CCDA vs. CCENT

plevine1

Please forgive me asking this question but.......

I just started reading the CCENT books. I've been in IT for many years so most of the topics covered in the CCENT I understand in concept. Knowing what a subnet is, isnt the same as setting it up. So the CCENT is taking time.

Anyway.....

The company I'm working for just told me today that they want me to bypass the CCENT/CCNA and jump directly to the CCDA. Their reasoning is the CCDA is just "DESIGN" and the CCNA material isnt really required for the CCDA.

I would much rather do it in the order Cisco prescribes, so the network foundation is laid correctly.

Any thoughts on this.....

dynamik

Cisco actually recommends CCNA and BCMSN: CCDA - Career Certifications & Paths - Cisco Systems

darkerosxx

You can't earn the CCDA certification without the CCNA.

You *can* skip the CCNA and study the CCDA material. If that's what your boss wants you to do, then do it. The main problem with that, though, is you won't understand the foundations to how most of the designs work.

It's kind of like saying you'll be a car designer and you'll know a car needs a steering wheel and a muffler. You can pretty much explain why you need a steering wheel with knowledge of how to build the car, but with no knowledge of how the car runs, you'd likely have problem explaining why the muffler is needed. If you can't explain why the muffler is needed, you might be inclined to leave it out when making your design, either because you forgot or just didn't think of it as a priority.

Anyways, I'd say go ahead with what they want you to do, just be careful and recognize the opinions I've stated above may effect your ability to design. This doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, just recognize it and work to counter it.

Good luck.

kalebksp

darkerosxx wrote: »

You can't earn the CCDA certification without the CCNA.

From CCDA - Career Certifications & Paths - Cisco Systems

CCNA level knowledge and BCMSN level knowledge is needed to prepare for the CCDA certification exam.

You don't have to have a CCNA to earn the CCDA.

Forsaken_GA

However, if your boss wants you to move from CCDA to CCDP, you will need a CCNA at that point.

Just study for them both, they're pretty complementary. The CCNA tells you how to do it, the CCDA tells you why.

tech-airman

darkerosxx,

darkerosxx wrote: »

You can't earn the CCDA certification without the CCNA.

That is a false statement. I earned my CCDA certification prior to my CCNA certification.

darkerosxx wrote: »

You *can* skip the CCNA and study the CCDA material. If that's what your boss wants you to do, then do it. The main problem with that, though, is you won't understand the foundations to how most of the designs work.

It's kind of like saying you'll be a car designer and you'll know a car needs a steering wheel and a muffler. You can pretty much explain why you need a steering wheel with knowledge of how to build the car, but with no knowledge of how the car runs, you'd likely have problem explaining why the muffler is needed. If you can't explain why the muffler is needed, you might be inclined to leave it out when making your design, either because you forgot or just didn't think of it as a priority.

Anyways, I'd say go ahead with what they want you to do, just be careful and recognize the opinions I've stated above may effect your ability to design. This doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, just recognize it and work to counter it.

Good luck.

tech-airman

Forsaken_GA,

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

However, if your boss wants you to move from CCDA to CCDP, you will need a CCNA at that point.

Just study for them both, they're pretty complementary. The CCNA tells you how to do it, the CCDA tells you why.

That might have been the case with the 640-607 CCNA certification exam and the 640-441 DCN certification exam but as of the 640-861 DESGN certification exam, that's not the case. One of the main changes from the 640-441 DCN certification exam to the 640-861 DESGN certification exam is that the 640-441 DCN was more of the "design version" of the 640-607 CCNA (Routing & Switching) certification exam material but the 640-861 DESGN certification exam encompasses all four of Cisco's specializations of: 1) Routing & Switching 2) Wireless LANs 3) Security and 4) Voice. I believe the 640-863 DESGN certification exam continued the broad legacy of the 640-861 DESGN certification exam.

tech-airman

plevine1 wrote: »

Please forgive me asking this question but.......

I just started reading the CCENT books. I've been in IT for many years so most of the topics covered in the CCENT I understand in concept. Knowing what a subnet is, isnt the same as setting it up. So the CCENT is taking time.

Anyway.....

The company I'm working for just told me today that they want me to bypass the CCENT/CCNA and jump directly to the CCDA. Their reasoning is the CCDA is just "DESIGN" and the CCNA material isnt really required for the CCDA.

I would much rather do it in the order Cisco prescribes, so the network foundation is laid correctly.

Any thoughts on this.....

plevine1,

I was CCDA certified previously. The above bolded part is a flaw in their reasoning as mentioned by previous posters.

Is your company seeking Cisco Partner status?

dynamik

tech-airman wrote: »

Forsaken_GA,



That might have been the case with the 640-607 CCNA certification exam and the 640-441 DCN certification exam but as of the 640-861 DESGN certification exam, that's not the case. One of the main changes from the 640-441 DCN certification exam to the 640-861 DESGN certification exam is that the 640-441 DCN was more of the "design version" of the 640-607 CCNA (Routing & Switching) certification exam material but the 640-861 DESGN certification exam encompasses all four of Cisco's specializations of: 1) Routing & Switching 2) Wireless LANs 3) Security and 4) Voice. I believe the 640-863 DESGN certification exam continued the broad legacy of the 640-861 DESGN certification exam.

How is that not complementary?

Aside from the minor mistake about the CCNA being a prerequisite, I don't see how everyone else's points about why you should have CCNA-level knowledge aren't valid...

darkerosxx

Yeah, I was thinking CCDP. Got the P's on my brain!!!

Forsaken_GA

tech-airman wrote: »

Forsaken_GA,



That might have been the case with the 640-607 CCNA certification exam and the 640-441 DCN certification exam but as of the 640-861 DESGN certification exam, that's not the case. One of the main changes from the 640-441 DCN certification exam to the 640-861 DESGN certification exam is that the 640-441 DCN was more of the "design version" of the 640-607 CCNA (Routing & Switching) certification exam material but the 640-861 DESGN certification exam encompasses all four of Cisco's specializations of: 1) Routing & Switching 2) Wireless LANs 3) Security and 4) Voice. I believe the 640-863 DESGN certification exam continued the broad legacy of the 640-861 DESGN certification exam.

You are aware of what the term 'complementary' actually means, aren't you? Did I say they mapped on a one to one basis? Absolutely not. And yes, design covers a bit more of a broad range, but the routing and switching sections, which is a majority of the material, complement the CCNA material very nicely, and will probably answer many questions that occur to a candidate while studying for their CCNA. It is beneficial for the candidate to study for both, even if they only intend on taking one of the exams.

Morty3

The CCDA have CCNP-topics (even though on a low level), and I would say is a perfect transition for CCNA:s who are going for CCNP. I am doing it that way and it works GREAT! A nice intro to BGP and IS-IS, aswell as other stuff. Also provides some theoretical knowledge that I didnt get when I studied for CCNA.

So CCNA should definatly come before CCDA. I am doing like that now, and it works great!