Top 12 Cisco Engineer Skills to Put on Your Resume

As the demand for network infrastructure grows, so does the need for skilled Cisco engineers. To stand out in this competitive field, highlighting a diverse set of technical and soft skills on your resume is crucial for demonstrating your capability to design, implement, and manage Cisco-based systems effectively.

Cisco Engineer Skills

1. CCNA/CCNP
2. Routing Protocols
3. MPLS
4. BGP
5. OSPF
6. IPv4/IPv6
7. QoS
8. Cisco IOS
9. VPN Technologies
10. Network Security
11. Wireless Networking
12. Cisco ASA

1. CCNA/CCNP

CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is an entry-level certification for network engineers that validates the ability to install, configure, operate, and troubleshoot medium-size routed and switched networks.

CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) is an advanced certification that requires a deeper level of knowledge and experience. It validates the ability to plan, implement, verify, and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise networks and work collaboratively with specialists on advanced security, voice, wireless, and video solutions.

Why It's Important

CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) and CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) certifications are important for a Cisco Engineer because they validate the engineer's expertise in understanding, configuring, and troubleshooting Cisco networks and technologies, ensuring they meet industry standards for networking roles.

How to Improve CCNA/CCNP Skills

Improving your skills for CCNA/CCNP requires a focused approach combining theory, practical experience, and continuous learning. Here's a concise guide to enhancing your expertise as a Cisco Engineer:

1. Solidify Your Fundamentals: Ensure a strong grasp of networking basics. Cisco's official certification guides are excellent resources.

2. Practice, Practice, Practice: Get hands-on experience through labs. Use Cisco Packet Tracer or set up a home lab.

3. Stay Updated: Networking technology evolves rapidly. Follow Cisco Blogs and Cisco Learning Network for the latest trends and technologies.

4. Join Study Groups: Engaging with peers can offer new insights and tips. Look for CCNA/CCNP study groups on platforms like Reddit or the Cisco Learning Network Community.

5. Take Practice Exams: Regularly test your knowledge with practice exams. Websites like Boson offer realistic simulation exams.

6. Learn from Real-World Scenarios: Explore case studies and real-world applications of Cisco technologies. Cisco's case studies can be enlightening.

7. Attend Workshops and Webinars: Participate in Cisco's official workshops and webinars for deeper insights into specific topics.

8. Consider Additional Resources: Books like "CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide Library" and "CCNP and CCIE Enterprise Core ENCOR 350-401 Official Cert Guide" are invaluable.

9. Utilize Online Courses: Platforms like Udemy and Pluralsight offer comprehensive courses for both CCNA and CCNP.

By following these steps and dedicating yourself to continuous improvement, you'll be well-equipped to advance your career as a Cisco Engineer.

How to Display CCNA/CCNP Skills on Your Resume

2. Routing Protocols

Routing protocols are algorithms used by routers to communicate among themselves to determine the best paths for data packets to travel across a network, enabling efficient and dynamic route calculations. For a Cisco engineer, these protocols facilitate the design, implementation, and troubleshooting of network topologies, ensuring optimal connectivity and performance. Examples include OSPF, EIGRP, and BGP.

Why It's Important

Routing protocols are essential for a Cisco Engineer as they automate the process of route discovery and selection, ensuring optimal path selection and efficient data transmission across complex networks. This contributes to network scalability, reliability, and performance.

How to Improve Routing Protocols Skills

Improving routing protocols involves optimizing performance, enhancing security, and ensuring scalability and reliability. For a Cisco engineer, here are concise strategies:

1. Update and Patch: Regularly update Cisco IOS to patch vulnerabilities and enhance protocol functionality. Cisco Software Central.

2. Optimize Convergence: Use Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) for faster convergence and tune timers appropriately. BFD on Cisco.

3. Enhance Security: Implement routing protocol authentication (e.g., MD5 for OSPF, EIGRP) to protect against unauthorized route announcements. Routing Protocol Authentication.

4. Traffic Engineering: Use tools like Policy-Based Routing (PBR) for more granular traffic control. Policy-Based Routing.

