As before, there are no actual pre-requisite requirements to be qualified to take the exam. However, CompTIA recommends having A+ certification and nine months of computer network related experience. So, what has changed? In a domain comparison between the new N10-005 exam and the previous N10-004 exam official certification exam objectives as published by CompTIA, I discovered a handful of changes to highlight in this post.

Fewer Domains

The N10-004 exam divided the exam into six targeted topical areas called domains. The new N10-005 exam has five domains, although only three domain names are the same.

As you can see, the percentage of the exam related to the various topics has not really shifted much. However, some people will see the increase in Network Security from 11% to 19% as an indication that the focus on security has significantly increased on Network+. I don’t think this the case. In fact, security has been an integral part of networking for decades, and this was reflected in all previous versions of Network+. The latest revision of this exam simply reorganized all the disparate security material under the security domain.

Don’t stress over this chart, the number of domains, or even the percentage of the exam covered by each domain. In reality, the exam presents questions to you in a random order. While the test is a flat test (as opposed to adaptive), you receive questions randomly pulled from the test pool. Then those questions are randomly ordered #1 — #100. You must approach each question on its own merits, with no knowledge of which domain it belongs to. You should always consider each question in light of the entire collection of Network+ material, not just a single domain. Now, let’s review the updated content for the latest Network+ exam.

Domain 1: Network Concepts

Domain Name System (DNS) records (A, MX, AAAA, CNAME, PTR) (Sub-objective of 1.7)

Five common DNS resource records (RR) are now specifically mentioned in the exam objectives where just generic DNS, DNS ports, DNS server, and wrong DNS were mentioned previously.

Identify Virtual Network Components (Objective 1.9)

If any objective in N10-005 could be labeled as new, this is the most likely candidate. N10-004 did not include the word virtual or cloud. N10-005 does not include the word cloud either, but the sub-objective of Network as a Service (NaaS) is a specific type of cloud computing service.

Domain 2: Network Installation and Configuration

Mismatched Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU/MUT) Black Hole (Sub-objective of 2.5)

MTU is the largest packet size allowed on a segment (MUT is a misspelling or alternate phrasing of MTU). If there is a mismatch between two devices’ interfaces (router, firewall, proxy, etc.) on the same segment, the traffic can be dropped (i.e., black-holed). This does not typically occur on current networks as modern devices support the same MTU for their supported protocols, and there is no practical or benign need to reduce the MTU.

Bad Modules Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFPs), GigaBit Interface Converter (GBICs) (Sub-objective of 2.5)

SFP and GBIC are Cisco hardware components known generically as transceivers. They provide a hot-swappable media interface between various cable types and networking devices. Generally, if a module is bad, you replace it.

Domain 3: Network Media and Topologies

T1 Crossover (Sub-objective of 3.1)

In the rare circumstance where you must directly link two Channel Service Unit/Data Service Unit (CSU/DSU) devices, a T1 crossover cable would be used. This cable is similar in nature to the Ethernet crossover cable used to connect two hubs, two switches, or two PCs directly together.

Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) (Sub-objective of 3.4)

SDH, which is nearly identical to SONET, is a fiber optic-based multiplexing technology supporting numerous high-speed connections or channels.

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) (Sub-objective of 3.4)

DWDM is a multiplexing technology that places multiple signals, connections, or channels on a single fiber optic cable, each using a different wavelength of light. Of note, this item was on the acronym list of N10-004.

Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) (Sub-objectives of 3.4)

LTE is the current name for the IEEE 802.20 standard and is a competitor to the WiMax or IEEE 802.16 concept. LTE is a wireless communications standard that is currently being used as the next advance in mobile phone technology. HSPA+ is an enhancement of the Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) 3G wireless technology which has the potential to offer data speeds similar to that of LTE.

Passive Optical Network (PON) (Sub-objectives of 3.4)

PON is the use of fiber optic cable to the premises. It uses unpowered optical splitters to serve multiple locations simultaneously (such as end-users).

