If you want to become an expert in the networking world, having a clear understanding of the latest technologies can help you immensely. One of the ways you can advance in your networking career is through a CCNA certification. The Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) exam can help you showcase your skills to potential employers and give you a perspective about networking fundamentals, automation, and programmability. A CCNA expert can make your career bright many job opportunities in the IT network domain and boost their career scope. However, before embarking on your CCNA certification training, there are certain things you need to know for the best learning experience.

7 Things to Know Before Making a Roadmap for Your CCNA Training!

CCNA Certification Course is Different From CCNP

Most newbies who think about entering into the networking world may confuse CCNA certification with CCNP. This may happen because both the assessments belong in the Cisco ecosystem and test your skills and knowledge about the networking industry. In reality, the objectives of both assessments are different. While CCNA is an associate-level certification that helps candidates learn the basics of the networking environment, CCNP is more advanced and professional-level that focuses on network optimization to scale the internet. When opting for a CCNA certification course, ensure that you know about the fundamental difference between the career paths.

Understand That CCNA is Comprehensive

With the changing times, Cisco has also updated its exam format to make it more comprehensive. The new 200-301 CCNA program will bring various fundamentals concepts under one umbrella. The new module will consolidate- Network fundamental, security fundamental, network access, programmability, IP services, and more programs into one exam to help you take your career to the next level. The primary goal of this update is to give candidates a comprehensive overview of all the networking concepts and learn different technologies for a strong foundation. By enrolling in a CCNA course, you can learn from experienced mentors with practical examples and the latest course curriculum.

There Are No Pre-Requisites For Taking the Exam

Before starting your CCNA certification training course, it helps to know that there are no pre-requisites. These valuable certifications have no strings attached and promote students to establish themselves in the competitive networking industry regardless of their backgrounds. The networking giant even has a Cisco learning network that provides students a wealth of knowledge videos, study materials, networking opportunities, and much more. Know the cost of CCNA certification, if you are a beginner or someone looking for a career change, CCNA provides an ideal platform for everyone to kick start their careers.

The Certification Focuses on Practical Aspects

The CCNA certification proves your ability to work in a networking environment and perform various operating and troubleshooting tasks. This requires you to have hands-on experience. Preparing with the help of live projects and business case studies can make a difference. Look for a CCNA course that offers you practice tests and exercises to increase your attention span and concentration. The Cisco-led examination requires you to solve multiple questions in 120 minutes, which can be stressful for you if you don’t have enough practice. Hence, ensure that you practice mock tests before the final examination.

Reviewing Exam Topics is Essential

Before you immerse yourself in rigorous preparation, it is critical to review the details. To ace your exams, it is better to reflect on all the topics, understand their breakdown, and prepare a strategy. A CCNA certification course will help you highlight each area and to achieve your goal towards understanding every advanced module. The practice assessment will also help you identify your strong and weak areas and improve upon them to increase your chances of acing the test.

Take Advice From Mentors

Having a mentor can help you even after the examination to build a professional presence. Earning a Cisco certification takes up a lot of time and effort. Hence, making strategic decisions to save time and money is critical. With CCNA certification course training from a reputed IT training institute, you can get mentorship support from trained professionals to help you move forward wisely. Before taking your exams or preparing for them, having a one-on-one session will help you map out your career scope for successful training.

Be a Part of the Valuable Online Community

Many candidates think that self-study is sufficient for preparing for CCNA. However, learning through various study materials can improve your chances of succeeding. Besides looking for well-known CCNA courses, become a part of CCNA online communities. Many forums have students globally taking an active part to share their insights about the networking world. You can explore such platforms and benefit from the knowledge of your fellow peers and join educational discussion forums.

The Final Word

Cisco certifications are of a high standard and leave no scope for half-heartedness. Hence, if you are thinking of boosting your confidence and positively tackling exam stress, you should adopt a calculative approach for cracking the competitive exam. Take all the help you can get from experienced professionals with a CCNA certification course and prepare yourself for a successful career in the hardware and networking industry.

Author Bio:

Nirav Bhardwaj is a Marketing Manager at an IT Firm. He would like to share content on different aspects of the IT industry like Software Testing, Web Designing Course, Mobile Development, Software Development, and discusses how students can benefit from online learning, such as an CCNA certification course.