How to Prepare for a Cisco CCNA Certification?
Cisco CCNA is a certification provided by Cisco Systems. It acts as associate-level credentials for IT individuals who want to add merit to their professional portfolio. This added credibility with the Cisco CCNA Certification helps you achieve higher positions in your employment. For this reason, it is in high demand among candidates with minimal work experience and those who want growth in their profession.
For those IT professionals who are thinking about adding the Cisco CCNA Certification to their degree, here are some essential points you can keep in mind before you go for the examination:
Polish Basic Networking Skills:
Networking technology is one of the essential skills in IT or cyber security. If you are new to these fields, networking is the ideal place to start. It is the foundation for CCNA, and moving to advanced levels of CCNA without this knowledge can keep you at a loss throughout the course. Unfortunately, the official CCNA curriculum does not include basic networking, so you should train beforehand.
CompTIA Network+:
CompTIA Network+ is a separate course, and many people opt for it after the completion of CCNA. However, it is advisable to complete it before the Cisco certification because many of these skills come in handy in the latter. Another reason is that it is a shorter course with a timeframe practical with a job. Also, it is easier than CCNA despite both the studies being performance-based. However, the experience of CompTIA is needed for CCNA by a lot of employers, which is why candidates pursue it.
Course Material:
Like any other certification, the better material you have, the better the chances of clearing the exam. CCNA is a performance-based certification. Therefore, it requires both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to earn it. Cisco’s packet tracer software is the ideal material, including complete labs for you to prepare in time. After downloading the packet tracer, you can practice operating the equipment virtually.
Setting up a Workable Schedule:
CCNA certification will take some time out of your day, so you should make a schedule that works according to your daily activities. While preparing for the course yourself or taking a CCNA course online, you must allot a set timeframe for studying. You may even need to make small changes in your schedule to fit the course.
CCNA Equipment:
Once you have your day set out, equipment is next. It is essential to be acquainted with routers or switches and all the other hardware you will work with after the CCNA certification course.
A Steady WiFi:
Having WiFi is a basic necessity these days. However, IT professionals signing up for a CCNA online course or even attempting the certification exam need an excellent internet connection to carry out these jobs seamlessly. Also, a significant volume of networking protocol is part of the practice routine; hence, the tasks can be daunting without fully-functional WiFi.
Lab Work:
It would help if you used the labs available on the Cisco packet tracer. The entire pack of lab practice available to you is critical for your preparation. The more you practice, the better you can get at it and the more quickly you can complete the certification. The CCNA course will provide you with plenty of them.
CCNA Course:
Joining a CCNA course is another option for you. It organizes the curriculum in bits for you to be able to consume. It has flexible dates and hours with a total duration of 40 hours so that you can choose the best fit for yourself. CCNA online courses have gained popularity due to their effectiveness in completing them for working professionals with long working hours. The CCNA training is mostly live, and a classroom experience can be pivotal in understanding the learning dynamics. The CCNA course fee is approximately Rs 80,000 for the entire duration. The price may differ for various learning platforms; however, the cost to benefit is worth it.
Configuration Videos:
Watching configuration videos is another thing you can do while preparing. There is the easy availability of such videos online. It may seem daunting at first, but it will be easy to absorb all that knowledge if you pick one topic at a time.
Updated Knowledge:
Make sure all the material that you read is updated. Detailed updates make a lot of difference in your preparation. However, this little caution you will have to follow on your own. IT, being one of the most innovative and dynamic fields, has a lot of changes that you have to keep up with; the same applies to a CCNA course.
Also Read: What Are The Best Areas of Tech To Study? A Guide To Choosing Your Major
