Cisco Live 2023 promises a re-imagined IT experience complete with new innovations in networking, security and collaboration, to name a few, as the tech giant continues its journey toward building top tech platforms for MSPs and end customers.
Bookmark this page for the latest news and exclusive interviews with top executives and channel partners.
Partners Applaud Cisco’s Sustainability Focus With Data Center, Webex Control Hub Updates
‘Everyone has a sustainability goal, but it’s very hard to actually measure and track and figure out what my improvements actually did in terms of environmental impact. Cisco has done a pretty good job of turning that into a dashboard through Control Hub,’ says Joe Berger, area vice president of digital experiences at Cisco Gold partner World Wide Technology.
Cisco Channel Chief Tuszik On Networking Cloud, FSO, And How Generative AI Can Help Partners Grow Their Businesses
“When you look at the Cisco Live announcements; if it’s Networking Cloud, the security piece, what we’re doing with Webex or FSO, they all are offers, rather, solutions that we bring into the market that are ready to be delivered in a managed-as-a-service motion,” Cisco Channel leader Oliver Tuszik told CRN.
Cisco Injects Generative AI Into Security, Collaboration Portfolios For ‘Reimagined’ Customer Experiences
‘We were going to be investing very heavily in this notion of AI just being part of the fabric of everything … One of the big challenges we have in our industry is shortage of skill and talent, and we can make sure that every single person can become this very sophisticated user when they start using our products,’ Cisco’s EVP of Security and Collaboration Jeetu Patel tells CRN.
Cisco Webex Go With AT&T Addresses Cloud Calling For Mobility-Minded Partners
The tech giant has teamed with AT&T to help more businesses move to the cloud for their calling needs, while unlocking new mobility opportunities for partners, the company announced at Cisco Live 2023.
Cisco Live 2023: Cisco ELT’s 5 Big Statements
CEO Chuck Robbins, alongside the tech giant’s executive leadership team, talk about Cisco’s AI, networking and security launches, as well as the biggest trends happening in the IT industry on-stage at Cisco Live 2023.
Cisco Security Cloud Platform Now Includes SSE, Multi-Cloud Feature, Firewall Updates
‘When you have 70 players on average that are part of the security stack, that’s 70 different policy engines and 70 different cracks in the system. The efficacy of companies is going down when they buy point solutions and so what our customers are telling us is [they] need an integrated platform,’ Cisco’s Jeetu Patel tells CRN.
Cisco Builds On Security Platform Strategy, Unveils Unified Networking Platform
Following in the footsteps of its Security Cloud platform, the tech giant debuts its Cisco Networking Cloud strategy at Cisco Live 2023 to the delight of channel partners.
Cisco Accelerates Platform Push With New Full Stack Observability Platform
‘Cisco is using the term full stack observability and they mean it. Full stack creates a platform, which means, essentially, an ecosystem of observability and monitoring, and very few players have anything close to that,’ Cisco Gold partner NTT tells CRN.
The need for today’s organizations to share information, along with proliferation of high-speed broadband, has driven the global unified communications (UC) market for the past decade, if not longer. UC streamlines communications so that geologically-dispersed employees can interact digitally as if they’re in the same office, even if they’re located thousands of miles apart.
Centralized administration also makes UC popular with IT managers because it reduces the time and effort needed to support and secure corporate communications of all kinds. Because of a need for specialized skills to make large-scale UC implementations run their best, top UC vendors offer certifications to buttress and boost workforce capability and quality.
Simply Hired lists $91,623 as the average salary for a UC engineer’s role, with highest salaries reported at $139,737. Glassdoor lists UC salaries as high as $166,000 for senior and UC engineer positions. UC engineer salaries declined slightly from previous years with the average down from $94,354 to $91,623 (a dip of just under three percent). While this dip could just represent normal market fluctuations, it is a trend worth watching because we also observed a slight salary decrease last year.
We dug into various job boards to see how many UC jobs are available, specifically targeting jobs that called out one or more of our top five certifications: Avaya ACSS, CCIE Collaboration, CCNP Collaboration, IBM Sametime and MCSE: Productivity.
ACSS: Avaya Certified Solution Specialist
For IT professionals supporting Avaya products, the ACSS is a must-have credential. The company updated its certification programs in late 2015 and currently offers two separate professional certification tracks:
Sales and Design – this track offers three credentials:
- Avaya Professional Sales Specialist (APSS)
- Avaya Certified Design Specialist (ACDS)
- Avaya Professional Design Specialist (APDS)
Services – this track is aligned with Avaya engagement solutions and products, so you’ll see two flavors for some of the certifications depending on which solution track (product or engagement solution) is targeted. Avaya currently offers the following Services credentials:
- Avaya Support Professional Specialist (ASPS)
- Avaya Implementation Professional Specialist (AIPS)
- ACSS: Avaya Certified Solution Specialist (ACSS) (engagement solution) and Avaya Certified Support Specialist (ACSS) (product)
- ACIS: Avaya Certified Integration Specialist (ACIS) (engagement solutions) and Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist (ACIS) (product)
The advanced-level ACSS cert targets more experienced Avaya practitioners both in support specialist and product specialist roles, covering 19 individual credentials. Candidates should possess technical skills sufficient to configure, install and administer Avaya products. Also, they should be well-versed in Avaya product maintenance, and in testing product implementations and troubleshooting issues. Successful candidates typically possess at least two years’ direct experience supporting Avaya products and four years working with the chosen Avaya technology. Each certification is valid for two years.