5. Network Redundancy: Implement redundancy protocols like HSRP or VRRP to ensure high availability. HSRP Configuration.

6. Fine-Tune Metrics: Adjust route metrics to influence path selection, facilitating load balancing and avoiding congestion. EIGRP Metric Tuning.

7. Scalability: Use route summarization and filtering to manage routing table size and complexity. Route Summarization.

8. Monitor and Analyze: Leverage SNMP and NetFlow for real-time monitoring and capacity planning. NetFlow Configuration.

By focusing on these areas, a Cisco engineer can significantly improve the efficiency, security, and reliability of routing protocols within their network.

How to Display Routing Protocols Skills on Your Resume

3. MPLS

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is a data-carrying technique for high-performance telecommunications networks that directs data from one network node to the next based on short path labels rather than long network addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a routing table and speeding up traffic flow. It supports a range of access technologies, enabling integrated data, voice, and video services over a single infrastructure. Cisco engineers often implement and manage MPLS to optimize network efficiency and facilitate scalable virtual private networks (VPNs), traffic engineering, and quality of service (QoS).

Why It's Important

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) is important because it enhances network efficiency and scalability, allowing for high-performance traffic management and prioritization, which is crucial for supporting diverse services and applications in large-scale networks.

How to Improve MPLS Skills

To improve MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) performance and reliability in a Cisco network environment, consider the following concise strategies:

1. Optimize the IGP: Ensure that the Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP) such as OSPF or IS-IS, used for MPLS label distribution, is properly optimized for fast convergence and scalability. Cisco IGP Optimization Guide.

2. MPLS Traffic Engineering (TE): Implement MPLS TE to manage and optimize the flow of traffic within the network, ensuring efficient use of bandwidth and improving overall network performance. Cisco MPLS TE Configuration.

3. Quality of Service (QoS): Apply QoS policies to prioritize critical traffic and ensure bandwidth allocation aligns with business priorities, enhancing the performance of MPLS VPNs. Cisco MPLS QoS Guidelines.

4. Layer 3 VPNs: Utilize MPLS Layer 3 VPNs for scalable IP VPN services, segregating customer traffic and improving security. Cisco L3VPN Configuration.

5. Regular Network Audits: Conduct regular network performance and security audits to identify and rectify potential issues before they impact MPLS performance. Cisco Network Audit Tools.

6. Update and Patching: Keep all Cisco devices updated with the latest firmware and software patches to address known vulnerabilities and performance issues. Cisco Software Central.

By focusing on these areas, a Cisco Engineer can significantly improve the performance, reliability, and security of an MPLS network.

How to Display MPLS Skills on Your Resume

4. BGP

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is a standardized exterior gateway protocol designed to exchange routing and reachability information among autonomous systems (AS) on the Internet, crucial for maintaining efficient network paths and data flow.

Why It's Important

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is crucial for Cisco Engineers as it enables the efficient routing of data across the internet by managing paths between autonomous systems (ASes), ensuring global connectivity and network stability.

How to Improve BGP Skills

To improve BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) performance and security, a Cisco Engineer can focus on several key areas:

1. Optimization:

   • Route Filtering: Use route filtering to manage which routes are advertised or received, reducing unnecessary BGP updates and improving efficiency. Cisco - BGP Route Filtering
   • Route Aggregation: Aggregate routes to minimize the number of routes advertised, reducing resource consumption. Cisco - BGP Route Aggregation

2. Security:

   • BGP Route Authentication: Implement MD5 authentication for BGP sessions to prevent unauthorized route announcements. Cisco - BGP Authentication
   • Route Filtering and Policies: Enforce strict route filtering policies to prevent route hijacking and leaks. Cisco - BGP Best Practices

3. Performance Tuning:

   • BGP Timers Tuning: Adjust BGP keepalive and hold-down timers for optimal performance and faster convergence. Cisco - BGP Timers
   • Route Reflector Configuration: Use route reflectors to reduce the number of BGP sessions in a large network, improving scalability. Cisco - BGP Route Reflectors

4. Monitoring and Maintenance:

   • BGP Logging and Monitoring: Enable BGP logging and use monitoring tools to track the health and performance of BGP sessions. Cisco - BGP Monitoring and Troubleshooting
   • Regular Updates and Patching: Keep the router's firmware and BGP implementation up to date to address known vulnerabilities and performance issues. Cisco Software Download

By focusing on these areas, a Cisco Engineer can significantly improve the performance, security, and reliability of BGP on their network.

