Certification Watch Volume 6 #23

Certification News regarding Citrix CCA, CCEA, Cisco certification, and Nortel.

Published December 16, 2003
By Anne Martinez

Receive Certification Watch first - by Email!

Citrix Education Updates Certification Requirements

On December 1, 2003, Citrix Education announced new requirements for its certification programs. The purpose of this change is to closely align with the recently introduced Citrix MetaFrame Access Suite. The updated requirements offer a simple and flexible program that will help facilitate the certification process, while ensuring that IT and sales professionals are fully knowledgeable on all products within the MetaFrame Access Suite.

Effective May 1st, 2004, the old requirements will retire for the following certifications: Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA), Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator (CCEA), Citrix Certified Sales Professional (CCSP). The requirements for Citrix Certified Integration Architect (CCIA) are unchanged. To learn more about the certification changes, please visit the Citrix Web site.

Cisco Beta Opportunities, Final Service Provider - Dial Exam Available

Cisco is offering career certification Exam 643-311 SONET and Exam 643-321 SDH in beta format through December 31 for a mere $50. Two beta version CCIE exams will be available December 15th, 2003 - January 6, 2004 - also for $50. The first is a revision of the Security written exam (#351-018); the second a beta for a new Service Provider written exam in Content Networking (#351-026). Also on December 15th, the final version of the Service Provider--Dial exam (#350-025) becomes generally available to all CCIEs. The cost for the written Dial exam is $250.

Nortel Networks offers free beta tests, releases new certifications

Three new certification exams begin beta testing December 15 -- two for Multimedia Communication Server (MCS) 5100 Rls. 2.0 (Design Specialist and Support Specialist) and one for Succession 1000/1000M Rls. 3.0 (Design Expert). Registration is already open and the 50 free spots reserved for each exam are filling up fast. Registration is available on the Nortel Networks web site.

Nortel Networks also released three new certifications in November. The first is Nortel Networks Certified Support Expert (NNCSE) - Contact Center. This Expert certification requires the candidate to hold three Specialist credentials -- NNCSS Periphonics MPS-100 Technical Support, NNCSS Symposium Call Center Server, and NNCSS Symposium Call Center TAPI/Agent -- and complete one exam, Contact Center (#920-447). You should also have 6-12 months related work experience.

The other two are Support Specialist certifications for the latest Succession release, Succession 1000/1000M Rls. 3.0. These credentials focus on specific tasks in the support area, with one geared toward database administrators and the other toward installers. The new certifications are NNCSS - VoIP Succession 1000/1000M Rls. 3.0 DB Administrator and NNCSS - VoIP Succession 1000/1000M Rls. 3.0 Installation & Maintenance.

With the release of these new Succession 3.0 certifications, which join the already available Design Specialist credential (NNCDS - VoIP Succession 1000/1000M Rls. 3.0), several certifications based on earlier product releases will be retired in 2004. NNCDS - VoIP Meridian 1 IP Enabled 25.40 and NNCDS - VoIP Succession CSE 1000 Rls. 2.0 will be retired February 27, 2004. The Support credentials for these products will be retired later in the year.

That's all for this edition of Certification Watch. Please keep your certification news and tips coming to news@gocertify.com.

###