Understanding the paths

new2net

hey everyone...im in the process of doing my ccna studies...i am looking at my options after i complete the ccna (such as ccnp, and the various ccna specializations)....i am not really clear on what the ccda is about...it would seem to me that since it is an Associate Level, then there would be overlap between the ccna...could someone please clarify what its about?
the ccna specializations have pretty well defined objectices, but i cannot comprehend what Design stuff covers

Cisco's website says:
With a CCDA certification, a network professional demonstrates the skills required to design routed and switched network infrastructures and services involving LAN, WAN, and broadband access for businesses and organizations

A lot of what i am learning in the CCNA seems to fit that definition....

billscott92787

new2net wrote: »

hey everyone...im in the process of doing my ccna studies...i am looking at my options after i complete the ccna (such as ccnp, and the various ccna specializations)....i am not really clear on what the ccda is about...it would seem to me that since it is an Associate Level, then there would be overlap between the ccna...could someone please clarify what its about?
the ccna specializations have pretty well defined objectices, but i cannot comprehend what Design stuff covers

Cisco's website says:
With a CCDA certification, a network professional demonstrates the skills required to design routed and switched network infrastructures and services involving LAN, WAN, and broadband access for businesses and organizations

A lot of what i am learning in the CCNA seems to fit that definition....

CCDA or CCDP go into A LOT more detail about network design. CCNA is a requirement for any track. CCNA is basically the "foundation" of your learning. Once you start studying for your CCNP or whatever comes next, you'll see that the CCNA is really all about the theory behind everything and grasping that. From there, you build on that theory, and really re-learn some stuff, and dig deeper into other stuff. The CCDP requires that you take the BSCI and BCMSN (currently) not sure how the CCNP change on June 23, 2010 will affect this. In addition there is an ARCH exam required as well. Go to CCDP - Career Certifications & Paths - Cisco Systems and click on them, you can create an account and view the exam topics. Each of these paths builds upon the CCNA. The regular CCNA is just the Routing and Switching portion. You than have CCNA: Voice which deals with support for VoIP and CCNA: Security, which the name explains it all. Finally you have CCNA Wireless, which again the name explains it all. Basically your CCNA is just your building block on to these other paths if you decide to continue on.