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Added by Mark Jacob November 6, 2019

If you have your mind set on obtaining Cisco certification, keep in mind that a major Treadstone upgrade was announced at Cisco Live 2019. As of February 24, 2020, the requirements for various certifications will change. This article lists the changes which impact mainly CCNA and CCNP candidates. There is a link at the end for CCIE-related information, but the focus here is CCNA/CCNP. If that captures your attention read on! The information in this blog was obtained in late October 2019, and as Yoda says, “Always in motion is the future.”

New CCNA1.0 Self-Study :

In addition to 5-day class curriculum, there is now a three day self-study included with the CCNA1.0 certification course as follows:

Day 6-8 Self-Study

• Building Redundant Switched Topologies
• Exploring Layer 3 Redundancy
• Introducing WAN Technologies
• Introducing QoS
• Explaining Wireless Fundamentals
• Introducing Architectures and Virtualization
• Examining the Security Threat Landscape
• Implementing Threat Defense Technologies

Seeking certification –before changes of February 24, 2020

CCENT

CCNA R&S

CCNP

Seeking certification –after February 24, 2020    

CCENT (Discontinued)

CCNA

CCNP

Seeking CCNA R&S certification –before changes of February 24, 2020

Option 1:  Candidate has NO current Cisco certifications

Option 2:  Candidate has CCENT

Option 3:  Candidate has CCNA R&S (wants to recertify before the changes)

Likely:

Retake and pass one CCNA exam before 2/23/2020

Pass one CCNP exam (ROUTE, SWITCH, or TSHOOT) before 2/23/2020

Not as likely:

Pass one CCIE written exam

Pass one CCIE lab exam

Pass one designated specialist exam

Seeking certification –before changes of February 24, 2020

To attain CCENT

• Class: ICND1v3 (class attendance not required by Cisco)
• Exam: Pass 100-105  (Week 1 only exam – before 2/23/2020)

To attain CCNA R&S

Option 1

• Complete required step above for CCENT
• Class: ICND2v3 (class attendance not required by Cisco)
• Exam: Pass 200-105 (Week 2 only exam – before  2/23/2020)

Option 2

• Complete above step for CCENT
• Class: ICND2v3 (class attendance not required by Cisco)
• Exam: Pass 200-125 (all-in-one exam – before  2/23/2020)

Option 3

• Complete above step for CCENT but don’t take 100-105 exam
• Class: ICND2v3 (class attendance not required by Cisco)
• Exam: Pass 200-125 (all-in-one exam – before  2/23/2020)

Seeking CCNA certification –after February 24, 2020

It will no longer be called CCNA R&S, it will be known as CCNA 1.0

CCENT – This certification will be discontinued, but it remains valid until its expiration

CCENT candidates after February 24, 2020 must take the new exam to be CCNA certified

• Class: Implementing and Administering Cisco Networking Technologies
• Exam: 200-301: Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA)

What Cisco gives:

For completing training: Training badge

For passing 200-301 exam: CCNA certification

Seeking CCNP R&S Certification –before changes (February 24, 2020)

Three classes:

ROUTE: Implementing Cisco IP Routing 2.0 (class attendance optional)

SWITCH: Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks 2.0 (class attendance optional)

TSHOOT: Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks 2.0 (class attendance optional)

Three exams:

• 300-101 ROUTE before 2/23/2020
• 300-115 SWITCH before 2/23/2020
• 300-135 TSHOOT before 2/23/2020

Pass all 3 exams: CCNP R&S

Sequence of CCNP classes and exams is at the candidate’s discretion.

Recommendation: Make TSHOOT last as the exam is a combination of ROUTE and SWITCH topics

Seeking CCNP Enterprise certification –after February 24, 2020

First, what is a Specialist-Enterprise Certification?  Passing any one of these exams earns a Specialist- Enterprise certification:

• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Core – 350-401 ENCOR
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation – 300-410 ENARSI
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise SD-WAN Implementation – 300-415 ENSDWI
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Design – 300-420 ENSLD
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Wireless Design – 300-425 ENWLSD
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Wireless Implementation – 300-430 ENWLSI
• Enterprise Cisco Certified DevNetSpecialist –Enterprise Automation and Programmability – 300-435 ENAUTO*

* -300-435 is applicable to both the Enterprise and the DevNet CCNP track

There are other CCNP tracks and specialist certifications which will be discussed at the end.

