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12.05.05
Recertifying Your CCNA And CCNP
 By Chris Bryant
Once you get your CCNA and CCNP, you can't just rest on your
accomplishment. You've got to continue to study and add to your skill set - and
then prove to Cisco you've been doing just that by recertifying.
Recertification sounds like a pain, but it's actually one of the best things to
ever happen to computer certification, and it helps your career as well. One trap
many LAN and WAN personnel fall into is that they fail to keep up with changes
in technology, and if they happen to be laid off or want to change jobs, they're
unable to because they didn't keep their skill set up.
Cisco's recertification policies ensure that if you want to keep your CCNA, CCNP,
or one of the other valuable Cisco certifications, you've got to take a recertification
exam.
As of November 2005, to recertify as a CCNA, you need to pass either the current
CCNA exam, ICND exam, or any 642 professional level or Cisco Qualified Specialist
exam. (This does not include Sales Specialist exams.) Passing a CCIE written qualification
exam also recertifies you as a CCNA. CCNAs are valid for three years.
For the CCNP, you need to pass the 642-891 Composite exam, a CCIE written qualification
exam, or BOTH the BSCI and BCMSN exams (642-801 and 642-811, respectively.) CCNP
certifications are valid for three years.
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As you can see, you've got quite a few options either way. The one classic mistake
you must not make is waiting too long to begin preparing for the exams, and give
yourself a little leeway just in case you don't recertify the first time around.
Once the deadline passes, your certification is gone, and in the case of the CCNP
that means taking all the exams again.
As a professional, it's your responsibility to keep up with changes in the Cisco
certification world, and this includes changes in the recertification program.
Make a point of visiting the "Learning And Events" section of Cisco's website
regularly to look for changes in the certification program. And while you're there,
you just might see another cert that catches your eye!
About the Author:
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (http://www.thebryantadvantage.com),
home of FREE CCNA and CCNP tutorials and The Ultimate CCNA Study Package. (CCNP
Study Packages are on the way!) Video courses and training, binary and subnetting
help, FREE tutorials, and corporate training are also available.
For a FREE copy of my latest e-books, "How To Pass The CCNA" or "How To Pass The
CCNP", send a request to chris@thebryantadvantage.com
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