Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) revamp
Cisco is revamping their Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification program. They held two webinar/conference calls yesterday discussing the changes. Here are my notes:
642-812 BSCI is being replaced with 642-902 ROUTE
642-812 BCMSN is being replaced with 642-813 SWITCH
642-925 ISCW & 642-845 ONT are not being replaced, but are being expired on July 31st, 2010. It is my own understanding that if you have passed these either of these two tests, you have until July 31st, 2010 to pass all the other ISCW or ONT test. Otherwise, the ISCW and ONT tests will expire and you will have to take the TSHOOT test instead.
But if you have the BSCI or BCMSN passed, those tests are good (for 3 years) toward the new CCNP and count toward the new ROUTE or SWITCH exam requirements. The last day to take the existing BSCI or BCMSN exams is July 31st, 2010.
CCNP Exam Combo Tool can help you decide what options are available if you only have your CCNA. But if you have a Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP), you should look at the Cisco Certification Tracker Tool to see what options are available, as you only need the TSHOOT test now. Speaking of...
642-832 TSHOOT is a new test. I'm prepping for the Beta exam now, and hope to pass it to renew all my Cisco Professional-level certifications.
Cisco has their Learning Center resources. Cisco Press has CCNP self-study materials as always. I will be using only the CCNP TSHOOT 642-832 Official Certification Guide and CCO online resources for my preparation of the TSHOOT Beta. I would consider additionally using the CCNP TSHOOT 642-832 Cert Kit: Video, Flash Card, and Quick Reference Preparation Package, but it won't be available until April, 2010. These CCNP Certification Kit bundles look like a good deal.
Additional notes I have is that IS-IS has been dropped. IPv6 is now much more heavy on the exams (rightly so). I welcome this, and love to see IPv6 being pushed.
Cisco is focusing much more heavily on planning, maintenance, troubleshooting and security. The core routing and switching is going to be more complex than ever. They are removing focus on more advanced/specialized items such as wireless, video, telepresence, QoS. That's not to say there won't be some QoS or basic-level info you need to know, but their expectation is that CCNPs will be working with specialized people who will be implementing these technologies, so the focus of the exams has changed.
The exams are changing from $150/each to $200/each. But the final CCNP tests cost is the same, as before there there were 4 $150 exams and now there are 3 $200 exams.
There is some great Q&A article from some CCNP book authors at Cisco Press as well.