Requirements to obtain the ACSS certification depend on which credential one chooses to pursue. For information on prerequisite skills, curriculum maps, required training and the number of exams for individual credentials, visit Avaya’s credential program webpage. (Click the Services Credentials tab, then click on the ACSS button to view the full Catalog. Additional program information appears in the Avaya Professional Credential Program Overview.)
ACSS Facts and Figures
| Certification Name | Avaya Certified Solution Specialist (ACSS) |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | Minimum of 4 years’ experience in the relevant technology plus 2 years’ experience supporting the Avaya product. Training is required and available in multiple formats (classroom, virtual classroom and on-demand); depending on solution track. Expect to pay between $3,500 and $4,500 per classroom course, or $1,400 per 16-hour course, and $2,100 per 24-hour course in the virtual classroom or on-demand. |
| Number of Exams | One exam per credential |
| Cost of Exam | $125
Exams administered by Pearson VUE |
| URL | https://www.avaya-learning.com/lms/#/credentials/credential-program |
| Self-Study Materials | None |
CCCIE Collaboration: Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Collaboration
Cisco offers its CCIE Collaboration certification, which identifies expert skills in unified communications, video and telecom. Only the cream of the crop earns the CCIE, and CCIE Collaboration is no exception.
The expert-level CCIE Collaboration credential recognizes seasoned collaboration and UC architects, as well as voice and video network managers, who design, deploy and troubleshoot enterprise collaboration solutions that are moderately to highly complex. Although the certification requires no prerequisites or specific training, Cisco designed the CCIE Collaboration for individuals with true expertise and lots of relevant experience (three to five years, minimum) with UC solution integration, configuration and troubleshooting.
Like other CCIE certs, the certification has a written qualification exam and a hands-on lab exam, both of which are rigorous and often take multiple attempts to pass. Cisco includes emerging technologies in its assessments. A great value-add available through the Cisco 360 Learning Program for CCIE Collaboration is remote access to an online environment that contains equipment to practice hands-on for the lab exam.
CCIE credential holders must recertify every two years or it will be suspended. It’s the responsibility of the credential holder to keep track of their individual recertification deadline. You can apply for a one-year extension to complete re-cert requirements, but if you miss that deadline, your certification is lost forever.
Recertification involves passing a single exam. Currently, acceptable recertification exams include any current CCIE written or lab exam, or a current CCDE written or practical exam. Credential holders may also recertify by passing the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview and board review. Alternatively, credential holders may recertify through participation in the Cisco Continuing Education Program (CEP). To recertify through the CEP, credential holders must earn 100 continuing education credits, pay a $300 administrative fee, and agree to CEP terms and conditions.
CCIE Collaboration Facts and Figures
| Certification Name | Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Collaboration |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | No course prerequisites. In-depth understanding of exam courses plus three to five years of job experience recommended. |
| Number of Exams | Two exams: Written qualification exam (Exam 400-051 version 2.0: CCIE Collaboration), 90 to 110 questions, 120 minutes.
Hands-on lab exam (Version 2.0), 8 hours. |
| Cost of Exam | Written exam: $450, exam 400-051
Lab exam: $1,600 per attempt |
| URL | https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/certifications/ccie_collaboration |
| Self-Study Materials | Written exam: The CCIE written exam website maintains a list of Cisco Press resources, reference and design guides, training, self-assessment tools, and more. Additional self-study resources are available from the Cisco Learning Network Store.
CCIE Lab Exam: The Cisco Learning Network maintains a list of self-study resources for the CCIE lab exam. CCIE Practice Exam: Udemy offers a practice exam with weekly-updated Braindumps as the final prep for the CCIE. |
CCNP Collaboration: Cisco Certified Network Professional Collaboration
The intermediate-level CCNP Collaboration recognizes network engineers who are well versed in Cisco Voice and UC devices and applications in enterprise networks.
Four exams are required to qualify for the CCNP Collaboration credential. A certified candidate designs, implements, configures, manages and troubleshoots Cisco UC applications, networks and devices. Candidates should have in-depth knowledge of all facets of unified networking, including gateways, IP phones, quality of service (QoS), voice, video and presence applications, and utilities for configuring Cisco routers and switches, in addition to one to three years’ experience with these technologies.
Training is recommended but not required. Cisco offers in-depth training courses, both in the classroom and online, for each exam. Depending on the training provider, classroom live and virtual classroom live courses cost approximately $3,795, while online self-paced courses start at about $1,100. Training courses typically last five days.
The CCNP Collaboration, like all Cisco professional-level certifications, requires recertification every three years. To recertify, you must pass one Cisco exam before your cert’s expiration date. Acceptable exams include any current 642-XXX professional-level exam, any 300-XXX professional-level exam, any CCIE written exam, any CCDE written or practical exam, or passing the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview and board review.
