The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification program recognizes network professionals who can install, configure, and troubleshoot local
and wide area networks for enterprise as well as small-scale organizations with networks from 100 to more than 500 nodes. The CCNP is the next step up
the certification ladder from the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification. The CCNA track gives you an overview of all the Cisco technologies
that are covered extensively in the CCNP track. The CCNP track is the midrung toward achieving the coveted Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
certification.
CCNP certification can be approached in two ways. The first option is to pass the following four exams:
• Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks (BSCI 642-801)
• Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN 642-811)
• Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN 642-821)
• Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT 642-831)
You can choose the alternate route by passing the following three exams:
• Building Scalable Cisco Internetworks and Building Cisco
Multilayer Switched Networks(642-891 Composite)
• Building Cisco Remote Access Networks (BCRAN 642-821)
• Cisco Internetwork Troubleshooting (CIT 642-831)
The CCNP exams were updated in 2004, and each include a few (but challenging) simulation questions that test you on real-world
experience and knowledge. The rest of the questions are formatted as multiple choice, drag and drop, and fill in the blank. Each
exam presents 55 to 70 questions, which must be completed within 75 to 90 minutes, depending on the specific exam.
The CCNP certification is valid for a period of 3 years and, to recertify, you can either take the 642-891 composite exam or the
642-801 and 642-811 exams. Full details about the CCNP track are available on the CCNP Certification Web pages.
With an impressive 500,000+ individuals holding one or more Cisco certifications, IT professionals should carefully consider the benefits
of acquiring a Cisco credential. CCNP is a highly sought after certification that recognizes an individual’s ability to design, implement,
and troubleshoot internetworks. Job positions for a CCNP include Network Administrator, Level 2 Support Engineer, Level 2 Systems Engineer,
Network Technician, Deployment Engineer, and Network Engineer, to name a few. This certification provides value to your professional career
both monetarily as well as intellectually. In addition, the CCNP ranked #4 in CertCities.com’s ranking of the top 10 hottest certifications
in 2003 and 2004.
CCNP Exams in Brief
In the following sections, I provide an overview of the four exams required for the CCNP track. As mentioned previously, you have the option
of taking a composite exam (642-891), which combines the BSCI and BCMSN exams.
BSCI
The BSCI exam covers the major routing protocols, such as EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, and IS-IS. This exam requires you to know these major routing
procotols in regard to functionality and behavior, and focuses on layer 3 of the OSI model. This exam delves into the following
core topics:
Key information routers needs to route data
Classful and classless routing protocols
Distance vector and link state routing protocols
Concepts relating to extending IP addresses and the use of VLSMs to extend IP addresses
Features and operation of EIGRP, single-area OSPF, multi-area OSPF, and BGP
Basic OSI terminology and network layer protocols used in OSI
Similarities and differences between Integrated IS-IS and OSPF
Types of IS-IS routers and their role in IS-IS area design
Hierarchical structure of IS-IS areas
Concept of establishing adjacencies
BGP policy-based routing functions within an autonomous system
Redistribution between BGP and Interior Gateway Protocols (IGPs)
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