Cisco Certifications Overview 2018

The year 2018 represented a particularly significant period in the history of Cisco certifications, sitting as it did on the cusp of the sweeping restructuring that Cisco would announce in 2019 and implement in February 2020. Understanding the certification landscape as it existed in 2018 provides essential context for appreciating both the depth and breadth of what Cisco had built over decades of certification program development and the reasons why the organization ultimately decided to undertake such comprehensive reform. In 2018, Cisco’s certification program stood as the most recognized and respected vendor-specific networking credential portfolio in the world, with millions of certified professionals across virtually every country and industry sector validating their networking expertise through Cisco’s rigorous examination processes.

The Cisco certification program in 2018 was organized around a hierarchical structure of five distinct levels that guided professionals from entry-level networking knowledge through progressively more demanding demonstrations of expertise. Entry, Associate, Professional, Expert, and Architect levels provided a clear progression pathway that professionals could follow over the course of their careers, with each level building substantially on the knowledge and skills validated at lower levels. This hierarchical structure had been refined over many years of program development and represented one of the most sophisticated and coherent approaches to professional certification in the technology industry, serving as a model that other vendors and certification bodies frequently referenced when designing their own credential programs.

Entry Level Credentials and Their Role in 2018

The entry level of Cisco’s 2018 certification hierarchy served as the starting point for professionals who were new to networking and needed a formal introduction to fundamental concepts before pursuing the more rigorous Associate-level credentials. The Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician, universally known as the CCENT, was the primary entry-level credential and served a dual purpose within the certification ecosystem. For many candidates, the CCENT represented their first formal recognition of networking competence and provided the confidence and credibility needed to begin pursuing networking careers in earnest. For others, the CCENT served as the first step on the path toward the Cisco Certified Network Associate credential, as passing the ICND1 examination that led to the CCENT also satisfied the first of the two examination requirements for the CCNA Routing and Switching.

The CCENT examination covered foundational networking concepts including the OSI and TCP/IP models, basic switching concepts, fundamental routing principles, IP addressing and subnetting, wide-area networking technologies, and introductory network security and management topics. This coverage provided candidates with a conceptual framework for understanding how networks function that would support their learning throughout the remainder of their Cisco certification journey. Professionals who earned the CCENT in 2018 demonstrated that they had moved beyond complete networking novice status and possessed the foundational knowledge needed to contribute meaningfully to basic networking tasks in professional environments, even if their skills were not yet sufficient for the independent design and implementation work that Associate and higher-level certifications validated.

The CCNA Family and Its Many Specialization Tracks

The Cisco Certified Network Associate level represented the most popular and widely pursued tier of the 2018 Cisco certification hierarchy, and it encompassed a remarkably diverse family of credentials that addressed a wide range of networking and technology specializations beyond the foundational routing and switching track. In 2018, the CCNA family included CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Security, CCNA Wireless, CCNA Cloud, CCNA Collaboration, CCNA Data Center, CCNA Industrial, CCNA Service Provider, and CCNA CyberOps, each targeting a distinct technology domain with examination content specifically designed to validate Associate-level competence in that specialty area.

The CCNA Routing and Switching remained the cornerstone of the CCNA family and the most widely pursued Cisco credential at any level, serving as the foundational networking credential that most professionals earned before branching into specialization tracks. The routing and switching curriculum covered LAN switching technologies, IPv4 and IPv6 routing, WAN technologies, infrastructure services, and infrastructure management topics in sufficient depth to validate that certified professionals could design, implement, and troubleshoot small to medium-sized networks using Cisco equipment. The examination structure in 2018 offered candidates the choice between a single composite examination and a two-examination path through the ICND1 and ICND2 exams, providing flexibility for candidates who preferred to demonstrate their knowledge in stages rather than all at once.

CCNA Security and the Growing Demand for Security Expertise

The CCNA Security credential addressed the security specialization track at the Associate level, reflecting the growing recognition in 2018 that network security had become a fundamental rather than optional component of professional networking competence. The examination covered security concepts including network security principles, secure access, VPN technologies, firewall technologies, intrusion prevention systems, and content and endpoint security, providing candidates with a solid foundation in the security technologies that Cisco offered as part of its security product portfolio. The credential was particularly valuable for network engineers who wanted to expand their responsibilities to include security functions without making the full transition to dedicated security professional roles.