How to Display BGP Skills on Your Resume

5. OSPF

OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) is a link-state routing protocol used for finding the best path between source and destination within an IP network. It utilizes the Dijkstra algorithm to compute the shortest path. In a Cisco environment, OSPF is widely implemented for its efficiency, scalability, and fast convergence in routing decisions across diverse and large IP internetworks.

Why It's Important

OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) is crucial for a Cisco Engineer because it enables efficient, scalable network routing within large and complex IP networks, ensuring optimal data paths, load balancing, and network redundancy, essential for maintaining high network performance and reliability.

How to Improve OSPF Skills

To improve OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) performance and reliability on Cisco routers, follow these concise strategies:

1. Optimize SPF Timers: Adjust the SPF algorithm's timers (spf schedule interval) to balance between convergence speed and system resource usage. Cisco Guide on OSPF

2. Use Hierarchical Design: Implement a multi-area OSPF design to reduce the size of the routing table and limit the scope of LSA flooding. Cisco OSPF Design Guide

3. Summarization: Configure route summarization on area border routers (ABRs) and autonomous system boundary routers (ASBRs) to decrease the number of routes. Route Summarization in OSPF

4. Tune LSA Throttling: Adjust LSA throttling (timers throttle lsa) to optimize the generation, reception, and propagation of LSAs, improving OSPF stability during topology changes. LSA Throttling

5. Enable BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection): Implement BFD for fast failure detection, enhancing OSPF's ability to quickly react to link failures. BFD for OSPF

6. Limit OSPF Processes: Use the minimum necessary number of OSPF processes and ensure proper segmentation to optimize performance and resource utilization.

7. Optimize OSPF Network Types: Choose the appropriate OSPF network type (e.g., broadcast, non-broadcast, point-to-point) to match your network topology and requirements, optimizing OSPF operation and neighbor relationships. OSPF Network Types

Implementing these strategies can significantly enhance the performance, efficiency, and reliability of OSPF on Cisco networks.

How to Display OSPF Skills on Your Resume

6. IPv4/IPv6

IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) is the fourth version of the Internet Protocol (IP), which uses a 32-bit address scheme allowing for a total of approximately 4.3 billion unique addresses. It is the most widely deployed IP used to identify devices on a network.

IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the successor to IPv4, designed to address the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses. It uses a 128-bit address scheme, allowing for an almost limitless number of unique addresses. IPv6 supports advanced features including improved routing and autoconfiguration capabilities.

Why It's Important

IPv4/IPv6 is crucial for a Cisco Engineer as they enable global internet connectivity and communication across diverse devices and networks, ensuring interoperability, scalability, and the future growth of digital infrastructure.

How to Improve IPv4/IPv6 Skills

Improving IPv4/IPv6 performance and security can be crucial for network efficiency and safety. Here are concise strategies tailored for a Cisco Engineer:

1. Enable IPv6 on Cisco Devices: Ensure your devices are IPv6 ready. Use Cisco's guide to enable IPv6 here.

2. Implement Security Policies: Apply ACLs (Access Control Lists) for both IPv4 and IPv6 to manage and filter traffic effectively. Cisco's best practices for ACLs can be found here.

3. Optimize Routing: Use the most efficient routing protocols that support both IPv4 and IPv6. OSPFv3 for IPv6 is a good start. Cisco offers a comprehensive guide here.

4. Dual-Stack Operation: Operate IPv4 and IPv6 in parallel to ensure smooth transition and interoperability. Cisco's dual-stack configuration guide is available here.

