The NetApp certification framework includes various certifications at different levels and on multiple tracks. The certification levels have Associated, Professional, Specialist, and Expert, and these can be pursued along three tracks, the Data Track, Hybrid Cloud Track, and Converged Infrastructure Track. If you want to scale your infrastructure, you need to get off local storage and employ some SAN or NAS equipment in your rack. It is become a necessity in the data center, especially with technologies like VMware taking off. There utilized to be a couple of hundred gigabytes in our data center, the data that we collect now demands hundreds of terabytes. For an excellent entry-level certification on storage, the NetApp Certified Data Administrator - ONTAP (NCDA) NS0-163 certification is at the top of the list.
There are other storage-centric certifications out there, but the NCDA is an excellent place to start. There are no prerequisites to obtain the NCDA, and you are not required to recertify every three years like other certs. Passing the NCDA exam indicates that you have a firm knowledge of NetApp's storage systems.
As an NCDA, you can comfortably travel NetApp's Data ONTAP operating system in either NFS or CIFS environments, configure storage controllers, disk shelves, fiber channel networking, building aggregates, volumes, etc. create LUNs. There are advanced certifications with NetApp, but first things first, get NCDA certified.
What Is NetApp NCDA NS0-163?
NetApp Certified Data Administrators use NetApp Storage appliances supported with the NetApp Data ONTAP operating system for data storage. Training and certification in NetApp enable persons with practical knowledge about data availability, data recovery, snapshots, and more.
By the time a student arrives for the NCDA NS0-163 examination after his or her training, he or she should be able to manage network-attached storage administration, SAN configuration, and NetApp working system with ease.
Who Should Do This NetApp NCDA NS0-163 Certification?
NetApp NCDA NS0-163 certification is best suited for professionals who need to perform high-level and thorough administrative functions. Similarly, professionals using enterprise solutions, namely NFS, CIFS, iSCSI protocols on a NetApp storage appliance, can also stimulate their career growth by adding this certification to their CVs.
Prerequisites Required for NetApp NCDA NS0-163 Certification
Candidates for NS0-163 NCDA certification should have at least six to 12 months of field experience implementing and administering NetApp data storage solutions in multiprotocol environments. Also, candidates taking the NetApp Certified Data Administrator, ONTAP exam should know how to implement HA controller configurations, SyncMirror software for rapid data recovery, or ONTAP solutions with either single- or multi-node designs.
Qualifications Required
One is expected to have essential information about NetApp products and storage fundamentals which keeps getting better and more profound. Like other certifications, you are not required to recertify after every three years. Passing the NCDA program determines that you are a well-trained NetApp professional with high employability quotient.
What Skills Do You Obtain?
So completing NetApp NCDA certification equips you with expertise in the following area:
-
Navigating NetApp’s Data ONTAP operating system in either NFS or CIFS environments
-
Configuring storage controllers, fiber -channel networking, and disk shelves
-
Building aggregates and volumes
-
Creating LUNs
NetApp NCDA Certification: Choose Wisely
There are so many storage-related certifications, and these exams are not inexpensive. While some companies offer to pay for the training and certification exam, others will not or cannot pay for it. Take the time to map out a plan for storage certifications that will best suit your current situation or the situation you want to be in. Give precedence to the certificates that are based on your current organization’s data center storage deployment.
Secondly, go after a NetApp NCDA certification that you would like but do not support currently. It is not a bad idea to keep building out your skillset even though you may not currently be supporting the technology. If you do not know which route to go, start with the vendor-neutral certifications and specialize in vendor-specific certificates.
Whichever path you choose, obtaining a new NetApp NCDA certification never hurts: make sure you have a plan and choose wisely.
Way Ahead with NetApp NCDA
NetApp NCDA training and certification opens many opportunities for employment in IT-oriented data management. But to grow and succeed in this domain, you might need to take up other advanced certifications in the future. But do get, NetApp NCDA is the foundation for everything else to follow.
Conclusion
The NS0-163 NCDA exam is an excellent NetApp platform used for validating the practical skillset of professionals related to core systems and cluster administration. Once cleared, the NetApp NCDA certification will be advantageous during the interviews and job searches.