Studying for the Cisco Certified Network Associate exam
Why I’m Getting The CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) Certification
I decided to study for the CCNA because I ultimately started part of the CCNA CyberOps curriculum in high school and really fell in love with the concepts of networking. While I would love to hop straight into security, I realize this may not be the option received to me, so the CCNA is my means to keeping my options fluid. I see it as a strategic path to go down because pivoting from a network role to a security role seems ideal, at least in theory. Of course there can be a lot of nuance to a security role.
Setting Specific Goals
In the study groups I’ve been in, I tell new members time and time again, to set specific goals, and network with people, because you never know who is willing to give you a chance. Of course, I try to take my own advice, but I’m not perfect, so I understand where they’re coming from.
Not to go too far down a tangent, but “Cybersecurity” is such a broad field. Will the CCNA help you in an auditing position for governance, risk, and compliance? Maybe the networking fundamentals will help you understand the documents you’re working with, but the more specific, probably the better. I personally think certifications hold value because of the public integrity they have with others. Some certifications do hold tremendous value in terms of knowledge and growth. Setting specific goals is important, not just in the field of Cybersecurity, but anything really.
The Pivot Points, Consider The HR Filter
Back to my reasoning with the CCNA, I personally see it as valuable because it will set me up for a networking position to pivot into security, or at the very least, prove to an employer that I know basic fundamentals, or, at least get me through an HR filter.
There are some crazy HR filters, by the way. I just recently watched a video from Louis Rossman about a CompTIA certification’s worth in 2023, and one of the commenters said the following:
My Prep
So, in preparation for the CCNA, I’m using a variety of resources. I plan to certify by August, 2023, and I already have my voucher. I went through Jeremy’s IT Lab video courses, and now I plan to cover all the knowledge over with Kevin Wallace’s videos, flashcards, Packet Tracer labs, and ultimately stay dilligent. I want to preserve ExSim attempts so I don’t memorize questions. I took my first ExSim test and scored a 630/850 or something around there, which I wouldn’t consider bad at all for my first attempt, so that definitely made me excited for the future.
Closing thoughts
This is an ongoing blog post, with the first iteration starting on 5/12/2023. I will continue the post with updates on my studies, successes, and failures. My goal is to help provide insight on the intricacies with the CCNA certification.
A CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) in a study group I’m in said it best:
“Do you plan to actually become a network engineer or go for a networking job afterwards?
If the answer is no, you will waste 6 months. If the answer is yes, go for it.”
Resources: (will update as I find things)
Be sure to use Jeremy’s Anki flashcards.
Kevin Wallace Training YouTube Channel
search for any topic; he has great deep dives
Make sure to look for a discount code.
DO NOT, under any circumstance, use any exam dumps. It is considered cheating and only contributes toward destroying the integrity of the test.