5. Quality of Service (QoS): Prioritize critical services to ensure network performance and reliability. Cisco's QoS guide for both IPv4 and IPv6 is insightful here.

6. Network Address Translation (NAT): Use NAT64 for translating IPv6 addresses to IPv4 addresses and vice versa, facilitating communication between IPv4 and IPv6 networks. Learn more about Cisco's NAT64 here.

7. Monitor and Manage Network Performance: Utilize Cisco's network management tools like Cisco Prime Infrastructure for real-time monitoring and management. Discover more here.

8. Regular Updates and Patches: Keep your Cisco devices updated to protect against vulnerabilities, especially those affecting IP protocols. Cisco's Software Central provides the necessary resources here.

9. Educate and Train Staff: Ensure your team is up-to-date with the latest IPv6 developments and Cisco configurations through Cisco's training and certifications here.

By focusing on these areas, a Cisco Engineer can significantly enhance the performance and security of IPv4/IPv6 networks.

How to Display IPv4/IPv6 Skills on Your Resume

7. QoS

QoS (Quality of Service) is a network mechanism that prioritizes and manages data traffic to reduce packet loss, latency, and jitter, ensuring optimal performance for critical applications.

Why It's Important

QoS (Quality of Service) is crucial for prioritizing network traffic, ensuring bandwidth allocation, reducing latency, and improving overall network performance, essential for critical applications and services.

How to Improve QoS Skills

Improving Quality of Service (QoS) on a Cisco network involves several steps aimed at prioritizing and managing network traffic to ensure the efficient operation of critical applications and services. Here's a concise guide:

1. Identify Traffic: Use Cisco's Network-Based Application Recognition (NBAR) to classify and monitor network traffic types. NBAR Overview.

2. Create Traffic Policies: Develop QoS policies using Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ) and Low Latency Queuing (LLQ) to prioritize critical traffic. Configuring CBWFQ and LLQ.

3. Implement QoS: Apply QoS policies on interfaces using the Modular Quality of Service Command-Line Interface (MQC). This involves defining class-maps, policy-maps, and applying them to interfaces. MQC Guide.

4. Configure Congestion Management and Avoidance: Use techniques like Traffic Shaping, Traffic Policing, and Active Queue Management mechanisms like Random Early Detection (RED) to manage congestion. Congestion Management and Avoidance.

5. Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor network performance and QoS metrics using tools like Cisco Prime Infrastructure and adjust policies as necessary to improve QoS. Cisco Prime Infrastructure.

Remember, the effectiveness of QoS depends on the thorough understanding of network traffic patterns and the careful application of policies tailored to your specific network requirements.

How to Display QoS Skills on Your Resume

8. Cisco IOS

Cisco IOS (Internetwork Operating System) is the software used on the majority of Cisco enterprise network devices for network routing, switching, internetworking, and telecommunications functions.

Why It's Important

Cisco IOS (Internetwork Operating System) is crucial for a Cisco Engineer because it is the core software that powers Cisco network devices, enabling the configuration, operation, and management of network infrastructure, thus ensuring efficient network performance, security, and connectivity.

How to Improve Cisco IOS Skills

Improving the performance and security of Cisco IOS involves several strategies. Here’s a concise guide tailored for a Cisco Engineer:

1. Update and Upgrade: Regularly update your IOS to the latest version for new features and security patches.

2. Configuration Optimization: Optimize configurations for performance and security. Use Cisco’s Configuration Professional for guided setup and optimization.

3. Network Monitoring and Management: Implement Cisco’s Network Management Solutions to monitor network performance and identify areas for improvement.

4. Security Enhancement: Regularly update ACLs, employ SSH for remote management, and use Cisco’s Security Advisories to stay informed on vulnerabilities.

5. Performance Tuning: Use Quality of Service (QoS) for traffic prioritization. Cisco’s QoS Basics guide provides an excellent starting point.

6. Educate Yourself: Stay informed on best practices and new features by visiting Cisco Learning Network.

Remember, a proactive approach to system updates, configuration management, and continuous learning are key to improving Cisco IOS.

