CCVP requirements on the move

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le37/le65/learning_certification_type_home.html

By the looks of it, it would seem that CCM6 is going to be the flavor of the year. The new CVoice will have some new material (gateway/gatekeeper functionality added). I have a feeling the GWGK requirement will be slowly phased out over the next few months.

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mikej412

I think the gateway/gatekeeper stuff was there in the CVOICE material when I studied for it -- it just wasn't tested as much. The level of the gateway/gatekeeper stuff tested in the new CVOICE is to the Gateway/Gatekeeper exam what the Voice stuff covered now in the CCNP is to the CVOICE exam. I'd guess the Gateway/Gatekeeper exam isn't going away anytime soon.

I did think that the Cisco Voice and Security Certifications and Exams were going to be the ones to change the most -- but I'm surprised Voice hasn't been changing as much and as fast as Security has. Maybe last year was the big Security change year, and this year might be big for Voice changes.

mikej412

Got the email at 9:20 pm.... and just noticed it.

SURPRISE!!!

Cisco Introduces Updated CCVP Certification

Building on the growing demand for IT Professionals with a strong networking background in Voice and Telephony technologies, Cisco has released an updated version of its popular CCVP® certification.

Cisco recognizes the increased importance placed on IT professionals responsible for integrating voice technology into underlying network architectures and has updated the CCVP curriculum to provide “real world” skills and development. Training focuses on creating a telephony solution that is transparent, scalable, and manageable.

Curriculum enhancements include:

* Updated hands on lab exercises develop practical skills needed for a successful Voice networking career
* Labs simulate more real-world, role based implementations
* Lab feedback loops help students verify in-class configuration
* Role of gateways and gatekeepers integrated throughout curriculum
* Addition of Cisco Unified Mobility including single number reach and mobile voice access
* Everything needed for both Single Site and Multi-site implementations

New: Two Paths Toward CCVP Certification
Cisco is now offering two paths towards CCVP certification due in large part to the continued popularity of its Cisco Unified CallManager 4.1 product as well as the Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.0 product. The following courses and exams comprise the two paths towards CCVP certification:

For individuals utilizing Cisco Unified CallManager 4.1:
Cisco Voice over IP (CVOICE), Exam # 642-436
Cisco IP Telephony 4.1, Part 1 (CIPT1 4.1) and Cisco IP Telephony 4.1, Part 2 (CIPT2 4.1), Combination Exam # 642-444
Implementing Cisco Voice Gateways and Gatekeepers (GWGK), Exam #642-453
Quality of Service (QoS), Exam # 642-642
Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communications Systems (TUC), Exam #642-426
For individuals utilizing Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.0:

Cisco Voice over IP (CVOICE), Exam # 642-436
Cisco IP Telephony 6.0, Part 1 (CIPT1 6.0), Exam #642-446
Quality of Service (QoS), Exam # 642-642
Cisco IP Telephony 6.0, Part 2 (CIPT2 6.0), Exam #642-456
Troubleshooting Cisco Unified Communications Systems (TUC), Exam #642-426

Upon completion, candidates have the knowledge to validate a robust set of skills in implementing, operating, configuring, and troubleshooting advanced IP networks. If you’re ready for a new challenge, start preparing for your CCVP certification today.

Find out more about CCVP today at www.cisco.com/go/ccvp

mikej412

Now I don't feel that bad about "getting the CCVP out of the way" -- which was my logic for doing it when I did -- and finishing up the set of Cisco Professional Certifications.

Hopefully I'll be able to stay ahead of the changes and get to the CCIE Voice Lab before all the changes and confusion ripple up to the Voice CCIE (and my current home Voice Lab becomes obsolete).

Poison Reverse

mikej412 wrote:

Now I don't feel that bad about "getting the CCVP out of the way" -- which was my logic for doing it when I did -- and finishing up the set of Cisco Professional Certifications.

Hopefully I'll be able to stay ahead of the changes and get to the CCIE Voice Lab before all the changes and confusion ripple up to the Voice CCIE (and my current home Voice Lab becomes obsolete).

grr at you

lol i need to get this ish out the way

Flyingput

Shoot. I just passed CVoice 642-432. Which path shall I take now?

By the way, I talked with a couple of recruiters in last week. All of them asked me about Call Manager or Express experience. It seems the CCVP job market is pretty hot, both position wise and salary wise.

Glad I found the right forum!

sirozha

Flyingput wrote:

Shoot. I just passed CVoice 642-432. Which path shall I take now?

By the way, I talked with a couple of recruiters in last week. All of them asked me about Call Manager or Express experience. It seems the CCVP job market is pretty hot, both position wise and salary wise.

Glad I found the right forum!

I have passed CVOICE 642-432 and am now studying for Gateway and Gatekeepers. I just now noticed the email from Cisco saying that there are now too paths to achieve CCVP. I was hoping that by this summer Cisco would replace the 642-445 (CUCM 5.0) with a new exam on CUCM 6.0, and I would be able to study for that exam. However, now it seems there are two paths, and if I do not want to retake CVOICE (now ver. 642-436), I have to stick with the CallManager 4.1 track.

