As enterprise communication moves beyond voice to encompass functions such as video, the tech needs of organisations are evolving. According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index, internet video will make up 55 percent of all consumer internet traffic by 2016. In response to the growing video-over-IP network job role, Cisco has introduced two new certifications relating to the medium.

The Cisco Video Network Specialist program is aimed at traditional analogue audio-visual professionals looking to expand their skill set into a networked environment. As video-over-IP becomes a more central part of the A/V pro’s role, knowledge of installing, operating and supporting networked video solutions will be necessary. The certification will teach candidates to deploy video endpoints, set up new users and operate video networks.

The Cisco Certified Network Associate Video Certification (CCNA Video) focuses on similar skills for A/V pros, while also helping voice and networking professionals become more familiar with video networking. It also validates existing knowledge of the architectures and components underlying networking in a general unified communications context.

“Cisco’s establishment of the medianet concept as a platform for integrating video and other rich-media collaboration technologies represents an opportunity for all Cisco partners and customers to implement networked video solutions to meet escalating rich-media demands and rapidly growing content volume,” said Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, vice president and general manager at Learning@Cisco.

Managed services blogger The VAR Guy noted that the introduction of these certifications comes in the wake of other efforts to bring together IT and A/V professionals.

“The VAR Guy is intrigued mainly because the worlds of Pro A/V and corporate IT continue to converge,” he wrote.

As these two components of organisations’ tech infrastructure come together, IT executives may want to consider how they are supporting A/V needs such as video conferencing, as well as other unified communications functions. Working with certified professionals and experienced Cisco partners will help organisations manage the implementation of more video networking services.

  ')}