Cisco is an information technology certification that provides training in a specific field. It also things in various ways. Cisco announced some changes to its certification exams of Cisco Certified Network Associate or CCNA. Last year Cisco changed up most of the certification programs as well at the CCNA level. The changes also impacted other certifications like Cisco Certified Network Professional or CCNP and Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert or CCIE. The changes have already been rolled out on 24th Feb 2020. Almost everyone prefers the upgraded courses, and people from various areas wish to do this course. The new CCNA exam and course will provide the foundation one needs to take the dream career. Even the upgraded certification will help you to start your career in significant organizations like the manor association. In this post, we are going to discuss the difference between old and new CCNA.
Difference between the old and new CCNA training
The old CCNA includes LAN technologies, WAN technologies, routing technologies, infrastructure services, infrastructure management, and security fundamentals.
On the contrary, the new CCNA training includes network access, network fundamentals, IP services, security fundamentals, and IP connectivity.
So, these are the specific things that the old and new CCNA training deal with. This training helps to crave skills and industries that help to improve knowledge about CCNA exams.
So, there is a significant difference between the old and new CCNA training due to the changes and upgraded technologies. New CCNA is utterly different from the old CCNA. Before, you had to select from the various tracks like security, where you will get the basic knowledge of switching and routing. But the new CCNA has replaced all the other ways. Now it is focusing on implementing skills and the industry.
How difficult is the new CCNA?
You can understand the difficulty level by considering the pass rates of upcoming years. Still, we must say the new CCNA is a bit harder than the old CCNA. The changes need a more comprehensive knowledge base. Previously it was easy as you could step into CCNA routing & switching by starting with a CCENT. It is also used to help one to step into other CCNA paths. But unfortunately, that is no longer possible, and therefore it is now challenging to earn the new CCNA. Thus, the latest exam pattern is going to be more challenging than the old CCNA exams.
The new CCNA covers modern network fundamentals end-to-end that itself is a huge ground to cover. Automation and programmability can be a bit difficult for the latest networking pros. The concept of mixing programming into networking is completely new. Therefore, it can add an extra layer of difficulty for the certificate takers who are new to automation.
How do the changes of new CCNA benefits you
It had been a long time since Cisco made such significant changes in their certification program. With the new upgrades, the requirements of IT professionals also have changed. However, the associate level expertise doesn’t demand any concentration in any particular area. When a person wants to hire someone with a CCNA certification, the applicant wishes to have a basic understanding of Cisco applications. Thus the hirer will be able to mould that person into something that will be the best for that specific organization. So, undoubtedly the changes of the new CCNA will help you to get more advancement in your career.
The upgraded CCNA helps you to pick up a Cisco specialization that lets you shape your career according to the requirements of a particular organization. The new changes also give you more flexibility than the old CCNA. Somehow, if your career leads you to a different path, you will always be ready to shift your focus to that new area. The recent changes give you a straightforward way of progression that helps to increase the success rates for the CCNA certificate holders. Presently, the organization of IT industries is also changing, so the new CNAA will be beneficial to meet the new requirements.
Conclusion
By discussing the difference, it is clear that the new CCNA is undoubtedly more complex than the old CCNA. For the new CCNA, the IT professionals need to set a wider set of skills. But the new CCNA will prepare you for real-world expectations. By achieving this certificate, you can show the skills that will be required to present networks.
