Overview of Cisco's new certifications
Published: 2021-01-26 05:36:15

In the new CCNA, everything is merged!
At Cisco Live 2019, the announcement of a new CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) was met with a mixed reception by all present. Excitement, but also a little apprehension...

This new certification will be designed to validate a base of knowledge and know-how concerning the network, of course, but also security, automation and programmability, notions that were mainly addressed in the other Associate level certifications.

It is therefore easy to understand from this announcement that the new CCNA will replace the existing certifications:

CCNA Cloud
CCNA Collaboration
CCNA Data Center
CCDA
CCNA Industrial
CCNA Routing and Switching
CCNA Security
CCNA Service Provider
CCNA Wireless

We also note the pure and simple suppression of the CCDA which was oriented for Design and Architecture and of the CCENT which corresponded to a level below the CCNA.

Here is what the new [Cisco certification guide](https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/training-events/certifications/career-path.pdf) should look like:
![Cisco cert](https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C5612AQFY3X8c-1VfDw/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1566912982891?e=1617235200&v=beta&t=I7P8X1e3xBaEXR2s_iPbb0-zfFphSKHg2TTQwEERTOA)


In conclusion, all existing CCNAs (including CCDA) will be removed in favor of a single CCNA certification and a DevNet Associate.

##Many changes also for the CCNP
Until now, specialization was possible from the CCNA. For example, one could go through CCNA Security, then CCNP Security, and finally CCIE Security.

From February 2020, the [CCNA 200-301 exam](https://cciedump.spoto.net/200-301-certificates.php) will cover all the basic elements of the network, and specialization will only be possible at the CCNP level.

Another change, and not the least, there are no prerequisites to become CCNP!

From a structural point of view, the construction has changed a little. Let's take the example of a person wishing to become CCNP Security. To do so, he or she will have to pass two exams: a Core Exam and a Security Concentration Exam of his or her choice. In fact, this translates into obtaining the 300-701 SCOR (Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies) exam and one of the six Concentration Exams:
![CCNP Concentration Exams](https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C5612AQFdv2Fy-jSY0A/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1566913643151?e=1617235200&v=beta&t=X48FybpbnMEsRDHKdYf05p3TMmLA8yZACMd9lYdp9R0)

Passing the Core Exam or one of the Concentration Exams also earns you the title of Cisco Certified Specialist.

Here is the list of the detailed pages of the different CCNPs available as of February 24th:

CCNP Enterprise
CCNP Security
CCNP Service Provider
CCNP Collaboration
CCNP Data Center
Cisco Certified DevNet Professional

##What about CCIE's redesign of the Cisco exams?
Yes, all certifications have been affected by the redesign!

The CCIE will now have 6 specialties, and will no longer have a dedicated "CCIE written exam". Instead, you will have to take the CCNP Core Exam, and then pass the 8 hour lab test.

For example, to obtain the CCIE Security, you will have to pass the CCNP Security Core Exam (SCOR 300-701) and then the 8 hour lab test: the CCIE Security v6.0.

Attention, little subtlety, for the CCIE Enterprise, there are two possible options: CCIE Enterprise Wireless and CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure. Concerning these two exams, it is necessary to pass the CCNP Enterprise Core Exam (ENCOR 350-401) but each one has its own lab: the CCIE Enterprise Wireless v1.0 and the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure v1.0.

For more details :

CCIE Enterprise Wireless
CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure
CCIE Security
CCIE Service Provider
CCIE Collaboration
CCIE Data Center

##The DevNet - The new Cisco certification path
Cisco has launched a new certification path called DevNet to combine Python development and infrastructure.

There would be four levels of DevNet certifications:

Cisco Certified DevNet Associate (Same level as CCNA)
Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist
Cisco Certified DevNet Professional (Same level as CCNP)
Cisco Certified DevNet Expert (Same level as CCIE) under development

The DevNet Associate is designed to validate the skills of developers, DevOPS, automation specialists, and other IT professionals.

To obtain this certification, you must pass the [200-901 DEVASC exam](https://cciedump.spoto.net/200-901-certificates.php), which covers a fairly broad field, 80% of which is obviously development (Python): JSON, YAML, use of GIT, interactions with REST APIs and the Cisco SDK via Python, Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Cisco NSO, Meraki kiosk control, Cisco DNA Center, SD-WAN, ACI, NSO, use of RESTCONF, NETCONF, and YANG, etc... But also 20% on basic network knowledge.

As for the other certifications, to obtain the DevNet Professional, you must pass the Core Exam: 300-901 DEVCOR - Developing Applications and Automating Workflows using Cisco Core Platforms (DEVASC) and a Concentration Exam from the existing list:
![ccnp](https://media-exp1.licdn.com/dms/image/C5612AQEX0bZ0HpKbAw/article-inline_image-shrink_1000_1488/0/1566982132836?e=1617235200&v=beta&t=LdMjH0Slm0nI0qwcyHynOBCZnBVMlz6DWb55gcAjHgs)