Cisco Annouces Global Rollout of Security Certification

February 21, 2002 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Cisco Systems Inc. (cisco.com), a world leader in networking technology for the Internet, announced on Wednesday that it has begun to offer security certifications as an extension of its total solution approach to network security. Cisco announced its new certifications at the RSA 2002 conference in San Jose, California.

As corporations expand their networks with new intranets, extranets and e-commerce applications, says Cisco, they strengthen their need for skilled networking professionals with the ability to implement and operate complex network infrastructure.

Cisco’s security certifications, CCIE Security and Cisco Security Specialist 1, says the company, aim to instill the highest levels of technical knowledge and expertise applicable to a range of security and internetworking technologies, including Cisco’s own intrusion detection, firewall and VPN solutions.

The company says its security certifications are a critical component of SAFE, a dynamic blueprint for security and VPN networks, based on Cisco AVVID, the Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data.

CCIE Security, says Cisco, is the industry’s most comprehensive and rigorous security-related certification. The new addition to the expert-level CCIE program emphasizes a braod range of security technologies in addition to CCIE’s traditional focus on core IP routing and switching. Certification candidates must physically configure a secure enterprise network under timed, stressful conditions. Lab conditions involve products including firewalls, intrusion detection, authentication servers, routers and switches. CCIE Security is being deployed in CCIE Certification Testing Labs worldwide.

The Cisco Security Specialist 1 certification demonstrates an individual’s expertise in designing, installing and supporting Cisco-based security solutions in the areas of firewalls, intrusion detection and VPN. Cisco says the Security Specialist 1 is one of the most difficult focused certifications to achieve, requiring individuals to pass four rigorous courses and exams. Security Specialist 1 is the company’s fastest growing focused certification.