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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it\u2019s the latest certifications from Cisco Learning and Certifications<\/strong>! That\u2019s right, I\u2019m happy to share some details on the three newest Cisco Specialist certifications with you all. And all three relate to that topic that continues to be on the minds of every engineer, IT leader, and company\u2014the CLOUD!<\/p>\n Cloud is clearly an important topic for us all in the IT world today, and we knew that cloud-related certifications belonged in the Learning and Certifications portfolio of tech career certifications. \u00a0But we wanted to do them right.<\/p>\n Join me on a short little trip back in time, if you will.<\/p>\n It was June 2022, and I was in Las Vegas for Cisco Live. \u00a0It was an excellent event, of course, but it was also the first time in a long time that we\u2019d been able to get together as a Learning and Certifications team in person. \u00a0One evening as a team dinner was finishing up, I found myself sitting with Par Merat, VP of Learning and Certifications, and Joe Clarke, Distinguished Engineer extraordinaire for Learning and Certification.<\/p>\n We started talking about what should come next for certifications from Cisco (a topic that we talk about a lot.. certs don\u2019t stand still), and Cloud, of course, came up. \u00a0After brainstorming some ideas, a theme started to form. \u00a0We wanted to make sure any new cloud certification targeted aspects of the cloud that Cisco and Cisco Certified engineers had significant roles to play. We also realized that a single all-encompassing \u201cCisco Cloud Certification\u201d wasn\u2019t practical. \u00a0Cloud is too big and broad a topic. The idea of use case targeted concentrations came up, a certification that directly aligned to the types of projects that our community was being asked to do every day.<\/p>\n As an example, I brought up something I\u2019d heard so many network engineers talk about working on for their companies. \u00a0They were being asked to connect their corporate network WANs to the public cloud networks in a way that offered consistency in design, engineering, and operations. \u00a0They needed to integrate the cloud networks into the corporate networks and didn\u2019t just want to \u201cbolt it on.\u201d So I floated an idea for a \u201cSecure Cloud Connectivity\u201d certification that focused on this problem and the Cisco technology and solutions that could help solve this problem today.<\/p>\n The idea resonated, and it eventually became \u201cDesigning and Implementing Cloud Connectivity,\u201d the first of the three Multi-Cloud Certifications that came out of this concept.<\/p>\n This brings us back to today, and I\u2019m so happy with the approach we took for these certifications and the three new Professional-level specializations that we\u2019ve released.<\/p>\n The first one announced was the already introduced \u201cDesigning and Implementing Cloud Connectivity\u201d certification. \u00a0This certification is part of the Enterprise Professional track and covers the architecture, technology, and operation of the secure network interconnections between public and private clouds using Cisco technologies.\u00a0 What is really exciting to me about this certification is that it recognizes that there are several possible ways to build network bridges between clouds and that network engineers must balance the business and technical requirements of their enterprise when evaluating and selecting what is right for a project.<\/p>\n If you are an enterprise network professional managing the connections to the public cloud, this is a certification you should definitely check out.\u00a0 The first date to test is September 20th, 2023 \u2013 which is almost here!\u00a0 As a concentration exam in the Enterprise track, it can be combined with a pass on the \u201cImplementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies\u201d (ENCOR) exam to earn your CCNP Enterprise certification.<\/p>\n The second new cloud certification is \u201cDesigning and Implementing Secure Cloud Access for Users and Endpoints\u201d which lives in the Security Professional track and has what might be the coolest sounding acronym of all of our certifications, \u201cSCATZ\u201d. With SCATZ, we wanted to target the change in how enterprises are providing users access to applications and data.<\/p>\n When I first started at Cisco about 13 years ago, nearly every application, internal website, wiki, data share, or tool I needed to do my job required that I establish a VPN into Cisco\u2019s network.\u00a0 This was to ensure that only authorized users accessed the important systems within Cisco\u2019s corporate network.\u00a0 Today that is not the case.\u00a0 There are very few times that I have to open up AnyConnect and connect to Cisco\u2019s VPN network anymore.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean that Cisco isn\u2019t worried about security, quite the opposite, Cisco is hyper-aware of security.