• More information on the Cisco Career Certifications Program
• More information on the new Cisco Career Specializations

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- November 11, 1998 -- Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced the addition of five new career specializations to its highly regarded technical certification program. As the number of new Internet technologies and the complexity of network solutions increase, there is a growing demand worldwide for more highly specialized computer networking professionals.

As part of the Cisco Career Certifications program, the new career specializations enable networking professionals to engage in five growth paths for individual certification and professional development, the paths match needs in the market: LAN ATM, Network Management, Security, SNA Solutions and Voice Access specializations.

"Merging technologies, increasing business demands, rapid change and global competition are increasing customers' needs for high-specialized networking experts who can help them quickly solve their unique business challenges," said Tom Kelly, director of Worldwide Training for Cisco Systems. "By adding these new specializations to our Career Certifications program, Cisco is enabling its resellers to align their core strengths with customers' specific needs."

The five new career specializations address the discipline of network support:

• LAN ATM: Focuses on the skills required for building and maintaining campus ATM networks, which are based on LAN emulation services offered over ATM switches.
• Network Management: Focuses on the skills needed to implement and support network management solutions for multilayer (routing and LAN switching) networks found in today's enterprises.
• Security: Focuses on the knowledge and skills required in building and maintaining Cisco security solutions, including stand-alone firewalls and Cisco IOS(R) software features.
• SNA Solutions: Focuses on the skills required for installing, configuring and troubleshooting Cisco routers in an SNA environment.
• Voice Access: Focuses on the skills required for implementing and supporting data/voice integration solutions at the network access level. These solutions include IP, ATM and Frame Relay uplink access products.

The new career specializations augment the Cisco Career Certifications program, which enables professionals to be certified at various levels of expertise - Associate, Professional and Expert - as they enhance their technical skills. Recognized as an industry-leading program, the obtainment of a career specialization signifies that an individual has achieved the highest level of excellence in the networking industry. Considering the high demand for skilled networking professionals, obtaining a career specialization provides individuals with a wealth of flexible options for developing their careers.

Experienced professionals can test at any specialization level after having attained Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) status. The recommended training modules for the new career specializations are available now through Cisco Certified Training Partners.

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet.

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