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If you’re working on the CCNA right now, or even thinking about it, there are changes coming to the CCNA program in November that you need to know. These changes are all good news for CCNAs and CCNA candidates.
And the first bit of good news is that you have plenty of time to take and pass the current CCNA exams. In this article, I will outline several advantages to take the CCNA plunge now before these changes take effect.
The current CCNA exam (640-801) will not be phased out until November 6, which gives you more than enough time to get CCNA certified before then — even if you haven’t started studying yet! Those of you who want to take the two-exam path to CCNA certification should know that the 640-811 ICND and 640-821 INTRO exams will be phased out on that same date.
Cisco’s taking the approach that the CCNA certification is no longer an entry-level certification, and this is a welcome change for CCNAs and CCNA candidates alike. I have been writing CCNA ebooks and teaching CCNA courses for several years, and I’ve always refused to call this an entry-level certification.
The new CCNA exam (640-802) looks to be even more demanding than the current exam, which is another reason to pick up the pace and get certified now! Here are just some of the new topics you’ll find on the 640-802 exam:
Add these to the topics already found on the current CCNA exam, and you can see that the new CCNA exam will be even more demanding than the current version.
If you choose the two-exam path for the CCNA certification after November 6, you’ll need to take two ICND exams – ICND 1 (640-822) and ICND 2 (640-816). This is much tougher than the current path because the INTRO exam will be a thing of the past after November 6! (Passing the ICND 1 exam will earn you the new Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician certification, Cisco’s new entry-level certification.)
The CCNA will be even more valuable with these changes, so again, even if you’ve even been thinking about earning the CCNA – now is the time!
The new CCNA exams will actually be available on August 1, but again, I want to emphasize that the current CCNA exams will be available through November 6. My advice to those who want to get CCNA certified before the change is to book your exam now, make sure you choose the right exam number – and get started studying!
Chris Bryant is an experienced instructor at Train Signal. He has extensive experience (over 10 years!) in both the practical and theoretical sides of Cisco technologies. Chris has recently been “down the Cisco road”, passing his CCNA, CCNP & finally his CCIE!
To learn more about Chris, and get free questions to help you earn your CCNA, visit The Bryant Advantage today!
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Odudu Says:
July 10th, 2007 at 7:27 am
Thanks a lot for the information.
I was getting prepared for the exams but was rather slow .
samuel owoeye Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I would like to start preparing for the ccna exams how can i get help from you.
Kasia Grabowska Says:
January 28th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Hi Samuel,
I would suggest reading the articles that you can find under the CCNA category. Most, if not all of them are geared towards people who are studying for the CCNA certification exam.
I would also suggest watching our free training videos on Cisco Routing and Switching and Cisco Troubleshooting.
This will get you started on the right path.
You will need to get some kind of training and/or book to go along with the information that is available here. Train Signal offers Cisco CCNA Training Videos, which you can find here.
We will also be coming out with a free Cisco CCNA study guide in February, so chek back for the free download.
Good luck! And let me know if you have any questions.
Kasia