As we head into 2023, you might be asking what are the best networking certifications for your career? And given how much time and money earning networking certifications can take, it’s no wonder.

Here at Dynamic, we’re asked for the same certifications time and time again. To clients, they’re a benchmark. Networking certifications are an indicator of three attractive qualities to employers: your skills, your experience, and your desire to continually learn and level up your skills.

According to Skillsoft’s ‘2022 IT Skills and Salary Report’, 91% of IT Professionals here in Europe hold at least one certification. Meanwhile, research from Cisco shows that 99% of organisations use certifications to influence their hiring decisions.

The statistics show that certifications aren’t just incredibly important for your career, but that a massive number of IT professionals are continuously improving their IT skills.

So we’ve spoken to Dynamic Search Solutions’ Managing Consultants, Chris Armistead-Cargan and Mark Humphreys; two of our Dynamic recruiters who have over 17 years of combined experience in Network and Infrastructure recruitment. And we asked them to share with you the certifications that their clients most want to see: AKA, the best networking certifications for your career in 2023.

 

The Best Networking Certifications For Professionals Working With MSPs

When we asked Mark for what he considers the most valuable certificate for anyone working in a Managed Service Provider environment, he only had one answer:

 

“The CCNP Enterprise: It’s a no brainer. The CCNP Enterprise sets you up for everything you need to know about working with networks at an MSP.”

 

And the statistics would have to agree. In Global Knowledge’s 2021 IT Skills and Salary Report, the CCNP Enterprise featured on multiple regions “Top 10 Paying Certifications” lists. And the 2022 report shows that Cisco certifications are in the “Top 5 Most Popularly Held” and “Most Pursued” certifications lists.

However, as certifications become more commonplace. On average, respondents hold four certifications in their field, with 41% of them earned in the last six months. So while the CCNP Enterprise is still one of the most valuable certs to earn, it doesn’t make you stand out as much as it used to.

After earning your CCNP Enterprise, you then have options to progress further down the Enterprise route, or into Wireless, Collaboration, Data Center, Network Security and now Cyber Security. 

But for those who are working at MSPs, there are two paths that IT professionals typically follow. 

 

“You have the opportunity to go down the ‘software defined route’ or the ‘security route’. The 300 – 415 ENSDWI Concentration Exam for the CCNP Enterprise is a great way to learn SD-WAN, which is one of the hottest skills on the market at the moment. Software Defined Networks are the future, especially within Enterprise, SD-Access, DNAC

Alternatively, you can go down the cyber security route: Cyber Security is always going to be needed. Which makes the CCNP Security an attractive complimentary Cisco certification to earn alongside your CCNP Enterprise.

Cisco FirePOWER is in massive demand at the moment. And the CCNP Security can offer experience working with this, depending on the exams you choose.”

 

The CCNP Enterprise is one of the strongest foundational certifications you can earn. But if you go get your CCNP Enterprise, get another track with it and double specialise? You’re set for 2023. You’ll be able to explore new career options, progress further down your chosen career path and bargain higher salaries.

 

The Best Networking Certifications For Professionals Working With ISPs

Meanwhile, over in the ISP space, Juniper is starting to make significant gains in the market. Mark had this to say about which Networking certifications would be the best for those working in ISPs:

 

“Juniper Certifications are becoming some of the hottest certifications on the market right now, especially in the Internet Service Provider space. They are really starting to challenge Cisco certifications in terms of value, and they could put you in a great position for 2023 in the ISP space. Because Juniper is cheaper for businesses. I work with a lot of companies that have, or are planning to make the switch to Juniper systems.”

 

Looking into the future of 2023 and beyond, CCNP level equivalent certifications such as the JNCIP-SP or JNCIS-SP are two certifications that will add long-term value to your professional career, especially if Juniper continues to expand in the market. But while Juniper are making gains in the market, this doesn’t mean they’re the only ones out there. We spoke to Chris Armistead-Cargan for what his clients want to see:

 

“Yes, Juniper is cheaper, which is obviously attractive for businesses. But that doesn’t mean Cisco is dead. A lot of companies still use Cisco, and don’t want to, or can’t make the transition over to Juniper systems. 

And right now, there’s still more jobs on the market for a Cisco certified IT professional. For those who are working with service provider networks, the CCNP Service Provider is still a certification that’s going to be a significant boost to your career.”

The Best Network Security Certifications For Your Career

So we’ve touched on Security certifications while discussing the best certifications for both ISPs and MSPs. But what if you want the flexibility and ability to work at either? Lucky for you, this is where Fortinet’s NSE certifications step in. 

