Top 11 Citrix Administrator Certifications

Citrix certifications are important for a Citrix Administrator in the job market because they demonstrate technical proficiency and mastery of Citrix products, which is highly valued by employers. Certifications help prove that a potential employee has the knowledge and experience necessary to effectively manage a Citrix environment. Citrix certifications also show employers that an individual has taken the time to stay up-to-date on the latest technologies, trends, and best practices related to Citrix administration. Finally, having a certification can give an individual an edge in a competitive job market as it shows dedication to one's craft.

The purpose of this article is to review the top certifications for Citrix Administrators and explain how they can help to advance a Citrix Administrator's career.

What are Citrix Administrator Certifications?

Citrix Administrator Certification is a professional certification program that enables IT professionals to demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in the areas of Citrix virtualization, networking, and cloud-based solutions. This certification validates an individual’s ability to deploy, manage, and maintain Citrix products and solutions. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the technologies used to create and deliver virtualized applications, desktops, data centers, networks, and storage.

By obtaining the Citrix Administrator Certification, IT professionals can gain recognition for their skillset in this rapidly evolving field. This certification can help IT professionals differentiate themselves from others by demonstrating that they have advanced knowledge in this area. Additionally, it will give them an edge when applying for jobs or promotions within their current organization. Moreover, because Citrix technology is becoming increasingly popular among businesses of all sizes, having the certification may even open up new job opportunities or career paths for IT professionals. Ultimately, the Citrix Administrator Certification is a valuable asset that can help IT professionals advance their careers in today’s competitive job market.

Pro Tip: Make sure to review the Citrix Administrator Certification exam objectives before you take the exam. This will help you better understand the topics covered, and allow you to focus your study time on the areas that are most important. Additionally, practice questions can help you identify any knowledge gaps and prepare for the exam.

Related: What does a Citrix Administrator do?

Top 11 Citrix Administrator Certifications

Here’s our list of the best certifications available to Citrix Administrators today.

1. Citrix Certified Professional - Virtualization (CCP-V)

Citrix Certified Professional - Virtualization (CCP-V) is a certification program offered by Citrix that validates the skills and knowledge of IT professionals in virtualizing applications, desktops and servers. The CCP-V certification is designed to demonstrate an individual’s expertise in deploying, managing and troubleshooting Citrix XenServer 6.5 environments.

The CCP-V exam consists of 65 multiple choice questions and can be completed in up to 90 minutes. To become certified, candidates must pass the CCP-V exam with a score of 70% or higher.

To get started on the path to becoming a CCP-V certified professional, you will need to purchase the official training materials from Citrix. The cost of these materials will depend on your location; however, they typically range between $200-$300 USD. Once you have purchased the training materials you can begin studying for the exam. It is recommended that you spend at least 30 hours studying before taking the exam.

The cost of taking the CCP-V exam is $250 USD per attempt and it can be taken at any Pearson VUE testing center worldwide. Upon passing the exam, you will receive your official certificate from Citrix within 4 weeks of completion.

2. Citrix Certified Associate - Networking (CCA-N)

Citrix Certified Associate – Networking (CCA-N) is a certification program offered by Citrix. It is designed to validate the skills and knowledge of IT professionals in the areas of networking, virtualization, and cloud computing. The CCA-N certification is an entry-level certification that allows individuals to demonstrate their understanding of basic networking concepts and technologies.

The CCA-N exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions that must be completed within 90 minutes. The exam covers topics such as network security, network design, network protocols, routing and switching, wireless networks, virtualization, cloud computing and more. To earn the CCA-N certification, candidates must pass the exam with a score of 70% or higher.

To get started with the CCA-N certification process, individuals must first purchase a voucher from Citrix for $200 USD. Once purchased, they can then register for an exam at Pearson VUE or Prometric testing centers located around the world.

The entire process typically takes about two weeks from start to finish depending on when you register for your exam and when you are able to take it. After passing the exam successfully, you will receive your official CCA-N certificate in 4 to 6 weeks via mail or email from Citrix.

3. Citrix Certified Professional - Networking (CCP-N)

Citrix Certified Professional - Networking (CCP-N) is a certification program offered by Citrix that validates an individual’s knowledge and skills in the areas of networking, virtualization, and cloud computing. The CCP-N certification is designed to demonstrate proficiency in designing, deploying, managing and troubleshooting networks using Citrix products.

It typically takes about one year to complete the CCP-N certification program. To get certified, individuals must pass two exams: 1Z0-988 – Citrix Networking Assessment Test and 1Y0-311 – Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops 7 Administration Exam. Both exams are available online through Pearson VUE or Prometric Testing Centers.

The cost for the CCP-N certification program varies depending on the country you live in. In general, it costs around $300 USD for both exams combined.

4. Citrix Certified Associate - Mobility (CCA-M)

Citrix Certified Associate - Mobility (CCA-M) is a certification program designed to validate the knowledge and skills of IT professionals who are responsible for designing, deploying, managing, and troubleshooting mobile solutions. The CCA-M certification is focused on Citrix technologies such as XenMobile Enterprise, NetScaler Gateway, and Secure Hub.