CCNP Collaboration Facts and Figures
IBM Certified System Administrator: Sametime V9.0
The intermediate-level IBM Sametime administrator credential aims at systems administrators with existing skills and hands-on experience in IBM Sametime 9.0. Candidates must understand architectural considerations when running IBM Sametime within an IBM WebSphere environment. They must also demonstrate their knowledge of Sametime deployment and audio/video configuration within Sametime, along with management, troubleshooting, performance monitoring and optimization techniques.
The certification requires candidates to pass a 78-question multiple-choice exam, to be completed in no more than 105 minutes. IBM emphasizes the need for hands-on experience before tackling this exam, stating that “direct application of the skills learned cannot be substituted” with any of the self-study materials. The exam measures a candidate’s knowledge of task performance rather than memorization of features and functions.
In addition to the Certified System Administrator credential, IBM also offers two related certifications:
- IBM Certified Associate – Sametime 9.0: This is an entry-level certification for professionals with knowledge regarding the use and administration of an IBM Sametime environment. Successful candidates should possess a basic understanding of UC concepts, databases, and IBM WebSphere and IBM Domino V9.0 environments.
- IBM Certified Advanced System Administrator – Sametime 9.0: This is an advanced professional-level credential for system administrators, application, infrastructure and solution architects. It requires an understanding of the WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment and Liberty Profile environments. Candidates must first obtain the Certified System Administrator credential and then pass an additional exam.
The IBM Certified System Administrator – IBM Lotus Sametime 8.5 credential is still available for those working in Lotus Sametime 8.5 environments.
While IBM certifications are evergreen and don’t expire, the same cannot be said for technology. Credential holders should plan to move up and recertify on new technology as it becomes available.
IBM Certified System Administrator – Sametime V9.0 Facts and Figures
| Certification Name | IBM Certified System Administrator – Sametime V9.0 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | Basic IBM Sametime administration knowledge plus hands-on experience with IBM Sametime V9.0 |
| Number of Exams | One exam: Exam C2040-413: IBM Sametime 9.0 Administration (78 questions, 105 minutes, 52 questions required to pass) |
| Cost of Exam | $200. Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
| URL | https://www.ibm.com/certify/cert?id=14011704 |
| Self-Study Materials | IBM maintains a list of exam objectives, Technotes, product documentation and web resources for the exam. Also, candidates can purchase a web-based sample/practice exam (number A2040-413 Assessment: IBM Sametime 9.0 Administration) from Pearson VUE for $30. |
MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert): Productivity
The MCSE: Productivity certification targets professionals supporting enterprise-grade hybrid and cloud solutions for Microsoft Office. Key technologies include Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Office, Exchange, Skype for Business and SharePoint.
To obtain the MCSE: Productivity credential, candidates must first obtain the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Office 365, MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA Windows Server 2016 certification. Then, they must pass one additional exam from an approved list. Currently, there are eight different exams to choose from. In addition, Microsoft recommends three to four years of experience.
The Microsoft Certification Program underwent extensive changes in September 2016. Once you earn one of the latest MCSE credentials, you do not have to recertify within three years as was the case in the past. However, by passing an elective exam each calendar year, you add an entry to your transcript that indicates your commitment to staying current on technologies and expanding your skillset.
MCSE: Productivity Facts and Figures
| Certification Name | Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE): Productivity |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | MCSA: Office 365, MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA Windows Server 2016 certification
Three or more years of experience recommended. |
| Number of Exams | Candidates must pass one of the following exams:
Exam 70-345: Designing and Deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Exam 70-339: Managing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016 Exam 70-333: Deploying Enterprise Voice with Skype for Business 2015 Exam 70-334: Core Solutions of Microsoft Skype for Business 2015 Exam 70-331: Core Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Exam 70-332: Advanced Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Exam 70-341: Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Exam 70-342: Advanced Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 |
| Cost of Exam | $165 per exam. Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
| URL | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcse-productivity-certification.aspx |
| Self-Study Materials | Microsoft provides links to training, practice exams by third-party vendors such as Mindhub and MeasureUp, case studies, exam study groups and more. Links to community support forums and other resources are listed on each exam web page. Microsoft also offers various training options through its Microsoft Official Courses On-Demand (MOC On-Demand) program. |
Beyond the top 5: more UC certifications
The UC certification landscape is not as crowded as the pool of general networking certs or the increasingly popular cloud and mobile credentials, but UC is on the rise nonetheless. In fact, traditional UC is increasingly offered through the cloud, forcing certifications to take on a new flavor to accommodate the latest technologies and techniques.
In addition to the top five certs covered in this article, many colleges and universities offer courses in unified communications or certificate programs aimed at workforce training. Note that most of those programs incorporate Cisco equipment and applications. Other programs are available, though. We conducted a simple Google search that revealed several interesting choices, including the Information Technology: Network Specialist Concentration at the Pennsylvania College of Technology.
Another consideration is Mitel Networks. Although the company doesn’t offer its own IT career certifications as of this writing, Gartner considers Mitel one of the leaders in the UC market, and the company name appears in job board searches for “unified communications” with great frequency. That means there’s an abundance of open positions that call for Mitel experience and/or knowledge. When evaluating UC certifications, and especially certificate programs through colleges or universities, consider if the required skills and knowledge might transfer to a job working with Mitel technology.
