Roadmap to Success is a series of posts designed to help learners better understand certification pathways, career opportunities associated with those certifications, and next steps beyond certification.
The Cisco Certified Associate – Security is an excellent starting point for your IT security career. CCNA Security is tremendously popular among CBT Nuggets learners and highly sought after by the IT industry. This certification validates associate-level knowledge and skills needed to secure Cisco networks.
Cisco provides an excellent
certification pathway document that succinctly outlines each certification, its prerequisites, and related careers. Please note that the most recent version of the document does not include the recently released Cisco Collaboration certifications, but you can
learn more about the Collaboration pathfrom our recent blog post.
Cisco Certified Network Associate – Security (CCNA SecurityThe CCNA Security certification is designed for entry-level network security professionals. The certification is designed to affirm your skills to develop a security infrastructure, recognize threats and vulnerabilities to networks, and mitigate security threats. The CCNA Security certification is typically made up of two exams – both of which are covered by CBT Nuggets training:
While the vast majority of learners take the path above, there are other options which can qualify as prerequisites ahead of the 640-554 IINS exam and certification:
Typically, learners pursuing this certification path should have 1-3 years of experience and some familiarity with Cisco products. However, the CCNA Security is considered an entry-level certification, so learners new to the industry can start here if they are motivated and ready to study! Get started by reviewing the
CBT Nuggets playlist for the CCNA Security.
The Next StepThe CCNA is a building block that allows learners to earn a variety of other, more advanced, certifications from Cisco. After earning the CCNA Security, most learners take the next step by earning a CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) Security, or choose another CCNA specialization.
In addition to these courses, CBT Nuggets does offer a couple of supplemental courses to help ensure your success in pursuing the CCNP Security:
These supplemental courses are not required, but they are recommended to help learners deepen their learning and understanding of the content in order to be successful in earning certification.
The CCNA Security is a prerequisite to the CCNP-level of certification for security.
CCNA OptionsThe CCNA Security is often a building block for your IT career. Once you have earned your Security certification, additional CCNA-level certifications are typically just one exam away. The most highly sought-after CCNA certifications among CBT Nuggets learners are (in order of popularity):
- Route & Switch (ICND1 and ICND2)
- Voice (640-461 ICOMM – retiring September 2015)
- Wireless (640-722 IUWNE)
- Data Center (640-911 DCICN and 640-916 DCICT)
- Collaboration (210-060 CICD and 210-CIVND)
Beyond Cisco CertificationsThe CCNA Security certification is often the beginning of a career specializing in security. Many learners will choose to diversity their certification vitae/resume by pursuing certifications that fall outside the scope of Cisco products. The most popular security certifications pursued by CBT Nuggets learners include:
- CompTIA Security+
(Note: some consider the CCNA Security certification to be more advanced than the CompTIA Security+, but the Security+ is a great, vendor-neutral certification that equips learners with excellent foundational knowledge and conceptual understanding of basic security concepts – which can be quite helpful if you move outside the world of Cisco!)
- Certified Ethical Hacker v8.0
- ISACA CISA
- (ISC)2 Security CISSP
RecertificationThe CCNA Security certification is valid for three years. You can recertify by passing another Associate-level exam, or by passing any single higher-level exam.
Career ConsiderationsPayscale.com provides a helpful salary guide to help learners determine appropriate pay scales for job opportunities associated with the CCNA. Depending on professional experience, an employee who holds a CCNA can earn anywhere between $39,695 and $124,917. Common roles or titles for those that hold a CCNA include network engineer, network administrator, senior network engineer, network security engineer, and information security analyst.
Perhaps more importantly, the CCNA is the first step to earning a CCNP, which opens up even greater career opportunities.
Payscale.com indicates that common roles for employees holding a CCNP certification include network engineer, senior network engineer, network administrator, network architect, and IT manager. Salaries range from $48,488 to $145,035.
Concluding ThoughtsEarning a CCNA is one of the first steps to launching a long-term, growth-oriented career in IT security. It is a certification that is a launching pad for your security specialization that can equip you for high-wage and high-satisfaction roles. Your CCNA is only the beginning. So kickstart your career by beginning your training for the CCNA today!
Watch. Learn. Conquer the CCNA!
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