SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 27, 2007 - Cisco ® today announced enhancements to the Cisco Career Certifications CCDA® associate-level design certification curriculum. The course and exam updates ensure that the Cisco network design principles and strategies remain current with today's increasingly complex network infrastructure needs while enabling individuals to validate their knowledge and skills in network design, implementation and operation.

"Cisco's enhanced design curriculum instructs students on how to embed greater application-level intelligence into the network architecture design," said Roger Beatty, senior manager, Learning and Development at Cisco. "The focus of the modern network has shifted from simply providing connectivity to embedding intelligence in the network to improve business processes and performance. The new course and exam underscore Cisco's dedication to deliver comprehensive design products, services and training scaled to meet the needs of our channel partners and customers."

The updated Designing for Cisco Internetwork Solutions (DESGN) curriculum emphasizes the converged enterprise network model to facilitate preparing, planning, designing, implementing, operating and optimizing networks. Additional updates include the extensive study of case studies and the presentation of services virtualization based on the Cisco Service-Oriented Network Architecture (SONA), shifting the vision and function of the network from pure traffic transport to services and applications. The new curriculum incorporates current products, technologies, services and solutions and provides a foundation for students to gain the knowledge and skills required to design routed and switched network infrastructures and services.

The recommended course prerequisite is Cisco CCNA®-level knowledge, with additional recommended knowledge as taught in the Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks (BCMSN) course. The new DESGN 640-863 exam is required to achieve the CCDA certification.

Training and Availability

Authorized Cisco training is available from a global network of Cisco Learning Partners and the Partner E-Learning Connection. For complete details on the requirements for the CCDA, Cisco Specialist and other Cisco certifications, visit: www.cisco.com/go/certifications. To find a course offered by authorized Cisco Learning Partners, use the Learning Locator at www.cisco.com/go/class_locator.

Training may be purchased using Cisco Learning Credits, an easy method of payment for Cisco authorized training, redeemable through participating Cisco Learning Partners worldwide. For information about Cisco Learning Credits, visit www.cisco.com/go/learningcredits.

Visit www.cisco.com/go/ccda for answers to questions regarding the CCDA.

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, in various tracks such as Routing and Switching, Network Security, and Service Provider. A variety of Cisco Specialist 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.