\u00a0 But we are also very focused on user experience and making systems easily and consistently available.\u00a0 With updates in our security portfolio from Duo, Umbrella, Firepower, and Secure Analytics, we can now provide consistent and effective security to Cisco\u2019s global and very hybrid workforce without forcing each of us to be tethered to a VPN connection at all times.<\/p>\n The SCATZ concentration exam evaluates security professionals\u2019 ability to design and implement these types of solutions for their own enterprises.\u00a0 It\u2019s a fantastic addition to the security concentration options for candidates looking to earn their CCNP Security after passing the \u201cImplementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies\u201d (SCOR) exam.\u00a0 The first date to sit for SCATZ is November 20, 2023.<\/p>\n The last of the three cloud certifications is \u201cDesigning and Implementing Cisco Service Provider Cloud Network Infrastructure\u201d because as cool as it is to consume cloud services, someone still has to build it.\u00a0 After all, the best definition of \u201cthe cloud\u201d is \u201csomeone else\u2019s computer\u201d.\u00a0 While this certification is in the Service Provider Professional track, I think it is worth a look by any enterprise or data center professional building private cloud as well.\u00a0 It explores all the virtualization, automation, and building infrastructure at scale topics that are key to offering robust, on-demand cloud services to meet the ever-increasing user expectations.\u00a0 It is also full of some very cool network technologies that make me want to fire up Cisco Modeling Labs and start labing to prepare to take the exam.\u00a0 And I\u2019ve still got time to prepare, the first date to test for this certification isn\u2019t until January 20, 2024.<\/p>\n What would a Cisco certification be without training classes and materials to help candidates get prepared?\u00a0 Well, it probably wouldn\u2019t be a Cisco certification at all.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Our training content development team has been hard at work building new Cisco U Learning Paths and Instructor Lead training courses to help candidates learn all the ins and outs of these exciting cloud use cases and get ready to take and pass these new exams.\u00a0 These training classes will include the same high-quality hands-on lab experience that you\u2019ve come to expect from official Cisco Learning content. Just get a look at this topology that will be part of the \u201cDesigning and Implementing Cloud Connectivity\u201d course.<\/p>\n The classes are in development now, so stay tuned for details on when they\u2019ll be available to Cisco U subscribers to dive into.\u00a0 And definitely ask your favorite Cisco Learning Partner when they plan to begin offering the new classes.\u00a0 Even with the availability of so much on-demand technical training content, I still love the opportunity to work with an expert instructor and learn how something works.\u00a0 The non-scripted parts of the learning and being able to ask questions and dive down some technical threads in class are so valuable.<\/p>\n Well, that\u2019s about it for now.\u00a0 I hope you are as excited about these new cloud certifications as we are.\u00a0 Which one are you thinking about taking first?\u00a0 Are you already studying and want to be one of the first to earn the new specialization?\u00a0 Let me know in the comments!<\/p>\n Designing and Implementing Cloud Connectivity v1.0 (ENCC 300-440)<\/p>\n Designing and Implementing Secure Cloud Access for Users and Endpoints v1.0 (SCAZT 300-740)<\/p>\n Designing and Implementing Cisco Service Provider Cloud Network Infrastructure (SPCNI 300-540) Enterprise Networking Certifications Community<\/p>\n Security Certifications Community<\/p>\n Secure Cloud Analytics<\/p>\n Secure Network Analytics Cisco U. training resources<\/strong><\/p>\n Understanding Cisco Hybrid Cloud Fundamentals (CLDHCF 1.0)<\/p>\n Foundations of Cloud Services and Cloud Computing<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Join the\u202fCisco Learning Network\u202ftoday for free.<\/p>\n Use\u202f#CiscoCert<\/strong>\u202fto join the conversation.<\/p>\n Share:<\/p>\n \n \t<\/div>\nEvery hero deserves an origin story\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Bring out the certs!!!!<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n![\"SCATZ](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/blogs-images\/ciscoblogs\/1\/2023\/09\/scatz-topics.jpeg\")
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<\/p>\nWhat about training?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nResources<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Exam topic blueprints<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Community spaces<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Suggested learning materials that support the exam topics<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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