CCENT -> CCNA Security

I'm planning on doing the CCENT followed by the CCNA Security exam (since my primary interest is security). My goal is to transition back into IT (I've been teaching the last few years, non-IT related), and from what I've read, CCNA is a good cert to have, as is the knowledge that comes with it. So what I'm wondering is if I get CCNA Security, will it still hold the same weight on a resume as the general CCNA (or CCNA routing and switching I believe it's called now)? Because if employers don't really care whether I have the security version or the routing and switching version, then I'd prefer to go the security path.

Since I'm currently unemployed, I'm trying to get the most I can from exams without spending too much money, so I'm open to other suggestions.

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Comments

davenull

I'd get at least CCNA R/S first, the reason being is that you need to understand the technologies you are trying to secure.

LeisureSuitLarry

Thanks for the reply. If it's only the knowledge that's important, I'll study the CCNA R/S book/topics, but skip the test and save some money.

John-John

For what it's worth I asked a person who has CCNA security and is working on CCNP this same question. They advised me not to take any shortcuts and do them all in order. CCNA>CCNA security. I guess the reason is, if you think you are prepared but you are actually not because you didn't take the test, your chances of failing the CCNA security are much higher which negates your cost savings if you fail PLUS means you have to make the decision to go back and take the CCNA again.

Simrid

You have to think - Do you really want to miss out on the basics and the fundamentals on which everything builds off or do you want to go one step at a time? After all it's a marathon not a race.

I am currently studying for ICND2 despite my goal being design and security. I hope this helps. Good luck!

LeisureSuitLarry

It seems the consensus is that the routing and switching knowledge is important as a prerequisite for security. With that in mind, perhaps the best avenue for me is to try for CCENT, and then just leave "CCNA in progress" on my resume (to get past HR filters) until I actually find work.

I can say for sure that taking three more tests before I find a job is not something I'm going to do. It's just too much money. So perhaps just one test is the best option for now until I can get a new income stream.

Edificer

I'm on chapter 14 of CCNA Sec by Keith Barker, there has been quite a lot of chapters that overlapped with topics in the CCNA R&S. Even thought I study down the security path, I work more on R&S, Voice stuff on live-production. You need to understand the basics, and even further to secure them.

jvrlopez

In my opinion, ICND2 shouldn't be skipped if you already have the first half done. The whole "in progress" thing on a resume is such a huge turn off to me. With that logic, I'm going to put that my PHD is "in progress."

Still find it odd that Cisco changed the associate level of certifications to allow one to go from CCENT to the specializations (even if R/S is now considered a niche).

koz24

Most of the Security jobs I now see require at least a CISSP in addition to MCSA/MCSE Security and/or CCNA Security. If you're in a financial crunch, going CCNA Security over CCNA R&S may not be the best idea as there are more R&S jobs than there are jobs you can get with holding only the CCNA Security. Take a look on the job boards and see what you find that is CCNA Security only. You probably won't find anything.

I would go CCENT->CCNA R&S, get an entry-level network job, and then pursue CCNA Security and other Security certs if that's the field you want to be in.

Mike-Mike

I have both the CCNA & the CCNA Security. And very few employers seem to know what the CCNA Security is right off the bat, or at least their HR people dont'..

I got the CCNA first, so I dont know how it goes, but I would assume if you have the CCNA Security and not the regular CCNA you would get questions like this"

-Do you have a CCNA?

..I have a CCNA Security

-Sorry, so you do, or do not have a CCNA?

NetworkNewb

Mike-Mike wrote: »

I have both the CCNA & the CCNA Security. And very few employers seem to know what the CCNA Security is right off the bat, or at least their HR people dont'..

I got the CCNA first, so I dont know how it goes, but I would assume if you have the CCNA Security and not the regular CCNA you would get questions like this"

-Do you have a CCNA?

..I have a CCNA Security

-Sorry, so you do, or do not have a CCNA?

I would answer yes then :P There is no just "CCNA" anymore, "CCNA:Sec" is a CCNA...

Mike-Mike

NetworkNewb wrote: »

I would answer yes then :P There is no just "CCNA" anymore, "CCNA:Sec" is a CCNA...

I understand that, and you understand that, but I doubt the average HR person does...

I work for a very large Service Provider, working on the network daily, working on MPLS, QoS, IPv6 etc, but my official title does not have the word "Network" in it, and I had a recruiter after looking at my resume, tell me it doesn't look like I have any current Networking experience

LeisureSuitLarry

jvrlopez wrote: »

Still find it odd that Cisco changed the associate level of certifications to allow one to go from CCENT to the specializations (even if R/S is now considered a niche).

I think one of the reasons Cisco may have decided to allow CCENT as a sole prerequisite is because the new CCENT/ICND1 exam has a lot more material on it than the old ICND1, including some of the material that used to be on the old ICND2 exam. This is what I've been finding out recently, which makes me wish I had decided to work on this stuff years ago. It seems the tests are getting harder.

LeisureSuitLarry

Mike-Mike wrote: »

-Do you have a CCNA?

..I have a CCNA Security

-Sorry, so you do, or do not have a CCNA?

I can absolutely see this happening. It would be funny/frustrating at the same time.

LeisureSuitLarry

koz24 wrote: »

Most of the Security jobs I now see require at least a CISSP in addition to MCSA/MCSE Security and/or CCNA Security. If you're in a financial crunch, going CCNA Security over CCNA R&S may not be the best idea as there are more R&S jobs than there are jobs you can get with holding only the CCNA Security. Take a look on the job boards and see what you find that is CCNA Security only. You probably won't find anything.

I would go CCENT->CCNA R&S, get an entry-level network job, and then pursue CCNA Security and other Security certs if that's the field you want to be in.

Good points. Going the path of R&S may be best for now. The ICND2 test is $100 cheaper than the CCNA-Sec test, which is another plus. I'm still up in the air on it all, so I'm going to crunch through this CCENT and reevaluate once I'm done.

thatguy67

Personally I would stick with the well-known certifications, and then study the specialties but don't take the tests. So get certified in R&S but study Security, just to get a feel for it. Get solid skills on the fundamentals and then hope you remember (at best) whatever specialty you choose. You could display knowledge/aspirations beyond the letters on your resume. It's better to pleasantly surprise someone than to talk big and fail to deliver. If you're breaking into IT, no one is going to put you in charge of their firewall system right away. They will start you in some basic stuff, so having strengths in those will make you advance more quickly.

If you don't use this stuff you study, it will be forgotten soon after you take the test unless you constantly review the stuff. I have found that I have to make an effort to "maintain" the Cisco knowledge I have now, mainly because my job revolves around servers/virtualization for now. I will get back into networking once my apprenticeship is over, and chances are I will forget some of the Vmware/Microsoft stuff lol.

Jon_Cisco

I suggest you search job posting in your area and see if they are requesting CCNA security.