The Fortinet Network Security Expert (NSE) program offers 8 individual certifications that indicate your level of expertise with Fortinet Cyber Security systems. And Fortinet has exploded in the past few years. Fortinet has become increasingly valuable to employees and employers over the years. A trend which only looks likely to continue.

 

“Our clients at ISPs and MSPs both want Fortinet certified professionals. So earning your NSE certification really gives you flexibility in your career. Fortinet Security seems to be the hottest product out there at the moment. 

Of course they’re not the only systems out there. Cisco ASA and firePOWER are red-hot at the moment, and that doesn’t seem likely to change.

5 years ago, Fortinet wasn’t as big: But now, everyone uses it. It’s cheaper and it’s very good at what it does. So working towards your NSE 7 should be a career goal for every Cyber Security professional: But the NSE 6 is still a great certification to have”

 

The Three Best Networking Certifications for Your Networking Career in 2023

We asked Mark and Chris to summarise the three most valuable certifications to employers will be in 2023:

Mark: “The three hottest certifications in networking for 2023 are: The JNCIS-SP. NSE Fortinet 6, 7 or 8. And of course, the CCNP Enterprise.”

Chris: “For me, the most valuable certifications are the CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, and NSE 4 or 7. If they had an NSE 7, I’d want to speak to them. They’d automatically be a great candidate for a number of roles. Or if they had a CCNP Enterprise coupled with an NSE 4, they’d be a really valuable Network Engineer.”

 

Of course, we can’t tell you what is the best certification for you. That depends on the area of networking you work in, the systems you enjoy working on and your chosen career path. 

But what we can give you, is some expert insight into employers and the networking market as we head into 2023. As well as offer you advice from the experts on earning your certifications. For those looking to earn a CCNP Enterprise or other complimentary Cisco certifications, we’ve worked with industry experts to put together a comprehensive guide to earning your Cisco certifications.

The post Best Networking Certifications in 2023: Advice From The Experts appeared first on Dynamic Search Solutions.

Cisco certifications are a massive boost to your IT career. There’s no replacement for hands-on experience. But certs like these demonstrate, and provide hiring managers with concrete evidence of, your technical skills and expertise. And because of the hands-on work you need to undertake to gain the Professional and Expert level certifications. 

Cisco offers a variety of certifications that are generally split into three categories. Associate, Professionals and Expert level certifications. Chief among them being the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) and the CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert).

Contents

What are the different levels of Cisco Qualifications?

How much does it cost to become Cisco Qualified?

What are Cisco Qualifications actually worth?

 

What are the different levels of Cisco Qualifications?

The CCNA, CCNP and CCIE certifications outline the typical route of progression for IT professionals across the breadth of the IT industry who work with Cisco systems: From Network and Infrastructure, to Cyber Security and Software Development. 

While Cisco offers additional certifications such as the entry level CCT, we’re focusing on the aforementioned three, as these are the most highly requested Cisco certifications we see here at Dynamic, and are the three that will help you in your career the most.

 

CCNA – Cisco Certified Network Associate

The CCNA is a fantastic certification for someone who is just starting out in their IT career, and is a foundational certification that is required for many junior roles. Cisco advises having one year of experience working with Cisco systems before attempting to earn the certification.

A CCNA certification shows employers that the certificate holder understands the fundamentals of networking, IP services, security, automation and programmability: Without forcing you to specialise into one particular area of Cisco systems.

The exam itself covers the widest array of topics compared to later certifications. This is due to Cisco combining all the previous associate level certifications (CCNA Wireless, CCNA Security etc.) into one more general certification, back in 2020.

For more information on the CCNA including how and why you should earn one, have a look at our complete guide on how to prepare for the CCNA here.

 

CCNP – Cisco Certified Network Professional

The CCNP is typically the next step in your career as a network professional. It is a more advanced certification that requires a much deeper understanding of working with Cisco systems. While the CCNA isn’t required to undertake a CCNP, it is generally advised.

Unlike the CCNA, the CCNP also offers you the opportunity to specialise into the area that is most beneficial for your chosen career, whether that’s cyber security, enterprise networks or data management. 

If the CCNP is the next step in your IT career, then have a look at our complete guide here; for a breakdown of why you should earn your CCNP, and how to prepare for your CCNP.

 

CCIE – Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert

The CCIE is the highest level of technical certification offered by Cisco, and one of the most prestigious certifications in the networking industry. It recognises you as an expert in your chosen area of networking, and is an extremely desirable certification for employers.

You likely won’t find it on many “10 Highest Paying Certifications” lists due to how few there are out there. But part of the CCIE’s prestige is due to the time and money it takes to earn, and the difficulty in obtaining one. 

