Skipping CCNA R/S and doing CCNA Security

I am currently studying for CCENT and plan to sit the exam soon. My long term goal is to have my CCNA Security and be a network security engineer. Was wondering if it's a good idea to skip CCNA R/S or should I just finish it before going for CCNA Security?

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VinnyCisco

You can take the tests in any order you want. However, you won't get the certification until you have completed CCNA first as it is a required prerequisite.

My advice is do CCNA R&S first.

jvrlopez

After the test revision that took affect 1 Oct 13, CCNA R/S is no longer a prereq for holding any of the CCNA concentrations.

You can now leap frog from CCENT to CCNA:S, CCNA:V, etc.

Odd, eh?

Back on topic - I'd get the R/S and then the Security concentration like how it was done in the olden days. R/S is a great foundation of networking/Cisco knowledge.

VinnyCisco

Really? wow. Didn't know that. So you will get your certificate mailed to you even if you have not certified CCNA? Strange indeed.

Well, my advice stands... I would finish CCNA before going into one of the specialty areas.

Pupil

Yup Vinny, you can skip the R/S nowadays.

I was leaning towards that viewpoint jvrlopez. I doubt one could get a network security gig with CCNA Security w/o the R/S. The job would probably require the R/S knowledge and skills.

Vask3n

Honestly, as much as I love my CCNA Security (and almost done with CCNP Security) I would say TAKE CCNA R/S, even if you plan on only getting into security.

The foundation knowledge you get from R/S is really worth it and has a long shelf-life. Heck, get both and put them both on your resume.

Zartanasaurus

I'm obviously biased, as I took R/S all the way, but I agree with Vasken; The foundation knowledge you get from R/S bleeds over into everything else you do. I definitely wouldn't discourage you from getting CCNA:Sec, especially since they've redone it to include more practical knowledge. But I'd recommend most anyone get up to their CCNP.

RouteMyPacket

Pupil wrote: »

I am currently studying for CCENT and plan to sit the exam soon. My long term goal is to have my CCNA Security and be a network security engineer. Was wondering if it's a good idea to skip CCNA R/S or should I just finish it before going for CCNA Security?

How can you begin to secure that in which you do not know?

Vask3n

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

How can you begin to secure that in which you do not know?

Hey Route, I just got deja-vu when I read this, either you have posted this phrase before or someone else has, but it's good.

RouteMyPacket

Vask3n wrote: »

Hey Route, I just got deja-vu when I read this, either you have posted this phrase before or someone else has, but it's good.

I have said it and will continue to say it, having a solid CCNP R/S level is crucial (I mean knowledge, not the piece of paper). Also, remember that Cisco is not the leader in Security anymore so to truly work in Security you must broaden your horizon.

I'd see no issue with someone going from CCNA->CCNA Security but from CCENT? That's a laugh and one of the worst decisions Cisco ever made to allow that to be a possibility. IMO you are selling yourself short and being short sighted.

theodoxa

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

I have said it and will continue to say it, having a solid CCNP R/S level is crucial (I mean knowledge, not the piece of paper). Also, remember that Cisco is not the leader in Security anymore so to truly work in Security you must broaden your horizon.

I'd see no issue with someone going from CCNA->CCNA Security but from CCENT? That's a laugh and one of the worst decisions Cisco ever made to allow that to be a possibility. IMO you are selling yourself short and being short sighted.

Based on the Pre-Oct 2013 CCENT/CCNA, I would agree with this. But, when Cisco revised the CCENT/CCNA last year, they moved the vast majority of ICND2 topics to ICND1. The only thing left on ICND2 is --

Previously ICND2 Topics:

Spanning-Tree
EIGRP

Previously CCNP Level Topics:

Etherchannels (SWITCH)
FHRPs (SWITCH)
Multi-Area OSPF (ROUTE)

Previously Not on CCNA or CCNP:

IOS file management and Router hardware operation
Netflow (Added to CCNP ROUTE July 31, 2014)
PPPoE (Added to CCNP ROUTE July 31, 2014)
Describe VSAT and 3G/4G

Compared to a person who earned their CCNA before October 2013, a current CCENT appears to only be lacking EIGRP and Spanning-Tree, both of which, while important topics, are not that difficult to understand [if someone was to study them on their own] at the CCNA-level. For career purposes, I'd still get the CCNA: R&S as most employers will probably want it anyways.

BroadcastStorm

I would do R&S first, Network Security builds on top of routing and switching technology.

BroadcastStorm

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

I have said it and will continue to say it, having a solid CCNP R/S level is crucial (I mean knowledge, not the piece of paper). Also, remember that Cisco is not the leader in Security anymore so to truly work in Security you must broaden your horizon.

I'd see no issue with someone going from CCNA->CCNA Security but from CCENT? That's a laugh and one of the worst decisions Cisco ever made to allow that to be a possibility. IMO you are selling yourself short and being short sighted.

Yes it's true they're not the leader Palo Alto was, but Cisco has revised their Security product line, and included more content filtering in the X generation ASA lines, and beefed it up even more, check the new CCNP blueprint there's a lot of new interesting technolgy in there.

Vask3n

BroadcastStorm wrote: »

Yes it's true they're not the leader Palo Alto was, but Cisco has revised their Security product line, and included more content filtering in the X generation ASA lines, and beefed it up even more, check the new CCNP blueprint there's a lot of new interesting technolgy in there.

Gotta agree here, I am doing the SITCS track right now and a lot of the NGFW and ASA-CX features are pretty impressive.

The following Cisco Live presentation is pretty good at describing some of the NG features

https://www.ciscolive.com/online/connect/flowPlayer.do?url=http://d2zmdbbm9feqrf.cloudfront.net/2013/eur/BRKSEC-2699.mp4

RouteMyPacket

Vask3n wrote: »

Gotta agree here, I am doing the SITCS track right now and a lot of the NGFW and ASA-CX features are pretty impressive.

The following Cisco Live presentation is pretty good at describing some of the NG features

https://www.ciscolive.com/online/connect/flowPlayer.do?url=http://d2zmdbbm9feqrf.cloudfront.net/2013/eur/BRKSEC-2699.mp4

Sorry, but Palo Alto is eating Cisco's lunch here. Cisco dropped the ball big time (i.e. CX is a module. ugh!) and regardless of "what is coming" Cisco is behind the curve. I for one hope they step it up but as it is now, they are not the leader and it's not looking like they will be anytime soon.

Vask3n

RouteMyPacket wrote: »

Sorry, but Palo Alto is eating Cisco's lunch here. Cisco dropped the ball big time (i.e. CX is a module. ugh!) and regardless of "what is coming" Cisco is behind the curve. I for one hope they step it up but as it is now, they are not the leader and it's not looking like they will be anytime soon.

Definitely on the same page regarding Palo Alto, I was actually just on their site learning about HTTPS decryption (which CX also does).

One interesting thing I found out is that CX can also activate as a software module too when you are implementing it on the non-5585-X models so I believe it's only a hardware module on the 5585-X but I may be wrong. I am still learning more about this NGFW stuff so it's pretty new to me, and even though Cisco is breaking into the market people like Palo Alto have already been doing it for a while.

zyke

I went this route,

You don't need ANY of the information in R&S for the SEC exam. All you need is covered in the ICND1.
However if you are going to work in the field of routed network it is a good idea to just do the R&S (ICND2) part as well.