How long does it take to acquire Route-Switch-Tshoot...

After passing your CCNA, how long would you say it takes to get all 3 CCNP certs assuming you don't fail one? 6 months of studying/labbing everyday? I plan on going straight into NP after my CCNA and I'm trying to get a time frame to completion. Thanks!

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

networker050184

The biggest factor is probably your prior knowledge. Someone coming into it with a lot of baseline knowledge already is obviously going to need less study than someone starting from scratch. About 3-6 months per exam seems like a very unscientific average going off memory from pass posts here.

Danielh22185

I can speak from experience its not a quick process if you think you can just jump right in. I tried the same (immediately following getting my NA). Prior knowledge is massive item as well as one's ability to stay focused and devote time to study.

Iristheangel

Took me almost a year

Welly_59

I'm shooting for a year as well. Passed ccna in february, started route in march, will get that done in about 2 months. Then 3-4 months on switch before slamming tshoot in the new year

labscloud

I was hoping a year was doable for all three. @DanielH, I read your blog post and was very inspired by it, that is true dedication my man! Ready to knock this CCNA out then keep it moving.

Danielh22185

labscloud wrote: »

I was hoping a year was doable for all three. @DanielH, I read your blog post and was very inspired by it, that is true dedication my man! Ready to knock this CCNA out then keep it moving.

Thanks! I appreciate that!

The mistakes I made was approaching CCNP the same way as NA. For NA I did little to no labbing at all. Granted I was in Cisco Network academy at a local college, however even still the labbing for NA through that course was not very intense. I was also in the mindset: "Just pass the test and get the cert as quick as possible". I was in for a big surprise with NP.

I would definitely say with some decent foundational knowledge a year is very doable. NP although its 3 tests its really just the Route and Switch tests which require the heavy amounts of study. TSHOOT you can pull from that already acquired knowledge take some practice exams and should be solid / ready to go. If you focus on passing one every 4-5 months (Route and Switch) then take TSHOOT immediately following you should be pretty solid and well within that year mark. Just remember too (as I stated in my blog) its about journey. Learn and enjoy it! Take the tests when you are ready but don't feel so rushed to knock out exams as quick as possible.

Good luck!

labscloud

I have a nice little lab my work bought me to prep with and I'm also using PT. I'm definitely going to lab like crazy until I know those commands/modes like crazy! I feel pretty good, thus far. I'm aiming to take it in 30 days and then dive into NP studies. I have Chris Bryant's Udemy NP course already purchased, did you use it?

theodoxa

The total time between my CCNA and CCNP was 1 Year, 7 Months, but that comes with a lot of caveats.

I was going to study for ROUTE immediately after CCNA, but started a new job (using my CCNA) and that fell by the wayside. I picked it back up, starting with SWITCH instead about a year after getting my CCNA. I studied SWITCH (642), then ROUTE (642), then SWITCH (300) over the course of the 6-7 months leading up to the January 2015 update from 642 to 300 series.

I did things a little odd as I took all 3 exams in 2 weeks, taking TSHOOT (642) first followed by ROUTE (642) and SWITCH (300). I did troubleshooting frequently at work (particularly Layer 2, ACLs, and Static Routing) and had no problem with the trouble tickets other than taking a little while to realize the correct device/issue being off the bottom of the tiny screen at the test center and I had to scroll down to it. ROUTE was my closest pass, but thankfully I passed as I would have had to take the 300 exam instead.

dontstop

I really enjoyed studying for the CCENT but I took a similar approach and timeline into the ICND2 and it was a struggle. Trying to fit all that study into two months starting the week after the CCENT was difficult. I also made the fatal flaw that Dan made in that I studied to pass the test and not to really embrace the material and journey. Blasting through the material in 2 months or less you really feel like you're behind from the start and you don't have time to stop and smell the roses. If you find an interesting or difficult topic that you want to sit on for a few days you cannot as this puts you behind. I enjoy the difficult stuff less as I had this constant pressure to meet my daily KPIs.

For my CCNP I was targeting 3 months per exam but after having a few months off and reading this thread it actually makes sense to take even up to 5 months each for Switch & Route and take them nice and slow. I want to be able to read an enjoyable amount and not feel I'm burning the candle at both ends. When I find something interesting I'd like to be able to dig deeper and enjoy researching topics and not feeling pressured to move on.