Given the extensive cost of attempting and the difficulty of the CCIE exams, it can take years of studying before people attempt the exam. Cisco advises having at least “five to seven years of experience with designing, deploying, operating and optimising enterprise networking technologies and solutions…”

For everything you need to know about the CCIE exam including a breakdown of the exam format, the time and cost of earning the certification, and the benefits of earning your CCIE then have a look at our comprehensive guide here.

 

How Much Does it Cost to Become Cisco Qualified

“How much does it cost to earn your Cisco Certification?” is a valid question, because Cisco certifications aren’t cheap, and only become more expensive as you progress. Unfortunately, while there is the simple answer of how much each exam costs, the cost of time spent 

Studying for the progressively harder exams isn’t so simple.

Despite the cost and time spent earning them though, Cisco qualifications such as the CCNA, CCNP and CCIE are incredibly worthwhile certifications to earn. The job opportunities and increased salaries that become available to you when you earn the next level of qualification are substantial, and these certifications quickly pay for themselves.

And businesses that are Cisco Partners are required to have a certain number of Cisco certified professionals in their business. This gives businesses yet another reason to than just their skills and knowledge.

 

CCNA Exam Cost UK

The CCNA exam, the 200 – 301 CCNA, costs £246 + VAT per attempt. This puts the CCNA exam as the least expensive Cisco certification by a large margin. However it should be noted that this is per attempt, so repeated failures can become costly.

The bigger cost of earning CCNA certification comes from the training and time you need to invest into studying for it. There are a wide range of courses online and some even offered by Cisco such as the Implementing and Administering Solutions (£613) and the CCNA Preparation Bundle (£904). These courses are specifically designed to prepare you for the CCNA exam.

 

CCNP Exam Cost – UK

As Cisco’s midweight certification the CCNP unsurprisingly sits in the middle of the three on our list in terms of price. The CCNP consist of two separate exams you must pass to become CCNP certified:

First is the CCNP core exam of your chosen CCNP certification, costing £320 + VAT. For example, to earn the CCNP Enterprise you must pass the 350 – 401 ENCOR exam. Everyone who earns a CCNP Enterprise will pass this exam. The 350 – 401 ENCOR exam is also the qualifying exam for the expert level Cisco Enterprise certifications, the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure and CCIE Enterprise Wireless. 

Second is the CCNP concentration exam, costing £240 + VAT. Each CCNP certification has six CCNP concentration exams to choose from that allow you to specialise even further into the area of IT that interests you; but don’t worry, you still only need to pass one concentration exam.

 

CCIE Exam Cost – UK

Last, but certainly not least, is Cisco’s highest level of certification and the hardest and most expensive to obtain, the CCIE. Similar to the CCNP, the CCIE exam has two parts. 

First is the CCIE qualifying written exam, again, costing £320 + VAT per attempt.

If you have previously earned your CCNP Enterprise certification, then the core exam, the 350 – 401 ENCOR exam, would count as the qualifying exam for a CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure or CCIE Enterprise Wireless. 

So while it is not a prerequisite to earn your CCNP certification before attempting for your CCIE certification, it is the generally recommended path for IT professionals working with Cisco systems.

However, passing the 350 – 401 ENCOR exam only counts towards the CCIE certification if taken and passed in the last three years. So if over three years have passed since you earned your CCNP, then you’ll have to recertify.

 

CCIE Exam Part 2: The CCIE Lab Exam

Then comes the infamous CCIE lab exam. 

This is the only Cisco exam that must be taken in person, whereas all the previous exams have remote options. So there are additional costs such as accommodation and travel costs that should be factored into the actual cost of taking your lab exam.

The CCIE lab exam costs either £1,300 or £1,500, depending on where and how you take your exam: 

• You can take your CCIE lab exam at one of Cisco’s nine Lab locations around the world, costing £1300.
• You can take your CCIE lab exam at one of Cisco’s more numerous Mobile Lab locations, costing £1500: These are temporary lab locations with specific dates on which you can take your CCIE lab exam, so look here for scheduling information.
• Finally, you can take your exam at a Cisco mobile lab and opt to BYOD, ‘Bring Your Own Device’. This makes your exam cheaper, at £1300, and gives you the comfort of taking the exam on your own hardware. It does mean however, that there are certain requirements your hardware must meet.

The CCIE, as the most senior of the three, is the most expensive by far. This is even before you take into consideration the numerous other costs: travelling to a Cisco Lab location, CCIE training courses and learning materials, buying or renting hardware for you to practise lab scenarios on, and the fact it takes on average 2 – 3 attempts to pass the CCIE lab exam.

Earning your CCIE certification can cost upwards of £10,000 over time. So it’s wise to be absolutely certain that you want to dedicate so much time to your speciality, instead of broadening your skillset with a complimentary, second CCNP.

