MCP Benifits

• Your pride in passing your exam is just the beginning. The benefits you receive as part of the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)
  

• Show off your skills and Microsoft expertise
• Become the office hero or outstanding new hire
• Make connections around the world—two million of them, to be exact

Show off your skills and Microsoft expertise

After earning your Microsoft credential, you have access to a suite of online tools—an official transcript, logos and certificates, your own landing page on Microsoft.com, and more—that help you show off your unique set of achievements to peers, clients, and employers.

• Become the office hero or outstanding new hire

Your benefits include technical resources that can help you save the day (or the project), and career and certification planning resources to get you closer to a promotion or new job.

• Make connections around the world—two million of them, to be exact

As a Microsoft Certified Professional, you will have community opportunities and tools to put you in touch with certified professionals around the world for networking, brainstorming, or just good times.

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (or MCSE) is the best-known and premiere Microsoft certification. It qualifies an individual as being able to analyze the business requirements for information solutions, and design and implement the infrastructure required. As of 2007, the MCSE is available for two different product lines;Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, each of which requires a different set of exams.

For the MCSE 2003, candidates must pass six core design exams (Four networking exams, one client operating system and one design exam) and one elective exam, for a total of seven exams. For the MCSE 2000, a candidate needs to pass five Core Exams (Four operating system exams, one design exam) and two electives. For the MCSE NT 4.0 (which is no longer available to earn, though it is still recognized as a valid certification), a candidate needed to pass four Core Exams (Networking Essentials, Windows NT Workstation, Windows NT Server and Windows NT Server in the Enterprise) and two electives.

The topic of these exams include network security, computer networking infrastructure Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and other topics of both general networking interest as well as specific Microsoft products.

Perhaps due to controversies over the term Engineer , this qualification has also been pejoratively referred to as Minesweeper Consultant and Solitaire Expert.

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Candidates have the option of gaining the certification by passing two tests (INTRO and ICND), or one single test (CCNA); the two-test option has the advantage of allowing the candidate to focus on certain subjects.

The certification is valid for three years; at that time a CCNA holder must either

• re-take the CCNA or ICND exam, or
• take and pass an exam for one of the Professional (e.g., CCNP) or Specialist level certifications (excluding the sales specialist exams), or pass the CCIE written exam.

These exams are known by their corresponding numbers. When the curriculum of the exam changes the exam number also changes. The current exam number for CCNA is 640-802 (from 15 Aug 2007). The exam number for INTRO is 640-821 (Last day to test 11/6/07) and ICND the exam number is 640-811 (Last day to test 11/6/07). New ICND Part1 (640-822 ICND1) and ICND Part2 (640-816 ICND2) available from 15 Aug 2007. These exams are conducted by authorized test centers at a cost of $125 each for the INTRO or ICND exams and $150 for the full CCNA exam.

There is also the Cisco Networking Academy, which brings the CCNA and CCNP curricula into traditional educational institutions in over 150 countries. Students enrolled in Cisco Networking Academy can request exam vouchers that allow them to take the retired exam for an extended period of time.

CCNA Exams

CCNA Exam Options
Single Exam Option
640-801 CCNA : Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies and Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices
OR
Multiple Exams option
1. 641-821 INTRO Beta : Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies (INTRO)
2. 640-811 ICND : Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices

The recommended course(s)/training are:
Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices ( ICND 2.0 or ICND 2.1 )
Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies ( INTRO )

CCNA Recertification
With the retirement of 640-607 in September 2003, the available options to recertify are 640-801 or any other Professional or Cisco qualified specialist track.

Validity
CCNA certifications are valid for three years.

Cisco Agreement
Accepting the terms of Cisco Career Certification and Confidentiality Agreement is a very important part of obtaining Cisco Certification, failing which the application processing of certification may be halted.

Exam Description
The 640-801 is the exam available for aspirants pursuing Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Certification. Since 640-607 has retired, the article solely concentrates on the 640-801. The CCNA (640-801) exam focuses on the Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices (ICND) course as well as the new Introduction to Cisco Networking Technologies (INTRO) course. The courses and the exam ensure that the successful candidate has the important knowledge and skills necessary to select, connect, configure, and troubleshoot the various Cisco networking devices. The exam also includes topics on Extending Switched Networks with VLANS, Determining IP Routes, Managing IP traffic with Access Lists, Establishing Point-to-Point connections, and Establishing Frame Relay Connections.

Objectives
The following topics listed are the most likely ones on which the testing will focus during the exam. Topics related to this may probably be tested further in detail too.

Planning & Designing
- Design a simple LAN using Cisco Technology
- Design an IP addressing scheme to meet design requirements
- Select an appropriate routing protocol based on user requirements
- Design a simple internetwork using Cisco technology
- Develop an access list to meet user specifications
- Choose WAN services to meet customer requirements
- Implementation & Operation
- Configure routing protocols, given user requirements
- Configure IP addresses, subnet masks, and gateway addresses on routers and hosts
- Configure a router for additional administrative functionality
- Configure a switch with VLANS and inter-switch communication
- Implement a LAN
- Customize a switch configuration to meet specified network requirements
- Manage system image and device configuration files
- Perform an initial configuration on a router
- Perform an initial configuration on a switch
- Implement access lists
- Implement simple WAN protocols

Troubleshooting
- Utilize the OSI model as a guide for systematic network troubleshooting
- Perform LAN and VLAN troubleshooting
- Troubleshoot routing protocols
- Troubleshoot IP addressing and host configuration
- Troubleshoot a device as part of a working network
- Troubleshoot an access list
- Perform simple WAN troubleshooting

Technology
- Describe network communications using layered models
- Describe the Spanning Tree process
- Compare and contrast key characteristics of LAN environments
- Evaluate the characteristics of routing protocols
- Evaluate TCP/IP communication process and its associated protocols
- Describe the components of network devices
- Evaluate rules for packet control
- Evaluate key characteristics of WANs

Since troubleshooting is very simplified and methodic when the OSI layered model concepts are clear, the extensive focus on the OSI model still remains in 640-801 exam along with the rest of the basic content. The enhancement is in the Dial on Demand Routing (DDR) and the Config-register and some switching concepts.

A CCNA can do the following:

• Install, configure, and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small works of less than 100 nodes.
• Expertise in use of IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, and Access Lists protocols.
• Install and configure Cisco switches and routers in multiprotocol internetworks using LAN and WAN interfaces.
• Provide Level 1 troubleshooting service.
• Improve network performance and security.

Benefits of CCNA Certification

• In general, Cisco Certification validates an individual's achievement, so it increases the holder's professional credibility by ensuring high standards of technical expertise.
• In particular, passing the CCNA test indicates knowledge of networking for small to big enterprises. It also confirms the ability to work in small businesses or organizations whose networks have fewer than 100 nodes.
• You need to have CCNA for achieving higher Cisco Certifications.