Comprehensive Resources For Every Level Of The DevNet Certification Track

At least once a week someone asks me how to best prepare for the various DevNet certifications and what resources to use. I try to respond to everyone personally, but I often end up recommending the same resources. So I thought, "Why don't I put it all in one blog post and then refer back to this one?" And that is exactly the blog post you are reading right now!

So in this blog post, we will take a look at the three main DevNet certifications, DevNet Associate, Professional, and DevNet Expert. For each certification, I'll give you the resources and maybe some tips you can use to prepare. And if you want to go all the way to DevNet Expert, I'll share some details about my DevNet Expert e-learning at the end!

DevNet Associate

Overview

The DevNet Associate certification is the lowest exam from the DevNet track. It's great if you're new to network automation or coding and want to start with the basics. This certification will give you a solid foundation and knowledge about many key concepts and practical skills we will later need. There are no requirements for this certification, so you can start right away!

Learning Resources

Here are some resources that can help you with this certification:

• CiscoPress Cisco Certified DevNet Associate DEVASC 200-901 Official Cert Guide
• INE DevNet Associate (DEVASC 200-901)
• CBT Nuggets DEVNET Associate (200-901 DEVASC) Online Training

DevNet Professional

The DevNet Professional certification is great if you already have some experience or have passed the DevNet Associate exam. It builds on top of the key concepts covered in the DevNet Associate certification and takes your skills to the next level. The great thing about this certification is that it also doesn't have any requirements. So if you already have some programming or network automation experience, you can jump right into this certification. That's what I did, by the way.

The DevNet Professional has two parts. First, you have to pass the DEVCOR exam. Then, you have to choose a specialization and take an exam there too. If you know from the start that you want to reach the DevNet Expert level, you can skip the concentration test (I did that too). Just make sure you get the DEVCOR certification to become a DevNet Expert.

Learning Resources

Here are some resources you can use to prepare for the DEVCOR exam:

• CiscoPress Cisco Certified DevNet Professional DEVCOR 350-901 Official Cert Guide
• CiscoPress Cisco DevNet Professional DEVCOR 350-901 Study Guide
• Cisco DEVCOR E-Learning and Exam Bundle
• CBT Nuggets Certified Devnet Professional Online Training

DevNet Expert

Now let's talk about the DevNet Expert certification, the most interesting one in my opinion. Just a heads-up: This exam lasts eight hours and can only be taken at a few test centers. It's the toughest exam out there. As far as I know, only about 100 people worldwide have passed it. But it's also the certificate that I think will give you the most for your career.

When I started studying for this certification back in 2020/2021, there weren't any dedicated e-learning courses for this certification, like those from INE or CBT Nuggets. So after I passed the exam, I started DevNet Academy and created my own e-learning course for this certificate. And I believe that DevNet Academy is the best way to prepare you for the Devnet Expert exam!

DevNet Academy

E-Learning Platform

At DevNet Academy, I offer a complete DevNet Expert e-learning program designed to prepare you for the DevNet Expert Lab exam. My program is tailored to ensure you have everything you need to succeed.

The e-learning platform is self-paced, allowing you to study whenever you have some time. You’ll have access to all the required theory through detailed texts and engaging videos. After covering the theory, you can solve exercises that provide practical, hands-on experience, helping you to apply what you’ve learned. Additionally, quizzes are available to test your understanding and reinforce the material.

Workbook

You also get a dedicated workbook filled with tasks to further enhance your learning. Each task starts with a scenario and then has a few requirements that you need to meet. At the end, there's a verification section where you can check if your solution works. The structure of this workbook is similar to the real exam, so it's great for preparing for it.

Once you're done, you can upload your solutions to DevNet Academy. I'll then take a look at your code and give you some personal feedback or suggestions for improvement.

Lab Environment

To ensure you get the best practical experience, I will provide you with a CML Lab Topology that you can then run on your own CML instance. This creates a realistic lab environment for practice. I also provide multiple Docker Compose projects so you can focus on studying the actual topics. These include the TIG stack (Telegraf, InfluxDB, and Grafana), HashiCorp Vault for managing secrets, and NetBox as IPAM/DCIM tool.

Coaching and Mentoring

If you're preparing for the DevNet Expert certification, it can be quite tough. Especially when you're all by yourself. So one feature of DevNet Academy that really stands out is the personal coaching and mentoring you will receive from me personally. This ensures that you can study all by yourself, but you're never left alone if you have any questions.

In the coaching part we also have dedicated one on one meetings before and after the exam. 2-4 weeks before the exam we will go over a checklist that I prepared. This checklist contains lots of different questions. If you can answer them, perfect. If you can't, you know exactly on which topics you should spend the last few days. Unfortunately, the chances of passing a CCIE level exam on the first attempt are quite slim. So after the exam we schedule another exam. The goal of that one is to talk about your experience, figure out your weak points and create a strategy for your next attempt!

My mentoring provides you with the guidance and motivation needed to stay on track and succeed!

Discord Community

As part of the DevNet Academy, you will also have access to a Discord community. In this community, you can meet new people from all over the world, ask questions, share knowledge, and learn from each other. This is great because you get all the benefits of e-learning while still being able to meet new people. So if you're stuck, need help, or have something to share, the Community is a great place to start!

Wrapping It Up

Cisco has done a great job with the new DevNet track. I really enjoyed the certifications and learned a lot along the way. I also met a lot of interesting people from all over the world. The DevNet certifications are definitely not easy, but it's worth it and I would definitely do it again! Don't forget to check out the DevNet Academy e-learning if you are preparing for the DevNet Expert certification. Good luck and happy learning!