The demand for CCNA Security certified professionals in 2018 reflected broader market trends that were driving security expertise requirements deeper into networking roles across the industry. Organizations that had previously maintained separate networking and security teams were increasingly recognizing the operational inefficiency and security risks created by siloed teams that lacked sufficient mutual understanding to collaborate effectively on the security aspects of network design and management. CCNA Security certified network engineers who understood both the networking and security dimensions of their infrastructure were better equipped to bridge this organizational divide and contribute to more integrated and effective security postures. This cross-functional value drove strong employer demand for the credential throughout 2018 and positioned it as one of the most practically impactful Associate-level certifications available.

CCNA Cloud and CCNA Data Center Addressing Infrastructure Evolution

The CCNA Cloud and CCNA Data Center credentials addressed two closely related but distinct specialization areas that were among the most strategically important in the networking industry during 2018. The dramatic growth of cloud computing and the parallel transformation of data center infrastructure created substantial demand for networking professionals who understood the specific technologies, architectures, and operational practices characteristic of these environments. Both credentials were positioned to serve professionals who were either already working in cloud or data center environments and wanted to formalize their expertise through certification or who were transitioning their careers toward these high-growth specialization areas from more traditional networking roles.

The CCNA Data Center curriculum covered data center networking concepts including unified computing, network virtualization, data center storage networking, and data center automation and orchestration, reflecting the increasingly software-defined nature of modern data center infrastructure. The CCNA Cloud credential took a broader perspective that encompassed cloud deployment models, cloud service models, basic cloud architecture, and the networking considerations specific to cloud environments. Together these credentials provided Associate-level coverage of the infrastructure evolution that was fundamentally reshaping how enterprise computing resources were deployed, managed, and consumed, preparing certified professionals to contribute meaningfully to organizations navigating this transformation.

CCNA CyberOps and Its Alignment with Security Operations Roles

The CCNA CyberOps credential was among the more recently introduced members of the CCNA family in 2018 and addressed the specific competencies required by security operations center analysts and other professionals whose primary security responsibility involves monitoring, detecting, and responding to security incidents rather than designing and implementing security controls. The credential was developed in alignment with the Cisco Networking Academy program and was designed to serve both academic learners who were preparing for security operations careers and working professionals who wanted to validate their security monitoring and incident response competencies through a recognized credential.

The examination content covered security monitoring concepts, host-based and network-based analysis, security policies and procedures, and incident response fundamentals, providing candidates with a structured understanding of the security operations function that translated directly into job-ready competence for entry-level SOC analyst roles. The credential’s alignment with Cisco’s security operations product portfolio, including security information and event management platforms, network traffic analysis tools, and endpoint detection capabilities, made it particularly relevant for professionals who worked in or aspired to work in environments where Cisco security operations technologies were deployed. Organizations that staffed their security operations centers with CCNA CyberOps certified analysts could expect those professionals to be better prepared to leverage Cisco’s security monitoring capabilities effectively from their first day on the job.

The CCNP Professional Level and Its Specialization Tracks

The Cisco Certified Network Professional level represented a substantial step up in both difficulty and professional recognition from the CCNA family, validating expertise that qualified professionals for senior networking roles involving independent design, implementation, and troubleshooting of complex network environments. The CCNP level in 2018 encompassed multiple specialization tracks including CCNP Routing and Switching, CCNP Security, CCNP Wireless, CCNP Cloud, CCNP Collaboration, CCNP Data Center, and CCNP Service Provider, each requiring candidates to pass multiple examinations that collectively validated deep expertise in the relevant technology domain.

The CCNP Routing and Switching remained the most widely pursued professional-level credential and required candidates to pass three examinations covering routing, switching, and troubleshooting respectively. This three-examination structure reflected the depth of knowledge required at the professional level, where candidates were expected to demonstrate not just familiarity with networking concepts but the ability to design and implement sophisticated solutions involving advanced routing protocols, complex switching topologies, and systematic troubleshooting methodologies for large enterprise networks. Professionals who earned the CCNP Routing and Switching in 2018 were well positioned for senior network engineer roles that involved significant independent responsibility for network design and operational decisions in enterprise environments.

