Associate Certifications are the 2nd of 4 levels of CISCO certifications. This level divides all CISCO certifications into separate subject matter paths.
The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam is an entry-level certification designed for network administrators and engineers. It can be taken in one of two forms. First, the CCNA can be taken in one, single exam - The CCNA Composite 640-802. Second, it can be taken as a two part exam designated Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices 1 and 2 (ICND1 and ICND2).
The CCNA validates the ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-size enterprise level router and switched networks. This includes design implementation and verification of connections to remote sites in a WAN. New CCNA training includes basic mitigation of security threats, introduction to wireless networking and Voice.
A majority of the professional networking world consider the CCNA to be the deciding factor of the Network Engineering exam that qualifies a user to operate a small to medium business network. Furthermore, the CCNA opens doors for new exams, such as the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) and CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional) certifications. Therefore, the exam is not in any way easy.
Overall, the CCNA has several subjects that it covers in detail, but the primary subjects of concern are Routing and Switching, including but not limited to the use of: IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, and access lists. After attaining the CCNA, the exam is valid for three years before it must be recertified.