CCSP or CCNP

mason1973mason1973 Member Posts: 23 ■□□□□□□□□□
General question for everyone. Which way should I go?

CCSP - Security Professional
5 exams
focused more on the PIX family and related security issues

CCNP - Network Professional
2 exams
seems to simply build off the foundation set in the CCNA

I'm currently job searching and have a limited budget. Also, I currently have two PIX firewalls and I interact with them on a regular basis. I'm interested in the CCSP and think it would be a nice way to be set apart from all the CCNAs and CCNPs running around, but 5 exams is a far more money on the table. Currently, I do not have any actual routers of my own, which means I would need to spend money one building a lab if I took the CCNP route.

Which way should I go?

Comments

  • mason1973mason1973 Member Posts: 23 ■□□□□□□□□□
    On a related note, which is the better CCNP path to take...

    640-841 Foundations or the three seperate exams that cover the same material?

    thanks
  • AlexxZetaAlexxZeta Member Posts: 20 ■□□□□□□□□□
    very hard to take 3 exams in 1, of CCNP...
    I prefere to take 4 separate exams!
    AlexxZeta
  • tunerXtunerX Member Posts: 447 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Unless you already took the foundations exam you will need to do 3 tests minimum for CCNP. Foundations is no longer offered as it is a 640 track test.

    You can take 4 tests:
    BSCI
    BCSMN
    CIT
    BCRAN

    Or 3 tests:
    Composite
    CIT
    BCRAN
  • Ten9t6Ten9t6 Member Posts: 691
    mason1973 wrote:
    General question for everyone. Which way should I go?

    CCSP - Security Professional
    5 exams
    focused more on the PIX family and related security issues

    CCNP - Network Professional
    2 exams
    seems to simply build off the foundation set in the CCNA

    I'm currently job searching and have a limited budget. Also, I currently have two PIX firewalls and I interact with them on a regular basis. I'm interested in the CCSP and think it would be a nice way to be set apart from all the CCNAs and CCNPs running around, but 5 exams is a far more money on the table. Currently, I do not have any actual routers of my own, which means I would need to spend money one building a lab if I took the CCNP route.

    Which way should I go?

    First....in the ccsp track, the Pix firewall was the easiest test I have taken so far...so, it is quite a bit more in depth than that..Secure VPN was harder...and I really didn't enjoy the IDS test.

    To answer your question on which way to go.....I would do both, but do the CCNP first. It will make it easier on you in the long run.

    Good luck...
    Kenny

    A+, Network+, Linux+, Security+, MCSE+I, MCSE:Security, MCDBA, CCNP, CCDP, CCSP, CCVP, CCIE Written (R/S, Voice),INFOSEC, JNCIA (M and FWV), JNCIS (M and FWV), ENA, C|EH, ACA, ACS, ACE, CTP, CISSP, SSCP, MCIWD, CIWSA
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