Scope for CCNA Voice

saravanaboobathy

hi Guys ...
i am CCNA certified Engg.,
i wanna know about the scope for ccna voice... My frnds are told there is no Opportunity for VoIP.... But lot of ooportunity for Ccna data networking....but i am intrested in VoIP.... i have one year of exp., in that field.... shall i do CCNA Voice or CCNP.... i am in very confusion.....pls help me...

mikej412

The CCVP is now (or will be) the CCNP Voice. You can follow the exam links over to The Cisco Learning Network web site and check out the exam topics.

Cisco confused things when they decided that the CVOICE exam would also earn you the CCNA Voice Certification. People on the "Enterprise" CCVP track could skip the 640-460 IIUC exam which focused on the Small Office (8 to 104 users) using the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series devices.

With the changes to the CCVP, starting February 2nd 2011, you earn the CCNA Voice by taking the 640-461 ICOMM exam. The only issue I see with that is that it is now more of an "Operations Exam" -- you need several of the Cisco Unified Communications solutions that you want to setup and learn during the CCVP, but they have to be already setup for you so that you can perform and learn the "day-to-day tasks" required for the ICOMM exam. If you worked at a Cisco Business Partner and had access to an already configured Voice Lab, then you could start with ICOMM. For the people doing self-study and building their own home lab it may be easier to do the CCNP Voice exams first (and build the lab) and then come back to the ICOMM exam.

I think the CCNP Voice CAPPS exam does cover the Unified Communications Applications -- and Unified Communications Manager Express (the old Call Manager Express that runs on routers) -- so the old "Small Office" IIUC exam and the "Enterprise" CCVP track seems to be a moot point in February.

I think Voice is HOT -- but that could be because I'm in a Voice position

Right now it's probably easiest to get the CCNA:Voice by taking the IIUC exam. You can use Call Manager Express instead of the more expensive UC520 device. People have been selling 1760 routers on eBay (here in the US) with CME installed (but not Licensed) for reasonable prices (which is fine for a home lab). It is possible to run CME with Dynamips (and the Dynagen or GNS3 front ends) -- but you'd be on your own getting the software. And as of January, Cisco will be tracking software downloads -- so even if you worked for a Cisco Business Partner you'd probably need a valid Smartnet contract to download a copy from Cisco.

You could try to use your CCNA and your desire to learn Cisco Voice to get on with a Cisco Business Partner and gain access to the Partner eLearning and nice voice lab and demo equipment. Or you could try to take the IIUC exam before February and then use your CCNA AND CCNA:Voice and your desire to learn Cisco Voice to do the exact same thing -- get a job with a Cisco Business Partner.

Your friends are right that there are probably more opportunities for data networking -- but there are also a lot more qualified (and unqualified) people fighting for those positions.

On the Voice side of the network you pretty much have to be qualified -- and there aren't that many good qualified voice people out there. The people who **** their CCVP and still can't make a phone ring hopefully wouldn't have gotten a voice job in the first place -- but if they did they definitely won't keep it.

If you want to take a shot at Cisco Voice, check out the Cisco Partner Locator and find the Cisco Business Partners in your area. If you have the time to visit them and drop off a resume (or CV) you may luck out and find someone willing to talk to you and give you a better idea of the local VoIP/IP Telephony opportunities.

While the CCNP isn't a prerequsite for the CCNP Voice, a lot of people will follow up their CCNA and work experience with the CCNP and then move on to the Security or Voice or Wireless specializations. But if you can find a Voice opportunity, then getting the CCNP Voice first shouldn't be an issue -- and you can always get the CCNP later.

saravanaboobathy

Thanks mike.. now i am going to do the CCNA Voice on Feb 2011... ....