Post-Exam Information
The accomplishment of signing up for and actually taking the CCNA Security exam is no small feat. Many network engineers have avoided certification exams for years. The following sections discuss your options after exam day.
Receiving Your Certificate
If you passed the exam, you will receive your official Cisco certificate in about six weeks (eight weeks internationally) after exam day. Your certificate will be mailed to the address you provided when you registered for the exam.
You need your examination score report to access the certification tracking system and set up a login to check your certification status. If you do not receive your certificate, open a case in the certificate online support located at the following web address:
https://ciscocert.secure.force.com/english/MainPage
When you receive your certificate, you may want to frame it and put it on a wall. A certificate hanging on a wall is much harder to lose than a certificate in a filing cabinet or random folder. You never know when an employer or academic institution could request a copy. It is also possible to electronically publish your credentials, to prove the status of your certifications. You do this by logging into https://cisco.pearsoncred.com with your Cisco.com ID.
Your CCNA Security certification is valid for three years. To keep your certificate valid after three years, you must either pass the CCNA Security exam again or pass a more advanced Cisco certification before the end of the three-year period.
U.S. Government Recognition
Recently, the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) recognized that the Cisco CCNA Security certification courseware meets the CNSS 4011 training standard. This standard is intended for Information Security professionals who are responsible for identifying system vulnerabilities, investigating and documenting system security technologies and policies, and analyzing and evaluating system security technologies. As such, candidates who meet the standard are issued a letter of recognition acknowledging their completion of the recommended training requirements. This letter of recognition can be used as confirmation of having met the CNSS 4011 requirements and is sent along with the certificate.
Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Defense has certified the Cisco CCNA Security certification as DoD 8570.01-M compliant and has approved it for DoD Information Assurance Technician Levels I and II. The CCNA Security certification also meets the ISO 17024 standard accredited by ANSI.
Examining Certification Options
After passing the CCNA Security exam, you may wish to pursue a higher-level Cisco security certification. The hierarchy of Cisco security certifications, from low to high, is as follows:
1. Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)
2. Cisco Certified Network Associate Security (CCNA Security)
3. Cisco Certified Network Professional Security (CCNP Security)
4. Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security (CCIE Security)
Although passing one of the many CCNA exams is not an easy task, it is the starting point for more advanced Cisco certifications such as the Cisco Certified Network Professional exams. To learn more about Cisco certifications, visit The Cisco Learning Network at https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications.
If You Failed the Exam
If you fail your first attempt at the CCNA Security certification, you must wait at least 5 calendar days after the day of the exam to retest. Stay motivated and sign up to take the exam again within a 30-day period of your first attempt. The score report outlines your weaknesses. Find a study group and use The Cisco Learning Network (http://learningnetwork.cisco.com) online community to help you with those difficult topics.
If you are familiar with the general concepts, focus on taking practice exams and memorizing the small details that make the exam so difficult. If you are a Cisco Networking Academy alumnus, you have access to the curriculum and the Packet Tracer network simulator. Consider your first attempt as a formal practice exam and excellent preparation to pass the second attempt.
Summary
Whether you display your certificate and update your resume or prepare to conquer the exam on your second attempt, remember to marvel at the innovation and creativity behind each concept you learn. The ability of our society to continually improve and secure communication will keep you learning, discovering, and employed for a lifetime.