New Cisco certs

[Dieselboy]

This morning I received a couple of emails from 'youracclaim.com' saying "Per the previous communication you received, Cisco has partnered with Acclaim and you can now accept your digital badge and share your live credential online." - I dont recall having any communication from them or Cisco recently so I guess it's to do with the new Cisco certs coming out next month. So I logged in to the certification tracking cisco.com site to take a look...

The portal has been redesigned. If I go to the "certifications" page to list my current and expired certs, at the bottom it says:

✳ The certification track has been retired; no new ones will be granted and no existing ones will be extended.

Any idea what this means?

I passed CCNP in 2010. Because I passed CCNP Collab in March last year, both CCNP's are valid until 2022.

Any idea how I recertify these? I guess I can take CCNP Security (2 exams, core and specialisation). But what about the CCNP R&S? It looks like it's now CCNP Enterprise. Seems like I would need to take CCNP Enterprise Core to recertify and then I would optionally take a specialisation to achieve a 3rd CCNP.. ?

[config t]

I got the same emails and was wondering why those badges weren't issued years ago.

Did you look at the cert migration tool on Cisco's website? I'm not sure what will happen with your Collab but your CCNP RS will migrate to CCNP Enterprise with the Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation specialization.

Here is the recert policy:
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/training-events/training-certifications/recertification-policy.html

"Pass any one technology core exam" OR "Pass any two professional concentration exams" OR become a CCIE

They are also implementing a continuing education option.

Hmm.. my CCNP expires next Feb 2021 but I may go take TSHOOT and recert soon to dodge this nonsense for another 3 years.

[deanwebb]

... I may go take TSHOOT and recert soon to dodge this nonsense for another 3 years.

Like a boss. 

[Otanx]

Hmm.. my CCNP expires next Feb 2021 but I may go take TSHOOT and recert soon to dodge this nonsense for another 3 years.

This is exactly why I took TSHOOT last month. My CCNP expired 27 Feb 2020. No way I was going to try and sort it out in the middle of the transition to new certs. Now I don't need to deal with it for 3 years, and let others find the issues.

I got those acclaim emails a few years ago I thought. Maybe it was for some other cert I hold.

-Otanx

[config t]

Scheduled TSHOOT for end of month.. that gives me some wiggle room in case I bomb it.

[Otanx]

Spoke too soon. Got the Acclaim emails yesterday.

-Otanx

[Dieselboy]

I am still confused by this...
I got my "CCNP" before it was called CCNP R&S. I dont think my CCNP will be migrated to the Enterprise. When I look at the migration tool for this, I have not passed any of those "current" ccnp exams. So I think this is why I got the CCNP R&S badges now this week. I think that is it for me with the R&S. I think it will stay valid as long as I keep recertifying. Such as the CCNP Collaboration has kept this other CCNP valid.

For the CCNP Collab, I did complete all 4 of the "current" certs so according to the migration tool:

Then after February 24:

You will receive the new CCNP Collaboration certification and these Specialist certifications:

    Cisco Certified Specialist - Collaboration Core
    Cisco Certified Specialist - Collaboration Applications Implementation
    Cisco Certified Specialist - Collaboration Call Control & Mobility Implementation
    Cisco Certified Specialist - Collaboration Cloud & Edge Implementation

[merxvell]

So I recently got my CCNA and since the certificates are changing do I just take whatever new CCNP path interests me? I'm interested in learning cyber sec, standard R&S (which is enterprise now right?), and the both the NA and NP level DevNet certifications as I enjoy programming. Still new to mostly all of this as I just passed R&S in December. Any advice at all would be nice in general.

[Dieselboy]

Hi merxvell, check this link for the CCNA https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/training-events/training-certifications/certifications/associate/ccna.html#~stickynav=3

IT says if you have completed the current CCNA then you will get the new CCNA after Feb 23.

The new CCNP Enterprise says
[quotehttps://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/training-events/training-certifications/certifications/professional/ccnp-enterprise.html#~overview]Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites for CCNP Enterprise, but you should have a good understanding of the exam topics before taking the exam.[/quote]

So it seems that a valid CCNA is no longer required. You used to be able to log in to Cisco's Track my certifications page, and pick a cert like CCNP and see all the pre-requisites there, like which exams you can take to achieve it. It's not there any longer.

When I took CCNP Collab, I had to start at CCNA Collab which was a bit annoying but was helpful. I wonder how I'll do if I pick a new track and go straight to CCNP Core.

[wintermute000]

The old CCNA specialisations were some of the worse exams and material I've ever seen, ye gods how useless was CCNA voice for example or CCNA security.

HOWEVER I'm still really irritated they lump DC networking with UCS, like seriously IDGAF about UCS and in real life its most of the time the server teams anyway, they would never let you touch it even with a CCIE DC. I'd seriously consider the DC track if it was all networking.

Also I'm not sure how Cisco expects people to study for the new stuff without providing free or cheap virtual ACI simulators, SD-WAN control plane, heck DNA centre and integrating all the bits good luck with that.... I also am seriously laughing at the CCIE Enterprise, like 1 day to examine someone on ALL THE OLD SHIT (BGP/MPLS/OSPF/yada yada) AND you have to know Viptela AND DNA Centre AND its still 8 hours? Its starting to look a mile wide but an inch deep and oh forget about labbing most of it without paying through the butt for rack rentals (even if you work for a large Gold partner like me how the fuck am I going to lab SD-Access with ISE and DNA Centre and WLCs and WAPs... ).Thank God now i just have to do a CCNP specialisation or knock out some Continuing Credits and I'm good to go (although I'll still not have any clue about configuring SD-Access, no, watching fucking videos don't count). Then I'll only have 2 more years to tolerate before finally signing up for that coveted Emeritus, now I feel old goddammit

[Nerm]

I was going to do CCDA at the end of 2019 and then do CCDP in 2020 as design was my original preferred track. Now I don't know what to do. I guess I'll switch gears and hit CWNA and CWNP as not sure I want to bother with the new CCNP track.

[deanwebb]

Maybe the broadening of work with licensed software stuff is part of a play to sell more PS hours, as only VAR / Cisco staff will have those certs?

[config t]

I'm going to stick with my plan of maintaining the CCNP but letting it sit as a foundation cert while I focus on other things like firewall vendor certs and CISSP.

What are they counting as CE credits? I read that one specialization test only counts for half of the required CE's. Wondering if they will do like the security side and allow other vendor certs to fill CEU's. For example I got the ISC2 SSCP and it fulfilled 63 credits on my CompTIA CASP.

It would definitely incentivize people to get Juniper certified but that doesn't sound like something Cisco wants to encourage.

[deanwebb]

Yeah, I'm not gonna hold my breath for Cisco to count other vendor certs towards CE credits.

[Otanx]

My understanding is to start Cisco is only going to recognize their official training, and Cisco Live sessions for CE credits. They have been doing the CE stuff for a few years with CCIE, but I can't see what all counts because you need a CCIE to see the full list of approved CE. The link below has some info for the current CCIE CE program.

CCIE CE Reference: https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/cisco-continuing-education-program

-Otanx