In today’s IT landscape, networking expertise remains one of the most sought-after skill sets. Employers across enterprises, service providers, and product companies value engineers who can design, troubleshoot, and automate resilient networks. If you’re planning a networking career, CCNA & CCNP Course certifications from Cisco are two of the most recognized milestones. In this comprehensive guide, we compare CCNA vs CCNP, walk through CCNP ENCOR vs ENARSI, and explain how Network Kings’ courses and community can accelerate your certification journey and career growth.

Why pursue CCNA & CCNP?

• Industry recognition: Cisco certifications are globally recognized and speak to practical networking knowledge.

• Career progression: CCNA is an entry-level credential that builds foundational skills. CCNP is an advanced credential that demonstrates in-depth understanding of routing, switching, and enterprise network technologies.

• Job opportunities: Networking roles — NOC engineer, network engineer, systems engineer, network automation engineer — often prefer Cisco-certified candidates.

• Strong fundamentals for advanced domains: Networking knowledge is foundational for cloud, security, DevOps, and automation careers.

CCNA vs CCNP — High-level comparison

Overview

• CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate): Focuses on core networking fundamentals — IP addressing, switching and routing basics, VLANs, basic security, WLAN fundamentals, and introductory automation concepts. It’s designed for beginners and entry-level network engineers.

• CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional): A professional-level certification for engineers who design, implement, and troubleshoot enterprise networks. CCNP requires deeper knowledge across routing protocols, switching, security, wireless, and automation.

Depth and scope

• CCNA: Broad coverage of essential concepts sufficient for entry-level network engineering roles. Topics include OSI/TCP-IP models, subnetting, VLANs, STP basics, static routing, OSPF basics, ACLs, NAT, DHCP, and basic device management.

• CCNP: Greater depth and focused specialization. CCNP Enterprise (the common track) includes two core exams: ENCOR (350-401) as the core technology exam and a concentration exam such as ENARSI (300-410) for advanced routing and services. CCNP dives deeper into OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, MPLS, QoS, multicast, VPNs, SD-Access, automation, and advanced security.

Prerequisites and structure

• CCNA: No formal prerequisites. Single exam that validates associate-level skills.

• CCNP: Requires passing the ENCOR core exam and one concentration exam (like ENARSI) for the certification. ENCOR tests core technologies and automation; concentration exams provide specialization.

Career impact

• CCNA: Ideal for network support, junior network engineer, and NOC roles. Great starting point for learners to build confidence.

• CCNP: Suitable for mid-level network engineers, senior engineers, and specialists in enterprise networks and service provider environments. CCNP opens doors to higher-paying roles and responsibility for network design and architecture.

When to choose CCNA

• You’re new to networking or IT.

• You need a structured entry-level certification to build fundamentals.

• You want to prove basic networking competence to recruiters.

When to choose CCNP

• You already have foundational networking experience or CCNA-level skills.

• You want a career in network design, enterprise routing and switching, or automation.

• You want to prepare for product or ISP roles that require in-depth protocol knowledge and large-scale network design skills.

Deep dive: CCNP ENCOR vs ENARSI

Understanding CCNP Enterprise structure

• CCNP Enterprise requires two exams:

  1. ENCOR (Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies) — core exam

  2. One concentration exam (choose from options such as ENARSI, ENARSI v2, SD-WAN, 5G, etc.)

What is ENCOR?

• Purpose: ENCOR validates knowledge of core enterprise technologies: routing protocols, infrastructure, security, network assurance, virtualization, infrastructure automation, and software-defined networking (SDN) concepts.

• Key topics:

  • Layer 2 and layer 3 technologies

  • Routing solutions such as OSPF and EIGRP fundamentals (and general routing concepts)

  • Infrastructure services: QoS, VPNs, NAT

  • Security basics and device hardening

  • Network automation: APIs, model-driven telemetry, NETCONF/RESTCONF, Ansible basics

  • Virtualization and overlays (VXLAN basics)

• ENCOR is required because it proves you understand the enterprise network core — the “big picture” technologies and programmable network constructs.

