Cisco - Service Provider Trainings

Cisco Service Provider: the foundation of carrier and large enterprise infrastructures

The Cisco Service Provider track covers technologies and certifications dedicated to telecom carriers, Internet service providers, MPLS operators, hosting providers and large enterprises operating carrier-class IP backbones. Within this track, Cisco offers the CCNP Service Provider certification, covering the protocols, architecture and carrier-grade practices: IP/MPLS routing, segment routing, EVPN, IPv6, quality of service, multicast, automation and observability. The Service Provider track differs from the enterprise track (CCNP Enterprise) by the depth of MPLS topics, by the traffic volumes handled, by the availability constraints and by the automation patterns.

In French-speaking Switzerland, telecom carriers, Internet service providers, hosting providers, private banks operating internal backbones, international organisations with multi-site infrastructures, managed service providers and large industrial enterprises operate Cisco Service Provider architectures. The associated skills are rare on the market and remain in high demand from carriers and network integrators. The CCNP Service Provider certification combines a core exam SPCOR and several concentration exams: SPRI (advanced routing), SPVI (VPN services), SPAUI (automation), SPCNI (cloud network infrastructure).

ITTA offers a Cisco Service Provider catalogue covering the six key modules of the track. Following Cisco Service Provider training opens access to highly demanded roles: carrier network engineer, IP/MPLS backbone engineer, network architect, network automation engineer, transport engineer, routing and MPLS expert, network consultant. These profiles are sought after by telecom carriers, network integrators and large enterprises operating their own infrastructures.

Whether you are a network engineer moving from an enterprise environment to a carrier environment, an IP/MPLS backbone engineer wishing to formalise your practices, a network automation engineer wanting to industrialise scripts via YANG/NETCONF, or an architect designing a carrier-class transport network, our Cisco Service Provider training covers the technical building blocks and certifications of the track.

The ITTA Cisco Service Provider catalogue

Core and fundamentals

Implementing and Operating Cisco Service Provider Network Core Technologies (SPCOR) is the core exam of the CCNP Service Provider certification and the entry point of the track. The course covers service provider network architecture, IS-IS and BGP routing, MPLS, quality of service, multicast, security and automation. Implementing Cisco MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) goes deep on MPLS: architecture, LDP, RSVP-TE, L3 and L2 MPLS VPNs, traffic engineering, segment routing. It is foundational for any backbone engineer.

Advanced routing and VPN services

Implementing Cisco Service Provider Advanced Routing Solutions (SPRI) is a CCNP Service Provider concentration exam. The course covers carrier routing protocols in depth: advanced BGP (route reflectors, communities, policies), multi-level IS-IS, multi-area OSPF, redistribution, MPLS and IPv6 segment routing, multicast. Implementing Cisco Service Provider VPN Services (SPVI) is another concentration exam focused on carrier VPN services: L3 MPLS VPN (RFC 4364), L2 VPN (VPWS, VPLS), EVPN, inter-AS VPN, segment routing VPN, multi-site managed services.

Automation and cloud network infrastructure

Implementing Automation for Cisco Service Provider Solutions (SPAUI) is the automation concentration exam for CCNP Service Provider. The course covers YANG data models, NETCONF and RESTCONF protocols, IOS XR and IOS XE programmability, the use of Python and Ansible to automate network configurations, streaming telemetry, and integration with Cisco SDN controllers. Designing and Implementing Cisco Service Provider Cloud Network Infrastructure (SPCNI) covers the design and implementation of carrier cloud infrastructures: carrier data centres, NFV, network virtualisation, cloud interconnections, EVPN VXLAN.

Cisco Service Provider and the publisher ecosystem at ITTA

Cisco Service Provider is a specialised track of the global Cisco catalogue. Cisco regroups all Cisco tracks offered by ITTA, including Enterprise, Security, Collaboration, DevNet and Service Provider. Cisco Enterprise Network covers CCNA and CCNP Enterprise certifications, complementary for profiles working both on enterprise and carrier sides. Cisco Data Center covers Nexus, ACI and UCS technologies, directly linked to carrier cloud architectures (SPCNI). For network automation profiles, SPAUI, DevNet and NETCONF/YANG automation form a coherent path.