Has anyone heard if 642-432 would count toward the CUCM 6.0 path? It just seems strange that Cisco has two ways to do CVOICE/GWGK. There isn't much difference between the way Gateways/Gatekeepers work with CallManager prior to 6.0 and with CUCM 6.0, so why not have the same combination of GWGK/CVOICE for both paths? It is true that CVOICE and GWGK overlapped quite a bit, so then why not retire both and replace them with the new CVOICE?

I'm kind of at a loss. I want to study the new technology (CUCM 6.0), and the fact that CUCM 6.0 installs under VMWare makes building a lab a lot easier and cheaper. On the other hand, I don't want to go and retake the test that I have already taken. What should I do? Do you guys think Cisco has not quite updated that CCVP page and some more changes are coming?

I still hope that they will allow the same exams for both paths except for the CallManager/Communications Manager exam.

Also, when are the books coming for the new path? Cisco Press does not even mention the new path yet. So, to study for the new CVOICE (642-436), one will have to read both the CVOICE and the GWGK books anyway. So, why not count these two tests as one new CVOICE? The whole thing is just weird. Cisco really screws things up when they change tests on you in the middle of your study.

mikej412

sirozha wrote:

Do you guys think Cisco has not quite updated that CCVP page and some more changes are coming?

Um, it looks like they may still be adding stuff - and fixing stuff

From the new 642-436 CVOICE Exam Page

The following topics are general guidelines for the content likely to be included on the Remote Access exam.

And they have added more gateway/gatekeeper topics since I first saw the page.

I don't see any of the gateway/gatekeeper specific topics added to the 2 6.x CIPT exams -- so it looks like they "spread them around" just to the CVOICE exam.

As for books -- there still isn't an updated book for Troubleshooting when they changed from IPTT to TUC. The only resource is the TUC reference sheets and whatever you used for the other exams.

I'm guessing the Voice book updates may be as sparse as the Security books -- its difficult for authors and publishers, even Cisco Press, to keep up with the changes. Check out this Pearson Response that jeffmikers posted in the Cisco Press 642-503 thread.

jeffmikers wrote:

I got the following email from someone at Pearson Education in early December when I started inquiring about this:

I wanted to get back to you regarding the CCSP texts you were asking about.

Because the CCSP exams are revising so often (more than once a year in some cases), we are not able to have current books readily available in the market on a timely basis. With that in mind, we will not be publishing printed books to these exams for the time being, but we will be creating Quick Reference electronic products. The following titles are all to the most current versions of their respective exams, and can be purchased at www.ciscopress.com.

The funny thing -- I just posted this in February in that Security thread

mikej412 wrote:

I just checked the exam blueprints for SNPA and SNRS (old and new) and the Cisco Press web site -- and while the CCVP is finally getting the suggested books for the exams -- the CCSP seems to be losing them

Since the books are out for the CallManager Track, it may make sense to grab the books and finish up before Cisco drops any more CCVP change bombs.

For the CCVP FAQ I'll probably just add a header for the the 642-436 CVOICE exam and say use the 642-432 Cisco Voice over IP (CVOICE) and 642-453 Implementing Cisco Voice Gateways and Gatekeepers (GWGK) suggested documentation links.

I've already added a couple 6.x Unified Communication Managers to my home voice lab and I'm keeping the existing 4.x Callmanager Publishers and Subscribers. I will admit its a lot easier keeping up with the certification topics once you already have the certification.

Good Night and Good Luck

sean03

Hi,

I am about to start out on the CCVP track & just wondering what the best study guide is to read, I have noticed there is a new exam out 642-436 but as of yet have not found any study guides for it, can anybody advise me on what study guide is the best to read please.

Many thanks

Sean

Kelkin

Hey Sean!

I would say check out Mike's post:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31883

It is what im going by..

and on a side note.. Just got my Cisco Voice Gateways & Gatekeepers book.. WOOT! Gateways and Gatekeepers here I come!

mikej412

If you're going for the Unified Communications Manager Track, the first, and probably only thing out there for a while for the 642-436 exam will be the Official Cisco Course Materials.

If you're still planning to try the new CCVP Track self-study, then you'd probably want to read the Current CVOICE Book and the GWGK book and fill in any gaps in the 642-436 Exam Blueprint with the Cisco Documentation.

The Cisco Documentation is always helpful for the CIPT exams -- so read the existing suggested Cisco Press books, the Cisco Docs, and follow the Blueprint(s).

Probably the most important thing will be hands on practice. Without actually working through this stuff in a lab environment, a lot of it won't make any sense. When you actually do it, then it should start to click and stick in your head for the exams.

One bright point, if you're a video person, CBT Nuggets has Released Cisco CCVP - Exam-Pack: 642-444 CIPT.