Domain 4: Network Management

Common Address Redundancy Protocol (CARP) (Sub-objective of 4.6)

CARP allows for a set of IP addresses to be shared by a group of hosts on the same subnet. This is to support failover redundancy and is commonly supported by firewalls, proxies, and routers. CARP is a public domain version of Cisco’s proprietary Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP) that performs the same function.

Domain 5: Network Security

Independent Computing Architecture (ICA) (Sub-objective of 5.2)

ICA is a Citrix solution to support thin-client or terminal services such as remote control or remote access capabilities. This and other remote access/remote desktop/thin-client concepts were present in N10-004 materials and discussions as well.

Evil Twin (Sub-objective of 5.4)

Evil Twin is a wireless attack tool that will automatically duplicate the identity of a trusted wireless network. Each time the interface is turned back on, it will seek out known networks and attempt to reconnect. The reconnect request includes the original Station Set Identifier (SSID) and base station Media Access Controller (MAC) address. The Evil Twin attack tool captures these reconnect requests and replies with a spoofed identity of the known network.

Nessus and Nmap (Sub-objective of 5.6)

Nessus is an open source vulnerability scanner that has a commercial version known as Tenable Network Security. Nmap is a free network mapper, port scanner, network discovery, and OS/service identification tool crafted by hacker-extraordinaire Fyodor. Both are excellent tools for evaluating a network’s functionality and vulnerabilities as a user, administrator, penetration tester, or criminal.

A Few Final Items

If you have already studied for the N10-004 exam, and you are not comfortable taking a small risk in taking the N10-005 exam, you can still take the 2009 version of Network+ until August 1, 2012. At that time, the N10-004 version of Network+ will be fully retired. If you are already approaching that deadline, either bite the bullet and take the exam or obtain updated preparation material and fine-tune your knowledge for the N10-005 exam.

Please visit www.comptia.org. Here you will see CompTIA’s summary of the exam and can download the official CompTIA Network+ N10-005 Certification Exam Objectives. Take the time to read over each and every item listed on the exam objectives. This will help you grasp how much you may already know and how much you will need to learn in order to be properly prepared to have a positive outcome on the latest revision of CompTIA’s Network+ exam.

Excerpted and available for download from Global Knowledge: Network+ 2011 Exam N10-005 Updates

Related Post
The CompTIA/Cisco Roadmap

Related Courses
Network+ Prep Course
A+ Certification Prep Course

Your PC’s MAC address is 0010.1111.2222. Your PC gets its IPv6 address using stateless autoconfiguration. What is your PC’s EUI-64 format interface ID?

1. 0010.11FF.FE11.2222
2. 0210.1111.FFEE.2222
3. 0210.1100.0011.2222
4. 0210.11FF.FE11.2222
5. 0000.0010.1111.2222

The correct answer is 4.

The EIU-64 format interface ID is created from the MAC address by setting the 7th bit of the 1st octet (the “unique” bit) to 1 and inserting FFFE into the middle of the address. In this scenario, the resulting interface ID is 0210.11FF.FE11.2222.

References:
For more questions like these, try our CCNA Cert Check

Related Courses:
ICND1 — Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices 1
ICND2 — Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices 2
CCNAX — CCNA Boot Camp v1.1

The word “bit” is short for binary digit. It is a single one or zero. If it is a 1, the bit is “on” or has a position value. If it is 0, the bit is only a place marker and has no position value. The term was contracted to “bit” in a Bell Systems Technical Journal in July 1948 by J.W. Tukey. The Bell System, named for telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell, was key in developing communications standards.

Let’s get back to the question, what do bits and bytes do? When any device on a network sends data, it sends bits. We usually measure those bits as how many are going each second by saying things like “a hundred megabits,” which means 100 million bits per second.

That brings up another recent question, what’s the difference between “kilo,” “mega,” and “giga,” and what’s next?” The term “kilo” is a prefix that refers to 1,000 as in kilogram. “Mega” refers to millions and is usually abbreviated with a capital M (100 Mbps = 100 Megabits per second).

“Giga” is the prefix we use to identify 1,000 million. In the US, that would be a billion though in other countries, a billion is 1,000,000 million. The abbreviation is a capital G (40 Gbps = 40 Gigabits per second).

