Review Of Cisco CCNP Certification

Effective August 15, 2006
The CCNP certification validates a network professional′s ability to install, configure and troubleshoot converged local and wide area networks with 100 to 500 or more nodes. Network Professionals who achieve the CCNP certification have demonstrated the knowledge and skills required to manage the routers and switches that form the network core, as well as edge applications that integrate voice, wireless, and security into the network.

Updated Course Information:
BSCI v3.0 has replaced BSCI v2.2
BCMSN v3.0 has replaced BCMSN v2.2
BCRAN v2.2 will reach End Of Life October 15, 2006
CIT v5.2 will reach End Of Life October 15, 2006
ISCW v1.0 is a new course as part of the CCNP certification track
ONT v1.0 is a new course as part of the CCNP certification track

Updated Exam Information
Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI 642-901) is a qualifying exam for the CCNP, CCDP, and CCIP certifications. The BSCI 642-901 exam will certify that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to use advanced IP addressing and routing in implementing scalability for Cisco ISR routers connected to LANs and WANs.

The exam covers topics on Advanced IP Addressing, Routing Principles, Multicast Routing, IPv6, Manipulating Routing Updates, Configuring basic BGP, Configuring EIGRP, OSPF, and IS-IS.
* FYI, the last day to test for BSCI 642-801 is December 31, 2006.

Building Converged Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN 642-812) is a qualifying exam for the CCNP and CCDP certifications. The BCMSN 642-812 exam will certify that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to implement scalable multilayer switched networks.

The exam includes topics on Campus Networks, describing and implementing advanced Spanning Tree concepts, VLANs and Inter-VLAN routing, High Availability, Wireless Client Access, Access Layer Voice concepts, and minimizing service Loss and Data Theft in a Campus Network.
* FYI, the last day to test for BCMSN 642-811 is December 31, 2006.

Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks (ISCW 642-825) is a qualifying exam for the CCNP certification. The ISCW 642-825 exam will certify that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills necessary to secure and expand the reach of an enterprise network to teleworkers and remote sites with focus on securing remote access and VPN client configuration.

The exam covers topics on Cisco hierarchical network model as it pertains to the WAN, teleworker configuration and access, frame mode MPLS, site-to-site IPSEC VPN, Cisco EZVPN, strategies used to mitigate network attacks, Cisco device hardening and IOS firewall features.
* FYI, the last day to test for BCRAN 642-821 is December 31, 2006.

Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks (642-845 ONT) is a qualifying exam for the CCNP certification. The ONT 642-845 exam will certify that the successful candidate has important knowledge and skills in optimizing and providing effective QoS techniques for converged networks.

The exam topics include implementing a VOIP network, implementing QoS on converged networks, specific IP QoS mechanisms for implementing the DiffServ QoS model, AutoQoS, wireless security and basic wireless management.
* FYI, the last day to test for CIT 642-831 is December 31, 2006.

The Composite exam (642-891) is the quickest way for currently certified CCNP and CCDP professionals to obtain recertification. The exam tests skills and knowledge pertaining to the Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI) and Building Cisco Managed Switched Networks (BCMSN) courses. Composite may be taken to recertify CCNP and CCDP certifications; it may also be taken in place of the BSCI and BCMSN exams required for CCNP and CCDP certifications. Candidates must successfully pass both routing and switching subsections of the Composite exam to successfully pass the exam.
* FYI, the last day to test for Composite 642-891 is December 31, 2006.

A Note about CCNP Recertification:
CCNP certifications are valid for three years. To recertify, pass any 642 exam that is part of the professional level curriculum after 8/18/06, or pass a current CCIE written exam.
* The second level in general Cisco Career Certifications is professional-level certifications such as CCNP, CCSP, CCDP, and CCIP each falling within a different certification path (or track) for meeting varying career needs. Think of this level as the advanced, or journeyman, level of certification that shows expertise with networking foundations.

Till now, CCNP hot list is: 642-825 642-892 642-812 642-845 642-901 .