Which is the most valuable CCNP Certification to get?

oshikuru

Hello,

Not sure that "valuable" would be the most proper term here, but I basically just wondering which one will pay more or is most sought after by employers. Thanks!

TechGuru80

If you were going to get one, R&S would be the smartest way to go. Cisco has a huge share of the R&S market so you are likely to run into Cisco routers and switches at a large chunk of companies. Collaboration might be another good one because you see a lot of their communication devices as well.

A path like Security could be hit or miss because there are a lot of vendors for firewalls and appliances that are quite competitive.

Pay depends on so many factors...experience, budget, etc...that it’s impossible to determine.

Iristheangel

The security track isn't just firewalls. If it was just that one thing, the Security track would be a looottttt easier. It includes:
- Content security (Ironport)
- Email security (Ironport)
- Firepower/Sourcefire (IPS,NGIPS)
- VPN (IOS and ASA)
- ISE (NAC - #1 in the market)
- Advanced Malware Protection
- IOS hardening
- L2/L3 security - both IPv4 and IPv6
etc etc etc

TechGuru80

Yeah I know it was a generalization with the main point being CCNP:Security rarely shows up in job postings. Not that it doesn’t have value...if you work in a Cisco shop it makes sense but it’s not going to be the first thing I would do.

NOC-Ninja

The most valuable cert is the technology that you are exposed to.
All of the CCNP tracks have a potential to give you money.
You become valuable if you are good at it and there are less competition. The business is wants to pay as little as possible for the job.
So imagine, CCNP RS. You have more competition in CCNP RS rather than any other CCNP's. Also, the newer the CCNP is, the lesser competition.

So far there are less people that have CCNP DC, Wireless, Voice, Security THAN CCNP RS.
At the same time, the business doesnt just want 1 skill. They want as much as you can offer. Look at all the top engineers/architects. Just look at the solution or systems or network architect at linkedin. Mostly, the guys knows more than just 1 CCNP. They also know VCP, microsoft or linux.

pevangel

I think R&S is a good foundation. CCNP anything looks good on a resume, but experience and actual knowledge usually plays a bigger part in how much you're paid.

Iristheangel

CCNP R&S is great foundational knowledge. I do think that a CCNP R&S should be initially a priority for foundational knowledge but for competitive knowledge, any of the specialties would be competitive: Security, DC, Wireless, Collab, etc

Nutsy

It would depend on your locale. I would spend time looking at job postings. If you see ones with decent companies that can't seem to fill, that is a tell. Overall, just find the most painful niche to fill in your area. You might talk with a recruiter or two and see what they say. (As a side note, I am not a fan of recruiters in general. However, if companies are going to recruiters to fill something, that is a tell also.)