From there, the names for faster speeds are just names, for now. Some cables can do higher speeds, though we are waiting for the standards to catch up to them so vendors will implement those speeds.

Back to “bytes,” after a lot of different sizes from six to ten bits claiming to be a byte, it was settled that 8 bits equals a byte. Each of those bits has its own position value in the byte.

Starting with the lowest value (2 to the power of zero) as the least significant bit and moving to the most significant bit (2 to the seventh power), each bit position has a fixed value. This way, the range of values in a single byte is zero through 255. If a bit is set to one, that position’s value gets added to the total for the byte. If a bit is set to zero, that position is held and the value is ignored. This means a binary value of 01111001 is 64+32+16+8+1 and that is a decimal total of 121.

Decimal Symbol

Each of the letters, digits, spaces, and special characters we use fit into its own individual byte by the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII, pronounced ass-key). The 121 value in the previous paragraph translates to a lowercase “y”.

Common places to find bytes used are in the data stored in a storage device, like a disk drive or a solid-state drive (SSD). Bytes are also used in measuring the speed of writing data and retrieving data that’s been stored on one of those drives.

Since bytes are larger than bits, the shorthand for a byte is a capital “B” and the lowercase “b” is used for bits. (i.e. 500 Gigabyte drive = 500GB).

Related Post
Subnetting Made Easy – Part 1: Decimal & Binary Numbers

Related Course
Understanding Networking Fundamentals

Security

Most enterprises considering BYOD think of security first. Securing the mobile device is important for different reasons, such as:

• Preventing access to the enterprise network by an unauthorized user of an authorized device
• Preventing unauthorized access to sensitive enterprise data that may be stored on the mobile device
• Preventing any malware from infecting the mobile device and then the enterprise network
• Preventing unauthorized access to the user’s personal information

Inventory

Today’s users often carry multiple mobile devices, such as a laptop, a notebook, a netbook, a tablet, and/or a Smartphone. Each mobile device has been on the market long enough to have seen multiple changes or upgrades to the operating system and other specifications. When adding devices to the enterprise network inventory, consider including the following items:

• User
• Storage
• User e-mail
• Wi-Fi versions supported
• Operating System
• Software applications

Registration

After adding the mobile devices to an inventory and deciding which of them are eligible to access the enterprise network, there must be a registration procedure. The enterprise IT department may choose to develop this software in-house, though most will find it easier to use a Mobile Device Manager (MDM) package to support this process.

Estimates

There is a finite limit to the number of mobile devices and applications that any enterprise network can support. BYOD dramatically increases the strain on the enterprise network, and it is, therefore, paramount to analyze potential bandwidth needs and possible challenges.

Bandwidth

Controlling the amount of network bandwidth used by mobile devices works in much the same way as with wired devices; therefore, there are some choices to be made regarding how best to proceed for optimal bandwidth.

Tracking

Keeping track of mobile device uses and usage improves the accuracy of traffic estimates as well as bandwidth planning. Knowing where mobile users are going and what they are doing in the enterprise network makes proactive network troubleshooting, network planning, and infrastructure adjustment more accurate and effective.

Compliance

Many of the regulations relating to enterprise computing and networking came into effect before the rush of mobile devices occurred. The challenges are to follow those regulations without having control over all the BYOD communications. Separately, some states and countries (such as the UK’s Data Protection Act 3) require written notification to users that you are monitoring their online activities and why. Adding this notification to the AUP that the user signs before accessing the enterprise network is just one more way to help maintain compliance.

Storage

In the best of all worlds, the expanded storage on a mobile device would be clear of any enterprise data, or sensitive or public knowledge. It is in the users’ best interest to be sure this is true. Many enterprise IT departments require a “force wipe” program to remove any enterprise data from the users’ mobile devices upon an employee leaving the enterprise or when the device is lost or stolen. This program may also wipe all personal data.

Financial

When an enterprise decides to allow BYOD access, some financial questions are bound to arise. Is this mobile device access a business cost or a convenience to the user? Will this apply to all employees or only a select group? Does the enterprise compensate the user for purchase, for monthly carrier charges, for insurance, for replacement…? How does the enterprise decide?