What is ENARSI?

• Purpose: ENARSI (Implementing Cisco Enterprise Advanced Routing and Services) is an advanced routing and services concentration exam focused on enterprise routing, infrastructure services, and troubleshooting.

• Key topics:

  • Advanced routing: OSPF, EIGRP, BGP (enterprise-focused), route redistribution, and path control

  • Infrastructure security features: ACLs, zone-based firewall (ZBFW)

  • MPLS fundamentals and VPN services

  • Network address translation (NAT) and IP services

  • Advanced troubleshooting on complex topologies

• ENARSI is a typical choice for network engineers focused on advanced routing and infrastructure services. It builds on ENCOR’s core knowledge and deepens routing proficiency.

ENCOR vs ENARSI — How they complement each other

• ENCOR establishes the core foundation — it’s mandatory to demonstrate enterprise-wide knowledge including automation and programmability.

• ENARSI adds specialized, deep routing and services knowledge — necessary when your role revolves around complex routing, VPNs, and service provider-style features in enterprise networks.

• Together, ENCOR + ENARSI certify that you can both design and operationally manage complex enterprise networks.

Which concentration should you choose?

• ENARSI if: You want deep routing, VPN, and MPLS knowledge — ideal for roles in large enterprise networks or ISPs.

• SD-WAN/SD-Access if: Your organization focuses on software-defined access or WAN strategies.

• Automation-based concentrations if: You aim for network automation or DevOps-focused roles.

How Network Kings helps: CCNA & CCNP Course benefits

Network Kings (NK) is a popular training platform that focuses on practical, exam-oriented networking courses. Below are specific benefits you get with Network Kings’ CCNA & CCNP Course offerings.

1. Structured curriculum mapped to exam objectives

• Network Kings designs course modules reflecting the official Cisco exam blueprint. This ensures your study plan covers all required domains for CCNA and CCNP pathways (ENCOR and concentration exams such as ENARSI).

2. Practical labs and configuration-focused learning

• NK emphasizes hands-on labs using real-world scenarios. Exercises often include switch/router configurations, VLAN and STP troubleshooting, OSPF and BGP scenarios, NAT/ACL labs, DMVPN, and automation labs using NETCONF/RESTCONF or Ansible.

• Lab-centric learning increases confidence for both the certification exam and job interviews.

3. Instructor-led live sessions and recorded content

• Network Kings typically offers live batches for interactive learning and recorded videos for self-paced study. This combination lets learners ask questions in real time and revisit modules later.

4. Exam-oriented tips and resources

• NK instructors often provide focused exam tips, topic checklists, and curated practice questions to help students prioritize high-yield topics and manage exam time effectively.

5. Community and job-support ecosystem

• Courses at NK commonly include community support (WhatsApp/Telegram groups, discussion forums) for doubt resolution, peer learning, and job updates.

• This community-driven approach increases motivation and exposes learners to interview experiences and real job leads.

6. Cost-effective modular training

• Recognizing the high price of official Cisco bundles, Network Kings offers modular or bundled courses that are more affordable while still covering exam objectives and practical skills. This makes advanced training accessible to a wider audience.

7. Focus on automation and current technologies

• NK integrates network automation topics (APIs, RESTCONF, NETCONF, Ansible basics) and modern networking topics like SD-WAN and VXLAN into their CCNP training — aligning with current employer expectations.

8. Mock tests and performance tracking

• Many NK programs include mock exams and performance analytics to help track readiness and identify weak areas before the real exam.

