Wherever I go, whether it is reddit, forums or quora, one of the frequently asked questions will be “which is the best networking course?” Initially, I thought it was some amateur course that will teach you how to network with people and was wondering what the fuss was about. But later it came to my knowledge that the “networking course” means the most challenging certification courses related to the jobs like network technicians, network support personnel, junior network administrator, network engineer, and system engineer.
Networking has grown in huge demand and many businesses and organizations are desperate for skilled networking technicians. It also comes with great pay as well as good job security. Whether it is routing and switching or wireless networking or network security or even network virtualization, this field has a huge scope and multiple specializations to move forward. To find which specialization course will help you land a dream job, you have come to the right place.
In this course, I will mention the top 10 networking specialized certifications that will change your entire future. So what are we waiting for? Let us dive into it!
1. Courses by Comp TIA Network+
Comp TIA Network+ is a role-based, entry-level certification for network technicians. This certification is also useful for network support personnel, junior network administrator, network engineer, system engineer and other junior-level network-related roles. This credential is very popular among the networking feels for its wide recognition over networking core topics.
The recent exam curriculum has been updated to include current hardware technologies, virtualization methods, new security procedures, and cloud computing service models. The training certificate is valid for three years from the date of the exam. You can renew the certificate by having a minimum of 30 Continuing Education Units every three years.
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2. Courses by Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
CCNA has been around the networking field since 1988. Since then, it has updated according to the emergence in the fields of network infrastructure, network access, IP connectivity and services, network security, automation, and programmability. It is the most widely respected entry-level certification in the IT industry.
Cisco does not require any prerequisites for appearing in the exam. Yet the students’ needs an in-depth understanding of the topics mentioned above to pass the exam. To pass the 200-301 CCNA exam is a bit challenging. Just like the previous exam this also requires renewal after 3 years.
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3. Courses by Cisco DevNet Professional
Cisco DevNet Professional is designed exclusively for software developers and network professionals who want to earn a great sum of money. This DevNet certification is like a one step ahead to become a specialist.
The main purpose of getting this certification is to optimize network capabilities by developing applications suited for their employers’ business needs and organizational goals. This credential is high in demand. The exam is exclusively for Cisco APIs, and managing and deploying applications on Cisco networks and no other networks. To become a full-fledged DevNet Professional, it is necessary to pass the 350-901 DEVCOR exam which is considered to be a challenging examination.
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4. Courses by Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) is one of the expert level credentials a person in the networking field can ever have. Passing this examination will give him great advantages. It is designed for experienced network engineers who want to step up their careers.
Though there are no prerequisites for the CCIE, earning this credential requires solid experience and study, including hands-on training. In my opinion, it is necessary to have at least three years of experience in network engineering. The CCIE examination comes with two exams- one is a written exam and the other is a practical lab exam. Holders may recertify by passing specified exams, obtaining CE credits, or combining both.
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5. Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) by CWNP
Considered to be the well-regarded vendor-neutral CWNA credential, Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) is a great credential to have for network engineers. CWNA validates functional knowledge of the basics of wireless technology, and the ability to set up, maintain and troubleshoot WLAN infrastructure.
The exam is considered to be not so difficult as the CCNA or CCIE. This exam is just a 90mins- 60 questions exam which requires at least 70 percent to pass the exam. There is a need to have appeared for the Certified Wireless Specialist (CWS) or Certified Wireless Technician (CWT) certification examination as a good means of acquiring foundational knowledge.
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6. CCNP Enterprise by Cisco
CCNP enterprise is a top-class credential that was launched this February. This is a fresh credential that is in huge demand in the network engineer’s field. This exam comes with the option of recertifying by earning 80 CE credits, or passing a professional concentration exam plus obtaining 40 CE credits before the CCNP expires.
CCNP validates proficiency in enterprise network solutions, including functional knowledge of IPv4 and IPv6 architecture, virtualization, and network security and automation. It is necessary to have at least three to five years of experience in this highly competitive field to appear for this examination.
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7. Courses by VMware Certified Professional – Network Virtualization
VMware Certified Professional – Network Virtualization has become a top-class credential after the explosion of virtualization in the IT field. The credential is particularly developed by VMware for professionals who configure, install, and perform administration of VMware NSX virtual networks.
To get through this certification, there are two tracks- the former is NSX-V and the latter is NSX-T. The V focuses on Installing, configuring, and upgrading VMware NSX and the T focuses on VMware NSX-T virtual networks. This certification is complicated yet comes with a lot of perks.
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8. Courses by ONF Certified SDN Associate by OCSA
Apart from the credentials particularly focused on the Cisco network, this ONF Certified SDN Associate program comes with the mastering of the concept of Software Defined Networking (SDN) which is the future of traditional networking.
There is no particular requirement for appearing for this examination. All you need is a foundational understanding of the basic networking concepts like the OSI model, the internet and various networking protocols.
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9. Courses by AWS Certified Advanced Networking
How can we miss the cloud computing specialization when talking about futuristic credentials to safeguard your future career? Just like SDN, Virtualization and Automation, Cloud computing and Cloud networking are also considered hot topics and will be dominant technologies.
This is completely recognized by Amazon Web Services and the job will help Designing, implementing, and maintaining networking architecture for AWS services. There is a requirement of at least five years of experience for getting this certification.
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10. Certified Enterprise Routing and Switching Expert (JNCIE) by Juniper Networks
Just like the Cisco CCIE, Juniper Networks Certified Enterprise Routing and Switching Expert (JNCIE) is the highest specialist certification one could ever get in network engineering.
While there’s a large amount of networking information covered in this certification, it’s important to keep in mind that a lot of it is also vendor-specific, focusing on Juniper’s switches and routers and managing them with Junos OS. This examination is highly recommended for professionals who have been in this field for a very long time.
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