Multiples

More and more users will own two or three mobile devices that will be used in the enterprise. Unlike single location desktop computers, these mobile devices may access the enterprise network simultaneously. Accurate and complete tracking and logging of each device supports security, network monitoring, and network traffic flow.

Ownership

While most organizations have left mobile device ownership to the users, some have taken other routes. A few have purchased the devices for a minimal fee so that they may have legal control of the device and then resell it to the user at a future date for the same minimal amount.

Revocation

There will come a time that the mobile device (or the user) will need to have access revoked. In the case of the user, it could come from an AUP violation or departure from the enterprise or changing jobs in the organization. With the monitoring, tracking, and logging of each device, it is much easier to know if data may be stored on the device and to what extent so a limited wipe of enterprise data and configurations may be all that is required before user departure.

IT departments have multiple opportunities and challenges as a result of the BYOD invasion. The most common opportunity is to reinforce enterprise network security from both the inside and the outside. Supporting BYOD also offers more monitoring and tracking of activities that provides a more detailed view of network traffic flow. Beyond that, IT will gain valuable insight into which devices work best with the layout of the enterprise network.

Excerpted from Global Knowledge White Paper: 12 Steps to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Success

Related Post
Are You Ready for Mobile Learning?

Related Courses
Understanding Networking Fundamentals
TCP/IP Networking
Troubleshooting TCP/IP Networks with Wireshark

Your router has the following interfaces configured:
Loopback 0: 10.2.2.2/24
Loopback 10: 10.1.1.1/24
FastEthernet 0/0: 172.16.1.1/24
FastEthernet 0/1: 172.16.2.2/24

You configure OSPF. What is the OSPF router ID?

1. 10.2.2.2
2. 10.1.1.1
3. 172.16.1.1
4. 172.16.2.2
5. There is not enough information to determine the router ID.

The correct answer is 1

If the router ID is not specified with the router-id command and if the router has loopback interfaces with IP addresses when OSPF is configured, the OSPF router ID is the highest such address. Otherwise the router ID is the highest IP address configured on an active interface.

References:
For more questions like these, try our CCNA Cert Check

Related Courses:
ICND1 — Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices 1
ICND2 — Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices 2
CCNAX — CCNA Boot Camp v1.1

“You wrote about Internet standards. How do standards get to be standards and where do I find them?”

Great question! Lets first look at how the standards became standards. To begin the process, someone, maybe you, gets an idea. It could be for a good way to do something that hasn’t been done yet, or it may be a better way to do something we’ve done for years. For example, you may have an idea for sharing voice, data, and video on multiple screens in different places.

Like all people who have an idea that excites them, you want to share it with other people you know who will like it and get excited like you did. You may also share it with people you heard about in hopes that they will add their knowledge and experience to your growing group. If your group meets at an Internet event with other groups, it would be called a BOF or Birds Of a Feather. No, I didn’t make that up.

To be accepted by the people responsible for new standards, the Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG), your group must create a document that explains your idea in a clear enough way for the IESG to make sense of it. We call this document an Internet Draft.

When you send this to the IESG, you could include a request to form a working group to work toward a new standard. If the IESG approves, they will publish your Internet Draft. They may also help you form the working group by providing a knowledgeable chairperson.

As the word gets out, other people will join your working group. Some will join to represent their company’s interest and others because they are interested personally. You can join any working group you choose. That may start with reading the group’s email list comments so that when you comment or ask a question, it isn’t one someone else has already written.

Once your new working group is formed, it has six months to agree on the methods and rules of this new protocol and upgrade the Internet Draft to a Request for Comments (RFC). Your working group will send the properly formatted RFC to the RFC-Editor who publishes it to the Internet community.

This will bring in the requested comments that the working group will discuss in fine-tuning the new Proposed Standard. When the working group decides it’s time, the group creates a replacement RFC and applies to the IESG to upgrade the RFC from Proposed Standard to Draft Standard before publishing it.

Next, the working group reviews and votes on the comments to its Draft Standard RFC. It also reviews any vendor responses or implementations. Then, it modifies the Draft Standard RFC and asks the IESG to grant it full standard status. When that is granted, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) publishes a replacement RFC of the new standard, and the identifying number gets added to the Internet Standards list as either recommended or required.

