Cisco’s former DevNet Associate was rebranded as CCNA Automation in 2026, using the 200-901 CCNAAUTO exam. The current Cisco associate-level track should be compared with Juniper’s JNCIA-DevOps on their present objectives and actual tools, not only the historic DevNet label. Cisco’s current 200-901 assessment includes software design, APIs, application deployment and Cisco-platform automation.
The most meaningful difficulty comparison is applied capability. A candidate comfortable with Python but unfamiliar with Junos automation will face a different learning curve from an experienced Juniper operator learning API fundamentals. Use hands-on tasks such as collecting structured interface state, filtering data, validating a change and handling authentication failures to discover the actual gap.
The networking and automation certification landscape has expanded considerably over the past several years, with vendors recognizing that modern network professionals need programming and automation skills alongside traditional routing and switching knowledge. Cisco and Juniper have both responded to this shift by developing certification tracks specifically designed for network engineers moving into automation and DevOps roles. Cisco’s DevNet certification program and Juniper’s JNCIA-DevOps credential represent each company’s answer to the question of how to validate these emerging skills, and comparing the two reveals meaningful differences in scope, philosophy, and difficulty.
For professionals deciding where to invest their study time and certification budget, the choice between these two credentials is not simply a matter of brand preference. Each certification reflects its sponsoring company’s particular approach to network automation, its assumptions about the skills a candidate should already possess, and its view of what competencies a certified professional should be able to demonstrate. Understanding these differences in depth is the most reliable way to make an informed decision about which certification makes more sense as the next step in a given professional’s career development.
Cisco DevNet Program Overview
Cisco’s current Automation certification portfolio is a comprehensive multi-tier track that spans from associate level through professional and expert designations. The entry point, CCNA Automation, is designed to validate foundational knowledge of software development practices, APIs, infrastructure automation, and Cisco platforms. Above that sits the CCNP Automation certification, which demands significantly deeper knowledge across a broader range of automation domains. At the top of the stack sits the CCIE Automation, one of the most demanding certifications in the entire networking industry.
What makes the DevNet program distinctive is its breadth. Cisco has built its DevNet curriculum around a wide range of technologies and platforms, covering not just network automation but also application development, security automation, cloud-native development, and collaboration platform development. The program is designed to reflect the diversity of roles that exist within organizations that build on top of Cisco infrastructure, and this breadth means that candidates must engage with a genuinely wide range of technical domains to earn the credential. For professionals coming from pure networking backgrounds, this breadth can be both an exciting expansion of knowledge and a formidable challenge.
Juniper’s JNCIA-DevOps certification sits within the company’s associate-level certification tier and is specifically designed to validate knowledge of automation tools, DevOps practices, and programmability concepts as they apply to Juniper environments. The credential is part of Juniper’s broader automation and DevOps track, which also includes higher-level specialist and professional designations for those who wish to pursue deeper validation of their automation skills. The JNCIA-DevOps is positioned as an entry point for network professionals who want to formalize their knowledge of modern automation approaches in Juniper environments.
The certification reflects Juniper’s philosophy that network automation should be approachable for engineers who already understand networking deeply and are adding programming and automation skills to their existing repertoire. The curriculum focuses on practical tools and concepts that are directly applicable to managing and automating Juniper infrastructure, including Junos automation interfaces, Python scripting, Ansible for network automation, and the principles of DevOps as applied in networking contexts. This focused approach makes the credential immediately relevant to professionals working in Juniper environments while also covering vendor-neutral automation concepts that have broader applicability.
Technical Depth Requirements Differ
One of the most meaningful differences between these two certifications lies in the depth of technical knowledge required to pass. The former Cisco DevNet Associate curriculum and the current CCNA Automation assessment expect candidates to be able to write and understand actual code, not just describe programming concepts in abstract terms. Candidates need to demonstrate practical familiarity with Python, understand how to interact with REST APIs, work with data formats like JSON and XML, and apply version control practices using tools like Git. This expectation of practical coding ability sets a higher bar than many traditional networking certifications and represents a genuine challenge for engineers whose backgrounds are primarily in hardware configuration.
