Important updates to the Nokia Network Routing Specialist II (NRS II) and Service Routing Architect (SRA) certifications

Effective April 1st, 2021 – The Nokia Service Routing Certification (SRC) Program transformation continues with updates coming to the Nokia Network Routing Specialist II (NRS II) and Service Routing Architect (SRA) certifications.

NRS II Certification Requirements Updates

There are two key changes to the NRS II Certification requirements: 

1. The Nokia Interior Routing Protocols exam (4A0-101) and course (3FL30633AAAAZZZZA) will be retired on March 31, 2021. Effective April 1, 2021, program participants will have the option to select either the IS-IS Routing Protocol exam (4A0-112) and the recommended course (OP00060-V-2010) or the OSPF Routing Protocol exam (4A0-113) and the recommended course (OP00061-V-2010). 
2. A new mandatory exam and recommended course, the Nokia Border Gateway Protocol Fundamentals for Services exam (4A0-114), and course (OP00059-V-2010) will be added to the NRS II Certification requirements and curriculum on April 1st, 2021. 

In addition to the NRS II Certification requirements, there will be major release updates to both the Nokia Multiprotocol Label Switching exam (4A0-103) and course (3FL30635AAAAZZZZA) as well as the Nokia Services Architecture exam (4A0-104) and course (3FL30636AAAAZZZZA). The updated exams and courses will be available on April 1, 2021. 

See figure 1 for the NRS II Certification requirements effective April 1, 2021. 
 

Finally, given the scope of the changes to the NRS II curriculum and certification requirements, the Network Routing Specialist II (NRS II) Self-Study Guide will be retired.    
 

Figure 1 - a comparison of the current NRS II Certification requirements and the new requirements as of April 1, 2021

SRA Certification Requirement Updates   

The following updates will be made to the SRA Certification requirements effective April 1st, 2021: 

• The Nokia NRS II lab exam (NRSII4A0) will no longer be a requirement for the SRA Certification
• The following exams have been removed as elective options for the SRA.  These exams and related courses are included in the Cloud Packet Core Expert Certification. 
  • Nokia Mobile Gateways exam (4A0-M02)
  • Nokia Mobility Manager exam (4A0-M03)
  • Nokia Cloud Packet Core exam (4A0-M05)
• The Nokia Border Gateway Protocol exam (4A0-102) and course (3FL30634AAAAZZZZA) will be renamed to the Nokia Border Gateway Protocol for Internet Routing.  No changes to the exam, course number, or content.  

See figure 2 for the SRA Certification requirements effective April 1, 2021. 

Figure 2 - a comparison of the current SRA Certification requirements and the new requirements as of April 1, 2021 

What does this mean for you?

The impact of these program changes on your SRC program activity is explained below:

I am currently working toward my NRS II Certification.  What happens if I don’t become certified by March 31st, 2021?

To begin, you will not lose credit for any exams that you have already passed, including the Nokia Interior Routing Protocols exam (4A0-101).  If you have already passed this exam, it will be eligible for the NRS II Certification and you will not be required to take the IS-IS Routing Protocol exam (4A0-112) or OSPF Routing Protocol exam (4A0-113).

If you don’t become certified by March 31st, 2021, you will be required to:
 

1. Pass the new Nokia Border Gateway Protocol Fundamentals for Services exam (4A0-114) that will be added to the NRS II Certification.  
2. Pass the updated versions of the following three exams when they are made available:     
   1. Nokia IS-IS Routing Protocol exam (4A0-112) or Nokia OSPF Routing Protocol exam 4A0-113) -  you do not need to pass this exam if you have already passed the Nokia Interior Routing Protocols exam (4A0-101).
   2. Nokia Multiprotocol Label Switching exam (4A0-103) - you do not need to retake if you already passed this exam before April 1st, 2021
   3. Nokia Services Architecture exam (4A0-104) - you do not need to retake if you already passed this exam before April 1st, 2021
   4. Nokia NRS II Lab exam (NRSII4A0)
3. Note – to prepare for the updated versions of these exams, you can either attend a course or purchase the course materials for self-study starting as of April 1, 2021

I am currently working toward my SRA Certification.  What happens if I don’t become certified by March 31st, 2021?

To begin, you will not lose credit for any exams that you have already passed, including the Nokia Interior Routing Protocols exam (4A0-101).  If you have already passed this exam, it will be eligible for the SRA Certification and you will not be required to take the IS-IS Routing Protocol exam (4A0-112) or OSPF Routing Protocol exam (4A0-113).

If you have not successfully completed the following exams by March 31st, 2021, the updated versions of these two exams will be available. Therefore, you may need to prepare for these exams by attending the updated versions of these courses or by purchasing the updated course materials:

• Nokia Multiprotocol Label Switching exam (4A0-103)
• Nokia Services Architecture exam (4A0-104)

Note - the Nokia Border Gateway Protocol exam (4A0-102) will be renamed to the Nokia Border Gateway Protocol for Internet Routing but there are no changes to the exam.  