It’s probably good to note at this point that only some Internet Drafts do not become Proposed Standards. Some Proposed Standards stay there instead of becoming Draft Standards. Draft Standards usually become full standards, but some get stuck there without making it. The reason may be that there are other, better standards that get accepted by more vendors first or that technology has passed by that way of doing things.

All RFCs are not destined to join the Internet Standards process. In fact, the majority of RFCs start their life as an Informational RFC. Informational RFCs provide useful information on different topics without creating standards for the way to do something.

There are two major subgroups of Informational RFCs: FYIs (“For Your Information” RFCs) and BCPs (“Best Current Practices” RFCs). The FYIs act as a basic guide for different areas of Internet functionality. The BCPs are quasi-standards or strongly suggested guidelines. Though they are not official standards, many vendors treat them as such.

Experimental RFCs report the results of protocol testing experiments. Historical RFCs include all RFCs whose status is no longer current. They may have been Standards RFCs or Informational RFCs when they were current though they have now been replaced by other RFCs.

So, where can you find them? The list of all the RFCs is in a text document called RFC-Index.txt. Search on that, and you will find a list you can look through to find an RFC on whatever topic you choose. Each RFC in the list will tell you what RFC it replaces. It will also say which RFC replaces it, if any. Here is a list of sites to help you find the right RFCs.

http://www.ietf.org/rfc.html
http://www.rfc-editor.org/
http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/

The Junos OS

The core of Juniper devices is the Junos OS. Junos OS is based on the FreeBSD UNIX operating system (OS). The OS implements a single software train through the entire line of Junos products. The same train is used from the entry-level J series routers to the service provider TX Matrix switches.

To create stable devices that can deliver high performance you need to adhere to sound logic and strict processes. Juniper has done this by keeping a clean separation between the control and forwarding planes on their devices. The control plane includes the routing engine and forwarding table. The forwarding table is linked to the packet-forwarding engine of the forwarding plane, allowing for stable control protocols and high speed forwarding capabilities. The forwarding plane is responsible for the other functions like policing, stateless firewall filtering, and class of service. Transit traffic is forwarded via the Packet Forwarding Engine without passing through the control plane. This is possible because the control plane updates the forwarding table for the forwarding plane. The exception traffic, traffic destined to the local device, is sent to the routing engine CPU.

Configuring Junos Devices

UNIX BSD Shell

Junos has the capability for a user to automatically login to the UNIX BSD shell just like you would normally with a Linux or UNIX device. For example, if you login as root, you will be placed into the UNIX BSD shell. You can’t perform any switching, routing, or security functions from the BSD shell. You must switch to operation mode where you can display statistics and configuration information. The UNIX BSD shell is designated with the % prompt. Here you can enter standard UNIX commands.

root@%

Operational Mode

You can enter operation mode by typing cli and pressing enter. Operational mode is designated with the > prompt. Once you’re in operation mode, you can utilize operational commands, and you can enter configuration mode from here.

root@%
cli root>

Configuration Mode

Entering configure or edit at the operational prompt will place you in configuration mode. Configuration mode is designated with the # prompt. You will also notice that the word edit appears above the prompt in brackets. This shows your level in the command hierarchy and it will change as you change levels.

root> configure
Entering configuration mode
[edit]
root#

Once you enter configuration mode, you are placed at the at the most global and least specific section of the configuration. You can now move directly to the section of the configuration that you would like to configure. For example, if you typed edit interfaces, you would move to the interface level. Once you’re at the interface level and you display the configuration, you will only see interface-level information. This is a nice feature when you have a large configuration, and you only wish to configure a specific part of the configuration.

You do have the option to display the configuration in Junos the same way that you displayed it in Netscreen Screen OS. This is accomplished with the show configuration command with the pipe option and the display set option.

show configuration | display set

Saving Configurations

You use the commit command to save a configuration to the Juniper device. If you make a mistake with a configuration and you save the configuration, you can use the rollback command to use a previous configuration. Actually, you can choose to use one of the last 50 saved configurations.