The JNCIA-DevOps also expects programming knowledge but tends to assess it at a level that is slightly more accessible for candidates who are newer to coding. The exam tests understanding of Python fundamentals and automation concepts with sufficient depth to validate practical competency but without the breadth of software development topics that the CCNA Automation covers. Candidates preparing for JNCIA-DevOps need to invest real time in learning Python and automation tools, but the narrower focus means that preparation can be more targeted. For professionals with limited prior programming exposure, the JNCIA-DevOps may represent a more approachable first step into the automation certification space.
Programming Knowledge Prerequisites
Both certifications assume that candidates bring some level of programming knowledge to their preparation, but the implicit expectations differ. Cisco’s CCNA Automation curriculum is built around the assumption that candidates will develop genuine software development skills, including an appreciation for software design principles, testing practices, and deployment workflows. The exam covers topics like software development life cycles, version control workflows, and container-based application deployment that go beyond what a network engineer would typically encounter in a purely infrastructure role. Candidates without prior software development exposure will need to invest significant time building these foundational skills before the exam-specific content begins to make intuitive sense.
Juniper’s JNCIA-DevOps takes a somewhat more network-centric view of programming prerequisites. The automation tools featured most prominently in the curriculum, including Ansible, PyEZ, and NETCONF, are tools that network engineers use to manage network infrastructure rather than general-purpose software development tools. This framing means that candidates can approach the programming content through the lens of network operations, which makes the material more immediately relatable for professionals with networking backgrounds. The prerequisite knowledge for JNCIA-DevOps is real and should not be underestimated, but its orientation toward network-centric automation tools makes it more naturally aligned with the existing knowledge base of most network engineering candidates.
Study Resources Availability
The availability and quality of study resources is a practical factor that significantly influences the effective difficulty of any certification. Cisco’s DevNet program benefits from an exceptionally rich ecosystem of study materials, reflecting both the size of Cisco’s developer community and the company’s substantial investment in its DevNet platform. The DevNet website itself offers a library of free learning labs, sandboxes, and code repositories that candidates can use to gain hands-on experience with the APIs and platforms covered in the exam. Third-party training providers have also developed comprehensive courses specifically for the CCNA Automation exam, and an active community of DevNet-focused professionals shares resources, tips, and study guides across various online platforms.
Juniper’s learning resources for the JNCIA-DevOps are solid but less voluminous than what Cisco offers for DevNet. The official Juniper Learning Portal provides structured learning paths and course materials specifically designed for the certification, and Juniper’s documentation is thorough and well-maintained. However, the ecosystem of third-party study guides, video courses, and practice exams for JNCIA-DevOps is smaller than what exists for the Cisco Automation track, which can make self-directed preparation more challenging. Candidates who prefer to have multiple independent sources of study material may find that Cisco’s larger ecosystem gives them more flexibility in how they approach their preparation.
Hands-On Lab Importance
Both certifications reward candidates who invest time in hands-on practice rather than relying exclusively on theoretical study. For the Cisco CCNA Automation, the hands-on component is particularly critical because the exam tests practical coding ability and API interaction skills that cannot be developed through passive reading alone. Candidates need to actually write Python scripts, make API calls, manipulate JSON responses, and work with Git repositories to build the muscle memory and intuitive understanding that the exam requires. Cisco’s DevNet sandbox environment provides free access to virtual instances of Cisco platforms that candidates can use for this practice without needing physical hardware.
For JNCIA-DevOps, hands-on practice with Junos automation interfaces, Ansible playbooks for Juniper devices, and Python scripts using the PyEZ library is similarly important. Juniper provides virtual versions of its operating system that can be run in various lab environments, and the Juniper vLabs platform offers guided lab exercises that reinforce exam topics. Candidates who have access to actual Juniper hardware through their employment will have a natural advantage, as working with real devices in production or lab environments builds familiarity that is difficult to replicate entirely through virtual means. In both cases, the message is the same: passive study is insufficient, and candidates who invest in practical laboratory work will perform significantly better than those who do not.