Corporate voice and telephony services have transformed from traditional public-switched telephone networks (PSTNs) and private branch exchanges (PBXs) to voice over IP (VoIP) and IP PBXs, often combined with digital fax, videoconferencing, instant messaging and mobile communications. That means VoIP and telephony certifications now focus on digital communications, along with a good mix of IP networking protocols and methods to support such traffic and to maintain service quality.
In this article, we feature five solid VoIP and telephony certifications from Avaya, Certification Partners, Cisco, Digium (Asterisk) and Microsoft. Unified communications cover a lot of voice and telephony ground, and it adds video and other solutions to the lineup as well.
Salary is a significant consideration when deciding whether to pursue a VoIP and telephony certification. SimplyHired lists $106,149 as the average salary for a VoIP engineer, although Glassdoor‘s average for a VoIP engineer is noticeably lower at $83,772. Still, a salary just under $85,000 is a worthwhile goal in the industry, with a good growth path into more senior positions readily attainable.
To help determine our top five VoIP and telephony certifications, we performed an informal job board survey. That data indicates the number of job posts in which our featured certifications were mentioned on one specific day. The data should provide you an idea of the relative popularity of each certification. [Interested in Business Phone Systems? Check out our top picks.]
Job Board Search Results (in alphabetical order, by certification)
| Certification | SimplyHired | Indeed | LinkedIn Jobs | Linkup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACIS (Avaya) | 142 | 172 | 57 | 94 | 468 |
| CCNP: Collaboration (Cisco) | 489 | 567 | 348 | 309 | 1,713 |
| CTP (Certification Partners) | 64 | 25 | 101 | 167 | 357 |
| dCAP (Asterisk) | 14 | 14 | 18 | 3 | 49 |
| MCSE: Productivity (Microsoft) | 252 | 294 | 136 | 137 | 819 |
ACIS: Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist
Avaya is one of the leading solution providers of business communications and collaboration systems. As a spinoff of Lucent Technologies, itself an offspring of Bell Labs, Avaya’s roots are firmly planted in telephony. Certification solution tracks are currently offered in two concentrations: sales and sdesign, and services.
The Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist (ACIS) certification falls into the Services track and recognizes an individual’s ability to install, deploy, test and troubleshoot Avaya products at a beginning to intermediate skill level. Several credentials are available for the ACIS certification:
- Avaya IP Office Contact Center
- Avaya CallPilot
- Avaya Communication Server 1000 for Avaya Aura
- Avaya Aura Contact Center
- Avaya Aura Contact Center CCT and Multimedia
- Avaya Aura Call Center Elite – New
Candidates interested in the Sales and Design solution track should check out the Avaya Certified Design Specialist (ACDS), Avaya Professional Design Specialist (APDS) and the Avaya Professional Sales Specialist (APSS) certifications.
Note: Some Avaya credentials are available only to Avaya partners and associates, while others are open to all takers. See the Avaya Professional Credential Program Overview for details. Individuals not affiliated with a specific organization can create a “non-relationship” account on the Avaya Learning site to purchase a certification exam.
For most topics, Avaya recommends candidates have two years of experience in relevant technologies plus one more year implementing the core product. Each ACIS certification remains valid for two years.
ACIS facts and figures
| Certification Name | Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist (ACIS) |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | Training recommended. Candidates should check the certification page for individual solution track for details. Training costs vary by solution track, but candidates can expect to pay $1,400 to $3,500 per course. Some tracks recommend multiple courses.
Two years of experience in relevant technologies plus one year of experience in implementing the Avaya products recommended. |
| Number of Exams | One or more exams per credential.
See the exam and training requirements for each credential. Visit the Credential Program web page, click the ACIS box twice in the Services Credentials category and then click on each ACIS credential listed on the right side of the page. |
| Cost per Exam | Most exams are $125. Exams administered by Pearson VUE or online through the Avaya Learning Center. |
| URL | https://www.avaya-learning.com/lms/#/credentials/credential-program (Services Credentials category) |
| Self-Study Materials | Avaya Learning Partners offer training for each exam; costs range from $1,400 to $3,500 per course. |
CCNP Collaboration: Cisco Certified Network Professional Collaboration
Cisco remains one of the world’s dominant IP telephony players. Its Collaboration certifications are available at associate, professional and expert levels, where our top-five pick is the mid-level Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP).
The Collaboration certification portfolio is geared toward network professionals and network engineers who work with voice and video, particularly Cisco Collaboration solutions. Targeted skills include configuring and implementing Cisco Collaboration solutions, planning and designing video network collaborations, and maintaining implemented solutions.
Candidates are required to pass four exams to earn the CCNP Collaboration credential. Training is optional but recommended. Candidates can expect to pay about $3,800 for live classroom or virtual courses.
Recertification is required every three years for CCNPs. To maintain this credential, holders must pass any current 642-XXX or 300-XXX professional-level exam, any CCIE written exam, any CCDE written or practical exam, or the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview and board review.
