In 1984, Sandy Lerner founded the Cisco Systems and the rest, as they say, is history. Motivated by the desire to engineer the connection of computers using the Local Area Network (LAN), Lerner partnered with her husband Leonard Bosack to come up with the all-important networking technologies of today.
The efforts paid off massively as the company recorded a market capitalization of $224 million by the time it went public in 1990. Today, Cisco is a globally recognized leader in the IT networking industry. Along with the products and services they provide, the company offers various IT credentials.
Come rain come shine, this set of certifications remains at the forefront. If you ever thought of pursuing a prestigious credential that aligns your skills with the requirements of the highly competitive job market, then the CCNP Routing and Switching (CCNP R&S) certification is your best bet. For more information visit this site https://www.examsnap.com/ccnp-routing-and-switching-certification-dumps.html
Here’s what you need to know about this marvelous certification and the path to gain it. The best of all is, you will also get invaluable tips for your exam preparation. Before getting into the meat and potatoes of this article, let’s have a brief overview of the entire Cisco certification program.
Cisco Certification Program
The Cisco certification program commences with the baseline entry-level certifications. These credentials befit novice technicians looking to build a career in the networking sphere. At this level lies the CCENT and CCT certifications.
Entry Level Certifications
Attaining the entry-level Cisco certifications such as the CCENT paves your way in networking and helps you to earn the high-level credentials that fall into the associate, professional, and expert levels. At this level, you need to pass one exam only.
Associate Level Certifications
The associate level certifications equip candidates with foundational knowledge and skills for success in the IT networking industry. Some of the most popular ones include CCDA, CCNA Cloud, CCNA Data Center, and CCNA R&S certifications to mention a few. To gain any CCNA certification you need to pass two exams.
Professional Level Certifications
The professional level certifications, on the other hand, are advanced level credentials that portray your competency in networking technologies. Every certification offered at this level focuses on a specific technology. That being said, some of the most popular professional-level Cisco credentials include CCDP, CCNP Cloud, CCNP Routing and Switching, and CCNP Security among others. The level requires from you the passing of 3-4 tests.
Expert Level Credentials
Looking to authenticate your expert knowledge in the Cisco networking platform? Then the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is your best choice. This credential earns a global recognition as one of the most prestigious Cisco certifications owing to the countless benefits it brings. At this stage, candidates need to pass one written exam and one Lab exam.
Cisco Certified Architect
Of all the Cisco credentials, this is the highest achievable certification and verifies the architectural knowledge of network designers. These professionals take pride in supporting the complex networks of global organizations in addition to decoding business strategies into technical strategies.
So, having looked at what the Cisco certification program entails, here’s your updated guide to the CCNP R&S certification.
About the CCNP R&S Certification
The CCNP R&S certification authenticates your skills related to the planning, implementation, verification, and troubleshooting of LANs and WANs. These professionals work together with other network specialists to ensure the effective operation of advanced wireless, security, voice, and video solutions.
Audience
One of the most common questions in recent years has always been, “Am I qualified for the CCNP R&S certification?” Well, the CCNP R&S credential befits professionals with a minimum of one-year experience in the networking industry.
What’s more, these individuals must be willing to heighten their knowledge and skills and be able to perform complex networking solutions. With this in mind, earning this certification qualifies you to serve in various roles such as a systems engineer, support engineer, network technician or network engineer to mention a few.
Prerequisites
To opt for the CCNP R&S certification, you need to be the owner of the valid CCNA R&S certification or any CCIE credential.
Required Exams
To attain the CCNP R&S certification, you have to pass three exams. These tests include 300-101 (ROUTE), 300-115 (SWITCH), and 300-135 (TSHOOT). Given their detailed nature, here’s what you need to know about each of them.
300-101 ROUTE Exam
The Cisco ROUTE exam verifies your routing knowledge and skills. By passing this test, you demonstrate your ability to use advanced IP addressing and routing to implement scalable and secure Cisco routers associated with IPv6, WANs, and LANs.
The ROUTE exam has a 120-minute duration and tests 45-55 items related to the aforementioned CCNP R&S certification as well as the CCDP credential. This exam tests up to 6 key concepts, which are the following: Network Principles (10%), Layer 2 Technologies (10%), Layer 3 Technologies (40%), VPN Technologies (10%), Infrastructure Security (10%), and Infrastructure Services (20%).
300-115 SWITCH Exam
From its name, the SWITCH exam tests your switching knowledge and skills. Passing 300-115 test confirms your ability to plan, configure, and verify the execution of complex enterprise switching solutions that utilize the Cisco Enterprise Campus.
In addition, this test also validates your knowledge of highly secure integration of WLANs and VLANs. Like the ROUTE exam, this test has a 120-minute duration but it tests 30-40 questions. The three major topics it covers include Layer 2 Technologies (65%), Infrastructure Security (20%), and Infrastructure Services (15%).
300-135 TSHOOT Exam
The TSHOOT exam marks the last test in this series and it validates your ability to accomplish various technical tasks including planning and performing everyday maintenance of complex enterprise routed and switched networks and using technology-based practices and a systematic ITIL-compliant method to accomplish network troubleshooting.
That being said, this exam tests your knowledge of six major concepts with every topic contributing to a specific percentage in the actual test. These include Network Principles (5%), Layer 2 Technologies (40%), Layer 3 Technologies (40%), VPN Technologies (5%), Infrastructure Security (5%), and Infrastructure Services (5%). 300-135 exam contains 15-25 questions that you have to complete within 120 minutes.
Exam Scheduling
Feel free to schedule your exam anytime through the Pearson VUE website. Of course, you will have to pay the fee worth $900 for all the three separate exams.
Exam Preparation Options
Of course, you know that preparation is the key to success. Thus, first of all, check the vendor’s official website. The Cisco offers tons of study materials to help the exam candidates prepare adequately for the tests. The E-learning platform, for instance, has plenty to offer the exam candidates. Here, you can find classroom training for each of the exams to help advance your knowledge of the exam concepts.
Other options include self-study materials, video courses, practice tests, books at Cisco Press. In addition, you can search the internet, additional study materials to enhance your preparation.
Conclusion
The thought of succeeding in your career is buzzing and the CCNP R&S certification gives you the opportunity to turn your dreams into reality. With the above tips, you have better chances of acing the required exams and boosting your career to a new level. Why wait? Start your preparation now!
Nicola Holder 