Difference Between CCNA and CCNP

CCNA vs CCNP

Cisco is the major producer of switches and routers that are used in establishing a reliable and efficient network. To help their clients in selecting personnel that are capable of working with their hardware, Cisco has established a set of certifications to those who pass their tests. CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Personnel) are only two of the possible certifications that you can get. The difference between these two is that you would need to get your CCNA certification before you can even qualify for the CCNP certification.

The CCNA certification assures employers that the certified person is capable of installing, operate, and configure enterprise level switches and routers. They can also implement connections to remote sites like WAN while ensuring that the network is secure from malicious attacks. They are also capable of figuring out and fixing the common problems that can arise from these networks. From the CCNA certification, one can specialize in a few branches. The specialization options are security, voice, and wireless networking. These courses go deeper into the topic in order to enhance the person’s capabilities.

CCNP is another certification that you can get from Cisco but in relation to CCNA, it is a step above. You would need to have acquired the CCNA certification before can apply for a CCNP certification. As a consequence, you can say that acquiring a CCNP certification is harder, as you would need to pass four more exams. A CCNP certification means that the holder is capable of doing the tasks of a CCNA personnel on a bigger scale. They have the proven ability to work on networks that have nodes between 100 and 500 and even beyond. This is a much bigger task as you would need to connect the networks in a way that maximizes the data speed and preventing the appearance of choke points.

Choosing between CCNA and CCNP is only possible if you are setting your goal. But if you are trying to decide on which one to apply for, it isn’t really applicable as you would still need to pass and acquire the CCNA certification regardless of your goal.

Summary:
1.CCNA and CCNP are two certifications issued by Cisco
2.You would need to have CCNA before you can apply for CCNP
3.CCNA certified personnel can work with the routers and switched networks while CCNP certified personnel can do this at a much larger scale

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