Cisco has launched a certification for network managers,
which measures and certifies their business skills.
The certification, the
Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE), has been developed to
help companies identify and hire network managers who have an
appreciation for the business environment and can tailor the design
of a network accordingly.
For example, a suitable candidate could be a network manager
that understands the real-time requirements of building a financial
trading application and how these requirements map to network
design characteristics, such as low-speed delays in data
transfer.
The certification is not a course where students learn new
skills, but instead gauges the level of business and technical
skills of current managers have through a series of examinations
and scenario tests.
"Networks are becoming more complex, and so a manager who can
show he understands the business issues can command a higher
salary," said Fred Weiller, director of certifications and training
at Cisco.
"Networks are strategic and the role of a network designer is
becoming much more important," said Yankee Group research analyst
Zeus Kerravala. "People who take on design roles impact the
strategy of their organisations. This new expert level
certification recognises the importance of individuals to not only
operate and diagnose networks, but design them."
Yankee Group said network design experts are no longer involved
in hands-on configuration, but rather in strategic design and
architecture. Networking consultant and author Terry Slattery said
the certification would provide a path for technical experts to be
involved in business decisions and would help promote best practice
when companies design networks.
"The new certification recognises that implementing best
practices at the design level is far more efficient than tackling
network problems after implementation," he said.
Forrester Research predicts that the discipline of network
design will rise in importance, with globalisation fuelling
international collaboration and companies turning to
videoconferencing and
unified communications to enable joined up working.
Networks blog >>