Not unlike MS, 'Cisco' leads the path amongst the world's biggest technology businesses. Initially started in the early 1980's, early on in the Silicon Valley IT explosion, Cisco is now the world-wide front-runner in networking hardware, investing some five Billion dollars a year on R & D. Society in essence wouldn't recognise the internet we've got right now without Cisco. The 'Cisco' brand is considered responsible for over 70 percent of all networking-hardware. For students thinking about working in I.T. or Telecommunications hardware networking, 'Cisco' know-how is vital. Under the Cisco 'umbrella' there are divisions in 'Wi-Fi' & Communications Data, Voice over Internet Protocol & 'Security'.

There are a number of qualification paths to move on to after completing the CCNA. Specialized areas like security, or Wi-Fi could possibly be selected, or maybe the CCNP ('Cisco Certified Networking Professional' ) which is more advanced. It's not recommended to consider taking the 'CCNP' before you have totally accomplished the 'CCNA'. You'd anticipate to be employed in a Cisco environment for about 12 to 24 months (together with your CCNA certification) prior to getting started to train for the CCNP. There are a few exclusions to this, mainly if you've been in the industry for some time, & have got alternative certification covering much of the same material (armed service examinations for example.) Realistically a recruiter won't contemplate you for a senior job when you haven't got a fair degree of CCNA level working-experience and understanding of networks.

It's not really a revelation then that Cisco offers a wide range of certification paths, handling all its various technologies & patents. Usually though, most students will begin at the same common point, before they move up-wards along the increasingly challenging variety of Cisco qualification. There are two examinations for the Cisco Certified Network Associate, or CCNA for short. They will furnish students of the right calibre with the requested technical know-how to control medium sized networks with routers & switches.

Lots of trainees decide to combine the 'A+', N+ and CCNA path with either the Microsoft 'MCSA' or 'MCSE', to get a more 'rounded' network knowledge structure. Whatever your thoughts, a discussion of your career path & learning-style, with a knowledgeable IT professional or consultant, should be at the head of your list of priorities, in order to be sure that you get off to a great start & avoid any expensive mistakes.

There are two component parts to the 640-802 'CCNA' certification: The CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician) examination - often called the 'ICND1' ('Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1' - 640/822) examination, & the ICND2 (640/816) examination. All these acronyms do nothing to clarify matters for the individual coming in to I.T., but the most straightforward bit of advice is normally to look at the 'CCNA' 640-802 as a combined qualification. 'Cisco' students will find it very beneficial to start off their training with the CompTIA qualifications 'A+' and 'Network+' . That will provide them with excellent vendor neutral training ahead of entering into the 'Cisco' field itself. A combined training-package like this would take approximately a year to do if studying part time. In common with all 'technical' career training courses, be sure to pick one that provides twenty four hour real time connection to instructor support, to 'problem-solve' any training difficulties that arise. The correct studying materials are vital - go for inter-active multi-media disc based programs, and an approved & reliable exam prep system.

The challenge of exactly how to simulate a Cisco 'environment' to practise for examinations can often be over-looked. Microsoft students who are preparing to take their MSCE as an example can network a number of old PC's in their own home to practice on. To re-create a Cisco environment though would actually be much more expensive, because you would really have to set up many more PCs, with commercial technologies and enterprise-class routers & data-switches. Cisco authorised 'visualisers' & network simulation-programs are the one and only sensible way to do it. These hi tech software systems allow individuals to create sizable 'networks' in a virtual environment , with on-screen facilities to select specific hardware products and practice 'interrogation' of data-movement. Any self-paced home based Cisco training program must include one of these extraordinary pieces of software. We have now incorporated RouterSim's CCNA Network Visualiser in our CCNA career tracks - this is a very highly respected simulator and without doubt among the highest quality products we tested.

Controllers, routers & switches are mainly what Cisco technology is founded on. If we didn't have these systems, information would be unable to flow all around networking systems. Networking-hardware has it's own set of regulations and principles. The 'hardware' has to be set-up & configured properly. For a 'network ' to operate efficiently there has to be on-going trouble-shooting, with frequent re-programming and re-configuring. 'Cisco' is in the centre of just about all current office communications (corporate and government) as we observe the international movement towards full voice & information systems-integration.

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