CCNP collaboration facts and figures
| Certification Name | Cisco Certified Network Professional Collaboration (CCNP Collaboration) |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | A valid CCNA Collaboration certification or any Cisco CCIE or CCDE certification. Training recommended but not required. |
| Number of Exams | Four exams:
300-070: Implementing Cisco IP Telephony & Video, Part 1 (CIPTV1) 300-075: Implementing Cisco IP Telephony & Video, Part 2 (CIPTV2) 300-080: Troubleshooting Cisco IP Telephony & Video (CTCOLLAB) 300-085: Implementing Cisco Collaboration Application v1.0 (CAPPS) Each exam: 75 minutes in length, 50-75 questions |
| Cost per Exam | $300 per exam, $1,200 total. Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
| URL | http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/training-events/training-certifications/certifications/professional/ccnp-collaboration.html |
| Self-Study Materials | Cisco maintains links to the course syllabus, study groups, exam prep materials, practice exams and more on the Cisco Learning Network Collaboration (CCNP) web page. exam pages also contain links to instructor-led training and e-learning opportunities. Numerous collaboration publications are available through Cisco Press. |
CTP: Certification Partners Convergence Technologies Professional
The vendor-neutral CTP certification was developed by Certification Partners and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). It’s also endorsed by industry leaders such as Cisco, Avaya, Mitel, Toshiba and Vertical. Many of these leaders either accept the CTP as a stepping stone or prerequisite to their credential programs or recommend the CTP for training and preparation. Certification Partners maintains a complete list of endorsements from telecommunication leaders.
The CTP requires the successful completion of one exam that focuses on methods, concepts and best practices in the following areas:
- Data and internet protocol (IP) networking for convergent networks
- Voice and telephony services, functions, and technologies
- Convergence technologies
Certification Partners also offers the Convergent Network Technologies (CCNT) certification, which aims at professionals who sell and support convergence services, as well as the CIW certifications in networking and security, web technologies and design and development. Candidates interested in working in the field of convergence who do not yet possess the requisite experience are advised to first obtain the CCNT credential and then gain the required experience.
Certification Partners does not require recertification to maintain the CTP.
CTP facts and figures
| Certification Name | Convergence Technologies Professional (CTP) |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | CCNT recommended or a minimum of 18 to 24 months of experience in all three knowledge domain areas: Data and Internet Protocol Networking for Convergent Networks; Voice and Telephony Services, Functions and Technologies; and Convergence Technologies.
Training strongly recommended. |
| Number of Exams | One exam: TT0-201 (administered through CTC Online), 65 questions, 90 minutes, 75 percent required to pass. |
| Cost per Exam | $225 |
| URL | http://www.ctpcertified.com/certification |
| Self-Study Materials | CTP training is recommended; five-day instructor-led training, $3,395 (includes study guides and exam voucher). CTP training products are available from the CTP store (student courseware $199). |
dCAP: Digium Certified Asterisk Professional
Since its humble beginnings as an open source project in 1999, Asterisk has grown exponentially and become a well-recognized and respected framework for communication and conference servers, VoIP gateways and IP PBX systems. Asterisk can be found in more than 170 countries, powering more than 2 million servers worldwide. Per Digium (which maintains Asterisk in conjunction with the Asterisk community), Asterisk runs in most of the Fortune 1000 companies.
With such widespread popularity, it’s only natural that professionals with Asterisk skills are in demand. To meet industry needs, Digium offers several training courses (Asterisk Essentials, Fast Start and Advanced), as well as the Digium Certified Asterisk Professional (dCAP) and Digium Certified Asterisk Administrator (dCAA) certifications.
The dCAP targets experienced Asterisk professionals. Candidates are expected to possess real-world experience (typically a minimum of three to 24 months), in-depth knowledge of Linux (basic administration, manipulating files and modifying configuration files) and Asterisk experience (installation, Asterisk dial plan format and syntax, use of basic CLI commands and registration of VoIP devices). Other recommended skills include basic programming and scripting languages (Perl, Bash, C and/or C++, for example) and an understanding of VoIP protocols.
Candidates must pass a two-part exam, which consists of a written exam and a practical lab exam (in which you configure a PBX), to earn the credential. While there are no prerequisites, the Asterisk Advanced training course is highly recommended before attempting the exam.
Although the Digium website doesn’t specify recertification requirements, dCAP certification is granted for a “specific released, stable version of Asterisk.”
dCAP Facts and Figures
| Certification Name | Digium Certified Asterisk Professional (dCAP) |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | None required. Asterisk Advanced training course highly recommended, along with 3 to 24 months of real-world experience, working knowledge of setting up and maintaining an Asterisk server, and familiarity with Asterisk sample configuration files. (Training costs approximately $2,650.) |
| Number of Exams | Two exams (115-question written exam, plus a practical lab exam). |
| Cost per Exam | $510. Prices may vary by geography. |
| URL | www.digium.com/training/asterisk/certifications/dcap |
| Self-Study Materials | Training courses available. Recommended reading: Asterisk: The Definitive Guide, 4th edition, by Russell Bryant, Leif Madsen and Jim Van Meggelen. O’Reilly Media: May 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1-4493-3242-6 ($46.99 for eBook, $54.99 for print version). |
MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert): Productivity
Microsoft rolled out several new MCSE certifications in 2016, including the MCSE: Productivity. Although this certification is geared toward enterprise-grade hybrid and cloud solutions for Microsoft Office, it allows candidates to specialize in any of several Microsoft technologies, including Skype for Business.
