FAQ - General

What are the office opening hours?

Our office opening hours are 09:00 to 17:00 from Sunday to Thursday.

What time are courses scheduled to start?

Our courses are scheduled to start at 09:00, however in certain instances the course start time may vary slightly, to confirm the start time of the course you are booked on, please contact our Customer Services team on +9714 366-4550.

What payment methods does Synergy/Global Knowledge accept?

Payment for a course must be received prior to the start date of the course.  Payment for a course or an exam can be accepted by bank transfer, cheque, cash or via credit card. 

What time is the testing centre open?

See our testing centre details.

FAQ – Certification

To obtain the CCNA certification do I have to attend both the INTRO and the ICND course?

It is not compulsory to attend both courses to obtain the CCNA certification, however Global Knowledge highly recommends that delegates do attend both courses as it is necessary to have a full understanding of the concepts detailed in the INTRO and ICND course to pass the exams.  CCNA certification can be obtained either by taking and passing the 640-801 exam or by passing the INTRO exam 640-821 and the exam corresponding to the ICND exam 640-811.  Delegates who only attend the ICND course with the aim of obtaining the CCNA certification must comply with the pre-requisites and must already have a full understanding of the concepts covered in the INTRO course.

How long does a certification last for? (answers re Cisco, Nortel, Microsoft)

The validity of a certain certification varies from vendor to vendor.

Cisco

Associate certifications (CCNA, CCDA) are valid for three years.  To re-certify, the delegate must either re-take and pass the CCNA exam, any 642- exam, a Specialist exam (excluding Sales Specialist exam) or pass a written CCIE exam.

Professional certifications (CCDP, CCVP. CCSP etc) are valid for three years.  To re-certify, delegates must pass any 642- exam which forms part of the Professional level curriculum or pass a written CCIE exam

Specialist certifications are valid for two years.  To recertify, the delegate must re-take and pass the current version of the required exam or pass a CCIE written exam.

Expert  A CCIE must pass the CCIE recertification exam every two years to maintain their CCIE status. 

Microsoft

A Microsoft certification is valid for the period during which the exams which constitute the certification are valid.  Once an exam which a delegate has taken to obtain a specific certification is withdrawn by Microsoft, the delegate must take and pass another exam in the certification track to ensure that the certification remains valid. A Microsoft certification reflects the relevance of a delegates skills in the industry and ensures that their hands-on ability is as current as the industry requires

Nortel

Certifications and associated exams may retire, but an individual's certification as an achievement does not. This makes it easier for the delegate to maintain the appropriate certifications needed in their field. If a new exam is developed for a new product, solution or release, the delegate does not need to wait for a re-certification cycle in order to update their certification.

Can I attend a Cisco course above CCNA level, if I have not attended an ICND class or if I do not have the CCNA certification?

A delegate may attend a Cisco course above CCNA level, however they must always comply with the pre-requisite requirements and have prior experience or working knowledge of the necessary concepts as required by each course.  However, if a delegate wishes to obtain a certification above CCNA level, they may take and pass the exams, but the certification will not be valid or recognised until the delegate has also attained the CCNA certification.

What is the base certification for:  Cisco, Microsoft, Nortel, ITIL (any other vendors we would like to be included?)

To learn more about the base certifications for each of our key vendors, please click on the relevant link below:

Cisco – CCNA

ITIL – ITIL Fundamentals

Microsoft – MCSA

Nortel – NCTS

If my CCNA certification has expired, can I still certify myself in other Cisco certifications?

To obtain a Cisco certification beyond CCNA level, you must have a valid CCNA certification (with the exception of CCDA).  If your CCNA certification has expired and you have not yet recertified, Cisco will not recognise or validate any further certifications which you may be entitled to.  However, if after certifying as CCNA, a delegate has passed a 642 exam or passes a Specialist of CCIE exam (on or after 01/01/06)  in the three years following achievement of a CCNA certification, then this automatically renews the delegates CCNA certification.

If my MCSA certification has expired, can I still certify myself in other Microsoft certifications?

The MCSA certification is not necessary to obtain further Microsoft certifications. Each Microsoft certification is a stand alone certification and has its own exam requirements, and the MCSA is not a pre-requisite.