SAN JOSE, Calif., November 15, 2005 - Cisco Systems® today announced the availability of Cisco Secure Volunteer, a new educational game designed to test Virtual Private Networking (VPN) skills for technical professionals. The Secure Volunteer game is available to anyone with a Cisco.com login via the CCNA Prep Center (www.cisco.com/go/prepcenter).
As the latest offering in Cisco's series of technology learning games, Cisco Secure Volunteer takes a new approach, combining the promotion of a philanthropic effort with serious learning in a fun, engaging format. Cisco Secure Volunteer helps networking professionals learn VPN skills in the context of a real-life setting based on NetHope, Inc., a consortium of leading international non-profit organizations that collaborate around technology, specifically connectivity in remote parts of the developing world. NetHope, which Cisco helped found, is featured in the game as the organization that a player joins as a "volunteer" to enable connectivity and attain a high score. The player sets up VPN connectivity to enable relief workers in the field to securely share environmental, health and medical information with the headquarters. The player moves through virtual rooms in the game and interacts with fictitious characters to configure a Cisco VPN concentrator.
"Cisco Secure Volunteer is a unique offering that combines game play, innovative learning and support for a nonprofit," said Don Field, director of certifications at Cisco. "We're delighted to provide heightened visibility for a fine non-profit organization while helping technical professionals hone their skills."
The Cisco Secure Volunteer game is one of seven games now available on the CCNA Prep Center for users to sharpen network skills and match talents with other networking professionals. The Learning Game Series now includes Cisco Wireless Explorer, Cisco Certification Multi-Player Challenge, Cisco CCNA Simulation Game, IPC Rockin' Retailer, Network Defenders, and SAN Rover.
NetHope is an information technology consortium of 17 leading international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Through member knowledge sharing, collaboration and by facilitating public benefit collaborations with major corporations, NetHope enables members to extend their communications infrastructure and leverage of internet-based applications as they serve tens of millions of end beneficiaries in 100+ developing countries around the world. To learn more about NetHope visit: www.nethope.org.
About Cisco Career Certifications
The widely respected Cisco Career Certifications bring valuable, measurable rewards to network professionals, their managers and the organizations that employ them. Cisco offers three levels of general certification: Associate, Professional and Expert. Each is available in various tracks such as Routing and Switching, Network Security and Service Provider. A variety of Cisco Specialist focused certifications are also available to show knowledge in specific technologies, solutions or job roles. For Cisco Career Certifications information, visit http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning.
To access the CCNA Prep Center visit www.cisco.com/go/prepcenterFor additional information on the CCNA certification visit www.cisco.com/go/ccnaVisit www.cisco.com/go/certsupport for answers to questions regarding the CCNA certification or other Cisco certifications.