To obtain the MCSE: Productivity credential, candidates must first obtain the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Office 365, MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA Windows Server 2016 certification. Then, they must pass an elective exam from an approved list. Currently, there are eight different exams to choose from. In addition, Microsoft recommends at least three years of experience.
The MCSE: Productivity credential doesn’t expire. However, credential holders are encouraged to re-earn the certification each year by passing another elective exam. Doing so indicates your desire to stay current on technologies and broaden your skillset, and you’ll post another entry to your certification transcript.
MSCE Productivity facts and figures
| Certification Name | MCSE: Productivity |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites & Required Courses | MCSA: Office 365, MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA Windows Server 2016 certification.
Three or more years of experience recommended |
| Number of Exams | Candidates must pass one of the following exams:
Exam 70-345: Designing and Deploying Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Exam 70-339: Managing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2016 Exam 70-333: Deploying Enterprise Voice with Skype for Business 2015 Exam 70-334: Core Solutions of Microsoft Skype for Business 2015 Exam 70-331: Core Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Exam 70-332: Advanced Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Exam 70-341: Core Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 Exam 70-342: Advanced Solutions of Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 |
| Cost per Exam | $165 per exam. Exams administered by Pearson VUE. |
| URL | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mcse-productivity-certification.aspx |
| Self-Study Materials | Microsoft Learning provides links to training, practice exams by third-party vendors (including MeasureUp), case studies, exam study groups and more. Links to community support forums and other resources are listed on each exam web page. Microsoft also offers various training options through its Microsoft Official Courses On-Demand (MOC On-Demand) program. |
Beyond the top five: More VoIP and telephony certifications
The SIP School, a part of Vocale Ltd. in the U.K., offers a range of affordable, vendor-neutral VoIP and SIP certifications, including the SIP School VVoIP Professional (SSVVP). The SSVVP was on our top five list for the last few years but was replaced by the MCSE: Productivity in 2018, owing mainly to interest from employers.
The ZyXEL Certified Network Professional – VoIP (ZCNP VoIP) is another good certification, which is vendor-specific and therefore geared toward networking professionals who support ZyXEL products.
3CX offers a certification program for professionals who deploy, manage and support 3CX IP PBX systems. The 3CX credentials are offered in three tiers: basic, intermediate and advanced.
Lots of community colleges and universities offer network VoIP and telephony courses or certificate programs as well, such as Florida Community College, College of DuPage and Riverland Community College.
It was about this time last year that some CEOs stood up, pounded their tables, and announced, “Everyone back to the office after Labor Day.”
And it’s clear what happened. In the interaction between many millions of workers in a hard-to-hire atmosphere; public opinion that held if people could work at home during the pandemic, they probably could at least part of the time now; and executives demanded compliance; hybrid work was largely the winner.
Even Wall Street, loudest in its demands for in-office, has had to deal with major resistance. A Deloitte and Workplace Intelligence survey this month of 700 full-time financial services executives with job titles of manager or equivalent and above but not CXO found that 66% would quit if required to work in the office all week. That’s a lot of talent to replace if a company had to.
The reality of what people are willing to do to keep a level of convenience and work-life balance helps explain the approach tech giant Cisco has been taking since at least April 2023, according to a company article at the time by Kevin Delaney, a former New York Times editor.
“Today, the very concept of work — how we do it, where, and with whom — is being upended,” he wrote. “And many employees will run the other way from bland, impersonal cubicles and rigid, 9-to-5 in-office workweeks. But the office experience remains highly relevant. It just needs to be reimagined for the hybrid-work revolution.”
“If we’ve learned anything during the pandemic,” said Mark Miller, Cisco’s Director of hybrid work strategy in Cisco Collaboration Sales in the article, “it’s that focused work, individual work can be done remotely. And the reality is, when people come back to the office, they come back to collaborate or socialize. They come back to be around others. And largely, that’s what’s been driving our real estate strategy here at Cisco.”
That is a different approach from the amenities landlords are offering to lure employees back to the office in a move to keep corporations leasing space, as GlobeSt.com reported in the March/April 2023 edition of the Real Estate Forum.
“People are going to come into the office for engaging more with each other, rather than going out and getting work done in their cubicle,” Jeetu Patel, Cisco’s executive vice president and general manager of security and collaboration, recently told Fortune. “We have to reimagine, fundamentally, what the workspace of the future is going to look like.”
Individual teams decide on policy of working in-house or not. There’s also a strong emphasis on being in the office for specific types of activities, like meeting customers.
Cisco has already moved its Atlanta and New York City locations to have fewer offices, video in almost every room, and no designated desks for employees. There are open area collaborative spaces that small groups can use for meetings. Boardrooms are triangular so people in person can see those dialing in remotely. The company will likely expand this to most “tier one” cities.
This is easier for Cisco than many other companies because it is a major manufacturer of telecommunications and video conferencing equipment. However, the principles are the same for other companies and industries.
More organisations are adopting hybrid work across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region but the experience for many workers is less than ideal, according to a senior Cisco executive.