Industry Recognition Compared
Industry recognition is an important practical consideration for professionals who want their certification investments to translate into career opportunities and salary advancement. Cisco’s Cisco Automation certifications benefit from the broader recognition that the Cisco brand commands in the IT industry. Hiring managers who may not be deeply familiar with the specifics of the DevNet program will nonetheless recognize the Cisco name and associate it with rigorous technical validation. The Automation track is also well-recognized within the developer community that builds on Cisco platforms, making it particularly valuable for professionals seeking roles that involve development work on Cisco infrastructure.
Juniper certifications are widely respected within the networking community, particularly among service providers and large enterprises where Juniper equipment is prevalent. The JNCIA-DevOps is a newer and more specialized credential that may not yet have the same level of name recognition as Juniper’s core routing and switching certifications like the JNCIE-SP. However, within organizations that use Juniper infrastructure and are actively building automation capabilities, the credential is directly relevant and demonstrates precisely the skills those organizations need. The recognition gap between Cisco DevNet and JNCIA-DevOps reflects the difference in the size of their respective ecosystems rather than a meaningful difference in the quality or rigor of the certifications themselves.
Which Exam Tests Harder
Assessing which certification is objectively more challenging requires acknowledging that difficulty is partly subjective and depends significantly on a candidate’s existing background. For professionals coming from a pure networking background with no prior programming experience, the Cisco CCNA Automation will generally be the more challenging credential. Its breadth across software development, API integration, application deployment, and multiple Cisco platforms requires candidates to build genuinely new skill sets rather than extending and formalizing knowledge they already possess. The expectation of practical coding ability sets a bar that requires real investment to clear.
For professionals who already have some programming background but are newer to network automation specifically, the relative difficulty between the two certifications narrows. In this scenario, the JNCIA-DevOps may feel more challenging simply because Juniper platforms may be less familiar than Cisco, and the specific automation tools featured in the Juniper curriculum require dedicated study. The CCNA Automation, by contrast, may feel more approachable to someone with software development experience because many of the programming and API concepts covered are familiar territory. Difficulty is ultimately personal, and the most challenging certification for any given individual is the one that requires them to stretch furthest from their existing knowledge base.
Career Pathways Each Opens
The career pathways that each certification opens reflect the different orientations of the two programs. The Cisco CCNA Automation is a strong entry point for professionals seeking roles at the intersection of software development and network infrastructure, including positions with titles like network automation engineer, DevOps engineer for network infrastructure, or platform developer on Cisco-centric teams. The credential also serves as the foundation for the CCNP Automation and Expert tracks, which open doors to more senior and specialized roles in Cisco-focused automation and platform development.
The JNCIA-DevOps creates opportunities for professionals seeking automation roles in organizations that use Juniper infrastructure, particularly service providers and large enterprises where Juniper’s routing and switching platforms are prevalent. The credential complements traditional Juniper networking certifications well, and professionals who hold both a core Juniper routing or switching certification and the JNCIA-DevOps credential present a compelling profile for organizations looking to build automation capabilities on top of their existing Juniper environments. The combination of deep networking knowledge and automation skills is precisely what the industry needs most, and either certification pathway represents a meaningful step toward that combination.
Choosing between Cisco DevNet and JNCIA-DevOps should be driven primarily by an honest assessment of one’s current environment, career goals, and existing knowledge. Professionals working primarily in Cisco environments who want to move into automation roles have a clear and compelling reason to pursue the Automation track, which validates skills directly applicable to the platforms they work with every day. The breadth of the DevNet curriculum, while demanding, provides a foundation that is valuable across a wide range of roles and environments.
Professionals working in Juniper environments or those who want to specialize in Juniper automation should give serious consideration to JNCIA-DevOps, particularly if they already hold core Juniper networking certifications and want to add automation credentials to their profile. For professionals who work in mixed environments or who are not yet committed to a particular vendor ecosystem, the Cisco CCNA Automation may offer broader initial recognition while the JNCIA-DevOps offers deeper relevance within Juniper-specific contexts. Neither choice is wrong, and many ambitious professionals will eventually pursue credentials in both tracks as their careers develop and their exposure to different environments expands.
