CCNP Certification

Career Certifications & Paths

CCNP

CCNP Certification

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP®) validates the ability to plan, implement, verify and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks and work collaboratively with specialists on advanced security, voice, wireless and video solutions. The CCNP certification is appropriate for those with at least one year of networking experience who are ready to advance their skills and work independently on complex network solutions. Those who achieve CCNP have demonstrated the skills required in enterprise roles such as network technician, support engineer, systems engineer or network engineer.

Find out more about changes to CCNP certification announced on January 25, 2010 and use our CCNP exam combination tool to show which additional exams are required, based on the exams you've already passed.

CCNP syllabus

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• CCNP Track I Learning Map
• CCNP Track II Learning Map

CCNP Prerequisites
Valid CCNA certification or any CCIE Certification can act as a pre-requisite.
Until July 31, 2010 candidates have four different paths to CCNP certification: Path 1: Candidates already in the process of certifying may use their passing scores on ISCW and ONT. This path is not recommended for candidates who have not yet attempted ISCW or ONT.
CCNP Exams & Recommended Training
Required Exam(s)	Recommended Training
642-901 BSCI Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI)
OR
642-902 ROUTE Available March 10, 2010	Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE)
642-812 BCMSN Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)
OR
642-813 SWITCH Available March 10, 2010	Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH)
642-825 ISCW Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks (ISCW)
642-845 ONT Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks (ONT)
OR
Path 2: Same as Path 1, except that the single COMP exam is used instead of the individual BSCI and BCMSN. Again, this path is not recommended for candidates who have not yet attempted ISCW or ONT.
Required Exam(s)	Recommended Training
642-892 Composite Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI) Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)
642-825 ISCW Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Implementing Secure Converged Wide Area Networks (ISCW)
642-845 ONT Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Optimizing Converged Cisco Networks (ONT)
OR
Path 3: Candidates substitute the new TSHOOT exam (or TSHOOT beta exam) for ISCW and ONT, passing three exams to complete CCNP certification. This is the recommended path for candidates who have not yet taken the ISCW or ONT courses or exams and will become the only available path after July 31,2010.
Required Exam(s)	Recommended Training
642-901 BSCI Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI)
OR
642-902 ROUTE Available March 10, 2010	Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE)
642-812 BCMSN Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)
OR
642-813 SWITCH Available March 10, 2010	Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH)
643-832 TSHOOT BETA Available: February 16-March 26, 2010	Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks (TSHOOT)
OR
642-832 TSHOOT Available: April 30, 2010
OR
Path 4: This is the recommended path for candidates who have passed the COMP exam but not ISCW or ONT. This path can also be used by candidates who will be ready to take (and pass) the COMP exam before July 31, 2010. Please note that candidates who fail an exam attempt must wait five (5) calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before they may retest for the same exam.
Required Exam(s)	Recommended Training
642-892 Composite Last day to test: July 31, 2010	Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI) Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN)
643-832 TSHOOT BETA Available: February 16-March 26, 2010	Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks (TSHOOT)
OR
642-832 TSHOOT Available: April 30, 2010

CCNP Recertification
Cisco professional level certifications (CCDA, CCNP, CCDP, CCSP, CCVP, and CCIP) are valid for three years. To recertify, pass any 642 exam that is part of the professional level curriculum or any CCIE/CCDE written exam before the certification expiration date. Achieving or recertifying any of the certifications above automatically extends your active Associate and Professional level certification(s) up to the point of expiration of the last certification achieved. For more information, access the Cisco About Recertification page.