
- Cisco Certified Devnet Professional
The Devnet tracks include Network automationSoftware and programmability skills that previously had Cisco certifications and that industry has deemed more and more important.
While Devnet does not have an equivalent track to the CCIE, the requirements for a Devnet certification reflect those of Its equivalent In standard Cisco certifications. For example, a person must succeed in a core and a concentration exam to receive a professional Cisco Devnet certification.
Devnet Track's objective is to give network engineers a certification path for the skills that industry says they need and help them adapt to more recent advanced technologies – such as network automation – that employers are looking for more and more. And, while industry continues to change, Cisco certifications too.

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