Like Microsoft, 'Cisco' leads the way as one of the world's most significant technology businesses. First launched in the early 1980's, at the start of the silicon-valley I.T. revolution, Cisco has become the global leader in networking-hardware, investing approximately five Billion Dollars per annum on research and development. The world wide web, it's said, functions because of 'Cisco' engineering. Its predicted that more than seventy per cent of the entire worldwide network-hardware is represented by the 'Cisco' brand. For individuals focused on working in IT or Telecoms hardware networking, Cisco knowledge is paramount. Cisco also has various trading arms which automatically penetrate the 'Security', VOIP (Voice Over IP) Communications and Wireless Data (or Wi-Fi) sectors - as they gain growing commercial relevance.

In essence, the backbone of 'Cisco' technologies are their 'routers', data-switches & 'controllers'. These are the tools which facilitate the information that passes all around a networking system. PC's require an operating-system to connect up within their network, but also the actual hardware has its own system which must be set up & maintained. Networks have got to operate smoothly & often have to expand, therefore ongoing maintenance means technicians must trouble-shoot, re-configure and reprogram regularly. 'Cisco' is at the heart of just about all current office communications (business and government) as we watch the international move towards full voice and information systems-integration.

There is an assortment of qualification paths to progress on to after finishing your 'CCNA'. Specialised sectors that include security, or Wi-Fi Technology could possibly be looked into, or maybe the 'CCNP' ('Cisco Certified Networking Professional' ) which is rather more complex. It's not a good idea to consider taking the CCNP until you've totally completed the CCNA. You should expect to be working in a Cisco environment for at least 12 to 24 months (with your CCNA accreditation) before you started to train for your CCNP. There are actually some exclusions to this, particularly if you have worked in the industry for quite some time, & have equivalent accreditation covering much of the same skill-base (military exams for instance.) To be honest, if you are starting up in I.T., no company will be expecting you to have achieved such a high level of qualification, and could rightly question your exact comprehension, if you've not actually worked in a CCNA job first.

There are 2 constituent elements to the 640/802 'CCNA' certification: The 'ICND1' (640/822), & the ICND2 (640-816). ICND is short for 'Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices', but the 'ICND1' exam is also called 'CCENT' ('Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician'). Each of these abbreviations do nothing at all to clarify things for the person getting in to IT, however the most straightforward bit of advice is generally to think about the CCNA 640-802 as a blended qualification. Cisco students should find it very useful to start off their training with the 'CompTIA' certifications A+ & Network+ . That will give them outstanding vendor neutral training ahead of getting in to the 'Cisco' arena itself. Expect to put in close to four to five hundred hours of study time (approx a year part time) to get through a course of this nature. In common with all 'technical' IT training-programs, be sure to opt for one that provides twenty four hour real-time availability to tutor support, to 'problem-solve' any studying challenges that occur. Include all-inclusive multi-media tutorial training, & an effective exam-preparation system & you'll be set for great success.

IT User Skills Online CBT Training >>