Cisco announced at Cisco Live US San Diego a massive change to their certification program.
All you need to know is here: www.cisco.com/nextlevel
Basically from February 24th 2020 this will happen.
The Highlights
- CCENT – ICND1 & ICND2 Gone
- CCNA – There is now only one.
- CCNA Security – Gone
- CCNA Voice – Gone
- CCNA Wireless – Gone
- CCNA Cloud – Gone
- CCNA Collaboration – Gone
- CCNA Cyber Ops – Gone
- CCNA Data Center – Gone
- CCDA – Gone
- CCNA Industrial – Gone
- CCNA Routing & Switching – Gone
- CCNA Service Provider – Gone
- CCIE Written exam – Gone! WHAT!?
All now replaced with a single CCNA Exam 200-301
If you already have a CCENT certification and are studying for CCNA you have until February 23 2020 to complete your CCNA. You will then be certified for 3 years instead of 2.
After February 24 2020 you will have to take the new CCNA exam
New CCNP Tracks
In the new Cisco Certifications you have
- CCNP Enterprise
- CCNP Data Center
- CCNP Security
- CCNP Collaboration
- Cisco Certified DevNet Professional
All detailed here – New CCNP Certifications
To pass any of the exams above you need to pass a CCNP Core Exam and one concentration exam.
The big announcement – !!!
Any CCNP Core Exam will qualify you to sit the CCIE LAB – no more CCIE Written exam.
Cisco Certified DevNet Associate
This is the one I am most excited about – Cisco have for a long time recognised the advancement of network automation and programability so have introduced a certification – which is brilliant.
For anyone who have been to a Cisco Live event you will have noticed the big interest in the DevNet Zone and now you can certify in it.
Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist
You now have a choice of all the following topics to specialise on with your DevNet Specialist certification
- Automating and Programming Cisco Enterprise Solutions
- Automating and Programming Cisco Security Solutions
- Automating and Programming Cisco Service Provider Solutions
- Automating and Programming Cisco Collaboration Solutions
- Automating and Programming Cisco Data Center Solutions
- Developing Applications using Cisco Core Platforms and APIs
- Implementing DevOps Solutions and Practices Using Cisco Platforms
- Developing Solutions Using Cisco IoT and Edge Platforms
- Developing Applications for Cisco Webex and Webex Devices
Cisco Certified DevNet Professional
To become a Cisco Certified DevNet Professional you need to pass the Core exam 300-901 and then one of the specializations above.
So what does this all mean?
Cisco have said for anyone currently studying for any of the exams to be retired, keep going, but if you are a way out and thing the new exams would be better for you then maybe switch focus onto them.
For me personally as a certified CCIE I am about to re-certify next month so my CCIE will be renewed now for 3 years instead of 2 which is awesome!
I think this is a great move from Cisco to recognize network automation and programability with their new DevNet certifications.
I am sure there will be tons of questions, so if you have one and I can answer please put it in the comments.
Network Chuck has done a great video as well which explains it very well – some filmed at Cisco Live.
Also another video from Neil Anderson
Hi Roger,
WOuld you please let me know how would you renew the CCNP or CCIE certifications? for exam currently passing the written exam renews CCIE or ccnp certification, what would happen after Feb 2020?
Regards,
Syed Hyder
As far as I know, renewal process is exactly the same, pass another CCNP exam, and I would assume that as CCNP Core exam is replacing CCIE Written, that to renew your CCIE passing a CCNP core exam will be the patch, I am doing the Continuous Education Program which replaces written exam with ongoing training, and attending Cisco live to gain credits to renew