The field of IT is vast and does not cease to expand. Just the same, the supply of IT professionals is on the rise, even to the extent of creating a surplus. When such is the case, you need something to prove yourself and stand out amongst the many other degree holders. This is where Cisco comes in. Cisco is a large IT organization which offers not only services and products but also valuable certifications. The company is known for its high learning standards.
The Prepaway CCDP certification is one of the many credentials offered by Cisco, and in this article, we will talk about the details you must know to earn it.
Cisco CCDP certification
Cisco Certified Design Professional is a professional-level certification which is intended for network designers who are responsible for the development of network components and multi-layer architectures in an enterprise environment. Cisco Certification and help enterprises to achieve desired outcomes through their ability to design scalable and highly productive networks.
Are there any prerequisites for the CCDP certification?
Yes, there are prerequisites required for this credential. These are three options you can choose from:
- Obtain the CCNA Routing and Switching and the CCDA certification
- Obtain the CCNP Routing and Switching and the CCDA certification
- Obtain any CCIE or CCDE certification
Which exams you do need to pass to obtain CCDP?
300-320 ARCH exam is one of the three tests required to gain the CCDP certification. The two other exams required are 300-101 ROUTE and 300-115 SWITCH. Below we will focus on 300- 320 test and its details to show you an example of a typical Cisco exam. 300-320 exam has a duration of 75 minutes and contains 60-70 questions. The topics you will be tested on in this exam are as follows:
- Advanced addressing and routing solutions for enterprise networks – 22%
- Advanced enterprise campus network – 20%
- WANs for enterprise networks – 17%
- Enterprise data center integration – 17%
- Security services – 13%
- Network services – 11%
Preparing for 300-320 ARCH exam
The official Cisco website offers various methods and materials you can use in order to prepare
for 300-320 exam:
Classroom training
It includes offline classes led by professional instructors with many years of experience in the field.
E-Learning
Cisco provides online self-paced courses and access to study materials. This is a great opportunity for candidates who are studying for the exam while being occupied with other duties as well.
Practice
This option provides hands-on lab environments where you can practice your skills. The practice is the most important part of preparation. Theoretical knowledge only will not be sufficient if you cannot use it in a real-life situation.
Study groups
Cisco has made available the CCDP study group where you can connect with your peers and other individuals who are ready to share their experiences and knowledge. You can learn from their mistakes and avoid these mistakes in your practice.
A list of study materials
The default study plans you can find online may not be the most suitable for you. If that’s the case, you can create your own study plan using ARCH study materials.
Training library
Cisco has an extensive archive of study materials that can be accessed by candidates who want to face Cisco exam.
Apart from the official Cisco website, there are other sites that offer training courses, study materials, practice exams, etc. like ExamSnap. ExamSnap offers exam simulators which give you a feel of the real exam. This is a big advantage because it allows you to to familiarize yourself with the questions’ structure and reduce the time you need to recall answers. It also helps to reduce nervousness and excitement you may feel during your actual test.
You can also find many videos made by experienced people giving out tricks and tips to pass your exams well. You can find out what methods they have implemented to optimize their study sessions.
How to schedule your exam?
You can register for your Cisco 300-320 exam by following the steps below:
1. Log in to your Pearson VUE account. If you don't have an account yet, you can quickly
create one.
2. Click on Proctored Exams and enter 300-320 exam code.
3. You will then be given simple instructions to follow in order to register for your exam.
Why become Cisco certified?
There are many benefits that a Cisco certified person gets over the ones who are not certified.
Some of them are:
More job opportunities. Some positions have certain Cisco certifications as requirements. So, in order to apply for these jobs, you need to have a credential.
Higher pay. Certified persons are eligible for higher pay than the ones who are not. Even if you have the same skills as a certified person, your employer has no way of validating that fact. So, the answer is self-evident – certification is one of your greatest advantages when it comes to salaries.
Updated knowledge and skills. Certifications are a good way to stay updated on the new developments in your field since Cisco updates its syllabus in par with the changes.
Confirmation of your skills that is visible to employers. With the Cisco certification, you stand a better chance to catch an employer’s eye.
Conclusion
Becoming certified has a lot of benefits and no demerits. Hence, it would always be a win situation for you. While there are many organizations that offer IT certifications, not all of them are up to the standards expected by the large-scale organizations that are looking forward to hiring certified professionals. So, it is important that you get your certification from a vendor that is renowned for the reliability of its credentials. With the help of quality preparation resources, you can easily pass your 300-320 exam and get your CCDP certification!