Real-world curriculum mapping: What you learn at each level

CCNA core topics (what you should master)

• OSI & TCP/IP models, network fundamentals

• Ethernet switching, VLANs, trunking

• IP addressing and subnetting (IPv4 & IPv6 basics)

• Basic routing: static routes, default routes, OSPF single-area basics

• Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) and redundancy basics (HSRP intro)

• Access Control Lists (ACLs) and basic security features

• NAT, DHCP, and basic WAN essentials

• Wireless fundamentals and WLC overview

• Introduction to automation: basic scripting and APIs

CCNP Enterprise core (ENCOR) topics

• Advanced routing concepts and multi-area OSPF

• EIGRP internals and tuning (if applicable to course coverage)

• BGP fundamentals and enterprise-specific use cases

• QoS fundamentals and queuing strategies

• Infrastructure services: DHCP, NAT, VPN basics

• Network automation: RESTCONF/NETCONF, model-driven programmability

• VXLAN basics, virtualization, and SDN/SD-WAN concepts

• Security and device hardening at scale

CCNP concentration (ENARSI) topics

• Advanced OSPF features: prefixes, LSAs, route redistribution strategies

• BGP advanced: path attributes, route reflectors, filtering

• MPLS and VRF concepts, L3VPN design basics

• NAT advanced scenarios and IP services

• Troubleshooting complex enterprise topologies and performance issues

• Advanced security with ACLs and zone-based firewall

Study path suggestions

Beginner path (0–12 months)

1. Start CCNA: Complete a structured CCNA course (e.g., Network Kings CCNA track).

2. Practice subnetting, CLI skills, and lab exercises daily.

3. Take CCNA exam when consistently scoring high in mock tests.

Transition path (12–24 months)

1. Work on real-world projects or lab environments (home lab, VIRL/CML, GNS3, EVE-NG).

2. Start CCNP ENCOR: Learn core technologies including automation basics.

3. Choose a concentration (ENARSI recommended for routing-heavy roles).

4. Practice deep troubleshooting labs, BGP scenarios, and MPLS/VRF setups.

Automation and career expansion

1. Add Linux fundamentals and basic Python scripting.

2. Practice network automation tools (Ansible, REST APIs).

3. Explore cloud networking concepts (AWS, Azure) for hybrid roles.

Tips to succeed in CCNA & CCNP exams

• Follow a structured plan: Map each study session to specific exam topics.

• Lab daily: Hands-on practice beats passive watching. Simulate real scenarios and failures.

• Use mock exams: Identify weak areas and prioritize them.

• Learn troubleshooting mindset: Many exam tasks evaluate problem-solving and not just configuration.

• Focus on automation: ENCOR demands programmability knowledge — learn RESTCONF/NETCONF and basic automation frameworks.

• Join communities: Groups help with motivation, doubt-clearing, and job referrals.

Why employers value CCNA & CCNP (and how Network Kings helps)

• Proves technical competency: Certifications show you understand networking technologies and can apply them.

• Reduces ramp-up time: Certified engineers require less onboarding to accomplish network tasks.

• Demonstrates commitment: Obtaining CCNP shows dedication to continuous professional growth.

• Network Kings advantage:

  • Practical lab focus helps you build deployable skills employers want.

  • Exam-oriented strategies shorten your path to certification.

  • Community and placement support improve your job prospects.

Common misconceptions and pitfalls

• “CCNA is obsolete” — False. CCNA remains the foundational credential. It evolves but continues to be relevant.

• “CCNP is just for huge enterprises” — Not true. CCNP skills apply across enterprises, ISPs, and product companies.

• Ignoring automation — Modern networks increasingly require automation knowledge. ENCOR covers essential automation exposures.

• Studying theory only — Without labs, understanding is shallow. Platforms like Network Kings emphasize labs to build competence.

Deciding between CCNA and CCNP depends on your current experience, career goals, and desired depth of knowledge. If you’re starting, CCNA is the right launchpad. If you already possess working knowledge of core networking and want to become an enterprise-grade network engineer, CCNP — ENCOR plus a concentration like ENARSI — is the logical next step.

Network Kings’ CCNA & CCNP Course offerings provide a structured, practical, and community-driven learning experience. With hands-on labs, exam-focused content, automation integration, and active student communities, Network Kings helps learners not only pass Cisco exams but also build real-world skills that hiring managers value.