Recommended Study Path
Please bear in mind that this is my personal advice based upon my 10 years in IT as an employee, contractor and company owner. Add to that the 3,000 plus students I have coached and supported in their studies and careers.
I don’t know you personal circumstances to take what I have to say on board and then make your own mind up!
I recommend this path:
CCNA – CCNP – [CCNA Voice/Sec] [CCSP] CCVP] – CCIE
I do not personally recommend:
CCNA – CCNA Voice/Sec – CCNP etc.
My Reasoning ————
If you want to cut the mustard as a Cisco network engineer you will spend 90% of your time dealing with VLANs and routing issues. 10% will be security and or voice.
If you want to earn maximum money and get the best return on your study time then CCNA and CCNP is the way to go. A CCNP will out earn a CCNP every time as well as avoid the mad dash for CCNA level roles when advertised.
If you find yourself working in a strong voice or security background then you may want to do the CCNA sec or voice before the CCNP. That is up to you and your circumstances.
If there isn’t a strong call for that where you are then either avoid the CCNA voice/sec completely and stick to learning the 90% of stuff you will need to know day-to-day as a Cisco engineer.
Your Call ———
Please just take what I have said into consideration and then take a few days to think about it and then make your own mind up.
If your passion is voice or security then go for it. Just bear in mind that if you can’t get the VLANs or routing to work then your voice and security experience won’t help you fix the issue.
Paul Browning
