CCNP Routing and Switching

THE CCNP CERTIFICATION

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Routing & Switching is the third level certification offered by the Cisco systems, a stepping stone from the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Devices 1) to a higher validation of skills, suitable for network engineers, network technicians, support engineers, and systems engineers, especially professionals with one year or more of networking experience looking to advance their career.


It was created to recognize advanced skills in installation and in support of medium-sized LAN/WAN networks (up to 500 nodes), and with remote access. It’s validation for the ability to plan, verify, troubleshoot and implement local and wide area enterprise networks, and the competency to work with specialists on advanced security, voice, wireless and video. For this certification to awarded, Cisco organized three professional level exams with focus on different areas of knowledge:

Routing

  • Network principles;
  • Layer 2 technologies;
  • Layer 3 technologies;
  • VNP technologies;
  • Infrastructure security;
  • Infrastructure services;

Switched Networks

  • Layer 2 technologies;
  • Infrastructure security;
  • Infrastructure services;

Troubleshooting and maintenance

  • Network principles;
  • Layer 2 technologies;
  • Layer 3 technologies;
  • VNP technologies;
  • Infrastructure security;
  • Infrastructure services;

Reasons to take a CCNP certification

CCNP certification attests the competency with wide area enterprise networks, and with routing and switching protocol knowledge, to frame set of skills that includes ability to work with security in routers, with networking devices, switches, and the choosing of Firewalls, VPNS, IDS/IPS solutions. Furthermore, it validates the ability to operate platforms and products with leading service providers, enterprises, and businesses. It can be attained through the three exams:

  • Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE 300-101), a 120-minute exam with 50‒60 questions. It certifies routing knowledge and skills in advanced IP addressing, implementation of scalable and highly secure Cisco routers connected to LANs, WANs, and IPv6. The passing score for this exam isn’t published. Cost for signing up $200;
  • Troubleshooting and Maintaining Cisco IP Networks v2 (TSHOOT 300-135), a 120- minute qualifying exam with 15‒25 questions. It certifies skills in planning and performing maintenance on complex enterprise routed and switched networks, and with technology-based practices and a systematic ITIL-compliant approach to network troubleshooting. Passing score for this exam not published. Cost for signing up $200;
  • Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH 300-115), a 120-minute qualifying exam with 45‒55 questions. It certifies the switching knowledge, and skills in n planning, configuring, and verifying the implementation of complex enterprise switching solutions. Passing score for this exam not published. Cost for signing up $200;

Questions are multiple choice questions (both single and multiple answer), drag-and-drop questions, fill-in-the-blank, router simulation, simlet and testlet questions. To pass these exams, it is very important to have hand-on practice with Cisco equipment. These three exams, ROUTE 300-101, TSHOOT 300-135, and SWITCH 300—115 are the version 2 of Cisco’s certification exams that came to substitute, on 30 January 2015, the earlier version. Cisco decision was due to the changing IT industry, so that the certifications would reflect better current job roles, and validate the necessary skills.