The following are some of the most common questions asked by network professionals on their quest for Cisco certification. The answers were supplied by ForeFront Direct. Question: What Cisco certification is most suited to an individual who is presently working in network administration? Answer: Certifications available along the Network Support path include CCNA (Cisco Certified Networking Associate), CCNP (Cisco Certified Networking Professional) and CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert). The level of certification most suited for you depends on your current level of experience and your career goals. CCNA is the entry-level Cisco certification and provides the basics of router configuration in relatively simple LAN/WAN networks. CCNPs possess the skills necessary to support more complex networks including LAN, WAN and switching aspects found in larger networks. CCIE certification is the highest Cisco certification level and is only achieved once you possess expert internetworking knowledge and extensive experience configuring a variety of Cisco products. Question: What is the current demand for Cisco certified professionals? Answer: The demand for networking professionals of all skill levels exceeds the available supply of skilled workers. However, there is a critical shortage of professionals with expert networking skills. By obtaining your Cisco certification, you will have the credentials to land these expert-level jobs and the skills necessary to deploy and manage one of the most popular networking systems in the I.T. industry. Question: How many Cisco certified professionals are there in the I.T. marketplace? Answer: According to a recent study of Cisco certifications, there are approximately 10000 CCNAs, 1600 CCNPs and 5000 CCIEs worldwide.