Certifications are some of the best ways to enhance your career growth in your industry. As an IT professional, you might actually be missing out a lot if you do not embrace Cisco certifications.These credentials are well recognized all over the world in the networking industry and they come with amazing benefits for the holder. It is no more news that the job market has become highly competitive. It is, therefore, very crucial to set yourself apart from the multitude in the job market. How do you achieve this? One of the perfect ways to increase your chances of getting your desired IT job is to obtain the CCDA certification. CCDA is an acronym for Cisco Certified Design Associate. This certification examines your capacities to design a network. An individual with the CCDA certification is believed to have the capacity to design voice and datacentre networks.
The need for networks that are designed for availability, performance, flexibility and scalability is highly in demand in enterprise environments. Studying for the CCDA 200-310 certification helps you to gather the skills needed to design perfect networks that meet the everyday needs of users.The certification is therefore designed to authenticate a student’s proficiency in networking design skills. Job positions for professionals with this certification include System Engineer, Network Engineer, and Network Architect, to mention just a few.
All you need to know about Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) certification
The CCDA credential is centres around design objectivesandmethodologies, network expansion considerations within basic campus, and wireless networks. It also focuses on data centre, addressing and routing protocols, voice, and security. Although this is not an entry level certification, it is advisable that students have at least two years networking experience before taking this certification. Another alternative is to take the CCNA Routing & Switching certification before the CCDA 200-310 Exam. The prerequisite for taking the CCDA certification is a valid CCENT or CCNA Routing & Switching credential. You can also earn the certification if you already have a CCIE certification.
CCDAExamination Details
To earn the CCDA certification, you need to go through Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (DESGN) and pass the 200-310 DESGN exam. There are basically 55 to 65 questions in the test, and the time allocated to finishing it is 75 minutes. The format of the questions is an assortment of multiple choice answer, single answer, drag and drop, simulation, and fill-in-the-blank. To earn the certification, you will need to register with Pearson VUE to write the exams and the examination cost is $250.
Cisco CCDA Recertification
It is important to note that the CCDA is an Associate level certification by Cisco. This certification is valid for a period of three years starting from the moment the certification is awarded. The implication of this is that after the three years period, you will need to get recertification. All you need for the recertification process is to pass any current Associate level exam with Cisco. To keep enjoying the benefits of your CCDA certification, it is important to go through the process of recertification after the initial period expires.
Many professionals do not stop at a particular stage of Cisco certification. They always aim higher. For instance, many individuals who have earned the CCDA (200-310) certification will opt to continue advancing their careers in network design. To be able to do this, there is need to pursue a CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional) certification. The CCDP is made up of three different exams. Students are expected to pass the exams to earn their certifications. The CCDP is not the height of Cisco certification. As you climb higher in your IT career, you can explore other options of certifications that will give you an edge over your contemporary.
Career Prospect for CCDA Certification
More certifications mean higher positions and more salaries. There are great career prospects for individuals with CCDA certifications which have used Prepaway.com:Cisco CCDA 200–310 CCNA Security 210-260 CCNP CCIE CCENT Lead2Pass to pass their certification exams quickly and easily. Great prospects also come with great salaries. According to some reports, an individual who has earned the CCDA certification can gain anything between $39,732 and $143,000. In order words, the average salary is around $71,000. If you have not been motivated enough to take a Cisco certification, hopefully, the potential income will encourage you to earn the CCDA. The likely job roles that you can get with the certification include Senior Systems or Network Engineer, Solution Architect, System Engineer, andNetwork Engineer.
Summary
Cisco certifications cover a wide range of levels:entry, intermediate, professional, expert, and architect levels. Under each of these levels, there are different certifications that you can take advantage of to progress in your career. The certifications are like pyramid. As you finish a level, you move to the next. As soon as you earn an Associate level certification, you can go ahead to earn the Certified Network Professional level certifications. Some of the professional certifications you can earn with Cisco, include Design Professional (CCDP), Data Center, Collaboration, Routing and Switching, Wireless, Cloud, Service Provider, and Security. When you are done with the professional level, you can proceed to the Expert level. The expert level includes Design Expert (CCDE), Routing and Switching, Data Center, Service Provider, Wireless, Security, and Collaboration.
Conclusion
All these levels have the potentials to skyrocket your career beyond your wildest dream. If you have earned a certification, do not relent. Go ahead to earn more. You do not have to worry about resource materials. The internet is full of all the help you need to perform excellently in your Cisco exams. It is also important to mention that location is not an issue when it comes to earning a certification with Cisco. Wherever you are, there are many Cisco partners that will help you in your dream of becoming Cisco certified. You can check the list of partners on Cisco website to know the one that is in close proximity to your location.You should also know that there are different communities online that you can join to learn more about how to prepare for the certification examinations.