Monitoring, Maintaining and Troubleshooting Junos Devices

Monitoring

You have many commands in operational mode to display statistics about the Junos device. And, as with most vendors, you can send SNMP traps and SYSLOG messages to a server. Since the Junos device is a UNIX device you will also have access to all of the standard UNIX log files, and the log files are still available after a reboot since they are not stored in RAM.

Maintaining

One thing to keep in mind is that the Junos devices are not like a traditional router since they are based on a UNIX platform. The devices have directory and file structures just like a UNIX server, and it should be treated with care. You should follow the proper procedures when you want to shutdown a Junos device.

Troubleshooting

For troubleshooting you have a couple of options. Junos has the traceoptions function which is the equivalent of other vendors debug function. The traceoptions function is controlled by the traceoptions command. If someone is performing a trace, they are performing the same function as a debug. You can trace many protocols on the Junos devices. The traceoptions function will create a file on the local device. You can view the trace file with the show log command. There is also the monitor function. The monitor function will allow you to monitor in the log files on the Junos device in real-time. It is the equivalent of the tail –f command on UNIX devices. The monitor command used to control the monitor function. The Junos device writes many log files. This is much different than most vendors.

There are many exciting features in the Junos OS. As I mentioned you have direct access to UNIX shell. This comes in handy when you’re troubleshooting with the Junos devices. And you should feel at ease to know that there is a single OS train for all of the Juniper products. Also, take advantage of the help command. You will come up to speed quicker since it’s like having the manual at your finger tips.

Related Course
Junos Foundations: JNCIA-Junos Boot Camp (IJOS, JRE)

Excerpted from Global Knowledge White Paper: Introduction to Junos by Brad Wilson

The short answer is maybe they expect everyone to know what they know. So let me share what they know about the layers, the numbers, and what happens at each layer.

In the last entry, I gave you some generic layers and the standards that apply to them. Here we’ll talk about the most accepted model for explaining layers: ISO’s Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model. Let’s start at the bottom and work our way up the layers.

Layer 1 is the Physical layer. It includes the cabling, connectors, wall jacks, and interfaces in the equipment from computers to switches to routers in wired networks as well as the radios, lasers, satellites, dishes, and microwaves used in wireless networks. It supports physical connections without addresses.

Layer 2 is called the Data Link Layer. It links the Physical layer to the Network layer for sending and receiving frames of data. To do that, it uses a Logical Link Control (LLC) functions and Media Access Control (MAC) addresses to identify the source and target devices on the LAN.

The Network Interface Card (NIC) in your computer has a unique burned in MAC or physical address that the switch uses to connect it to the rest of the local network devices. Layer 2 has error detection to keep from wasting the rest of the stack’s time with bad frames. MAC addresses only work on a local network.

The Network Layer is the busiest layer in the model. Layer 3 includes logical addresses to identify the network, subnet, and interface of the source and target of the datagrams being sent and received beyond the LAN into the rest of the Internet. It also uses those logical addresses to route packets through all networks.

There are other protocols at the Network layer to do network diagnostics and identify logical errors. There is also a protocol to match the destination logical address with the target system’s MAC or physical address. Basic security also happens here including packet filtering and access control.

Layer 3’s main device is a router, though, except for routing, the things the network layer does also happen in computers, servers, smart phones, tablets, and other “end devices” which are the senders and receivers of network communications.

Layer 4 or the Transport layer’s task is to get the data from one end device or host to another. It identifies the application and a return socket, detects errors, separates the message into pieces small enough for the application and the network to handle, and makes it possible to have more than one session over one physical link.

The Session layer picks up where the Transport Layer left off by offering logging on and logging out of a network application. Layer 5 works with an application to setup, manage, and shut down a virtual connection. It acknowledges data received and retransmits data as needed. Some protocols combine the Transport and Session layer functions.

Layer 6 is officially known as the Presentation Layer. It works with the application to format the data before sending it down the stack to go out onto the network. This includes enciphering and deciphering for security, compression and decompression for efficiency, graphics formatting, and any format translation to make it possible for different systems to understand the data.

