CCNA vs. CCNP: What's the Difference?

The CCNA and CCNP credentials are on different levels of the Cisco certification hierarchy, as we've seen. However, in this section, we'll go over some of the key variations between these certifications.

Which is more critical: depth or breadth?

The CCNA certification is broader than it is comprehensive. It means that it assesses candidates on the fundamentals and concepts of many technologies at a high level. The CCNP certification, on the other hand, delves into a specific technology and tests applicants on even the most arcane ideas.

For example, OSPF is covered in the following areas in the CCNA Routing and Switching certification exam:

• 3.9 Configure, validate, and troubleshoot single-area and multi-area OSPFv2 for IPv4 in single-area and multi-area mode (excluding authentication, filtering, manual summarization, redistribution, stub, virtual-link, and LSAs)

• 3.10 Set up single-area and multi-area OSPFv3 for IPv6 configuration, verification, and troubleshooting (excluding authentication, filtering, manual summarization, redistribution, stub, virtual-link, and LSAs)

The following are the subjects covered by OSPF on the ROUTE exam of the CCNP Routing and Switching certification:

• 3.24 Describe the different types of OSPF packets

• 3.25 Configure and test OSPF authentication and neighbor relationships.

• 3.26 Configure and validate network, area, and router types

• 3.26.a Broadcast, non-broadcast, point-to-point, multipoint

• 3.26.b Backbone, regular, transit, stub, NSSA, fully stub LSA kinds, area type

• 3.26.c Backbone router, internal router, ABR, ASBR

• 3.26.d Virtual connection

• 3.27 Set up and test the OSPF path preference

• 3.28 Set up and test OSPF operations

• 3.29 Set up and test OSPF for IPv6.

Level of difficulty

AS STATED IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, the CCNP certification examinations are often more difficult to pass than the CCNA certification exams. It is not only because you need to cover more material, but Cisco may also ask subjective questions, such as those indicated in a certification guide or data page.

The length of the exam and the number of questions reflect this range of difficulty. While the CCNA Routing and Switching composite test (currently 200-125) is 90 minutes long and contains 60 to 70 questions, one of the CCNP Routing and Switching certification exams (ROUTE 300-101) is 120 minutes long and includes 50-60 questions. It means that the CCNP exam has more time and fewer questions than the CCNA exam.

Number of examinations

While most CCNA credentials only require passing one test (some require two), most CCNP certifications require passing up to four! Each of those CCNP-level examinations is likely more challenging than the single CCNA-level exam, so this is no laughing matter. It also means that the time it takes to become a CCNP is at least 3-4 times longer than it takes to become a CCNA.

These variables combine to explain why CCNP certification holders earn almost $20,000 more per year on average than CCNA certification holders.

Conclusion

It concludes this essay, in which we looked at Cisco certifications in general before focusing on the CCNA and CCNP certifications. Finally, we addressed which certification is more difficult to obtain: CCNP due to its breadth, number of examinations, and exam complexity.