If you become certified after March 31st, 2021, you will not be required to pass the NRS II lab exam (NRSII4A0) that will be removed from the certification requirements on March. 31st, 2021.

I am currently planning to become NRS II certified.  Should I wait for the new version to release?

You don’t need to wait until the new version is released.  Any NRS II exam requirement that is met by March 31st, 2021, will count towards your NRS II certification progress. However, if you don’t obtain the NRS II certification by March 31st, 2021, you will need to meet the revised NRS II certification requirements that go into effect April 1st, 2021.  Please note, the existing exams in the NRS II certification (MPLS, Services Architecture, and the NRS II lab exam) will be updated effective April 1st, 2021. So, if you were not successful with these exams by March 31st, 2021, you will need to be prepared to write the updated versions of these exams. 

I am currently planning to become SRA certified.  Should I wait for the new version to release?

You don’t need to wait until the new version is released and you can continue taking exams now since all the current mandatory exams will remain eligible for the certification except the three elective exams that will be removed on April 1st, 2021:
 

• Nokia Mobile Gateways exam (4A0-M02)
• Nokia Mobility Manager exam (4A0-M03)
• Nokia Cloud Packet Core exam (4A0-M05)

You will want to be sure that you are preparing for the correct version of the exams as the Nokia Multiprotocol Label Switching (4A0-103) and the Nokia Services Architecture (4A0-104) exams will be updated on April 1st, 2021.  
 

If you have not already passed the Nokia Interior Routing Protocols exam (4A0-101) by March 31st, 2021, you will need to select either the IS-IS Routing Protocol exam (4A0-112) or the OSPF Routing Protocol exam (4A0-113).
 

On March 31st, 2021 you will no longer be required to pass the NRS II lab exam as part of the SRA Certification.

I am NRS II or SRA certified, but my certification will be expiring or terminating before April 1st, 2021

It is always best to recertify as soon as you can to avoid any risk of your certification expiring and eventually terminating (6 months after expiration).  Please review the current recertification requirements to understand how you can recertify before updates take effect on April 1st, 2021.  On April 1st, 2021 you will no longer be able to recertify by passing an exam that has been removed from the certification. 

I am NRS II or SRA certified, but my certification will be expiring or terminating after March 31st, 2021

The recertification rules will remain the same but the eligible exams will be changing with updated certification requirements.  The new requirements as of April 1st, 2021 are as follows:
 

I would like to become NRS II Certified on the latest version.  When will the new courses and exams become available?

To become NRS II certified on the new version, you will need to wait until April 1st, 2021 before you can attend training or get access to the updated course materials for self-study.  The updated exams will also only be available to take on April 1st, 2021.

I am eligible to take the NRS II lab exam but I’m unable to schedule the exam due to Nokia facility closures related to COVID-19.  How can I schedule my exam?

Currently, lab exams are on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions except for Shanghai, China.  We are monitoring the situation very closely and we will be providing an update before the end of 2020 with available options.
 

Is it still worthwhile to use an NRS II Self-Study Guide to prepare for the NRS II Certification?

Yes. It is still worthwhile to use the NRS II Self-Study Guide if you intend to write any of the current NRS II exams before they are updated on April 1st, 2021.

When the NRS II Self-Study Guide is retired on March 31st, 2021, candidates will be able to purchase the individual course materials for each recommended course to prepare for each exam. The updated course materials for each course will be available on April 1st, 2021.

What happens if I’ve prepared for the Nokia Multiprotocol Label Switching (4A0-103) or the Nokia Services Architecture exam (4A0-104) before April 1st, 2021, but I plan to take the exam on or after April 1st, 2021?

If you have not successfully completed these exams by March 31st, 2021, the updated versions of these two exams will be available. Therefore, you may need to prepare for these exams by attending the updated versions of these courses or by purchasing the updated course materials.
 

I have passed or I am planning to take the Nokia Mobile Gateways exam (4A0-M02), Nokia Mobility Manager (4A0-M03), or Nokia Cloud Packet Core (4A0-M05) before April 1st, 2021.  Will this exam still be eligible for the SRA Certification elective exam requirement?

Yes.  If you pass either of these exams before March 31st, 2021 when they are removed as an option for the SRA elective, they will be eligible for the certification. If you pass one of these exams after March 30th, 2021 they will no longer be eligible but they will still apply toward the Nokia Cloud Packet Core Expert Certification.

I am currently planning to become SRA Certified before March 31, 2021.  Will I be required to pass the NRS II lab exam and the SRA lab exam?

Yes, you will be required to pass both exams.  However, if you wait until March 31st then you will not be required to pass the NRS II lab exam.