The Application Layer provides a way for the end user to work with the network application. Layer 7 is what the user sees and how users enter data or destinations for applications like file transfers, network printing, messaging, Web browsing, and email.

Some people go beyond the official OSI model. They add some layers of their own that, they believe, have an effect on network applications.

• Layer   8 – Office Politics
• Layer   9 – IT Department
• Layer 10 – Users

Unified Communications Certifications

CCNA Voice

Cisco’s CCNA Voice certification is one of three technical “concentrations” released in 2008 in response to a Cisco study that found 69% of IT managers expect to have a dedicated voice specialist role in their IT organization within five years, while only 40% have them today.

CCNA Voice confirms validates your skills in VoIP technologies such as

• IP PBX and telephony
• Call control
• Voicemail solutions

Through the course of preparing for the exam, you’ll also get exposure to the Cisco Unified Communications architecture and design covering mobility, presence, and TelePresence applications. CCNA Voice proves that you are committed to your career, and prepared for these job roles:

• Voice Administrators
• Voice Engineers
• Voice Managers

Prerequisite: Valid CCNA certification or any CCIE certification.

Required Cisco Exam: 642–461 ICOMM v8.0

CCNP Voice

Cisco recently completed a significant upgrade to their CCVP program, including a new name: Cisco Certified Network Professional Voice (CCNP Voice). The topics covered on these new exams better reflect the daily job tasks of Cisco Unified Communications and VoIP professionals and have streamlined the process of getting certified by eliminating the enterprise/commercial option.

Prerequisite: Valid CCNA Voice certification, or any CCIE certification.

Required Cisco Exams:
642–437 CVOICE v8
642–447 CIPT1 v8.0
642–457 CIPT2 v8.0
642–427 TVOICE v8.0
642–467 CAPPS v8.0

CCIE Voice

Achieving CCIE Voice certification declares your expert-level knowledge of Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions in an enterprise environment and informs that you have the skills to help companies accelerate business processes, increase productivity, and speed innovation. Success on the CCIE Voice written exam and the CCIE Voice lab exam means that you are capable of building and configuring complex end-to-end telephony networks, troubleshooting and resolving VoIP-related problems, and ensuring Quality of Service using in-depth understanding of Layer 2 and 3 network infrastructure.

Prerequisite: While there are no formal prerequisites for CCIE Voice certification, you are expected to have an in-depth understanding of the topics in the exam blueprints and are strongly encouraged to have three to five years of job experience before attempting certification.

Required Cisco Exam:
Step One: CCIE Voice Written Exam
You must pass the two-hour written exam covering those technologies and applications that comprise a Cisco enterprise VoIP solution before you are eligible to schedule the lab exam.

Step Two: CCIE Voice Lab Exam
The CCIE Voice lab exam is an eight-hour, hands-on exam which requires you to configure a Cisco enterprise voice solution over an IP network. Although basic network connectivity is provided, you will be responsible for configuring the pre-installed applications to satisfy the requirements of the lab and for troubleshooting important parameters of a voice network, such as Quality of Service, VLANs, gateways, and gatekeepers.

You must pass the lab exam within three years of passing the written exam to achieve CCIE Voice certification. Your first lab attempt must be made within 18 months.

Wireless Certification

CCNA Wireless

Cisco’s CCNA Wireless certification is one of three technical “concentrations” released in 2008 in response to a Cisco study that found that by 2013 the number of companies with a dedicated wireless role is expected to increase by 30%.

The CCNA Wireless certification validates your skills in configuring, implementing, monitoring, supporting, and troubleshooting wireless LANs in small to medium-sized business (SMB) and enterprise networks.

Prerequisite: Valid CCNA certification, or any CCIE certification.

Required Cisco Exam: 640–721 IUWNE

CCNP Wireless

CCNP Wireless certification recognizes the critical importance of professionals who support and manage Cisco wireless LANs and networks. Driven by the need for professionals responsible for the design, implementation, security, and operation of wireless networks and mobility infrastructures, CCNP Wireless certification emphasizes wireless networking principles and theory.

It also recognizes the expertise of wireless professionals who can assess and translate business requirements into technical specifications for successful installations.

