Earning the IPv6 Certification from Hurricane Electric on Mac OS X

Most of the users that sign up for the IPv6 certification process stop after the first few levels, but I will walk you through each level in detail.  Everyone’s setup is a little different, so I will offer tips where I can to accommodate different people.

Since originally writing this article, I have reset my certification and earned it again a few different times.

Are There Any Official IPv6 Certifications?

IPv6 certifications do not seem as commonplace as other IT certifications are right now.  This is probably because we are still transitioning from IPv4, so many people are still learning about it.  It was frustrating to me that there wasn’t even a IPv6 certification from CompTIA, Cisco, or any of the other big players.  There does seem to be some certifications for vendors or large companies.

After searching endlessly for an “official” IPv6 certification, I found the Hurricane Electric IPv6 free certification, which turned out to be an excellent one because it provides hands on experience.  This is a great option, which most users will be able to do from the comfort of their home!

This certification is not a simple multiple-choice exam.  Rather, it is an application of practical knowledge, which actually made it very fun to accomplish.  In a way, it gamified the learning process because after accomplishing certain tasks, you are awarded with a new merit-badge as well as the experience gained along the way.  You are forced to learn a complex topic and then apply it, which is the one of the best ways to learn.

If you are just learning about IPv6, you might be interested to check out this infographic of IPv6.