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CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
Cisco Systems’ entry-level certification, CCNA, has a reputation as one of the most valuable entry-level certifications in the computing industry.
Cisco’s CCNA certification proves that you have a firm foundation in the most important
components of the Cisco product line—routers and switches. It also proves that you have
broad knowledge of protocols and networking technologies. CCNA is not an easy
certification to get, but it is well worth the effort. In a booming economy, CCNA is the first
step toward getting a higher salary than your noncertified peers. In a difficult economy, it
could determine whether a prospective employer even looks at your resume. Regardless of
your local economy, CCNA improves how people in the marketplace view your skill level!
Cisco’s primary motivation for creating CCNA and most of the other Cisco certifications is
to help determine the skill levels of their partners. Cisco fulfills only a small portion of its
orders through direct sales; most often, a Cisco reseller is involved. (Cisco calls resellers
channel partners.) Also, Cisco encourages partners to perform most consulting and
implementation services relating to Cisco products. While working heavily with partners,
Cisco needed to know which partners truly had the right skills. So it created many
certifications, including CCNA.
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