Self-Assessment

CCSPs in the Real World

Now that you have decided to embark on this journey into the CCSP world, it is important to understand the niche into which a CCSP candidate fits in the real world. Specifically, security specialists today are in greater demand than ever. With the substantial increase in cybercrime attacks, companies are looking for protection of their assets. Many of these companies have looked to Cisco to provide this protection due to Cisco's renowned high-quality products and services in today's market.

The CCSP certification is an accreditation given to those who can prove their fundamental understanding in implementing the various security products that Cisco provides. With enough motivation and desire , you will be able to attain this goal and join the ranks of several others in the industry. Because this is a relatively new certification, you have an opportunity to be a pioneer and discover the benefits that this certification holds. These benefits are comparable to the other Cisco career certifications that are available today. Namely, Cisco offers the following career certifications:

• CCNA — This certification serves as an introduction to basic Cisco routing and switching fundamentals and how they apply to networking technologies found today. This certification is a prerequisite for the CCSP certification.

• CCDA — The CCDA is an introductory course for those who wish to design and implement Cisco in small to mid-range internetworks.

• CCNP — The CCNP entails advanced Cisco concepts geared toward mid-size and large network infrastructures and network management.

• CCDP — This certification is for high-level Cisco designs that encompass network technologies for global enterprises and other larger-scaled internetworks.

• CCIP — The CCIP certification is designed for large enterprises and ISPs that need to utilize large-scale protocols and Internet/intranet technologies.

• CCIE — One of the most sought-after certifications, the CCIE includes several flavors, in which your knowledge of that technology is tested to its full extent because of its difficult examinations. A CCIE is proficient at all levels of internetwork design, management, and support.