How to Display Cisco IOS Skills on Your Resume

9. VPN Technologies

VPN Technologies enable secure, encrypted connections across a public network, such as the internet, to provide remote access or connect multiple sites. For a Cisco Engineer, this involves configuring and managing Cisco devices using protocols like IPSec and SSL to establish these secure tunnels, ensuring data privacy and integrity between endpoints.

Why It's Important

VPN technologies are important for a Cisco Engineer because they enable secure, encrypted connections over the internet or other untrusted networks, facilitating safe data transmission and remote access for users and sites, essential for maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability in diverse networking environments.

How to Improve VPN Technologies Skills

To improve VPN technologies as a Cisco Engineer, focus on the following areas:

1. Optimize Performance: Enhance VPN throughput and reduce latency by adjusting encryption methods and optimizing network configurations. Cisco's Performance Routing (PfR) can dynamically select the best paths for your VPN traffic.

2. Increase Security: Regularly update VPN protocols to more secure versions and use strong encryption standards. Cisco's FlexVPN offers a versatile, secure, and scalable VPN solution that supports the latest encryption standards.

3. Enhance Scalability: Implement cloud-based VPN solutions for scalability. Cisco's Cloud Services Router 1000V provides cloud-based network services optimization.

4. Ensure Reliability: Use redundant VPN connections and automatic failover mechanisms. Cisco's High Availability solutions like IP SLA can help in configuring automatic failover for VPN connections.

5. Improve User Experience: Integrate Quality of Service (QoS) policies to prioritize critical VPN traffic. Reference Cisco's QoS Configuration Guide for setting up QoS for VPNs.

6. Automate VPN Management: Utilize tools like Cisco's DNA Center for automated VPN deployment, management, and monitoring, reducing manual configuration errors and saving time.

7. Stay Updated: Regularly check Cisco's VPN Technologies documentation and Cisco Community forums for the latest updates, best practices, and troubleshooting tips.

By focusing on these areas, you can significantly improve the performance, security, scalability, and reliability of VPN technologies in your network.

How to Display VPN Technologies Skills on Your Resume

10. Network Security

Network security encompasses policies, practices, and technologies designed to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility of computer networks and data from unauthorized access, attacks, or damage. For a Cisco Engineer, it involves configuring and managing Cisco devices and solutions to safeguard the network infrastructure.

Why It's Important

Network security is crucial for protecting data integrity, confidentiality, and availability from cyber threats, ensuring reliable and secure communication and operations within an organization's infrastructure, a fundamental responsibility for a Cisco Engineer to maintain network integrity and business continuity.

How to Improve Network Security Skills

Improving network security, especially from a Cisco Engineer's perspective, involves a combination of robust practices, cutting-edge technologies, and continuous education. Here's a concise guide:

1. Update and Patch: Regularly update and patch Cisco devices and software to protect against vulnerabilities. Cisco Security Advisories provide the latest information.

2. Secure Configuration: Implement secure configurations for all Cisco devices following the Cisco Guide to Harden Cisco IOS Devices.

3. Network Segmentation: Utilize VLANs and firewall rules to segment the network, limiting the spread of attacks. Cisco's VLAN Configuration Guide is a great resource.

4. Access Control: Employ strong, multifactor authentication and authorization practices. Explore Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for comprehensive access control.

5. Encryption: Use VPNs and other encryption methods to protect data in transit. Cisco's VPN Configuration Guide offers detailed instructions.

6. Intrusion Prevention: Deploy Cisco Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) to detect and prevent attacks. Learn more through the Cisco IPS Solution Guide.

7. Regular Audits and Monitoring: Conduct regular security audits and continuous monitoring using tools like Cisco Stealthwatch for network behavior analytics.

8. Education and Training: Stay informed about the latest security threats and solutions. Cisco's Security Training and Certification programs can be invaluable.

By integrating these strategies, a Cisco Engineer can significantly enhance the security posture of their network infrastructure.