Speaking to Computer Weekly on a latest visit to Singapore, Jeetu Patel, executive vice-president and general manager of security and collaboration at Cisco, said with most meetings having at least one remote participant, spaces will need to be configured not only for people in a physical meeting room, but also for those who are not in the room.
“Today, if you have four people in a conference room and three people who are not in the room, the experience for the three people is not that great because what happens is someone invariably gets up and starts drawing on a whiteboard.
“They wouldn’t know what’s going on and won’t be able to read the facial expressions and non-verbal cues of those in the room. That’s such an important part of communication,” he said.
Patel said Cisco has been working on solving that problem for the past 18 months to make sure hybrid work arrangements will provide everyone in a meeting, whether they are participating virtually or in person, a seat at the table.
This can be done through its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities that work behind the scenes to remove background noise and zoom in on everyone in the room, in addition to digital whiteboards that meeting participants can use to jot down or edit content during a meeting.
“We want to make sure our AI capabilities can take the experience to the next level. We started with predictive AI, and now, with generative AI, it gets even better. If you missed a meeting, we could tell you what you missed based on the permissions you had on the meetings you could have attended but chose not to,” Patel said.
While organisations in APAC have been progressive in adopting hybrid work arrangements, Patel cautioned them against making the mistake of mandating that employees work in the office all the time.
“It’s much better to create a magnet than a mandate,” he said. “Give people a reason to come back to the office because when they collaborate in the office, there’s going to be this X factor that they don’t get when they are 100% remote.”
Patel said adopting hybrid work would also help organisations recruit the best talent from anywhere in the world, enabling more people to participate equally in a global economy.
“The opportunity is very unevenly distributed right now, but human potential is pretty evenly distributed, so it would be nice if anyone in a village in Bangladesh can have the same economic opportunity as someone in Silicon Valley.
“Most of the time, the mindset is that you are distance-bound, so if you don’t happen to be in the same geography, then you don’t have access to opportunity. That’s a very archaic way of thinking and we need to think about this in a much more progressive manner,” he said.
But societal changes are needed to maximise the potential of a hybrid workforce. For one thing, business leaders will have to learn how to build relationships with people without meeting them in person.
“A 30-minute video conference is usually very structured. There’s an agenda and an end. If no one’s talking after 23 minutes, someone will invariably say we can provide you back seven minutes. That always happens.
“But when you have dinner with someone – if there’s a lull, you don’t just say you’re going to leave. You’ll ask about that person’s family or whatever it might be. Those questions provide you context and texture about the person, which creates familiarity and the ability to engage in debate without taking things personally. And conflict is such a necessary condition of business that if you don’t have that familiarity, it doesn’t work.”
Enabling hybrid work also brings with it a set of security considerations. Patel said while there is an implicit level of trust between people about who they are when they are engaged in a face-to-face conversation, that trust needs to be present in a hybrid work environment as well.
“How do you prevent deep fakes from coming into a meeting? How do you make sure your private data does not get stolen? How do you create security conditions so that people can use the systems without worrying about being hacked?
“Those are the baseline security capabilities that you need in any hybrid work solution. I would take it a step further and say that in the future, the absence of security will completely deter anyone from using a system,” he said.
Does setting the correct time on a router really matter? Actually, it does. In this edition of Cisco Routers and Switches, David Davis reviews the benefits of setting the correct time on your router, and he walks you through the three-step process to configure the correct time.
Last year, I wrote an article about why Cisco devices should
use Network Time Protocol (NTP) for their time synchronization needs, in which
I explained how to configure NTP on your Cisco devices (“Synchronize
a Cisco router’s clock with Network Time Protocol (NTP)”). Using NTP
is the ideal method for medium to large-scale networks.
However, if you have only a handful of routers, manually
setting the clock may be the easiest way to properly configure your devices’
times. Let’s walk through the process.
If a Cisco router boots up before you’ve configured a local
time or network time source, it will display the date as March 1, 1993. Here’s
an example:
Router> show clock *00:01:10.415 UTC Mon Mar 1 1993 Router>
This date’s appearance on log files is a good indication
that no one has set the router’s time source or local time. This is much more
likely than the router’s log entries actually dating back to 1993.
Does setting the correct time on a router really matter? While proper time
configuration isn’t necessary for a router to fully operate, that doesn’t mean
you shouldn’t set the right time. Here are some of the benefits of setting the
correct time on a router:
Configure the time zone
When setting a router’s (or switch’s) correct time, the
first step is configuring the proper time zone. This is the first step for a
reason: If you set the time first and then try to set to the time zone, you’ll
have to reset the time again.
The key point to remember is that it’s not enough to know that
you’re in the Eastern or Pacific time zone. You need to know how many hours you
are from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
For example, if you’re in the Eastern Standard Time zone in
the United States, you’re five hours behind GMT. You would indicate this to the
router with -5. If you’re unsure how many hours you are from GMT, the U.S.
Navy’s Web site offers a great resource—the World Time Zone Map.