CCNP Security and the Advanced Security Professional Pathway

The CCNP Security credential addressed the professional-level security specialization and required candidates to pass four examinations that together covered the full range of Cisco security technologies and security engineering practices. The required examinations addressed secure access, edge network security, secure mobility solutions, and network security using Cisco firewall technologies, providing comprehensive coverage of the security product portfolio and the architectural principles needed to design and implement effective security solutions at enterprise scale. The breadth of the CCNP Security examination requirements reflected the reality that effective security engineering requires competence across multiple technology domains that must be integrated into coherent security architectures rather than deployed as isolated point solutions.

Security professionals who earned the CCNP Security in 2018 occupied a distinctive and highly valued position in the talent market, combining the networking depth that characterizes Cisco certification with security specialization that addressed one of the most pressing organizational concerns of the era. The credential qualified its holders for senior security engineer roles, security architecture positions, and technical security consulting engagements where deep knowledge of Cisco security technologies combined with the ability to design comprehensive security solutions was the core competency required. Compensation for CCNP Security certified professionals reflected this market position, with salary surveys consistently placing certified professionals in the upper tier of technology compensation ranges.

Understanding the CCIE Expert Level Certifications

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert credential represented the pinnacle of technical networking certification achievement in 2018 and maintained its reputation as one of the most difficult and prestigious technical certifications available anywhere in the technology industry. The CCIE examination process was distinctive in requiring candidates to pass both a written qualifying examination and a grueling eight-hour practical laboratory examination that tested their ability to design and implement complex network solutions under time pressure without reference materials. This dual-examination process ensured that CCIE holders had demonstrated genuine mastery of both conceptual knowledge and practical implementation skills, making the credential a reliable indicator of elite technical capability.

CCIE tracks available in 2018 included Routing and Switching, Security, Wireless, Data Center, Collaboration, and Service Provider, each representing a distinct technical specialization at the expert level. The number of active CCIE holders worldwide has historically been a small fraction of the total Cisco-certified population, reflecting the genuine difficulty of the certification process and the sustained commitment required to achieve it. Organizations that employed CCIE-certified professionals could expect them to bring a level of technical depth and problem-solving capability to complex network challenges that was qualitatively different from what less experienced engineers could provide, justifying the premium compensation and professional recognition that CCIE certification commanded throughout 2018 and continues to command today.

The Cisco Certified Architect at the Program Summit

The Cisco Certified Architect designation sat at the absolute apex of the Cisco certification hierarchy in 2018 and remains the rarest and most exclusive Cisco credential, held by an extremely small number of professionals worldwide at any given time. The CCAr is not an examination-based credential in the traditional sense but rather a board certification process in which candidates present and defend a comprehensive network architecture solution before a panel of Cisco expert reviewers who assess the depth, breadth, and quality of the candidate’s architectural thinking. This unique assessment format reflects the reality that architectural expertise at the highest level cannot be reliably assessed through multiple choice questions or even practical laboratory examinations but requires demonstration of the ability to synthesize complex requirements into coherent architectural solutions and defend those solutions under rigorous expert scrutiny.

The CCAr was designed for senior technology architects and chief technical officers who operate at a strategic level where their primary contribution is shaping the overall architecture of complex, large-scale network environments rather than implementing specific technical solutions. The prerequisite of holding an active CCIE certification ensured that CCAr candidates had already demonstrated expert-level technical depth before attempting to validate their architectural capabilities, creating a logical progression from technical mastery to architectural leadership. The combination of extreme rarity, rigorous assessment process, and high prerequisite requirements made the CCAr the ultimate professional achievement within the Cisco certification ecosystem and a mark of distinction that carried extraordinary weight in the most senior technology leadership conversations.

Specialization Certificates Complementing Core Credentials

Beyond the primary certification tracks that structured the main hierarchy of Cisco credentials in 2018, the program also offered a range of specialization certificates that allowed professionals to validate expertise in specific technology areas without committing to a full certification track at the Associate or Professional level. These specialization certificates addressed focused technology domains including network programmability, data center unified computing, service provider mobility, and various other areas where organizations needed professionals with deep knowledge of specific Cisco technologies or architectural domains. The specialization certificates provided flexibility for professionals whose roles required focused expertise in particular areas rather than the broad coverage that full certification tracks demanded.

