3/13/2002 -- Cisco Press announced today that Cisco's certification program has replaced CCNA exam #640-507 with a new version, #640-607, which features hands-on simulation questions.

"With this new exam, Cisco has introduced performance-based testing elements that will measure a candidate's ability to accomplish certain tasks in a time-critical setting," Cisco Press said in a press release sent out this morning. "Cisco Systems' goal is not to make the exams more difficult, but rather to present a testing environment that assesses both a candidate's practical and theoretical mastery of CCNA objectives."

The new CCNA exam still includes multiple-choice questions, but also features interactive questions which will "require cut-and-paste solutions, IP addressing input, and networking simulation comprehension," the release said. Cisco Press also said that although Cisco hasn't changed the objectives for the exam, the entire multiple-choice question pool has been replaced.

Although the press release sent yesterday said that the new version would immediately replace the old version, there does appear to be an exception: Cisco told CertCities.com today that anyone who registered for the CCNA of the exam before March 12 will still take the 507 version that they originally registered for, as long as the actual exam date is before April 23. Any new registrations for the CCNA will be for version 607, however.

Aside from Cisco's CCIE exam, which takes place in an actual lab, this new CCNA exam is the company's first to include hands-on questions. In an e-mail sent to Cisco certification candidates, the company expressed its intention of adding such interactive elements to its other exams.

In conjunction with the announcement, Cisco Press said it has released two new self-study titles, to replace its crop of 640-507 books:

• Cisco CCNA Exam #640-607 Certification Guide
• Cisco CCNA Exam #640-607 Flash Card Practice Kit

A special bundle of preparation material will be available from Cisco Press in April.

CCNA, which stands for Cisco Certified Network Associate, is Cisco System's most popular entry-level certification, and requires passing one exam. The CCNA exam's last major update came in November 1999, when #640-507 was released.

Current title holders won't have to take the new exam to retain their certifications. Cisco has a policy of keeping the CCNA credential valid for three years from the time a title holder obtains it.

More information about the new exam, including a demo of the new interactive elements, can be found on Cisco's Web site (here and here).

We will continue to update this story as more details become available. Those looking for more information may also want to attend a chat about the new exam scheduled for March 27 at 4 p.m. on TCPMag.com, in which trainer Andy Barkle will answer your questions. More information on this chat can be found here. -B.N.

What's your take on this story? Post your comments below!