CCENT Certification :Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician

June 9, 2010 by nowexam
Filed under: Cisco

Cisco has addressed the ever-growing scope of the CCNA certification by introducing the CCENT certification – a stepping-stone certification to bridge the gap between novice level and the knowledge required to become a fully-fledged CCNA. Cisco’s CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician) certification is therefore aimed at candidates with little previous networking experience.
Candidates taking the CCENT exam should be able to configure and verify small routed and switched networks, including the ability to configure IP addressing, implement basic security measures and understand the concepts of wireless networking – in other words, be able to set up and manage a small office network.
The CCENT exam is actually one half of the two exams required for the CCNA certification (if a candidate elects to take the two-exam path) which makes taking the CCNA two-exam path much more attractive. Gaining the qualification also rewards candidates with access to the Cisco Certification Community which offers access to membership-only training material (handy when preparing for the second of the two CCNA exams). Candidates taking the one-exam path toward the CCNA are not eligible for the CCENT qualification. There are no prerequisites to take the CCENT exam and neither is the CCENT a prerequisite for the CCNA.
In order to gain the CCENT certification, candidates need to only pass one exam:
640-822 ICND1 Interconnecting Cisco Networking Devices Part 1)
The 640-822 exam is a 90-minute affair with between 50-60 questions. As with all Cisco exams, expect to have a variety of different question formats – multiple choice, drag and drop, simulation and so on. Exams are scored on a points scale from 300 to 1000 and each question in the exam is weighted depending on the format of the question (simulation, multiple-choice etc) and difficulty. The specific weighting of points for any question can vary from exam to exam. Because of this variable nature of the weighting system, Cisco does not publish the passing score of the CCENT exam. Candidates receive an exam score report indicating a pass or fail at the conclusion of the exam.
A complete breakdown of the exam objectives and other exam information can be found on the Cisco CCENT web page
The CCENT certification is valid for three years after which time a candidate will need to recertify in order to remain current (Cisco will send candidates a reminder shortly before the expiry date of their certification). Cisco offers candidates a number of ways to recertify:
Pass either one of the ICND1 or ICND2 exams
Pass the current CCNA exam
Pass any one CCNA Concentration exam
Pass any 642-XXX Professional level or Cisco Specialist exam (excluding Sales Specialist)
Pass the current CCIE or CCDE written exam
Any one of these paths will allow a candidate to recertify their CCENT credential.
The 640-822 CCENT exam can be taken at any Pearson VUE centre, but make sure to check the nearest location and times well before you intend to take the exam. Remember to take advantage of discount exam vouchers to keep the cost of your exam down (as well as getting free training material) and keep an eye out also on the official Cisco website for special exam promotions – from time to time you can get special deals on retakes.