Cisco Certification and updates to CCNA

Leading training company says that customers can be certain that staff who attain the new entry-level qualification are well-equipped to manage their networks

Global Knowledge, Europe’s leading independent training company, is welcoming the major overhaul of the CCNA Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification programme, which was announced today, saying that they will give customers an assurance that staff who attend will be very well-equipped to manage their networks.

Cisco has replaced the former four-day introductory course for the CCNA qualification with a new course with updated content that is more relevant and useful for today’s IT networking professionals. Those who successfully complete the new, five-day Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices 1 (ICND1) course and the associated exam will qualify as a Cisco Certified Entry-level Network Technician (CCENT).

The new ICND1 course and qualification will benefit both students and their employers and according to Michael Pohl, European Business Development Director for Cisco at Global Knowledge. It also fits in with the company’s strategic drive to extend its development into new areas of growth that benefit both its customers and vendor partners and make the best use of its pan-European presence in 12 countries.

“The new course and qualification is exactly what organisations looking to get good value from their investment in Cisco skills development need. It ensures that networking administrators and IT professionals who attend have an excellent grounding in all the technologies they need in order to manage and get the best from Cisco-based networks today. We believe that customers will respond very positively to its introduction”, says Pohl.

“The new CCENT certification is very welcome”, he adds. “This new, entry-level qualification gives the course real, tangible value. It will mark out individuals as Cisco-certified and underline the credibility of the course and the investment that organisations are making in the skills development of their staff and the efficient running of their networks.”

“There is a strong performance-focused element to the assessment of delegates for the new CCENT qualification and this”, says Pohl, “will reassure employers that their staff have attained the practical skills and competency required to install, verify and support simple network configurations”.

The new ICND1 course has a much greater breadth and includes content covering areas such as wireless networking and security, as well the fundamentals of Cisco networking. “Having a good working knowledge of all the technologies that are now converging on the network is essential as networks today are much more than switches, routers and protocols – increasingly they are carrying voice and video traffic and security is becoming an integral part of network functionality. Many networks also have wireless connections as well. To manage the network effectively, you need to have an understanding of all these different aspects and this is exactly what the ICND1 course will deliver” says Pohl.

“In addition, the ICND1 course provides much more of a ‘hands-on’ experience for delegates and provides them with a good basic trouble-shooting and performance management skills”, Pohl notes.

“Individuals who want to qualify as a fully-fledged Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) will still need to complete the second and much more in-depth five-day course, which will now be known as ICND2.  As well as those planning to go on to achieve the full CCNA qualification, the ICND1 course will appeal to those who may have other IT certifications such as CompTIA A+ or Net+ , or anyone preparing for an entry into an IT or networking field, particularly those enrolled in a Cisco Networking Academy programme”, says Michael Pohl.   

Global Knowledge is introducing scheduled ICND1 and ICND2 courses from 30^th July. Current scheduled courses and qualifications are not affected by the introduction of the new courses.

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About Global Knowledge:

Global Knowledge is the largest privately held provider of training and enterprise learning services for information technology (IT) and management professionals. The company offers a broad array of hands-on IT, project management, and professional skills training featuring proprietary core and custom curriculum, as well as content from leading companies, including Cisco, Microsoft, Nortel, and Red Hat. Delivered in classrooms, at private facilities, or over the Internet, Global Knowledge has helped Fortune 500 companies, organizations and government agencies leverage learning to turn knowledge into productivity for employees, customers, and channel partners. Founded in 1995, Global Knowledge employs more than 1,200 people worldwide and is headquartered in Cary, N.C. The company is owned by New York-based investment firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson, and Stowe. For more information visit http://www.globalknowledge.net/.

Media contacts:

Felicity Bryant

Global Knowledge EMEA

+44 (0) 1189 121 853

Email: felicity.bryant@globalknowledge.net