Cisco Service Provider trends in 2026

The Service Provider track is evolving fast. Segment routing (SR-MPLS and SRv6) is becoming the natural evolution of legacy MPLS and RSVP-TE, with a simplified control plane and faster convergence. EVPN is becoming the standard for multi-site L2 services and carrier data centres, progressively replacing VPLS. Automation is taking centre stage: YANG, NETCONF, RESTCONF, gNMI and Python are now expected skills for any Service Provider engineer. Streaming telemetry is progressively replacing SNMP for real-time observability. On controllers, Cisco Crosswork and NSO structure network automation and orchestration practices. Our pedagogical content regularly integrates these evolutions to remain aligned with current carrier practices.

Cisco Service Provider training in Geneva, Lausanne and online

All our Cisco Service Provider courses are available on-site in our Geneva and Lausanne centres, as well as in interactive virtual classroom with a network engineer live. Our sessions are organised in 5-week cycles. Each session includes hands-on labs on Cisco IOS XR and IOS XE, BGP/IS-IS/OSPF routing scenarios, MPLS and MPLS VPN configurations, segment routing exercises, YANG/NETCONF automation labs with Python, and concrete cases inspired by carrier backbone projects. Customised corporate training is also possible at your premises, in Geneva, Lausanne, Vaud and across French-speaking Switzerland, with a programme adapted to your network architecture, Cisco platforms and certification objectives.

Why train on Cisco Service Provider at ITTA

ITTA offers a Cisco Service Provider catalogue covering the six key modules of the CCNP Service Provider certification: SPCOR, SPRI, SPVI, SPAUI, SPCNI and MPLS. Our Cisco trainers are network engineers and architects active on carrier and large enterprise infrastructures, covering advanced routing, MPLS, segment routing, EVPN, VPN services and automation. Our pedagogical team supports you in choosing the right path, identifying complementary modules (Enterprise, Data Center) and identifying funding solutions adapted to your professional situation.

Our pedagogical approach favours learning by doing, with labs on Cisco equipment and simulators, routing and MPLS scenarios to design and troubleshoot, MPLS VPN and EVPN configurations to implement, YANG/NETCONF automation scripts to code in Python, and concrete cases inspired by real carrier backbone projects. Each session combines training time, applied exercises and exchanges with the trainer, allowing each participant to progress at their own pace and leave with skills directly usable in their professional context.

Our training is aimed at varied audiences: carrier network engineers, IP/MPLS backbone engineers, network architects, network automation engineers, transport engineers, network consultants, operational teams of carriers or large enterprises. Our pedagogical team adapts the content to the participants’ context.

Featured courses in this catalogue

Here is the selection of Cisco Service Provider courses available at ITTA:

• Implementing and Operating Cisco Service Provider Network Core Technologies (SPCOR)
• Implementing Cisco MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS)
• Implementing Cisco Service Provider Advanced Routing Solutions (SPRI)
• Implementing Cisco Service Provider VPN Services (SPVI)
• Implementing Automation for Cisco Service Provider Solutions (SPAUI)
• Designing and Implementing Cisco Service Provider Cloud Network Infrastructure (SPCNI)

FAQ

Where to start in the Cisco Service Provider track?

The natural entry point is SPCOR (Implementing and Operating Cisco Service Provider Network Core Technologies), the core exam of the CCNP Service Provider certification. SPCOR sets the architecture, carrier routing, MPLS, automation and security foundations. Once SPCOR is passed, the candidate chooses one or more concentration exams among SPRI, SPVI, SPAUI and SPCNI according to their professional project.

What is the difference between CCNP Enterprise and CCNP Service Provider?

CCNP Enterprise targets enterprise networks (campus, branch, SD-WAN, network security). CCNP Service Provider targets carrier networks and backbones: large-scale routing, MPLS, MPLS VPN, segment routing, EVPN, automation. Both tracks share the IP/routing trunk but diverge on traffic volumes, deep protocols and architecture patterns. The choice depends on your professional environment.

Is Cisco Service Provider automation really essential?

Yes. Carriers and large enterprises can no longer manually operate hundreds or thousands of network devices. YANG/NETCONF/RESTCONF automation, Python, Ansible and streaming telemetry are now expected skills. SPAUI covers precisely these topics and complements routing and MPLS modules.

Are your Cisco Service Provider courses available for companies?

Yes, the entire Cisco Service Provider catalogue is available in-house, in Geneva, Lausanne and in virtual classroom, with a programme adapted to your network architecture, Cisco IOS XR and IOS XE platforms, carrier or internal backbone use cases, and CCNP Service Provider certification objectives. Our team builds the specifications with you and organises sessions according to your calendar.