CCNP certification is getting a new look at the end of 2007. The BSCI and BCMSN exams are being updated, and the CIT and BCRAN exams are being retired. Let's take a look at what to expect from the new BSCI exam.
According to Cisco's exam blueprint - admittedly a very broad blueprint at this time - the major new topics are IP version 6 (IPv6) and multicasting. The addition of these two topics will make an already demanding Cisco certification exam that much tougher, but this is a great change for the exam and for the candidate. IPv6 is just going to become more and more prevalent in today's networks, and multicasting is as well.
Multicasting for the Cisco CCNP BSCI exam is going to go far beyond what you learned about it in your CCNA studies. For the new BSCI exam, you'll need to know the different methods of creating multicast groups as well as assigning members to them. This material was previously limited to CCIE-level books, and while I don't look for the questions to be as hard as the CCIE written exam, multicasting is not an easy topic and should not be taken lightly by the CCNP candidate in 2007.
One major CCNP exam topic that isn't going anywhere is BGP. The Border Gateway Protocol has been a big part of previous BSCI exams, and that looks to continue.
If you're pursuing your CCNP certification in 2008, be sure to monitor Cisco's website for additions to the CCNP blueprint. It's obvious that Cisco has raised the bar for CCNP certification, and earning this important Cisco certification will in turn raise your market value and networking knowledge like never before. Watch for future tutorials examining the other three new CCNP exams!
Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, home of over 100 free certification exam tutorials, including Cisco CCNA certification test prep articles. His exclusive Cisco CCNA study guide and Cisco CCNA training is also available!
Cisco CCNP Certification Exams: 642-812, 642-892, 642-901, 642-845, 642-825, 642-891, 642-811, 642-821, 642-831.
