What Is the CCNA An Entry-Level Networking Certification

By Justin Jones Last updated Nov 11, 2022

What Is the CCNA An Entry-Level Networking Certification can get you ready for jobs like network specialist, network administrator, and network engineer that involve networking?

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What Is the CCNA An Entry-Level Networking Certification

The CCNA, which stands for “Cisco Certified Network Associate,” is an IT certification for beginners that is given by Cisco, a company that makes networking hardware. The CCNA is designed to test your knowledge of basic networking technology concepts that are often asked for in IT jobs that involve networking.

Here is a quick list of important facts:

You must pass the 200-301 CCNA exam to get the CCNA certification.
The CCNA test costs $300, plus tax, to take.
There are no requirements to take the test, but it is recommended that you have the training and some experience with computer networks.
As of May 2022, more than 9,000 job listings on Glassdoor and 6,000 job listings on Indeed in the US mentioned the CCNA certification.

If you’re thinking about getting a certification like the CCNA, an online course like the Google IT Support Professional Certificate can be a good place to start learning about IT and networks in general.

How much is the CCNA exam?

The cost of the CCNA test is $300 plus tax. What Is the CCNA An Entry-Level Networking CertificationYou can also buy the test with Cisco Learning Credits? These are prepaid credits that a company might buy so that its employees can use them on the Cisco platform in any way they want.

Are you trying to save money? If you think your employer would benefit from you having a CCNA certification, talk to your manager to see if the company will pay for the exam or training for the exam (or both).

What salary could I earn with the CCNA certification?

CCNA certifications can help you get both entry-level and more advanced networking jobs. Here are some job titles that require CCNA certifications and the average salary in the US for those jobs.

CCNA vs. CompTIA Network+

The CompTIA Network+ is a certification, like the CCNA, that tests your networking knowledge. Professionals who want to improve their networking skills often get this certification. A few key things are different.

The CompTIA Network+ certification is not tied to a specific vendor, unlike the CCNA. This means that it is meant to get you ready to work with any network system or device, no matter who made it. The CCNA only tests you on tools and products made by Cisco.
Many people think that the Network+ certification is more important than the CCNA. The CCNA is known to go into more detail about network topics and cover more topics than the Network+.

What Is the CCNA? An Entry-Level Networking CertificationWhich one should you pick? Even though the CCNA is specific to Cisco, many people choose to take it because Cisco products are so popular in the networking market.

Cisco owned 47% of the market for Ethernet switches and 33% of the market for SP and enterprise routers combined [1]. Since Cisco products are used by a lot of people, it can be helpful to know a lot about them. Many people who learn about Cisco products also find that what they learn applies to networking products from other companies.

The Network+, on the other hand, focuses on the basics and can be helpful for people who are new to networking or who find the CCNA too hard or broad for their needs. You can get the Network+ certification and then take the CCNA when you have more experience.

What’s on the CCNA exam?

The CCNA 200-301 test lasts for 120 minutes and is available in both English and Japanese.

Here’s how the CCNA exam is broken down:

Basics of the network (20%): Network components like routers, switches, and access points; network topology architectures; physical interfaces and cable types; IPv4 and IPv6 configuration; IP parameters; wireless, virtualization, and switching basics.
Access to the network (20%): Setting up and testing VLANs, Interswitch connectivity, Layer 2 discovery protocols, and EtherChannel; The Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol works; Cisco wireless architectures, AP modes, physical WLAN parts, AP and WLC management access connections, and wireless LAN access.
Connectivity with IP (25%): Routing tables; how routers choose what to do; setting up and testing static routing for IPv4 and IPv6 and single area OSPFv2; first hop redundancy protocol
IP services (10%): Setting up and verifying NAT and NTP; describing the features of DHCP, DNS, SNMP, and Syslog; per-hop behavior; using SSH; describing TFTP/FTP.
Security basics (15%): Security ideas like threats and how to deal with them, physical access control, password policies, access control lists, Layer 2 security features, and wireless security protocols.
Automation and being able to be programmed (10%): comparing traditional networks with controller-based networks, talking about automation, and figuring out what JSON data means

How to get the CCNA certification

To get your CCNA certification, you’ll need to take Cisco’s 200-301 CCNA exam. There are no requirements to take the exam, but Cisco says that most CCNA candidates have the following experience before taking the test:

At least a year of experience using and putting Cisco products and solutions into place
IP addressing knowledge at a basic level
Knowing the basics of networks

CCNA courses and training

You can choose from many online courses that will help you get ready for the CCNA exam. What Is the CCNA? An Entry-Level Networking Certification Your local community college may also offer classes that do the same thing.

Implementing and Administering Solutions is an online course from Cisco that is meant to help you pass the CCNA exam. The cost of the course is $800.
You can take the Computer Communications specialization on Coursera to get a full introduction to the world of networking, or you can take individual courses to focus on specific skills, like TCP/IP or packet switching networks. Even though the specialization won’t prepare you directly for the CCNA, you will learn a lot about the basics of computer networks.

FAQs

How does CCNA compare to other levels?

The qualification gives you Level 3 IT System Support skills, which could help you get more training in IT or a related field. It can give people who are moving up in their careers the confidence they need to work well with ICT networks and handle tasks that are simple or need routing.

Can I get CCNA if I don’t have experience?

For a CCNA job with no experience, the most important requirements are a bachelor’s degree and some experience managing networks. Since this is an entry-level job, employers do not require you to have professional experience, but any experience you have can help you stand out from other applicants.

Is it hard to pass the CCNA test?

Both the CCNA and the Security+ are hard exams for people who are just starting out, What Is the CCNA An Entry-Level Networking Certification but most people will find the ideas and questions on Security+ harder. With enough hands-on practice, the Cisco CCNA exam should be the easier one.