The focus here is on what is replacing the R&S track, which is the CCNP Enterprise track

Seeking CCNP Enterprise certification –after February 24, 2020

Scenario 1:  No current certs  (CCNA 1.0 is NOT a prerequisite for CCNP Enterprise after February 24, 2020)

Core Class: Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR)

Core Exam: Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR 350-401)

Plus pass one concentration exam of your choice:

• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation – 300-410 ENARSI
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise SD-WAN Implementation – 300-415 ENSDWI
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Design – 300-420 ENSLD
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Wireless Design – 300-425 ENWLSD
• Enterprise Cisco Certified Specialist –Enterprise Wireless Implementation – 300-430 ENWLSI

Reward:  CCNP Enterprise certification

Seeking CCNP Enterprise certification –after February 24, 2020

Scenario 2: SOME current CCNP progress:

Possibility 1:  Passed only the ROUTE exam or only the SWITCH exam:

To earn the new CCNP Enterprise certification, pass these exams: Core exam: 350-401 ENCOR and one of these concentration exams:

• 300-410 ENARSI
• 300-415 ENSDWI
• 300-420 ENSLD
• 300-425 ENWLSD
• 300-430 ENWLSI
• 300-435 ENAUTO

Check out Cisco’s CCNP migration resource:

Scenario 2: SOME current CCNP progress:

Possibility 2:  Passed only the TSHOOT exam:

After February 24, 2020, you will automatically receive Cisco Certified Specialist -Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation

To earn the new CCNP Enterprise certification, you will need to take the core exam:

Core exam: 350-401 ENCOR

Check out Cisco’s CCNP migration resource:

Scenario 3: Already CCNP R&S certified:

Scenario 3: Implies candidate has already passed ROUTE, SWITCH, and TSHOOT exams:

Candidate will receive the new CCNP Enterprise certification and these Specialist certifications:

Cisco Certified Specialist -Enterprise Core

Cisco Certified Specialist -Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation

Check out Cisco’s CCNP migration resource:

Summary of some notable differences:

With the current version of certification progress, a candidate must pass all related exams before receiving any marketable recognition from Cisco

After February 24, 2020, any training and any exam passed will result in a marketable method of recognition from Cisco:  Badges, Specialist Certifications, …

The current CCNA path is either part 1 and part 2 exams, or the all-in-one. After February 24, 2020, the CCNA can be obtained by passing one exam

The current CCNP R&S track requires passing 3 exams After February 24, 2020, CCNP Enterprise can be obtained by passing the Core Exam and one concentration

Additional information on CCNP Specialist tracks

There are six tracks:

• Collaboration
• Data Center
• DevNet
• Enterprise
• Security
• Service Provider

For more information see the requirements for these tracks:

What are Continuing Education credits?

These credits can be used together with passing specified certification exams within the life of a current certification or in lieu of passing exams to renew a candidate’s certification(s).

Cisco will be releasing more information regarding what qualifies as activities which garner Continuing Education credits as February 24, 2020 gets closer.

Recertification information:

New recertification requirements as well as the previous recertification requirements

You will also find information regarding CCIE certification at the above resource.

The suggestion oft repeated by Cisco regarding these upcoming changes is that if you are already on the path, keep walking the path. For the CCNA-minded, the current exam tests knowledge of Routing and Switching. The new exam will encompass ALL aspects of what is now different CCNA tracks. If you haven’t even started, you still have time. If you decide to wait, just bear in mind that the requirements will be different so you could be gambling that those new requirements are easier than the current requirements. Let’s see if that comes true…

Until next time….

Mark Jacob
Cisco and CompTIA Network + Instructor – Interface Technical Training
Phoenix, AZ

Video Certification Training: CompTIA Network +