After you’ve determined your time zone value, you can set
the time zone. For example, I live in the Central Standard Time (CST) zone, so
here’s how I would configure the router:
Router(config)# clock timezone CST -6
Configure Daylight Saving Time
After setting the appropriate time zone, you need to
configure the router to adjust for Daylight Saving
Time. You can use the summer-time
command to accomplish this. Using our CST zone example, here’s how to configure
the router to use Daylight Saving Time:
Router(config)# clock summer-time CDT recurring
The summer-time
command tells the router to refer to Daylight Saving Time as Central Daylight Time
(CDT), which will automatically occur according to predefined dates and times on
the router. (You can use the same command to manually set the date and time for
Daylight Saving Time.) The recurring
option tells the router to use the accepted U.S. Daylight Saving Time rules for
the annual time changes in April and October.
Configure the clock
After configuring the time zone and Daylight Saving Time, the
last step is to configure the router’s clock. You must do this while in Privileged
Mode—not Global Configuration Mode.
If you’ve never done this before, the format can be a bit
tricky. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Use
the clock set command. - Use
military time. - Include
seconds when setting the time. - Specify
the month using its three-letter abbreviation. - Add
the date and the year.
Here’s an example:
Router# clock set 10:50:00 Oct 26 2006
View the time
After configuring the time zone, Daylight Saving Time, and
the clock, you can view the clock using the show
clock command. Here’s an example:
Router# show clock 10:51:33.208 CDT Thu Oct 19 2006 Router#
Keep in mind that most Cisco routers and switches don’t have
internal clocks that store the time when you power them off. That means rebooting
a device will lose the set local time. However, the time zone will remain set because
the router stores it in its configuration.
For more information on Cisco IOS time configuration, check
out Cisco’s
documentation for the various clock
commands. How do you set the time on routers or switches? Do you set it
manually or use NTP? What other router and switch courses would you like to see covered?
Share your comments in this article’s discussion.
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Check out the Cisco Routers and Switches
Archive, and catch up on David Davis’ most latest columns.
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Friday!
David Davis has worked
in the IT industry for 12 years and holds several certifications, including
CCIE, MCSE+I, CISSP, CCNA, CCDA, and CCNP. He currently manages a group of
systems/network administrators for a privately owned retail company and
performs networking/systems consulting on a part-time basis.
While many tech companies that serve enterprises are experiencing increasing caution from their customer bases, networking-hardware giant Cisco Systems (CSCO 0.94%) has been an exception. The company handily beat analyst expectations for the fiscal fourth quarter, which ended on July 29. Total revenue grew 16% year over year to $15.2 billion, while adjusted earnings per share shot up 37% to $1.14.
Shares of Cisco rose Thursday morning on the good news. Despite solid growth from the company over the past year, Cisco stock has barely edged out the S&P 500 in 2023. And over the past five years, it has lost badly to the broad stock market index.
With Cisco's business booming, should investors bet on a market-beating rally?
The core business is strong but a slowdown is coming
One of Cisco's core strategies over the past few years has been to grow its software business. While Cisco's security and collaboration segments are software-heavy, software has also become a more important piece of the core networking segment.
Software revenue grew by 17% year over year in the fourth quarter, and subscription software revenue was up 20%. By adding sources of recurring revenue, Cisco ultimately makes its revenue more predictable and less prone to big swings driven by economic conditions.
It was the core networking segment that did most of the heavy lifting for Cisco in the fourth quarter. Revenue in this segment soared 33% year over year and accounted for more than half of total revenue. The rest of Cisco's bigger segments were less impressive.
Internet for the Future, which includes optical networking and 5G-related products, grew by just 3%, while the security segment was flat. The collaboration segment suffered a 12% decline.
Soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) should help Cisco in the long run. Training advanced AI models involves building vast clusters of GPUs or other AI chips, and moving data fast enough across the cluster is critical. Cisco's Silicon One family of chips is designed for extreme data throughput. Although this AI-centric business isn't contributing much to the top and bottom lines right now, Cisco views it as a significant long-term opportunity.
While Cisco's fourth-quarter results were impressive, the company expects a significant slowdown entering fiscal 2024. It sees full-year revenue between $57 billion and $58.2 billion, up just 0% to 2%, compared to fiscal 2023. Profit will grow faster, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $4.01 to $4.08, representing 4% growth at the midpoint.
Cisco's product backlog exploded during the pandemic due to supply chain constraints, and now the backlog is being worked down as the situation improves. The backlog was still double the normal level at the end of the fourth quarter, although the company expects much of the excess to be worked off in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. As the backlog normalizes, so will Cisco's growth rate.
An attractive price
Cisco's growth will ebb and flow, depending on economic conditions and other factors. The company's sluggish forecast for fiscal 2024 shouldn't be a concern for long-term investors.
At around $55 per share, Cisco stock trades for about 14x adjusted earnings. That looks reasonable and perhaps attractive, as long as the company can accelerate growth past fiscal 2024. The company also pays a solid dividend that currently yields about 3%.
While Cisco stock looks like a solid investment, a huge rally doesn't look like it's in the cards. Fiscal 2024 will be a relatively tough year, compared to fiscal 2023, and there's always a chance that worsening economic conditions will cause Cisco to come up short of its guidance. Also, the stock's valuation isn't so low that a big multiple expansion looks likely anytime soon.
The bottom line: Cisco stock is a buy, but don't expect it to trounce the broader market.
Timothy Green has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Cisco Systems. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
