Cisco Targets Digital Business Transformation With New Certifications

Cisco has introduced new certifications and training for network professionals looking to expand their digital network capabilities.

"Workforce is changing and needs to evolve to handle an automated, software-focused, digital ecosystem," said Tejas Vashi, senior director of product and marketing strategy at Learning @ Cisco.

Vashi says the digital network requires new capabilities, and network engineers need to adapt to rapidly evolving technologies in the areas of analysis, software-defined networks, mobility, security and virtualization, and cloud services. Traditional network models, which are manually configured and hardware-oriented, can not scale and keep up with digital businesses.

With that in mind, Cisco announced two new certifications and a training program geared toward the digital arena. The new programs include:

Network Engineers:

Cisco NPDESI Specialist Certification is intended for those who have active CCNP or CCDP certification and wish to gain key network programming skills. It provides network engineers with a comprehensive curriculum to develop and validate automation and programming capabilities, and directly addresses the evolving role of network engineers toward greater programming, automation, and orchestration capabilities. Training for the exam will be offered as a training workshop led by an instructor through Cisco Learning Partners, and as interactive training at your own pace with videos, integrated labs, and assessments.

Cisco also said that it introduced Network Engineer Programming (PRNE), a new training course at its own pace that is of immediate use to network engineers who want to use network programming to simplify or automate tasks. PRNE is a recommended prerequisite for Cisco NPDESI certification. It covers the basics of Python programming in the context of performing relevant functions for network engineers.

Application Developers:

Cisco said it is reviewing its NPDEV Specialist certification to provide application developers with a comprehensive curriculum for developing infrastructure programming skills. It includes instructions for data management and formats, network basics and network programming, API and automation protocols, data models, operations and platforms, and controller protocols. If you pass the NPDEV or NPDESI exam, you will recertify existing CCNA or CCNP certifications.

NPDEV Certification training is offered as a training workshop led by an instructor through the Cisco Learning Partner, and as an interactive training at your own pace that includes videos, integrated labs, and assessments.

Cisco DNA:

The new DNA Implementation Essentials (DNAIE) course supports network experts who are now implementing Cisco's digital network architecture. DNA offers integrated networking software, virtualization, automation, analysis, cloud service management and security in one package.

Cisco said the professionals who learn the five-day DNAIE training as an instructor-led training workshop through Cisco Learning Partners and interactive training at their own pace, which includes videos, integrated labs and assessments, as general concepts, including Role of orchestration and automation through controllers in DNA, integration with other technologies and implementation of security.

Cisco has complemented its recent DNA announcement with the launch of a study to analyze the issues surrounding digitally deployed networks. The study, conducted by IDC on behalf of Cisco, examined 2,054 global organizations in 10 countries to determine the digital readiness of their networks. A few study results include:

• Organizations clearly recognize the need to develop their networks: over the next two years, 45% of businesses expect their networking skills to be ready for the digital world. That's three times the current adoption rate.
• Modern networks offer real and tangible benefits: companies that have invested in modern networking capabilities can achieve two to three times the growth in revenue, retention, and revenue. They have also implemented twice as many digital transformation initiatives as companies with old networks.

Outdated infrastructure capabilities such as manual configuration and management processes, overlay security designed primarily for external threats, and silo network domains hinder the network's ability to reach digital business goals. A truly digitally prepared network is a network that can dynamically adapt to the changing needs of the business. That means a network that provides more flexibility and faster time for innovation, more security, greater efficiency, and easier operation, "wrote IDC.