Cert News: New Cisco Certifications Coming in 2020

2/24/2020 update: The certpocalyse is upon us. We're ready to go with new Cisco DEVASC 200-901 DevNet training and a CCNA 200-301 course. 

Cisco Live 2019 kicked off Monday, and in typical fashion, they dropped some exciting news — a new CCNA!

The new CCNA is designed to prepare professionals for associate-level IT job roles. It validates a broad range of knowledge and skills. The exam covers networking and security fundamentals, automation, and programmability.

And yes, you only have to take one exam, the Cisco Certified Network Associate (200-301 CCNA), to earn the new CCNA! Previously, candidates typically had to take multiple exams to earn CCNA certification. The exam is scheduled to go live Feb. 24, 2020.

While there are no prerequisites for the 200-301 exam, Cisco recommends at least one year of experience implementing and administering Cisco solutions, knowledge of basic IP addressing, and a solid understanding of networking basics.

The new CCNA will replace the following certifications:

• CCNA Cloud

• CCNA Collaboration

• CCNA Data Center

• CCDA

• CCNA Industrial

• CCNA Routing and Switching

• CCNA Security

• CCNA Service Provider

• CCNA Wireless

With this change, the Cisco certification map will look a lot different than it does right now.

Here's what the new Cisco certification path will look like:

Changes to the CCNP

In the chart above, you'll also notice a big change to the CCNP as well. Most CCNP certifications will also be retiring. Right now, networking professionals start a specialization track at the CCNA level. For example, CCNA Security leads to CCNP Security. That's all about to change. After February 24, 2020, one CCNA (200-301 CCNA) will cover networking basics, and then you will specialize at the CCNP level.

There are no formal prerequisites for the CCNP exams, which is another big change. But structurally, they remain about the same as before. You must still pass a core exam and one of three to eight concentration exams to earn your CCNP.

Here's the complete list of the CCNPs:

• CCNP Enterprise

• CCNP Security

• CCNP Service Provider

• CCNP Collaboration

• CCNP Data Center

• Cisco Certified DevNet Professional

Passing these concentration exams will also earn you the Cisco Certified Specialist title. To become a Cisco Certified Specialist, you can take any exam except the CCNA (which would make you a CCNA, not a specialist).

Changes to the CCIE

Cisco couldn't change the entire foundation of its certification structure without altering the top, too. That means, yes, there are changes to the CCIE as well. There are now six CCIE tracks, and they no longer have dedicated CCIE written exams. Instead, you must pass the CCNP core exam and take the 8-hour lab.

For instance, to earn the CCIE Security, you'd have to pass the CCNP Security core exam (SCOR 300-701) and sit for the 8-hour lab, CCIE Security v6.0. That's consistent across all the new CCIEs except CCIE Enterprise.

Regarding the Enterprise track, you have two options: CCIE Enterprise Wireless and CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure. These tracks adopt the CCNP Enterprise exam (ENCOR 300-401) as their written exam and then diverge at the lab requirement. Each has a dedicated lab requirement specific to the track: CCIE Enterprise Wireless v1.0 and CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure v1.0.

Here's the complete list of the CCIEs:

• CCIE Enterprise Wireless

• CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure

• CCIE Security

• CCIE Service Provider

• CCIE Collaboration

• CCIE Data Center

New Cert Track: DevNet

Last but not least, Cisco launched a new certification track: DevNet. The DEVASC 200-901 exam doesn't go live until February 2020, but you can start studying for it with our new Cisco DevNet training or just learn about it.

The DevNet track will combine programming (primarily with Python) and infrastructure.

There will be four levels to the DevNet track:

• Cisco Certified DevNet Associate (CCNA-level) – CBT Nuggets DevNet training

• Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist

• Cisco Certified DevNet Professional (CCNP-level)

• Cisco Certified DevNet Expert (CCIE-level)

These tracks follow the same conventions as the other five tracks. You can take the associate-level core exam to get certified at the CCNA level, pass one exam to become a Specialist or take two exams to earn the professional-level certification.

Here's what the DevNet learning track looks like:

Important Dates for the New Cisco Certifications

Here are some other important CCNA certification details and dates you might find helpful.

If you've started working toward any current Cisco CCNA certification, keep studying and training. You have until Feb. 24, 2020, to earn that certification. By doing so, you'll receive the new CCNA certification and training badge in the corresponding technology.

OR

If you've already earned CCENT certification and want to earn the new CCNA, you have until Feb. 23, 2020, to earn a current CCNA cert. After that, you must take the new exam to earn the CCNA.

Recap from Network Chuck

Here's the recap from CBT Nuggets trainer Chuck Keith (aka Network Chuck):

Stay tuned for CBT Nuggets training updates reflecting the new CCNA exam. In the meantime, if you plan to march full steam ahead with your current CCNA studies, check out our Cisco CCNA training.