Where to Next ?

Well now that I got my CCNA, I would like to continue to pursue other Cisco endeavors in good time (another few months probably).

My question is, ive heard a lot of different stories and a lot of different 'methodologies' if you will about where to after your CCNA.

Here are some of them

CCNA --> CCNP
CCNA --> CCIE (Since it is not required to get CCNP to GET your CCIE)
CCNA --> CCDA
CCNA --> CCNP --> CCDA (I hear a lot of the CCDA is covered indirectly by the CCNP track)
CCNA --> CCNP --> CCSP (I have considered this one, because i would rather know MUCH more of the concepts before I learn how to secure them)

I guess the 3 I am considering are

CCNA --> CCDA
CCNA --> CCNP
CCNA --> CCIE (with LOTS of studying, hands on labs, etc < A VERY LONG TERM GOAL> ) -- This is most likely what i wouldn't choose, but its still in the running.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

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Comments

Netstudent

Heres my plan CCNA--->start NP(BSCI,BCMSN)--->CCDA---->CCNP---->CCDP(only need architecture)......Then depending on where I am at in my career and what skills I have attained over the next 3 or 4 years, on to IE.

Wouldn;t mind picking up MCSA somewhere in the mix.

mikearama

I have a similar plan as NS...

1) CCNA July 16/07

2) BCMSN - Switching (NP) Oct 1/07

3) BSCI - Routing (NP)

4) CCDA - Design (DA)

5) ISCW - Secure Converged Wans (NP)

6) ONT - Optomizing Converged [Now CCNP]

7) ARCH - Design Architecture [Now CCDP]

SND - Secure Network Devices (SP)

9) SNRS - Secure Routers / Switches (SP)

10) SNPA - Pix / ASA (SP)

11) IPS - (SP)

12) CSVPN - Secure VPN [Now CCSP]

13) QOS

14) CVOICE

15) CIPT - Telephony 1 & 2

16) TUC - Troubleshooting

17) GWGK - Gateways/keepers [Now CCVP]

I want to emulate mike and dt... and score the whole damn alphabet.

Plazma

hahah

yea that would be pretty cool to have that many letters behind your name

Slowhand

Sounds like you have some good paths you can follow, (getting that Sun cert isn't going to hurt you, either). I think your best bet would be to go through the CCNP exams, mainly because you'd still need to cover all that information along the way to getting to CCIE. Well. . . you'd need more than just what's covered on the CCNP, that's why some people work towards the other pro-level certs, like CCIP and CCDP, in addition to the CCNP, before going on to the CCIE path. You're covering much of what you need for the CCIE while you're studying those certs, so you're not just 'wasting time' doing them. My advice would be to get yourself through the CCNP, then figure out where you want to go and what you want to learn after that.

DSP

CCNA --> CCIE (with LOTS of studying, hands on labs, etc < A VERY LONG TERM GOAL> ) -- This is most likely what i wouldn't choose, but its still in the running.

I hear that Cisco pushes this for their employees. I personally think it is a horrible idea, unless you have at least 5 really good years of experience supporting a Cisco environment. The reason being it is going to take you a really long time to be ready for the lab part of the test. Why wait 2 - 3 years to get another cert, when you could probably have one in 6 - 12 months? Granted it will cost you $600 to get your CCNP (cost of test), but it will give you a really valuable cert. What happens if you spend 3 years working on the CCIE and don't pass? Now you spent all that time and money with nothing to show for it.

I would recommend doing the CCNP - CCDA (1 test) - CCDP (1 more test) and then go from there.

Good Luck!

dtlokee

I worked with a Quad CCIE who didn't hold a CCNA, he had his first CCIE before CCNA existed. It is very possible to jump from CCNA to CCIE but like DSP said, it makes sense to study for other certs while working on the CCIE. Almost everything in the CCNP goes to CCIE R+S, add in BGP, QoS, SNRS, and SND, you're about 50-60% of the way to CCIE R+S. Grab yourself a few of the CCIE books, some vendor labs, and go to town.

Slowhand

DSP wrote:

I would recommend doing the CCNP - CCDA (1 test) - CCDP (1 more test) and then go from there.

Good Luck!

That's very good advice, and I wanted to expand a little bit on what's been said. I also hear that, while all the pro-level certs are useful towards CCIE, the ones that seem to cover the most ground in preperation for the Routing & Switching road are: CCNP, CCDP, and CCIP. That's not to say that CCSP and CCVP aren't helpful, but they lean in the direction of specialities, and probably are more of interest to you if you're planning on studying security or voice-related topics specifically, or are planning on doing either of those CCIE-tracks.

r_durant

Seems as though most objectives are similar...just this morning a friend of mine was asking me what was next...and it's so ironic how mine are similar to the lot of you...

BSCI
BCMSN
CCDA
ISCW
ONT --> Now CCNP
ARCH --> Now CCDP

I may then opt to do the voice track or do the IE R+S depending as NS said, where i am in my career...but that's my basic plan, which I think can be attained in 1 1/2 to 2 years with some solid studying...