CBT Nuggets

Cisco DevNet Arrives: What to Expect

Cisco DevNet Arrives in 2020: What to Expect picture: A
Follow us
Updated on February 3, 2024

In recent years, programming and DevOps have become very important in IT. To land a DevOps, automation, or software development role, you need ways to validate your knowledge and skills. Cisco recognizes this need for certification and has launched a new DevNet certification track to support the growing need.

DevNet is designed to meet the demands of an evolving industry to focus more on automation and DevOps. As such, new DevNet certs are forthcoming at the associate, specialist, and professional levels, with an expert cert coming down the road. In this piece, we'll review this new program and its different levels.

Introducing the Cisco DevNet Program

The Cisco DevNet Certification program is a first for Cisco. DevNet certifications validate skills in areas such as Cisco APIs, Cisco's programmability strategy, security, and network ops.

This new cert program targets software developers, DevOps engineers, automation specialists, and other software professionals. For employers, DevNet certification will signal verifiable skills in the domains of automation and infrastructure, such as code, IoT, DevOps, and Webex.

Cisco DevNet certification will follow the same general path as other Cisco certs. The following DevNet options will be available at launch:

Introducing these certifications shows that Cisco is noticing the changes in the industry and actively making an effort to keep up with them. Most importantly, Cisco is listening to its community and creating new training paths to meet industry demands.

Cisco Certified DevNet Associate Certification

Starting at the Associate level, there's the Cisco Certified DevNet Associate. Like the new CCNA, you must complete only one exam to earn this certification. The 200-901 DEVASC exam covers many topics to validate a good foundation at the associate level. These topics will include the following:

  • Security fundamentals

  • Network fundamentals

  • Automation and programmability

  • IP services

  • IP connectivity

  • Network access

The exam tests your knowledge of software development and design. The associate-level certification isn't designed to help IT pros with specialization. It aims to establish foundational skills they'll realistically use at this level.

As for prerequisites, there are technically none. However, you should have at least one year of experience with software development including Python programming. The DevNet Associate certification, typical for Cisco certifications, will be valid for three years.

Here's a look at our new Cisco DevNet Associate (200-901 DEVASC) training from Keith Barker, Ben Finkel, and Knox Hutchinson:

Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist Certification

The next level is the Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist. At this point, you start to focus on an area of specialization. Several specialist options are available to bridge the gap from DevNet Associate to DevNet Specialist. The following Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist options are offered:

To earn Specialist certifications, you only need to take one exam to be certified. There also are no prerequisites for these specialist certifications. So, if you're already working in a particular area and using these skills, you can pick the specialist certification that best aligns with your current role.

Assuming you have experience in these areas, you can even work on several certifications to further your career. This will continually give you recognition as you're working toward other certifications. DevNet Specialist certifications will also be valid for three years.

Cisco Certified DevNet Professional Certification

The highest level of the DevNet offerings on launch day will be Cisco Certified DevNet Professional Certification. At the professional level, you'll be required to take two exams to become certified. Like the CCNP, you'll need to complete core and concentration exams.

The core exam will test your knowledge of software design and development. You'll be tested using APIs, Cisco platforms, application deployment, security, infrastructure, and automation.

You can learn more about the 350-901 DEVCOR core exam here. You'll notice that the core exam also requires a DevNet Specialist certification. You will earn a Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist Certification to complete the core exam. You'll earn recognition for your accomplishment as you work toward your DevNet Professional certification.

The concentration exams will focus on domain-specific topics. You'll only need to complete one of the concentration exams to complete the Cisco Certified DevNet Professional certification. Here's a list of the concentration exams:

Do any of these look familiar? They should. The concentration exams are also the Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist exams. This means you'll display the DevNet Professional and your Specialist cert.

These certifications will be valid for three years just like the Associate and Specialist levels. They also will offer several options for recertification when the time comes.

DevNet Expert Launches Later

Earning the Cisco Certified DevNet Expert certification shows you're a master in making networks run by themselves using programming, automation, and security tools. It proves you're at the top regarding working with Cisco's technology in these areas.

To get this top-level certification, you need to pass two big tests. The first test checks your skills in software development and working with Cisco's technology. The second, an 8-hour practical test, sees if you can create solutions that make networks work better independently from start to finish.

While Cisco doesn't say you must have certain qualifications to try for this expert level, they suggest having around five to seven years of experience with these kinds of technologies. Once you pass, you’re recognized as an expert for three years before you need to renew it.

Wrapping Up

Empowering certification-seekers seems to be an underlying theme with all of Cisco's pending changes, and that's a good thing. From changes to their CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE to the introduction of the Cisco Certified DevNet certs, they're providing an offering that focuses on what employers demand and will give exam-takers the most flexibility.

For example, you can start with a DevNet Associate or jump straight into a DevNet Specialist cert. Deciding what is best for you helps you get the most out of your dollar and time investment. The industry is changing, and Cisco sees it. Make sure to change with it, keep yourself up to date, and pick the best career path for you.


Download

By submitting this form you agree to receive marketing emails from CBT Nuggets and that you have read, understood and are able to consent to our privacy policy.


Don't miss out!Get great content
delivered to your inbox.

By submitting this form you agree to receive marketing emails from CBT Nuggets and that you have read, understood and are able to consent to our privacy policy.

Recommended Articles

Get CBT Nuggets IT training news and resources

I have read and understood the privacy policy and am able to consent to it.

© 2024 CBT Nuggets. All rights reserved.Terms | Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Sitemap | 2850 Crescent Avenue, Eugene, OR 97408 | 541-284-5522