What was the Cisco CCNA Collaboration Certification? Purpose, History, & Alternatives

Editor's Note: Cisco retired the Cisco CCNA Collaboration certification and has not announced a direct replacement. The CCNA Collaboration certification was designed to validate skills and knowledge related to collaboration and video skills in line with Cisco's technologies. However, Cisco has since streamlined its certification offerings to align with specific IT roles.  

With the emergence of a mobile workforce, the need for collaboration skills and expertise has soared. The CCNA Collaboration was the first step in mastering Cisco's collaboration solutions. 

The CCNA Collaboration certification was typically associated with roles including network video administrator, IP telephony (VoIP) engineer, IP network engineer, collaboration tools engineer, and voice, unified communications (UC), or communications engineer.

Cisco Certified Networking Associate Collaboration (CCNA Collaboration) (Retired)

The Cisco Certified Networking Associate Collaboration (CCNA Collaboration) certification was designed for IT professionals specializing in IP telephony, video engineering, and networking. It was a role-based certification to validate a learner's skills in meeting the ever-evolving business demands in collaboration technologies.  

The CCNA Collaboration certification was made up of two exams: 

• Cisco CCNA Collaboration 210-060 CICD

• Cisco CCNA Collaboration 210-065 CIVND

The CCNA Collaboration certification path evolved from Cisco's Voice and Video certifications, which have been officially retired.  

CCNA Collaboration Exam Details

Many of the details of the individual exams that made up the CCNA Collaboration certification are shared.

• Time allotted for the exam: 75 minutes for each exam 

• Number of questions: 55-65 questions per exam 

• Passing score: Cisco does not publish the passing score for its exams 

• Question types: Multiple choice/single answer; Multiple choice/multiple answer; Drag and drop; Fill-in-the-blank; Simulation; Testlet; Simlet 

• Exam registration: Pearson VUE

• Exam cost: $250 (USD)* per exam 

• Exam topics: Implementing Cisco Collaboration Devices (210-060)Implementing Cisco Video Network Devices (210-065)(free resources)

What Certification Should You Get Instead of the CCNA Collaboration? 

Cisco's restructuring of its certification process meant that many popular certifications were retired without direct replacements, including the CCNA Cloud, CCNA Security, CCNA Service Provider, and CCNP Security.

The new certification tracks include CCNA, CCNP, and CCIE, each clearly focusing on specific roles and skills within the networking domain. Now that the previous Collaboration certification is gone, what should you get instead? Here are a few options: 

• CCNA (general): While not focused solely on collaboration, the new CCNA cert provides a broad networking foundation, including security, automation, and programmability. This can serve as a starting point for more specialized certifications, like the CCNP Collaboration. 

• CCNP Collaboration: This is an advanced credential designed for collaboration and network engineers who want to enhance their skills in designing, deploying, configuring, and troubleshooting collaboration and unified communications applications, devices, and networks. 

• Cisco DevNet Associate: This advanced certification validates skills in developing and maintaining applications built on Cisco platforms. It covers software development, APIs, Cisco platforms, and automation. While more advanced, this certification can help advance your career. 

Cisco Recertification Process 

Cisco's associate-level certifications, including CCNA and CCNP Collaboration, are valid for three years from the date of certification. To recertify, learners must pass the same exam, a professional concentration exam, or any Cisco Certified Specialist Exam. In some cases, you can combine continuing education credits with an exam to recertify. 

The Next Step 

Many learners who earned their CCNA Collaboration certification choose to continue to advance their careers in Collaboration specializations within the Cisco universe. Therefore, many will choose to pursue the CCNP Collaboration certification, which consists of two exams.

• A core CCNP collaboration exam

• One of four CCNP Collaboration concentration exams

Some learners may choose to go even further and pursue the CCIE Collaboration certification. CBT Nuggets does not currently provide training for the CCNP or CCIE Collaboration exams, but they are still available from Cisco. 

Other learners may choose to diversify their certification resume by pursuing certifications outside the Cisco universe and in areas that complement UC skills. Certifications learners often choose to pursue include:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect Associate: Made up of one exam: AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate

• VMware Cloud: Multiple paths, depending on if you have other VMware certifications

Concluding Thoughts

As the workplace continues to evolve, collaboration technologies are critical to day-to-day functionality. Developing the skills and knowledge to support the technologies teams rely upon to accomplish their objectives makes you an IT professional in demand and of high value. 

Looking to earn a new certification? Sign up for CBT Nuggets and enjoy a free week of training.