 

How Much is Cisco Certification Worth in the UK?

So we’ve discussed how much Cisco qualifications cost to earn and it can certainly be a lot: So are Cisco certifications worth it in 2022?

According to Global Knowledge’s Salary and Skills Report, IT professionals who obtain new certifications see an average salary increase of £10,000. This quickly offsets the financial cost of any new certification. And later certifications like the CCNP and the CCIE aren’t just any certification. These can come with huge financial gains and increases of employability.

Tied to this increase in salary, is the opportunities that come with receiving new certification. Between two candidates with similar years of experience, skill sets, proficiency in technologies, one with a CCNA and one with a CCNP Enterprise Infrastructure; for hiring managers it’s a no brainer. 

Of course, earning new certification is more than just a financial gain. In fact the top three benefits IT professionals saw of receiving certification training were improvement in the quality of work (49%), finding their work more engaging (32%), and being faster at their job (27%).

IT certifications indicate that an individual is motivated to put time, effort, and money into improving their job performance: Attractive qualities to employers, aside from just the skills and knowledge that come with certifications.

CCNA Salary – UK

The average salary for a CCNA holder in the UK is £35,000. Of course, this is subject to variability based on multiple factors including: location, years of experience, other complimentary certifications you have, experience with other technologies and of course, your chosen career.

Lets look at a Network Engineer for example, a role that typically works with Cisco software. A Network Engineer could see a salary range from £25,000 at entry level, to up to £50,000 depending on experience and other factors.

Here at Dynamic, the jobs we hire for that require a CCNA regularly offer as much as £45,000, occasionally even higher for more specialist positions with additional complimentary certifications and skills. However, to reach higher salaries and more senior positions, you are likely going to have to gain higher levels of certification; such as the CCNP.

 

CCNP Salary – UK

The CCNP is the next logical step in the career of an IT professional working with Cisco systems, and qualifies you for more senior positions and the higher salaries that come with.

The average CCNP salary here in the UK is £48,000, a sizable leap from the average CCNA salary. However this is lower than the roles we recruit for here at Dynamic, with CCNP certified Network Engineers regularly earning upwards of £55,000.

Earning your CCNP certification allows you to specialise more into your chosen field, compared to the more general CCNA qualification, which is reflected in the differences in salary ranges when compared to the salary ranges of CCNA. Those with many years of experience working at a CCNP level or with multiple CCNPs can earn as much as £80,000. 

 

CCIE Salary – UK

The average CCIE salary in the UK is £71,000. This increase in salary is much larger than the salary increase from CCNA to CCNP, and reflects just how exclusive and desirable a CCIE is to an employer.

Earning your CCIE certification can raise your pay ceiling to upwards of £100,000 depending on experience, location etc. For example, roles such as a Lead Network Architect that are willing to pay up to £120,000 for an architect with a CCIE. With the average that we see being around £80,000. Although this is likely to only increase as time progresses.

And of course the benefits of earning a CCIE aren’t just financial. Because of the CCIE certification’s exclusivity and desirability, it gives you much more bargaining power in your current role, as well as looking for a new job. This could be flexibility in working, the technologies you’ll get to work with or the projects you work on.

So, CCNP or CCIE?

There are some arguments to be made in the debate between CCNP or CCIE. Whether it is more valuable for your career to go for the prestigious CCIE or a second CCNP. Earning your CCNP certification is no small accomplishment. But earning a CCIE is an altogether different challenge and can take over your life for a year or more.

The traditional path for someone working in Network, Infrastructure and Cyber Security has always been fairly straightforward; earn your CCNA – CCNP – CCIE in your respective career route. But it may be worth expanding your skillset and earning a second CCNP in complementary technology instead of working towards your CCIE certification.

Mark Leary, former Directing Analyst of ‘Learning & Certification Services’ at Cisco, discusses the advantages of earning multiple CCNPs. “A double major in networking and security is a very valuable thing”. 

The traditional route was to progress through the certifications, earn a CCIE, and become an expert in one area. But Mark argues that the IT industry has evolved and it’s important to factor this into your career plan. “The biggest permanent change of the pandemic is that networking and security teams are working more closely together. If you ask IT executives, someone who’s very good at both is more valuable to them than someone who is great at only one thing.”

Earning your CCIE is a difficult and long endeavour. But it can be incredibly rewarding. And for more reasons than just the financial reward. But whether it’s more worthwhile to aim for your CCIE or a second CCNP depends on you, your career goals, and the ever changing IT landscape.

The post Cisco Qualifications: From CCNA to CCIE appeared first on Dynamic Search Solutions.