Certification advice?

[wolfej]

While I'm at it, let me tell you my certification woes and perhaps someone can advise me on how I ought to proceed.

My ccna will expire later this month. With the remaining time, there is no way that I'll have time at this point to study up for a recertification (unless there is some sort of grace period.) I haven't really kept track of all the certs out there now, but does anyone have opinions on how best to proceed?

Should I simply retake the newest ccna exam when I have the opportunity? I'd eventually like to get the ccnp, but don't know if that is still as desirable a cert as some of the new ones.

Thanks for your comments. /Joel

 

[Dimonet]

CCNP is still a great cert. If you take even one of the four CCNP exams it automatically renews your CCNA for another 3 years from that date.

The four CCNP exams are:

Remote Access
Routing
Support
Switching

Regards,
Dimo

 

[wolfej]

Hey thanks for the info Dimo!

I didn't realize that taking one of the ccnp exams would automatically renew the ccna! Is there any grace period on the ccna expiration, or is that it? Do you happen to know what the current exam test number for the routing exam is? Just out of curiousity, what certs do you yourself hold?

Thanks again. /Joel

 

[wolfej]

Hey thanks for the info Dimo!

I didn't realize that taking one of the ccnp exams would automatically renew the ccna! Is there any grace period on the ccna expiration, or is that it? Do you happen to know what the current exam test number for the routing exam is? Just out of curiousity, what certs do you yourself hold?

Thanks again. /Joel

 

[wolfej]

Is the routing exam now called "Building Scalable Internetworks" or something like that? Well heck, now I'm getting all excited. When my ccna expires (a matter or days, I think), will I need to retake it in order to get the ccnp?

Thanks again. /Joel

 

[BuckWeet]

Yes, you have to have a valid CCNA to get CCNP, CCDA for CCDP, etc..

CCIE doesn't need anything though..


BuckWeet

 

[FANCYpete]

Hi wolfe, if you want to go the way of taking one of the CCNP exams in order to re-certify your CCNA cert, and are keen to taking the routing exam over the other 3 exams (switching, remote access, and Support), then the answer to your question is, YES. The routing exam for CCNP is called "Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks(BSCI)" and the exam # is 640-901. I am currently a CCNA in the same boat as you and am going to do just the same thing as you Good luck!

I'm the Fanciest of the Fancy...INDEED

 

[wolfej]

Thanks FancyPete,

OK, that's what I'm doing. You'll think me crazy, but I bought the transcender on Friday, and I've been shoving it all in my head as fast as I can. I hope to take the 640-901 by the middle of this week. If I happen not to pass, then I'll take one more shot at it next week before my ccna expires.

For me, I don't really need to worry about ever doing the ccie unless I actually get to do some work with the routers. But I figure that the certs have been pretty good to me, so the ccnp may help elevate things...

 

[ewiley]

According to cisco's forums, just one of the exams for ccnp does NOT renew your CCNA. You have to pass ALL of them to renew your CCNA. However, you can take the foundations (640-841) AND the 640-606 support test and get your CCNP which will renew your CCNA. see here:

http://tinyurl.com/g88a

 

[ewiley]

Whoops, you're right! look here:

http://tinyurl.com/g89f

[ciscocert.custhelp.com]
Apparently the 642 Professional level exams DO recert you for CCNA/CCDA

 

[wolfej]

Woa! Now don't try to scare me please! I'm not entirely sure what the 642 refers to, but it does look like doing the 640-901 will indeed recertify. /Joel

 

[FANCYpete]

wolfej, bad news 640-901 will NOT recertify you. I know it's crazy how Cisco keeps changing it all around. But I have opened a case with Cisco's customer support on this , and they advised that indeed passing any one of the 642 exams WILL recertify your CCNA. 642-801 is the BSCI exam, and passing it alone will recertify your CCNA. It is precisely the exam I'm going to take to recertify my CCNA , while I work toward completing the rest of the CCNP exams. Hope this helps

I'm the Fanciest of the Fancy...INDEED

 

[wolfej]

Well interesting....

And I won't be too mad at you, because I've failed the 640-901 two times now in the last two weeks. If I had passed, well that would have been different. (Got a 650 the first time and a 673 the second time.) And on top of that, my ccna just had its 3rd anniversary on Friday so I assume that it is expired now. There isn't any sort of grace period is there?

 

[FANCYpete]

No sir, no Grace period. You'll have to take the CCNA exam again.

I'm the Fanciest of the Fancy...INDEED

 

[experimenter]

You might want to ask your question in right place.

http://ciscocert.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/ciscocert.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php

Good luck

Experimenter