CCNA Routing and Switching Certification for Successful Network Engineer Career

CCNA Success is the leading factor that defines one’s place in society. Whether you have a good job, salary, opportunities to travel -all these factors have a great impact on your image and popularity among colleagues and candidates. So, getting a good job that provides you with a bundle of benefits is a necessity of today’s life. If you choose to build a career in IT, you need to be certified to stand out of the crowd. If you have passion for networking field, Cisco is the perfect vendor for you. It offers a variety of certifications for candidates with different skill-level: from entry and associate to professional and expert.

CCNA R&S certification tests the core networking skills of individuals and checks their knowledge about networking fundamentals. Cisco has not specified any specific eligibility criteria for these certification exams which means that anyone can take them. Though there is no prerequisite, the chances of passing the exams are high among network engineers who already know about the basics.

However, there are many people who despite not being skilled networkers have been able to earn CCNA R&S certification and kick start their career. With hard work and dedication, it is very much possible to do so. And, to simplify things for you here we are sharing some of the details of the certification exams that you should be aware of.

Required Exams

In order to become Cisco Certified Network Associate, an individual can either take 200-125 CCNA R&S exam or 100-105 ICND1 and 200-105 ICND2. Be mindful of the fact that both the exams have different recommended trainings that you will have to go for.

100-105 exam leads to getting CCENT certification. The first one, but not obligatory. The test checks the candidate’s fundamental networking knowledge and skills.

200-105 exam verifies how skillful the candidate is in the questions related to LAN switching technologies, IPv4 and IPv6 routing technologies, WAN technologies, infrastructure services and maintenance.

200-125 exam covers the questions that contain in both two exams 100-105 and 200-105. It testifies one’s knowledge of network fundamentals as well as infrastructure security, management, services, LAN switching technologies, WAN technologies, IPv4 and Ipv6 routing technologies.

Exam Format

It is a well-known fact that before taking CCNA Routing and Switching certification exam it is essential to learn about the exam format. Proper knowledge about the type and number of questions asked will help you prepare for the final day. And, since this IT certification is from Cisco, you can expect it to be quite challenging.

This valuable certification can prepare a person for a variety of roles such as Network Engineers, Network Analyst, Network Specialist, Network Engineer Associate and many more. A lot of skilled networkers also take this exam to broaden their skill set that helps them excel further in their careers.

Here we have discussed some of the must-know things about the exam format.

Types of Questions

The CCNA Routing and Switching exam consists of different types of questions such as multiple-choice questions which may have single or multiple answers, simulation questions (to check networking skill set), Testlet and drag and drop questions.

Number of Questions

At the moment, the number of questions asked in the CCNA Routing and Switching certification exam is 60 to 70. However, this is subject to change. You can check the Cisco learning site to get up-to-date information.

Exam Duration

The duration of this certification exam is 90 minutes. Within this time period, an individual will have to answer all the questions.

Available Languages

Currently, the Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching certification exam is available in two languages: English and Japanese.

Passing Percentage

In order to pass this certification exam, one must score 85% or above. However, getting this score in the first attempt can be quite challenging. That is why; the failure rate for first attempts is quite high.

Validity

This CCNA certification remains valid for 3 years. After this time period, you can either take this certification again or take a higher-level certification exam to advance further in the IT industry.

Now that you know about these essential points of this certification exam, read on to learn about the various topics that you should know about to be able to get desired results. Knowing about what is on this CCNA certification exam will help you prepare and deliver your best.

How to Prepare?

First and foremost, make sure that the preparation period is long enough for you to not just study all the key topics but also practice in order to get hands-on experience and real feel of the exam format. There are plenty of mock tests that are designed to help candidates get an idea  in this certification exam. Make sure to practice different types of questions on a daily basis to successfully pass this enormously beneficial exam at the very first attempt.

Be mindful of the fact that CCNA Practice Test are designed to test your whether you have the knowledge about the networking fundamentals and also to text your skill set. The simulation questions will evaluate your ability to handle real life devices. That is why you should learn as well as practice tasks such as configuring and troubleshooting network layers.

You can get Cisco devices for practicing or sign up for online practice labs that let you gain experience and get a hang of the devices. With enough practice you will feel confident and will also get used to the exam format and environment. Also, make sure to keep a positive state of mind to be able to get the questions right.

Conclusion

Give your career a boost by going for Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching certification. Ideal for different professionals working in networking, this certification can help them establish a successful career in the superbly competitive IT (information technology) industry. Expand your skills by taking other Cisco credentials and enjoy the career you have passion for.