Value of CCNP Wireless Certification to Professionals

• Recognizes and validates your professional-level wireless design expertise
• Demonstrates your ability to configure, implement, and manage all aspects of Cisco wireless LANs
• Prepares individuals interested in pursuing a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Wireless certification

Prerequisite: Valid CCNA Wireless certification, or any CCIE certification.

Required Cisco Exams: 
642–746 IUWMS
642–731 CUWSS
642–741 IUWVN
642–736 IAUWS

CCIE Wireless

Passing the CCIE Wireless certification exams demonstrates your broad theoretical knowledge of wireless networking and your solid understanding of Cisco Wireless LAN technologies. CCIE Wireless certification validates that you have the expertise to design and manage wireless networks and to make mission-critical and business-critical wireless network decisions.

Prerequisite: While there are no formal prerequisites for CCIE Wireless certification, you are expected to have an in-depth understanding of the topics in the exam blueprints and are strongly encouraged to have three to five years of job experience before attempting certification.

Required Cisco Exams:
Step One: CCIE Wireless Written Exam
You must pass the two-hour written exam covering planning, designing, implementing, operating, and troubleshooting Enterprise WLAN networks before you are eligible to schedule the lab exam.

Step Two: CCIE Wireless Lab Exam
The CCIE Wireless lab exam is an eight-hour, hands-on exam which focuses on implementing Enterprise WLAN solutions, including the autonomous infrastructure, unified infrastructure, unified controllers and APs, unified WCS and location, and implementing Voice over Wireless.

Knowledge of troubleshooting is an important skill, and you are expected to diagnose and solve issues as part of the CCIE Wireless lab exam. You must pass the lab exam within three years of passing the written exam to achieve CCIE Wireless certification. Your first lab exam attempt must be made within 18 months.

Related Courses
Cisco Certifications

1. 802.11ac is 5 GHz only. This “limitation” is possibly the most important development because it will bring about a shift in client device support for the cleaner band with more usable spectrum. Mobile devices should adopt quickly if they want to stay “cutting edge” on the spec sheet, and because mobile devices are consumer products, the marketing of speed-based specs carries vast importance. Pervasive client adoption of 5 GHz will improve aggregate performance across the enterprise. 2.4 GHz is a garbage band; Wi-Fi is taking the goods to 5 GHz and leaving its refuse in 2.4.
2. The IEEE has a “reach for the stars” attitude with the 802.11ac spec. Unfortunately, the marketing hype of “gigabit Wi-Fi” is way overdone. The few features that really drive the maximum data rate up are not immediately, or possibly ever, relevant to the enterprise.
• Very large channels—certainly 160 MHz, and likely 80 MHz as well—can ruin aggregate capacity, especially with high client densities and lots of 20 MHz only mobile devices. Some experts call these large channels a “gimmick.” Marketing departments love it.
• The other big data rate boost is more spatial streams (up to 8). As a reminder, today’s products incorporate only 3 (and rarely utilize them all) of the possible 4 spatial streams specified in 802.11n, so the likelihood of ever utilizing 8 is very slim. Adding more spatial streams to real-world products will take a lot of time.
• MU-MIMO promises better spectral efficiency with simultaneous transmissions to multiple users. However, this feature relies on better support (heck, let’s start with some support) of client beamforming as well as significant queuing modifications, and even then, there are still questions about achieving sufficient signal isolation between target clients. MU-MIMO doesn’t change the raw data rate, but it’s one of those marketed theoretical features that won’t be in the first, or first several, generation of products.
3. Both 802.11ac and 11ad will be hot in the consumer market, and like previous technologies, will filter into the enterprise as use cases develop. This is especially true for 11ad, which is almost exclusively focused on consumers, but may find niche uses in enterprises. 11ac will be a mainstream enterprise technology, but many of its gains are muted in the enterprise.
4. 3 out of 4 experts had reservations about the significance of “gigabit Wi-Fi.” The dissenting 1 out of 4 is optimistic. 
5. Products will not hit the market until late 2012 or early 2013, so we still have time to wait and let the many marketers beat their drums.