How to Display Network Security Skills on Your Resume

11. Wireless Networking

Wireless networking involves connecting devices without physical cables, using radio frequency (RF) technology for communication, enabling flexible, mobile connectivity. In a Cisco context, it encompasses designing, implementing, and managing Cisco wireless networks to ensure secure, reliable, and efficient data transmission.

Why It's Important

Wireless networking is crucial for enabling flexible, scalable, and accessible connectivity solutions. For a Cisco Engineer, it facilitates the design and implementation of networks that support seamless mobility, IoT integration, and the ever-growing demand for bandwidth, ensuring efficient, secure, and uninterrupted communication across various devices and platforms.

How to Improve Wireless Networking Skills

To enhance Wireless Networking as a Cisco Engineer, consider the following concise strategies:

1. Conduct a Site Survey: Use Cisco's site survey guidelines to understand your environment's unique demands, ensuring optimal AP placement for maximum coverage and performance.

2. Optimize Radio Frequencies (RF): Use tools like Cisco CleanAir to detect and mitigate RF interference, enhancing wireless network reliability and performance.

3. Implement Quality of Service (QoS): Follow Cisco's QoS best practices to prioritize critical data and ensure bandwidth is efficiently utilized, reducing latency and improving user experience.

4. Secure Your Network: Apply Cisco's wireless security recommendations to protect against threats, including robust encryption, authentication, and regular firmware updates.

5. Regularly Update Firmware and Software: Ensure your devices are running the latest Cisco software to benefit from performance improvements, new features, and security patches.

6. Utilize Cisco DNA Center: Leverage Cisco DNA Center for centralized management, automating configurations, and gaining insights into network performance and user behavior.

7. Engage with the Cisco Community: Join the Cisco Community forums to share experiences, ask questions, and learn best practices from other networking professionals.

Focusing on these areas will help you improve your wireless network's performance, reliability, and security.

How to Display Wireless Networking Skills on Your Resume

12. Cisco ASA

Cisco ASA (Adaptive Security Appliance) is a security device that combines firewall, antivirus, intrusion prevention, and virtual private network (VPN) capabilities to protect networks and data from cyber threats.

Why It's Important

The Cisco ASA (Adaptive Security Appliance) is crucial for Cisco Engineers as it provides a comprehensive security solution, integrating firewall, antivirus, intrusion prevention, and VPN capabilities, essential for protecting network infrastructure and ensuring secure access and data integrity.

How to Improve Cisco ASA Skills

Improving a Cisco ASA's performance and security involves several steps, tailored to enhance its functionality, security, and efficiency. Here's a concise guide:

1. Update Firmware: Regularly update ASA firmware to patch vulnerabilities and improve features. Cisco provides firmware updates with instructions.

2. Optimize Configuration: Review and optimize configurations for performance. Use Cisco's Configuration Guides to ensure best practices.

3. Enable Threat Detection: Configure threat detection features to identify and mitigate attacks. Cisco's Threat Detection Guide provides detailed instructions.

4. Implement Access Control: Tighten security by implementing granular access control policies. The Access Control Policies Guide offers comprehensive steps.

5. Regular Auditing: Perform regular audits of the ASA configuration and logs to identify anomalies. Cisco's ASA Logging Guide can assist in understanding and configuring logging.

6. Network Segmentation: Use VLANs and security levels to segment the network, enhancing security and performance. Cisco’s Network Segmentation Guide provides insights into effective segmentation.

7. VPN Optimization: If using VPNs, optimize their performance and security settings. The VPN Performance and Configuration Guide details best practices.

8. Enable Logging and Monitoring: For troubleshooting and security, enable and configure logging and monitoring. Cisco's Monitoring Guide outlines how to set up and interpret logs.

9. Use Security Services: Integrate Cisco security services like FirePOWER for advanced threat protection. The FirePOWER Services Guide explains the integration process.

10. Training and Certification: Stay updated with the latest ASA technologies and best practices through Cisco's training and certification programs.

By following these steps and utilizing Cisco's extensive resources, you can significantly improve the performance, security, and efficiency of your Cisco ASA.

How to Display Cisco ASA Skills on Your Resume