The moment a candidate decides to prepare for something, he or she is required to be familiar with every aspect of the concerned topic. The more he or she practices the higher the chance to succeed.
Being a graduate in the field of Engineering and having received Cisco CCNA Certification as well, he or she can choose any core subject to move further in the tech domain. Since the tech world is growing a bit more with each passing day, the demand for employees is increasing day by day.
Since Cisco offers numerous certification courses for becoming an expert in the field of Networking, one of the most high demand professional level certification courses is Cisco CCNP Certification Course. And, if you, too, are preparing for the Cisco CCNP Certification Course, here are a few important exam tips for you to clear the exam with the flying colors.
So, do not stop scrolling and do read the blog till the end in order to know all the answers to the important questions regarding the Cisco CCNP Certification Exam.
Why Cisco CCNP Certification?
Cisco Certified Network Professional is a professional level certification course offered by Cisco in order to provide the enrolled candidates with the in-depth knowledge, understanding, functioning and maintenance of Networking and its domains.
Before applying for the certification course, one is required to be aware of all the prerequisites, job opportunities, salary packages and the other benefits to be availed from the Cisco CCNP Certification.
What is the Exam Pattern of Cisco CCNP Certification?
In order to claim the Cisco CCNP Certification, one is required to clear two exams- Core exam and the Concentration exam, with the code ENCOR for the core exam comprising 120 questions to be answered in 120 minutes where only the score of 82.5% or 825 marks out of 1000 is considered pass where the exam costs around USD 300 and one is free to choose either English or Japanese as the language of the examination which can be scheduled online as well as offline at any desired place.
One is free to choose the subject for the Concentration exam. Also, the certification is valid for just 3 years and one is required to get it recertified after every 3 years in order to stay certified.
The following are the 5 divisions of Cisco CCNP Certification Courses-
- Cisco CCNP Enterprise Certification Course
- Cisco CCNP Service Provider Certification Course
- Cisco CCNP Data Center Certification Course
- Cisco CCNP Security Certification Course
- Cisco CCNP Collaboration Certification Course
Well, one is free to make as many attempts to clear the exam but since it is a bit costly, not everyone can afford to pay the fee easily again and again, so such candidates work hard to seek proper guidance and knowledge in order to succeed.
What is the Syllabus/Curriculum of Cisco CCNP Certification Examination?
One is required to hammer away the books and glossaries in order to clear the Cisco CCNP Certification exam by getting the proper study material as the clearance of the exam is dependent on the practice, concentration, and time one devotes to its preparation.
The syllabus for the Cisco CCNP Certification exam is as follows-
- Architecture
- Virtualization
- Infrastructure
- Network Assurance
- Security
- Automation
The candidate must have a thorough as well as detailed knowledge of each topic mentioned above and must be prepared for every possible question to be framed from these. And, since most of the questions will be based on Infrastructure one must remain completely prepared.
How Much Time is Required to Prepare the Cisco CCNP Certification Examination?
Since the reading as well as the studying pattern of each individual varies, one can not tell any specific time needed, accurately, to prepare for the exam. But, still a person needs to study immensely hard, for around 3-4 hours a day for 4-5 months, in order to clear the Cisco CCNP examination.
Where/How to get the Training for Cisco CCNP Certification Examination?
The moment a candidate plans to prepare for the exam, the question of ‘Where and How to apply for training?’ arises. And, in order to find a suitable answer to these important questions, one wastes a lot of time in searching or looking for a better place for getting the training.
Well, one has the option to opt either for online training or offline training. Online training is considered as the best mode of training as it helps in maintaining a balance in one’s life and saves a lot of time required to travel and settle as one simply looks for proper and right guidance to pass the exam.
What Sort of Practice is Required for the Cisco CCNP Certification Examination?
Undoubtedly, appearing in an exam without preparation is the worst idea ever. Hence, one is required to practice with all the course material available offline as well as online to pass the exam. Various mock tests/papers can be taken to practice before appearing in the actual examination in order to spot the weak areas in the whole syllabus.
Numerous online training institutes provide mock tests as well as previous years question papers online as well as offline for the practice sessions which one must solve at any cost. These papers and tests further help in providing in-depth knowledge and remind the candidate in case he or she missed any particular topic during the revision of the examination.
How Much Laboratory/Practical Experience is Required for Cisco CCNP Certification Exam?
In order to clear the Cisco CCNP Certification Exam, just theoretical knowledge is not enough. One needs to be experienced in the Cisco CCNP laboratory tasks as the practical knowledge of the Networking and its domains are also considered mandatory and hence, makes it easy to crack the exam in the very first attempt.
The enrolled candidates must spend at least 2-2.5 hours in the Cisco CCNP laboratory for the well-detailed practical understanding of all the Networking concepts.
How Much Revision is Required for Cisco CCNP Certification Examination After Training?
Once the course training gets completed, one should never stop practicing or revising the syllabus and the other aspects learnt. Infact, one must devote as much time as possible to the preparation of the exam as the ideal time of preparation for the Cisco CCNP Certification Exam is 3-4 hours daily after the completion of the training.
Also, even after the announcement of the date of the exam, one should begin to study for around 5-7 hours a day as the more time an enrolled candidate devotes to the revision, the higher is his or her chance of passing the exam.
What Study Pattern Should One Follow to Clear the Cisco CCNP Certification Exam?
The enrolled candidate is required to divide his or her revision time in two parts, namely- Theoretical revision time and Practical revision time to clear the Cisco CCNP Certification Exam.
One of the major perks of the practical revision is that it helps a candidate in learning and understanding the topic or a particular Networking aspect in a much better way than the theoretical revision. Even the proverb says, “Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand.”
Similarly, once an enrolled candidate gets involved in the practical revision, he or she understands the concepts better than the candidates indulged in the theoretical training only. So, one should devote more time to the practical revision than the theoretical revision to pass the Cisco CCNP Certification Examination.
How to Manage Time During the Cisco CCNP Certification Examination?
During the exam preparation, one should never forget to manage the time as there is a particular time limit allotted to solve the exam, a candidate must remain prepared.
During the preparation, a candidate must practice to manage time or else the questions might get left unattempted as well as the best way to prepare for the exam is by setting a timer nearby in order to keep a check on the time taken to solve a single question.
What not to Do in the Cisco CCNP Certification Examination?
Well, one must never leave any questions unanswered as there is no negative marking in the examination as who knows if luck is on the candidate’s side! Even if a candidate does not know the correct answer of the question, he or she must not leave it unattempted.
What to Do if the Exam does not Get Cleared?
Since it requires an immense level of hard work to pass the Cisco CCNP Certification Exam, if by any chance any enrolled candidate fails to clear it, he or she must not give up. But, should rather gather the courage to move ahead in order to appear in the exam once again with a lot more practice and hard work than before.
Wrapping Up!
The Cisco CCNP Certification can lead the enrolled candidates to become a Collaboration Engineer as well as a Network Operator and much more in renowned IT firms to earn a handsome salary package ranging between 5.3 LPA to 28 LPA depending upon the experience.
Since the demand for Engineers is increasing with each passing day, the Cisco CCNP Certification serves the best as the professional level certification course. For any further help regarding the certification, we are always available. Good Luck!