Cisco CCNP Certification FAQ by Chris Bryant
To earn your CCNP, you've got to pass some very rigorous Cisco exams, and you also need to know the rules regarding this important certification. In this article, I'll answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the CCNP. Q: What exams do I need to pass to get my CCNP? ... The three-exam path combines the BCMSN and BSCI exams into a single exam, the Composite exam. ... During that time, you must either pass the Composite exam, the BSCI and BCMSN exams, or pass any CCIE written exam.

Microsoft Certification: The New MCTS Tracks And Exams by Chris Bryant
Microsoft is revamping its certification tracks, and will eventually retire the familiar MCSE certificatons. The new certification setup is much like Cisco's, where there are specialist certifications to go along with the more general CCNA, then mid-level certifications such as the CCNP, and... There is also a one-exam SQL Server 2005 certification, as well as a BizTalk Server 2006 single-exam certification. ... I know it's easy to take verbal shots at Microsoft (it'll be an Olympic sport one day), but this new series of certs does have appeal for hiring managers, which can only help...

Cisco Certification: Recertifying Your CCNA and CCNP by Chris Bryant
Once you get your CCNA and CCNP, you can't just rest on your accomplishment. You've got to continue to study and add to your skill set - and then prove to Cisco you've been doing just that by recertifying. Recertification sounds like a pain, but it's actually one of the best things to ever... As of November 2005, to recertify as a CCNA, you need to pass either the current CCNA exam, ICND exam, or any 642 professional level or Cisco Qualified Specialist exam. ... As a professional, it's your responsibility to keep up with changes in the Cisco certification world, and this includes changes...

How To Become a Cisco CCNP by Chris Bryant
Congratulations on your decision to earn your CCNP certification! As a CCIE, I can tell you that Cisco certifications are both financially and personally rewarding. To earn your CCNP, you first have to earn your CCNA certification. Then you're faced with a decision - take the three-exam CCNP... The four-exam CCNP path includes the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks exam (BSCI), Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks exam (BCMSN), Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN), and Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT) exam.

Cisco CCNP Certification Training Tutorial: The New 642-825 ISCW CCNP Exam by Chris Bryant
Cisco CCNP certification is getting a brand-new look, and that new look includes two new exams! The BCRAN and CIT exams are retiring at the end of 2006, and the exam replacing the BCRAN is the 642-825 Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks exam, which is thankfully known as ISCW. ... Other new topics on this exam include Frame-Mode MPLS, the configuration and verification of Cisco IOS firewalls, and the Cisco IOS IPS. ... The knowledge you acquire while studying for the ISCW exam will be immediately applicable in any network environment.

Cisco CCNP Certification Training: What's New On The BSCI 642-901 Exam by Chris Bryant
CCNP certification is getting a new look at the end of 2006. The BSCI and BCMSN exams are being updated, and the CIT and BCRAN exams are being retired. Let's take a look at what to expect from the new BSCI exam. According to Cisco's exam blueprint - admittedly a very broad blueprint at this time... It's obvious that Cisco has raised the bar for CCNP certification, and earning this important Cisco certification will in turn raise your market value and networking knowledge like never before. ... The addition of these two topics will make an already demanding Cisco certification exam that...

Cisco Certification: Don't Delay Those CCNA Studies! by Chris Bryant
Every once in a while, a rumor floats that Cisco’s getting ready to change the version number of their CCNA and CCNP exams, which also means the questions will be changed. This prompts a flurry of posts to certification boards around the ‘Net (and my mailbox!), with Cisco certification... It’s not the certification that makes you valuable, it’s the knowledge behind the certification – and you need to start building that knowledge today. ... And it goes double for anyone who wants to work with Cisco technologies.

The Hidden Value Of Computer Certifcations by Chris Bryant
The web is covered with stories regarding the benefits of professional computer certification, and most of them are backed up with salary surveys and the like. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with making more money and having better job prospects, there’s one benefit of certification that... If you buy one of these things and happen to skate by a certification exam, did you learn anything? ... The confidence you build from truly earning a certification, whether it’s an MCSE, CCNA, or CCIE, cannot be purchased, borrowed, or stolen.

Cisco CCNP Certification Training : The New CCNP BCMSN 642-812 Exam by Chris Bryant
Cisco CCNP certification is about to become more valuable and more difficult! Cisco is making major changes to the CCNP certification program, retiring two exams (BCRAN and CIT) while updating two old friends, the BSCI and BCMSN exam. Today, we'll take a look at the changes in the Building... There was also just a bit of voice material on the 642-811 BCMSN exam, but you'll have to know more voice to pass the 642-812 exam. ... That also makes it more valuable than ever before, and 2007 will be the best year yet in which to earn your CCNP certification.

IT Certification Exams: 3 Most Popular Mistakes by Divya Chopra
Parallel to the growth of the IT Industry, the value and importance of IT certification exams has also gain significant momentum. More and more people are pursuing these exams and organizations are also encouraging their employees to take these certifications. ... An IT certification exam like MCSE or CCNA, may 'help you get a job' but it alone can't give you a job. ... Is this the certification I really want to take it? ... Earning a certification costs very little Majority of people grossly underestimate the effort required to earn a certification.