CCNA security exam

[babar-munir]

my CCNA exam is going to expire on 2nd of January 2015. i am interested to take the exam of CCNA security in this month and hopefully will go for CCNP security after this.. i have some questions

1) is there only one exam available 640-554 IINS ?

2) if i succeed this exam, will my certification be valid for next two years, because i have read somewhere that CISCO is retiring some exams in next years.

3) will my CCNA routing and switching certification remain valid after clearing this exam ?

4) am i able to go for CCNP security after clearing this exam?

so if someone can guide me towards the right direction, i will be grateful. thanks

[Karsten Iwen]

All of your questions (and much more) are answered in the certification-pages at cisco.com:

• CCNA R/S
• CCNA Security
• CCNP Security

1. yes
2. Cisco constantly retires certification and brings new ones. This business-model wouldn't work without. But that only means that the retired certification is not valid any more after these two years.
3. yes
4. yes

[babar-munir]

thanx a lot. so it means if i pass the CCNA security exam, both my CCNAs will be valid for next two years

[Karsten Iwen · Accepted solution]

Exactly. The recertification could also be done with any of the professional-level exams. So if you can prepare for one of these faster then the IINS, then you can also take that test. But also if you passed all four CCNP-Security exams, you only get the CCNP Sec certificate when you also pass the prerequisite exam which is the 640-554 for the CCNA Security.