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The CCNA Exam is a beginning level exam.

It is of interest for many Information technology professionals around the planet. It is a difficult exam but a test that is considered entry level because it is the first exam that Cisco Systems offers to its professionals. Many young people like to look up to CCNA certified engineers because of their elite status.

Human Resource departments around the country also value the CCNA.

It is a certification that means typically that you have studied hard. It also relays a message to employers that you have a certain amount of perseverance and brains. Additionally, most CCNA’s are people that have had at least 2 years experience.

No HR department or hiring manager in their right mind would hire a CCNA with no experience. This is a red flag that they have not had proper training and most likely achieved the cert by an unsavory means, such as a brain dump.

There is something in the Cisco World that is not only exclusive to Cisco, but famous in Cisco Circles.

This something is referred to as the NDA. NDA means Non-Disclosure Agreement. In other words if you spill the beans then you might be stripped of your certification. Not only this is true but also you will not be allowed to get any future Cisco Certifications such as the CCNP or CCDP, and you can forget about the CCIE.

When one embarks on the CCNA journey they can be sure that there will be many books to be read.

The CCNA candidate will spend many nights pouring over Cisco web pages, reviewing labs that don’t make sense and so on. Non-CCNA’s will covet the candidate’s newfound success should he or she pass this exam.

In the USA the average CCNA with 5 years experience tends to make around $42,000.00 per year.

This is a substantial amount of money for sitting around pining wouldn’t you say. Now, I am only making light, but the truth is that it is an important position that of the Network Engineer. Let’s say you are Desktop Support, if you have an Internet issue then it is a user issue. But when the internet goes down and you are the Network Engineer then everybody is your issue.

Therefore we can say that the CCNA should make much more than the Desktop Support. This is not the case. But, the CCNA has no limit to the upside potential. So, take it in stride and remember that no desktop support personnel make 150k per year, but some Cisco professionals do make that much money. These professionals are usually CCIE or better, meaning their experience level.

Have you ever heard the term paper CCNA?

I doubt you have unless you live in the Cisco world. It is thrown around and is a very big insult to those who have achieved the status of the CCNA. The kind of people that usually say the words “Paper CCNA” are almost always non-CCNA. Isn’t this interesting and if you know much of the human ego and condition this speaks volumes of the accuser. Does it not?

Who would hurl an insult such as this besides a classic bully? Most bullies are driven by what? They are driven by insecurities and a lack of confidence. Have no fear, I can tell you that it is very rare for someone whom has achieved the CCNA to ever utter the words “Paper CCNA.” This is simply because they know what it takes and the sacrifice that one has to make to become CCNA. There are “Paper CCNA’s” and there are people out there who use brain dumps but their early careers are hard and by the time they are seasoned they have paid the price by being nervous under the pressure. Far better to do the hard work up front and go in to work every day with great confidence and pride in your efforts and capabilities, than to cheat. This will be a job you enjoy and treasure.

We hope that we can stay in such an area like Networking. And let us address one final issue. The CCNA does not make you a network engineer. The word engineer is not applicable unless you have an engineering degree. Many true Engineers are upset by us using the term network engineer. So let us resolve to use the term technician or architect or manager. This will enable us to know ruffle the ego’s of our true Engineering colleagues.

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Ihab Salloum