The CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) certification indicates advanced knowledge of networks. With a CCNP certification, a network professional can install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for organizations with networks from 100 to more than 500 nodes, including but not limited to these protocols: IP, IGRP, IPX, Async Routing, AppleTalk, Extended Access Lists, IP RIP, Route Redistribution, RIP, Route Summarization, OSPF, VLSM, BGP, Serial, Frame Relay, ISDN, ISL, X.25, DDR, PSTN, PPP, VLANs, Ethernet, Access Lists, 802.10, FDDI, and Transparent and Translational Bridging.
CCNP Certification Benefits
The CCNP certification validates an individual's networking skills at the mid-career level. CCNP forms the professional level of the Cisco Career Certification program. Overall, Cisco certification validates an individual's achievement, so it increases the holder's professional credibility by ensuring high standards of technical expertise.
According to a salary 2006 survey by Certification Magazine the average salary for a CCNP was $82,600 in 2006, while starting salaries for CCIEs (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) were over $105,500/year.
Exam Objectives
3 or 4 exams: Can take 4 individual exams OR 2 individual and 1 composite exam.
Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks Exam - certifies that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to use advanced IP addressing and routing in implementing scalability for Cisco routers connected to LANs and WANs. The exam covers topics on Advanced IP Addressing, Routing Principles, Configuring the EIGRP, Configuring the Open Shortest Path First Protocol, Configuring IS-IS, Manipulating Routing Updates, and configuring basic BGP.
Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Exam - certifies that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to build scalable multilayer switched networks; create and deploy a global intranet, and implement basic troubleshooting techniques in environments that use Cisco multilayer switches for client hosts and services. The exam covers topics on switching technology, implementation and operation, planning and design, and troubleshooting.
Building Cisco Remote Access Networks Exam - certifies that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to describe, configure, operate, and troubleshoot WAN and remote access solutions. The exam covers topics on General knowledge of WAN technologies, Implementation and Operation, Planning and Design, and Troubleshooting.
Internet Troubleshooting Support Exam - certifies that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to troubleshoot sub-optimal performance in a converged network environment. The exam covers topics on Establishing a Baseline, Determining an Effective Troubleshooting Strategy, Resolving Problems at the Physical and Data Link Layers, Resolving Problems at the Network Layer, and Resolving Problems at the Transport and Application Layers.