The network programmability specialization was among the most strategically significant of these focused credentials in 2018, reflecting the growing importance of software-defined networking, network automation, and infrastructure-as-code practices that were beginning to reshape how network professionals managed large-scale environments. Professionals who earned the network programmability specialization demonstrated familiarity with programming concepts, API-driven network management, and automation tools that were becoming essential competencies as networks grew too large and complex to manage effectively through manual configuration approaches. This credential foreshadowed the much more comprehensive DevNet certification track that would become a central pillar of the redesigned Cisco certification program following the 2020 restructuring.

The Value of Cisco Certifications for Employers in 2018

For organizations that employed Cisco-certified networking professionals in 2018, the value of those certifications manifested across multiple dimensions that collectively justified the investment in supporting employee certification development through training budgets, examination fee reimbursement, and dedicated preparation time. The most immediate and quantifiable value came from the technical capability improvements that certified professionals brought to network design and troubleshooting activities, where structured knowledge and validated competence consistently produced better outcomes than trial-and-error approaches based on accumulated but unstructured experience.

Organizations in 2018 also benefited from Cisco certification through the channel partner program, where Cisco required partner organizations to maintain certified staff at specified levels to achieve and maintain Gold, Silver, and Premier partner status. These partner designations unlocked access to Cisco resources, pricing advantages, and marketing support that had direct financial value, creating a business incentive for partner organizations to invest aggressively in their employees’ Cisco certification development. This channel partner dynamic drove substantial certification activity throughout 2018 and contributed significantly to the overall health and recognition of the Cisco certification ecosystem by ensuring that a large and consistent population of certified professionals was actively maintaining and renewing credentials.

Preparing for Upcoming Changes While Maximizing 2018 Credential Value

For professionals who were pursuing Cisco certifications in 2018, the period represented both a time of maximum value extraction from the existing credential structure and the beginning of a transition period toward the restructured program that Cisco would announce in 2019. Professionals who earned credentials under the 2018 framework found that their certifications were grandfathered into the new structure in various ways, with Cisco providing clear guidance on how existing credentials mapped to the redesigned program. This transition management reflected Cisco’s commitment to honoring the investment that certified professionals had made in their credentials and ensuring that the restructuring process did not arbitrarily devalue legitimate achievements.

The most important insight for professionals navigating the 2018 Cisco certification landscape was that the fundamental value of the knowledge and skills validated by Cisco credentials was independent of any specific program structure or credential naming convention. Professionals who invested seriously in developing genuine networking expertise through their Cisco certification journey were building professional capabilities that would remain valuable and transferable regardless of how the certification program evolved. The certifications provided the framework and the external validation, but the underlying technical competence was the true source of professional value that would serve certified professionals throughout their careers irrespective of program restructuring or market changes.

Conclusion

The Cisco certification program as it existed in 2018 represented the culmination of decades of thoughtful credential development that had produced the most comprehensive and respected vendor-specific networking certification portfolio in the technology industry. From the foundational CCENT through the diverse CCNA family, the deep CCNP specialization tracks, the elite CCIE credentials, and the pinnacle CCAr designation, the 2018 program offered networking professionals a complete career development framework that supported growth from entry-level competence through the absolute summit of technical and architectural expertise.

The breadth of specialization tracks available across the Associate and Professional levels reflected Cisco’s recognition that networking had evolved far beyond the traditional routing and switching focus of the program’s early years to encompass security, wireless, cloud, data center, collaboration, service provider, and emerging areas like network programmability. This breadth ensured that professionals working across the full spectrum of networking specializations could find certification pathways that validated their specific expertise and supported their career development within their chosen domains.

For the organizations that employed Cisco-certified professionals in 2018, the program delivered consistent and measurable value through improved technical outcomes, channel partner program benefits, and the ability to attract and retain technically ambitious professionals who valued employers that supported their certification development. The certification program’s alignment with Cisco’s product portfolio ensured that certified professionals were equipped to maximize the value of Cisco technology investments, creating a direct connection between employee certification achievement and organizational technology return on investment that justified continued commitment to certification support programs.

Looking back at the 2018 Cisco certification landscape from the perspective of the comprehensive restructuring that followed, it is clear that the program had reached a level of maturity and complexity that both demonstrated the depth of what Cisco had built and highlighted the need for modernization to address emerging technology domains and changing professional practice patterns. The 2018 program served its certified professionals and their employers exceptionally well within the context of its time, and the knowledge and skills it developed and validated continued to serve those professionals effectively long after the program structure itself was transformed by the sweeping changes that Cisco would introduce in the years that followed.