The Cisco Certified Network Professional for Security (CCNP Security) certification validates advanced knowledge and skills required by Network Security Engineers (NSEs) in order to determine the right technology and solutions in order to architect secure Cisco networks. With a CCNP Security certification, a network professional demonstrates the skills required to secure and manage network infrastructures to protect productivity, mitigate threats, and reduce costs. The CCNP Security curriculum emphasizes Cisco Router IOS (ISR) and Catalyst Switch security features, Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA), secure VPN connectivity, Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), as well as techniques to optimize these technologies in a single, integrated network security solution. In addition, CCNP Security leverages the CCNA Security certification as a prerequisite.

Important Information Regarding Relationship of CCSP and CCNP Security Certification Exam Paths

Migration from CCSP: Candidates who have been working toward the CCSP Certification will have the ability to count some of their efforts towards achieving the CCNP Security. The migration mapping is as follows: Candidates who have taken the SNRS, IPS 6.0, SNAF and SNAA exams can use them as fulfilling the requirements of the CCNP Security

* The SNRS (Exam # 642-504) can be used to fulfill the requirement of the SECURE (Exam # 642-637)
* IPS 6.0 can be used to fulfill the requirement of the IPS 7.0 (Exam # 642-627)
* SNAF and SNAA can be used to fulfill the requirement for the FIREWALL (Exam # 642-647) and VPN (Exam # 642-617) exams. NOTE that BOTH exams will have had to have been passed; the idea here is that a CCNP Security (ie, someone fitting the job description of a Network Security Engineer) needs to understand in detail the design, implementation, maintenance and troubleshooting aspects of Firewall and VPN technology, and so both are required.

Prerequisites

Candidates must be a CCNA Security in good standing. To be certified as a CCNA Security implies that the candidate has already been a CCNA in good standing, and then has taken and passed the CCNA Security certification exam.