For networking professionals, the CCNA course holds great importance. It opens up endless possibilities by making the professionals eligible for higher courses and various job roles.
However, to pass the CCNA exam, a candidate will need plenty of training and practice, making the course a legitimate pathway for acquiring crucial skills. It is also why there has been a spike in demand for CCNA training courses among IT professionals.
Is the CCNA exam difficult?
The Cisco certificationexams are pretty well-known for their high difficulty levels. Therefore, Cisco has deliberately developed an exhaustive learning module, including the exams, that can be a little challenging. But, such a model ensures that the candidates are well-versed with the relevant skills and knowledge before obtaining the certification.
It is essentially a win-win for the candidates as well as employers. Employers can recruit IT professionals who possess these certifications without worrying about the candidates’ ability to do practical work. Similarly, the candidates can easily prove their competency for a particular job role by getting certified.
How can you prepare for the CCNA exam?
You should not feel discouraged about pursuing the CCNA course simply because the exam is challenging. A sizable number of skilled professionals complete the certification program and progress far ahead in their careers. What you need is adequate and quality training.
Here are some of the tips to keep in mind while preparing for the CCNA certification:
Understand the Cisco Command Line Interface
You can configure networks in various ways. However, the Cisco Command Line Interface (CLI) is very important, and you would want to grow your mastery of it. As a Cisco technician, you must possess a proper understanding of how the basic investigational and configuration commands work. In addition, you would need CCNA training in verifying configuration details, checking routing protocols and the routing table, viewing mac address tables, and examining interface settings using the show commands.
Understand the TCP/IP stack addressing and data flow
Layered models like TCP/IP are one of the integral topics in networking. It would help if you understood the layer models and the protocol stack of TCP/IP. You might particularly want to get familiar with the concepts of the transportation layer, network access layer, and the internet layer. Also, considering the importance of professional knowledge regarding layered models, it would be wise to take the guidance of an experienced instructor.
Go for a good training program
Self-study may sound like a great way to prepare for the examination. However, to make the CCNA certification costworth it, it is wiser to opt for a training program. Experts suggest that getting yourself trained at one of the leading IT institutions would yield much better results.
Reach Out: What are Computer Related Jobs?
Even if you already have the first-hand experience as a professional, you would benefit from learning under an experienced instructor. It also opens up the opportunity to share strategies and discuss with other professionals.
Take practice exams
It always helps to take part in practice exams while preparing for a difficult test. A complete mock test would also help develop resilience, concentration, and attention from testing your skills. In addition, practice exams expose candidates to an environment similar to the actual exam, thus helping them evaluate how they would fare. Besides mock tests, you may also consider learning from Cisco CCNA certification question banks. Look for question databases that offer detailed information, such as why an answer is correct.
Know what to expect
Even if you study and practice well for the exam, you cannot put up your best performance if you do not know what to expect. So, first, get yourself familiar with the exam demands and know how much weightage each part of the question paper would carry. If you are aware of the exam model and the intricate details, you should feel well-prepared and not let a panic state hamper your performance.
Where can you avail of quality training?
Finding the right institution for the CCNA course onlineis crucial. You would want to opt for an institution that offers training in multiple Cisco certification courses. This way, you can progress with more advanced certifications in the future. The leading institutions have all the infrastructure to provide candidates with adequate hands-on training.
The CCNA course fees are a factor to consider as well. Reputed institutions like Koenig hire highly experienced industry experts to deliver training alongside quality course materials. Putting the necessary amount of time and effort into preparing for the CCNA exam would indeed be worthwhile.
