Cisco Certifications- What do they all mean? Definitions of Top Paying Certifications

As hiring managers you look for employees who have them and encourage your current staff to constantly be on top of them. As recruiters we search for candidates who list them on their resumes, so we can match their highly sought after skills with potential employers. And as IT professionals you work extremely hard at keeping up with them, so you're on top of your game and always at your most marketable. Cisco certifications are among the highest paying technical certifications. There is a high demand in the tech industry for employees with Cisco certifications. But what do they all mean? Here's a comprehensive look at today's most highly regarded and top paying Cisco certifications:



1. Cisco CCIE
The expert-level certification is the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE). It is the highest level of professional certification that Cisco provides. There are 5 active CCIE tracks: Storage Networking, Voice, Service provider, Security, and routing and Switching. These are profiled in detail, below.

2. Cisco CCIE - Storage Networking
Storage Networking is the most recent addition to the specialization tracks within the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert certification (or CCIE). The Storage Networking track concentrates on storage networking topics, such as Fibre Channel, iSCSI, FCIP, Intra VSAN Routing and FICON.

3. Cisco CCIE - Voice
The Voice track concentrates on voice solutions for the enterprise and includes subjects such as QoS, MGCP, Call Manager (Cisco's VoIP PABX), Cisco Unity (Cisco's Unified Messaging platform), Unity Express and IP Contact Center Express.

4. Cisco CCIE - Service Provider
The Service Provider track focuses on networking in the service provider industry. Subjects include Optical networks, DSL, WAN switching, Voice over IP, Content Networking, Broadband Cable and Metro Ethernet.

5. Cisco CCIE - Security
Security is a specialization track within the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (or CCIE) certification. The Security track concentrates on network security and covers subjects such as ASA, IDS, IOS security, security and much more.

6. Cisco CCIE - Routing and Switching
Routing and Switching is the most popular CCIE track, and covers a wide range of subjects, such as: LAN, WAN, Ethernet, TCP/IP, OSPF and BGP,IPv6 and many more. The CCIE - Routing and Switching is also among the highest paying technical certifications.

7. Cisco CCVP
The Cisco Certified Voice Professional (CCVP) is a certification covering all aspects of IP Telephony/VOIP networks and applications. It is also one of the highest paying certifications in the technology industry.

8. Cisco CCNP
The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) is considered proof of having the ability to work with medium-sized networks (between 100 and 500 end devices) and with technology such as QoS, broadband, VPNs, and security-minded features. The CCNP is also among the highest paying certifications in the technical industry.

9. Cisco CCDP
The Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) certification is an advanced network design certification. Candidates for the certification are tested for advanced knowledge of Cisco devices and the way to interconnect them.

10. Cisco CCIP
The CCIP certification is a professional certification covering the end-to-end protocols used in large scale networks.