IT professionals have the luxury to choose from a plethora of Cisco certifications. However, in this article, we will be discussing the merits of CCNA CyberOps and CCNP Security. To decide between the CCNA and CCNP certification, you will require a brief about both of the options to understand their benefits and nuances.
CCNA CyberOps
This is a Cisco certification that is in very high demand in the IT industry. The CCNA CyberOps consists of two modules, the SECFND and the SECOPS; both of them have their individual exams. These exams are aimed at allowing you to understand what it is like to work in and for a SOC team.
This Cisco course helps an analyst monitor a security system to scan for security threats. It teaches them the importance of triaging when dealing with threats, namely, how to deal with small threats and the procedure to follow when the threats are more significant.
CCNP Security
CCNP or Cisco Certified Network Professional Security is a certification that is specially assigned to the job role of Network Security Engineer at Cisco. Your job as a Network Security Engineer would require you to be responsible for security in routers, networking devices, deploying and troubleshooting firewalls as a start. The CCNP courses are much more advanced than the CCNA courses.
CCNA Cyber Ops Vs CCNP Security
- Level
The CCNA certification is an entry-level certification that most newbies take to get into SOC. It is an ideal certification for those that are looking to break into the security role and do not know where to start. It covers all the basics of cybersecurity without going too much into detail which is essential for all starting certifications.
While it has two different levels, it does not require the same amount of effort and experience a CCNP certification requires. The CCNP certification is for those who wish to work only on Cisco software as Security Engineers and have a more targeted course structure.
- Terminal
The CyberOps certification is terminal, so it cannot be used to further your study. The certificate starts and ends with CyberOps and only covers the topics pertaining to its course material. With certification like CyberOps, there is nothing after as it is the end of the road or the highest certification.
The CCNP courses, on the other hand, can be leveraged to get another certification after because there is always more to learn.
- Time Commitment
With the CCNA certification, there is a certain amount of time commitment required because there are two different examinations that have to be passed, but it is not as big as the time commitment as the CCNP. The reason the time commitment for CCNP is more significant is simply that you can only get a CCNP certification after you have finished with CCNA levels.
- Exam Difficulty
While the CCNP Cisco certification exam has a higher difficulty level, the CCNA examination has a more vast syllabus. It also has two examinations that need to be passed which make the duration of the course longer.
- Cost
The CCNA examination and certification costs around USD 350. This includes the fees for both the tests and any other miscellaneous expenses that might occur. These certifications are valid for about 3 years after the examination.
The CCNP certification costs around USD300 which includes the one examination and any other miscellaneous expenses. These certifications are also valid for about 3 years after the test.
Who Should Take These Exams?
The exams are open to those who are looking to get a junior analyst role in cybersecurity. Both of the certifications do not require a prior exam, so both are available to you.
The only difference is that with CCNP training, you are not only getting in-depth instruction, but you are also opening up the possibility of other certifications in the future, and the CCNA certification is much easier and on an entry-level.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking for a generic SOC role or a more specialized role, Cisco courses are tough to pass, which is why Koenig Solutions, one of the internet’s leading IT training experts, is here to help. With their unique teaching style and many years of experience, they want to give you the best chance of cracking the examination on the first attempt.
