CCNP is the Cisco Certified Network Professional, which is an intermediate certification in Cisco Certification. Obtaining the CCNP certificate means that a senior network engineer has the ability to install, configure and troubleshoot converged LANs and WANs from 100 nodes to more than 500 nodes. It can manage routers and switches that form the core of the network and edge applications that integrate voice, wireless, and security into the website.
Reform of CCNP certification exam format
It was originally necessary to pass all 3-5 written exams to get the CCNP. The new exam rule requires that candidates only need to pass 2 exams to get it, that is, one Core exam is mandatory, plus an optional exam. More importantly, the CCNP written test and the CCIE written test are the same, which means you can take the core test in one direction of CCNP first. If you think you can take the CCIE, then you only need to take the experimental test in the corresponding direction of CCIE.
After passing, you can become a CCIE. If you do not want to take the CCIE, then you can directly take an optional exam corresponding to the direction and become a CCNP. Another thing is that if you want to take the CCNP exam, you don’t have to pass the CCNA first. There are no prerequisites. If you are not very proficient in technology, don’t want to take the CCIE at the beginning. If you feel that the gold content of the CCNA certification is not enough, then you can directly apply for the CCNP. Of course, you still have to learn from the CCNA, after all, it is the foundation.
CCNP certification exam fee
In terms of fees, the exam fee must be a lot less, because the number of exams used to be relatively large, now only two exams are required. Before February 24, 2020, if you want to take the CCNP, you have to take the CCNA test first. The original CCNA test cost is about 330 dollars, plus the CCNP test fee of 1240 dollars, which is about 1570 dollars. After February 24, the CCNP exam fee is only $900-$1200 dollars and it is not that expensive.
Validity of CCNP certification
How long is the validity of CCNP? In 2019, when Cisco announced the release of a new subversive network system, I believe you have such doubts. After a series of certification reforms, will the validity period of CCNP change in 2020?
According to the official news, the validity period of CCNP certification is still three years. There are three main changes of CCNP after this reform. One is that CCNP RS and CCNP wireless are merged into CCNP Enterprise direction. One is that the next generation of CCNP can be directly tested without having the CCNA certification first. This reform makes the examination more flexible and saves a lot of expenses for those who want to take the CCNP test. Another change is the form of the CCNP examination. We all know that according to the different directions of the test, the original test for CCNP requires 3-5 written tests to pass, and the next generation CCNP needs to pass Certification can only be obtained by passing two examinations, that is, one core examination and one optional examination. On the whole, the reform of CCNP is a good thing for everyone.
Let’s go back to “how long is the CCNP valid?” On this issue. Through the previous answer, we know that it is three years. Then, the issue of validity is related to the recertification after the expiration of authentication. How does the new exam of CCNP recertify?
First of all, it is worth mentioning that the CCNP written test and CCIE written test are the same. If you take the NP / IE written test, you can choose to take lab directly to become CCIE or refer to an optional examination to become CCNP. Therefore, this is also related to one of the CCNP recertification methods: pass CCIE in any direction Lab test, that is to say after you get CCNP, CCNP is about to expire. You can directly take the CCIE experimental test and become a CCIE with higher gold content. At the same time, you don’t need to recertify CCNP. In addition, there are two other ways of CCNP re-certification, one is to pass any core examination, the other is to pass any two CCNP optional examinations.
In fact, we don’t have to worry too much about the invalidation of the certificate. The most important thing is to improve our professional quality through the process of obtaining the certificate. The knowledge we have learned will not expire. Therefore, do not worry too much about the validity of the problem, early learning, serious study, it always can’t be wrong. If there is a need in the future, you can continue to promote, get a higher level of certification, do better yourself!