It typically takes around 4 to 5 hours to complete the CCA-M exam. The exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions that must be completed within 90 minutes. To prepare for the exam, candidates should have experience with Windows Server 2008 or later; Active Directory; Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 or later; Microsoft SQL Server 2005 or later; and basic networking concepts such as DHCP, DNS, TCP/IP, routing protocols, etc.

To obtain the CCA-M certification, candidates must pass a single proctored exam which costs $200 USD. After passing the exam, candidates will receive an official certificate from Citrix that can be used to demonstrate their expertise in mobile solutions.

5. Citrix Certified Professional - Mobility (CCP-M)

Citrix Certified Professional - Mobility (CCP-M) is a certification that validates an individual’s expertise in deploying and managing Citrix solutions for mobile devices. It demonstrates the ability to configure, deploy, manage, and troubleshoot Citrix solutions on mobile devices. The certification is ideal for IT professionals who are responsible for designing and implementing mobile solutions with Citrix technologies.

The CCP-M exam takes approximately two hours to complete and consists of 70 multiple choice questions. To earn the certification, candidates must pass the exam with a minimum score of 70%.

To get certified as a CCP-M, individuals must first register for the exam through Pearson VUE or Prometric. The cost of the exam varies depending on location but typically ranges from $200 to $300 USD. Candidates must also have experience working with XenMobile Enterprise Edition 10 or higher before attempting the exam.

6. Citrix Certified Expert – Virtualization (CCE-V)

Citrix Certified Expert – Virtualization (CCE-V) is a certification that validates an individual’s expertise in designing, deploying, and managing Citrix virtualization solutions. It demonstrates an individual’s ability to configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Citrix XenServer and XenDesktop environments. To obtain the CCE-V certification, individuals must pass two exams: 1Y0-311 Citrix XenServer 6.5 Administration and 1Y0-312 Citrix XenDesktop 7 Advanced Administration.

The exams take approximately 2 hours each to complete. The cost of the exams is $200 per exam. The total cost of obtaining the CCE-V certification is $400.

In order to prepare for the exams, individuals can take advantage of a variety of resources such as online training courses, study guides, practice tests, and more. Additionally, there are many third-party vendors that offer instructor-led training courses which provide hands-on experience with the technology being tested on the exams.

7. Citrix Certified Expert – Networking (CCE-N)

Citrix Certified Expert – Networking (CCE-N) is a certification program designed to recognize professionals who have achieved a high level of proficiency in Citrix networking technologies. The certification focuses on the skills required to design, deploy, configure, and troubleshoot a Citrix networking environment.

In order to obtain the CCE-N certification, candidates must pass two exams: 1Z0-1081: Citrix Networking Assessment, Design and Advanced Configuration and 1Z0-1082: Citrix Networking Implementation and Troubleshooting. Both exams are offered through Pearson VUE testing centers.

The cost for each exam is $200 USD. The exams can be taken separately or together as part of a bundle which costs $400 USD. It typically takes about four to six weeks to prepare for the exams depending on prior experience with Citrix networking technologies.

8. Citrix Certified Expert – Mobility (CCE-M)

Citrix Certified Expert – Mobility (CCE-M) is a certification program offered by Citrix that validates an individual’s knowledge and skills in the areas of mobile device management, virtualization, and cloud computing. It is designed for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in deploying and managing mobile applications and services.

To become a CCE-M, you must first complete the Citrix Mobility Certification Program which consists of two exams: 1Z0-1015: Citrix Mobility Solutions 8.5 Exam and 1Z0-1016: Citrix Mobility Solutions 9.0 Exam. Both exams are 90 minutes long and cost $150 each. The exams cover topics such as mobile device management, secure access to corporate networks, virtualization technologies, cloud computing concepts, and more.

Once you have passed both exams, you will be awarded the CCE-M certification from Citrix. This certification is valid for three years after which you will need to retake the exams to maintain your certification status.

The cost of becoming a CCE-M varies depending on the country where you take the exam but typically ranges from $300-$400 USD for both exams.

9. Citrix Certified Integration Architect (CCIA)

Citrix Certified Integration Architect (CCIA) is a certification program designed to recognize IT professionals who have achieved a high level of expertise in the design, integration, and implementation of Citrix solutions. The CCIA certification is intended for those who are responsible for the architecture, design and implementation of complex Citrix solutions.

The CCIA exam covers topics related to designing and deploying Citrix solutions such as XenApp, XenDesktop, XenServer, NetScaler, and other related products. It also covers topics such as system sizing, performance optimization, security best practices and troubleshooting.

It typically takes around 8-12 months to prepare for the CCIA exam depending on your current knowledge and experience with Citrix products. You can get started by taking courses offered by Citrix Education or attending training sessions at local user groups or conferences. Additionally you can read books or blogs related to the topics covered in the exam.

The cost of taking the CCIA exam varies depending on your country but it usually costs around $200 USD. You will need to register on the Citrix website in order to take the exam which can be done online or in person at an authorized testing center.

10. Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer for Virtualization (CCEE-V)

Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer for Virtualization (CCEE-V) is a certification that verifies an individual’s expertise in designing, deploying, and managing virtualized environments using Citrix technologies. The CCEE-V certification is designed to validate the skills of experienced IT professionals who have extensive experience with Citrix products and technologies.

The CCEE-V exam consists of 60 multiple choice questions and takes approximately 90 minutes to complete. The exam covers topics such as virtualization architecture, network design, storage design, security design, and system management. Candidates must also demonstrate their ability to design, deploy, configure and manage Citrix solutions in a virtual environment.

To obtain the CCEE-V certification, candidates must first pass the Citrix Certified Professional – Virtualization (CCP-V) exam or the equivalent training course. After passing the CCP-V exam or course, candidates must then take and pass the CCEE-V exam.

The cost of the CCEE-V certification depends on which training provider you choose to use for your exam preparation. Prices typically range from $200 to $500 USD depending on the provider you select.

11. Citrix Credentialed Architect Program

The Citrix Credentialed Architect Program is a certification program designed to recognize the skills and expertise of experienced IT professionals who design, deploy, and manage Citrix solutions. The program provides a comprehensive set of training courses and exams that demonstrate an individual’s ability to design, implement, configure, and troubleshoot Citrix solutions.

The program consists of three levels: Associate (ACA), Professional (CPE), and Expert (CCE). Each level requires completion of specific coursework as well as passing a series of exams. The Associate level is designed for individuals who are new to Citrix technologies or those who need to expand their knowledge base in order to support existing deployments. The Professional level is intended for those with more advanced experience in deploying and managing Citrix solutions. The Expert level is reserved for those with extensive experience in designing, deploying, configuring, and troubleshooting complex Citrix environments.

The time it takes to complete each level depends on the individual's experience and commitment to studying for the exams. Generally speaking, it can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to complete all three levels depending on prior knowledge and experience with the technology.

To get started in the program you must first register with the Citrix Learning Center which will provide access to course materials as well as exam registration information. After registering you will be able to select which courses you would like to take based on your desired certification path. Once you have completed all necessary coursework you will be eligible to sit for the associated exams.

The cost of each exam varies depending on location but generally ranges from $150-$200 USD per exam. Additionally there may be additional costs associated with purchasing course materials or attending instructor-led classes if desired.

Do You Really Need a Citrix Administrator Certificate?

Yes, a Citrix Administrator Certificate can be an important asset in the field of IT. This certificate demonstrates that you have a comprehensive understanding of the technologies and processes involved in managing and maintaining Citrix systems. It also proves that you have the necessary skills to troubleshoot and solve any issues that may arise with these systems.

Citrix systems are used by many large organizations to provide secure access to applications, data, and other services. As such, having a thorough understanding of how to manage these systems is essential for anyone looking to work in this field. With a Citrix Administrator Certificate, you will have the knowledge and skills needed to ensure that your organization’s systems are running efficiently and securely.

In addition, having this certification will give you an edge over other candidates when applying for jobs. Companies are always looking for qualified professionals who can demonstrate their expertise in this area. Employers know that those with a Citrix Administrator Certificate are well-versed in all aspects of managing these systems, which makes them more attractive job candidates than those without such certification.

Overall, having a Citrix Administrator Certificate is highly beneficial for anyone interested in working with these types of systems. It not only shows employers that you have the necessary skills and knowledge required for this position but also gives you an edge over other applicants.

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FAQs About Citrix Administrator Certifications

Q1. What type of certifications are available for Citrix Administrators?

A1. Citrix offers three levels of administrator certification: Associate, Professional, and Expert.

Q2. What is the difference between the three levels of certification?

A2. The Associate level focuses on fundamental concepts and tasks related to XenApp and XenDesktop 7.x technologies, while the Professional level focuses on advanced skills and best practices when working with XenApp and XenDesktop 7.x technologies. The Expert level covers advanced topics such as design, architecture, security and troubleshooting of XenApp and XenDesktop 7.x environments.

Q3. How long does it take to earn a Citrix Administrator Certification?

A3. It depends on the certification level you are pursuing; however, typically it takes about 6-12 months for an individual to complete all the required coursework and exams for a single certification track (Associate, Professional or Expert).

Q4. Is there a prerequisite for earning a Citrix Administrator Certification?

A4. Yes, individuals must have at least one year of experience in administering or supporting virtualized environments before attempting either an Associate or Professional level certification; two years’ experience is recommended before attempting an Expert level certification. Additionally, candidates must hold valid CCA-V or CCP-V credentials before attempting any higher-level certifications (Professional or Expert).

Q5. Are there any additional requirements that need to be met in order to maintain my Citrix Administrator Certification?

A5: Yes – once you have earned your certification(s), you must recertify every three years in order to maintain your credential(s). This can be done by taking one additional course/exam within that three year period or by earning points through various activities such as attending webinars, writing articles or blogging about Citrix technologies, etc..