General Certifications: Three Levels of Certification

• Associate. The first step in Cisco networking begins at the Associate level. Think of this as the apprentice or foundation level of networking certification.
• Professional. This is the advanced or journeyman level of certification.
• Expert. This is CCIE, the highest level of achievement for network professionals, certifying an individual as an expert or master.

General Certifications: Six Different Paths

• Routing and Switching: This path is for professionals who install and support Cisco technology-based networks in which LAN and WAN routers and switches reside.
• Design: This path is aimed at professionals who design Cisco technology-based networks in which LAN and WAN routers and switches reside.
• Network Security: This path is directed toward network professionals who design and implement Cisco Secure networks.
• Service Provider: This path is aimed at professionals working with infrastructure or access solutions in a Cisco end-to-end environment primarily within the telecommunications arena.
• Storage Networking: This path is for professionals who implement storage solutions over extended network infrastructure using multiple transport options.
• Voice: This path is directed toward network professionals who install and maintain Voice solutions over IP networks.