Let CCNA/CCENT expire?

TechGuru80

This is a question for experienced people...4-5+ years.

My Cisco CCNAs and CCENT are getting close to expiring, and I want to know if anybody else has let theirs expire or will let them expire? I haven't really used or needed the actual certs, and when I research in a lot of mid/sr and manager jobs, not a lot of them require nor desire anything Cisco except maybe some experience.

Obviously things change all the time in the industry, but GIAC/SANS seem to be consistently desired and honestly I have enjoyed them much more. I just want to make sure I am not going to limit myself in a SOC or other type of security role.

Welly_59

Why not do a ccnp level exam and renew them for 3 years?

yoba222

Just do a CCNA Cyber ops to refresh it. That's what I intend to do.
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/102836

TechGuru80

Welly_59 wrote: »

Why not do a ccnp level exam and renew them for 3 years?

What's the point if the money is going down a hole never to get used...

yoba222 wrote:

Just do a CCNA Cyber ops to refresh it. That's what I intend to do.
https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/102836

Originally I was thinking about that, but again is it even worth it?

yoba222

I don't know the exact cost of one Cyber ops exam. Figure including book/some videos $400. You could pay for that 16 times over just for the price of one SANS course + exam. Looking at it from another angle that $400 does work out to $11 a month for 36 months, which makes the idea less appealing.

I think I might be biased because the senior security guy I work with has a couple CCNPs. I haven't asked his plans on staying current since he never logs into Cisco gear (neither do I).

I'm going to do one Cyber ops in 2019 before my CCNA expires. I'll re-evaluate good and hard in 2021 though. I'm just glad I stopped at CCNA and don't have the burden of the decision on whether or not to keep a CCNP current.

Danielm7

Every situation is different, but is it really a "requirement" for someone deep into security who doesn't work on Cisco gear, not really. I've passed and let them expire twice in the past. In the early 2000s I was most of the way through the CCNP exams and took a job at a crazy startup where I never touched Cisco gear and had zero free time, so I stopped. Then again later @WGU I took the CCNA, came up again at renewal time and was planning on taking the SourceFire exams thinking it might renew my CCNA as I actually work with the SourceFire gear and found out that wasn't part of the upgrade path.
Sounds like in your situation you're only using them as resume padding, If you still need them, then renew them, if you never use the material and have higher level experience and certs, then do what you want to do.

TechGromit

A CCNA is highly desirable, while you may not need it today, it's good insurance for tomorrow. One thing I would consider is a lot of government security related jobs require one security and one technical certification. GIAC's are security and a CCNA would be a technical, one of each gives you considerable flexibility in the job market.

Snooper

Slight off topic, Will clearing cyberops help me retain ccnp (security) and/or ccna security?

TechGuru80

Snooper wrote: »

Slight off topic, Will clearing cyberops help me retain ccnp (security) and/or ccna security?

It’s CCNA: Cyber Ops....thus it renews any CCNA and below.

TechGuru80

yoba222 wrote: »

I don't know the exact cost of one Cyber ops exam. Figure including book/some videos $400. You could pay for that 16 times over just for the price of one SANS course + exam. Looking at it from another angle that $400 does work out to $11 a month for 36 months, which makes the idea less appealing.

I think I might be biased because the senior security guy I work with has a couple CCNPs. I haven't asked his plans on staying current since he never logs into Cisco gear (neither do I).

I'm going to do one Cyber ops in 2019 before my CCNA expires. I'll re-evaluate good and hard in 2021 though. I'm just glad I stopped at CCNA and don't have the burden of the decision on whether or not to keep a CCNP current.

Actually, for a work study program it's $1,100 if local...which is pretty close to equal cost (pretty close).

After some research into the CCNP: Security track....it appears the only book you can get by Cisco Press is SISAS 300-208. That means to actually get official type materials, at least from what I can tell, is to go through Cisco at $1,000 per course ($3,000-4,000 depending on 3 or 4 courses). That pretty much excludes that from my list, unless an employer is willing to pay since it really doesn't show up on many job searches.

I might just do at least one of the Cyber Ops exams so I get renewed, even though I would rather have dust collect on a CCNP than another CCNA.

ZzBloopzZ

I would personally let them expire unless you are doing or plan to do a pure networking role. Many environments are even moving away from Cisco gear but looks like you are deep in InfoSec so I just do not see the point.

I know it is an easy thing for me to say and to actually let it expire is another thing. Personally, my ego or "what if" would go in to effect thinking about all the hardwork I did to get those certs but honestly I just do not see the point of them anymore. They helped you get to where you are now, why waste precious money/time/energy to renew when they won't help with your current job or even the next unless you plan to do a pure networking role.

Edit: Actually, one thing you could do is whatever role you are doing now or want to do... search that in Indeed. Then see if anyone asks for any of the Cisco certs you have for those positions. If no one reptuble is asking for them, I would let them expire for sure!

Hornswoggler

TechGuru80 wrote: »

This is a question for experienced people...4-5+ years.

I'm a bit beyond your target audience as I let my CCNA expire back in 2003. The learning and experience was great, I use the concepts every day, but not being in a network operations role I did/do not find value in maintaining it. Employers may have a different view but if network operations is not your current/future field, I wouldn't bother renewing. Expiring certs drive me nuts.

techfiend

I'll be faced with the same predicament next summer. I don't use the knowledge much on the job. I've been "the IT guy" throughout my career and in transition to specialize. The only thing that keeps me from firmly deciding to let it expire is going back to step 1, forcing you to start on CCENT again.

If CCNP didn't expire I'd go with it knowing I wouldn't face the same situation in 3 years. I don't know why CCNP's and CCIE's expire. Core networking doesn't move nearly as fast as vSphere where their higher level certs don't expire. MCSE expiring, MCSA doesn't is backwards IMO.

NotHackingYou

I let mine expire because I didn't find myself in a position where I was configuring Cisco devices

NuclearBeavis

The longer I'm in IT, the more I find everything is related in some way. I worked hard for my CCNA R&S, even though I've only used the knowledge minimally in my work. I could probably let it expire and it wouldn't matter, but you just never know where you'll end up or what you'll be working with in the future. I work more in security now, and I'm hoping to go for CISSP next year, thus my plan is to do the CCNA CyberOps. It will renew my CCNA R&S and it should help in prepping for CISSP.

Cisco certs are broad. There's got to be something they have that would benefit you in some way and that would also renew your CCNA's. If there really isn't, and if you truly believe there's nothing else of benefit in studying more Cisco, then I can see how you might want to let them go.