Axis Communications Exams

The Intersection of Physical Security and IT

Founded in Lund, Sweden in 1984, Axis Communications initially built protocol converters for IBM mainframes. In 1996, the company connected a camera to an IP network and introduced the Neteye 200, the world's first network camera. Since then, Axis has remained a dominant hardware vendor in the physical security and video surveillance market.

As surveillance shifted from analog closed-circuit television to IP-based digital video, security cameras became network endpoints. This shift turned physical security into an IT responsibility. Axis certifications target the professionals who design, install, and troubleshoot these networked video systems.

A Single-Track Credential

Unlike major cloud or networking vendors that maintain complex pyramids of foundational, associate, and professional tiers, Axis keeps its credentialing straightforward. The program centers on a single designation: the Axis Certified Professional. You earn this credential by passing one exam, and the certification remains valid for three years.

Exam Mechanics and Scope

The current standard for this credential is the ANVE (Axis Network Video Exam). The test is administered through Pearson VUE, costs $150, and gives candidates 90 minutes to complete the questions.

The exam focuses heavily on the practical realities of deploying video on a data network. Candidates face questions on video compression technologies, streaming protocols, and storage calculation. The test also covers standard networking fundamentals - such as IP addressing, routing, and VLAN configuration - but strictly through the lens of video traffic. You must know how to calculate the bandwidth requirements for a multi-camera deployment and how power over Ethernet (PoE) budgets dictate switch selection.

You may also encounter the AX0-100 (Axis Network Video) in certain testing environments or older documentation. Both the ANVE and AX0-100 codes validate the same core competency: the ability to design and support Axis surveillance hardware on an enterprise network without degrading overall network performance.

Where Axis Fits in an IT Career

Axis certifications do not replace general networking credentials. If your goal is to configure enterprise routing protocols or manage data center fabrics, this program offers little value.

Instead, this certification serves a specific niche. It appeals directly to security system integrators, physical security consultants, and IT administrators who inherited responsibility for their organization's surveillance infrastructure. In these roles, knowing how to mount a camera is only half the job.

Hiring managers at integration firms look for this credential because it proves an applicant understands the network impact of video. The exams bypass generic IT theory to test specific, practical scenarios, such as adjusting frame rates and resolution to control bandwidth limitations while preserving image usability in low-light environments.