New CCNA level Exams + CCNA Price Changes

[Discover Cisco]

This one is for Lammle! I remember he posted a topic here with a picture of a Cisco Press CCNA Wireless book! I wonder if Lammle plans on writing the new CCNA books. Please let us know your opinions of this Mr. Lammle! Thanks.

On June 24, 2008, Cisco will introduce the CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, and CCNA Wireless concentrations--the smart way for individuals to establish a deeper level of expertise in these three important areas of Cisco network technology.

Built upon Cisco’s most popular career certification—CCNA—these new new concentrations are relevant, role-based, and designed with the growing knowledge requirements of IT professionals and organizations in mind. These highly specialized associate-level concentrations represent areas of rapid development in technology convergence that makes up today’s sophisticated network environments and also offer a career stepping stone to the professional-level credentials.

IT professionals wishing to broaden or specialize their skills to further differentiate themselves in the marketplace will find these concentrations a valuable addition to their knowledge arsenal.

According to the recent Forrester Consulting study conducted on behalf of Cisco, there is a pervasive need for stronger networking skills across multiple functional areas within IT organizations now and in the future:

* Dedicated security roles are expected to exist in 80% of the companies studied within five years, while today only 46% of the surveyed companies have such a role.
* Of the IT managers surveyed, 69% expect to have a dedicated voice specialist role within their IT organization within five years; only 40% of respondents have them today.
* One-third of the global companies surveyed currently have a dedicated wireless role, a figure expected to double to 66% over the next five years.

Tomorrow Cisco will announce these three new CCNA Certifications! The CCNA Voice and CCNA Wireless will be available on June 24, but the CCNA Wireless exam will be available July 25.

You can check out the full exam topics/blueprint and descriptions for these exams at the below links:
- CCNA Wireless Exam Topics
- CCNA Voice Exam Topics --> CCNA Voice Practice Exams
- CCNA Security Exam Topics

NOTE: Passing the CCNA exam is a prerequisite to taking these new exams!

Cisco will be INCREASING the price of the CCNA 640-802 exam from $150 to $250! The price for the ICND 1 and ICND 2 exams will remain $125.

CCNP Exam price will increase from $225 to $300! Four exam option for CCNP certification – BSCI (642-901), BCMSN (642-812), ISCW (642-825), & ONT (642-845) remain at $150 USD each.