CCIE Certification,"the most prestigious networking certification"
The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, or CCIE, is a technical certification offered by Cisco Systems. The CCIE certifies the skills required of network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructures on a wide variety of Cisco equipment.
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The CCIE is described by Cisco as "the most prestigious networking certification in the industry"[1]. The CCIE certifies a very specific set of skills in the field of networking. According to Cisco, less than 3% of Cisco Certified engineers obtain CCIE certification"[1], and the average candidate will spend thousands of their own dollars and spend at least 18 months studying while pursuing it. Passing all the requirements of the program earns the individual a unique CCIE number assigned by Cisco.
The program is currently divided into seven different areas of expertise or “tracks”. The CCIE track in which one becomes certified determines the different aspects of networking technology that individual is recognized as being an expert in. One may also choose to pursue multiple CCIE tracks to be recognized as an expert in multiple different categories of Cisco technology. The current CCIE tracks offered by Cisco are Routing and Switching, Security, Service Provider, Service Provider Operations, Storage Networking, Voice, and Wireless.
CCIE Requirements
No matter what CCIE track one chooses to pursue, there are two general requirements that must be met—The written exam and the lab exam.
[edit]Written Examination
The first requirement to achieve CCIE certification is to pass a written examination specific for the CCIE track the candidate is pursuing. The CCIE written examination is a two hour qualification exam consisting of 90-110 questions, and can be taken at any Cisco authorized Pearson VUE testing center. Questions may be a combination of multiple choice and more complex, interactive items that assess technical knowledge. The results of the written exam are pass/fail and are available immediately. The passing score is set by statistical analysis and is subject to change. The scoring is reported on a scale of 300-1000 points, and the current cost of the exam is $350 per attempt. Passing the CCIE written exam is a pre-requisite to sit the CCIE lab exam.
[edit]Lab Examination
The second and far more difficult requirement needed to achieve CCIE certification is to pass a grueling hands on lab examination administered by Cisco. The specific format of the lab is currently not the same across all tracks, but in general the entire time of the lab exam is 8 hours. The CCIE lab requires a candidate to configure and troubleshoot a series of complex networks to given specifications in this limited amount of time. Point values are given for each task, and a candidate must achieve a given number of points (About 80%) to pass the lab exam. The current cost of the exam is $1500 per attempt not including travel and lodging expenses. The CCIE lab exam is graded by trained proctors who ensure the entire criterion are met and points are awarded accordingly. Typically results of the lab exam are available within 48 hours.
The CCIE lab has traditionally only been available to take at a handful of Cisco lab locations worldwide including Bangalore, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Raleigh, San Jose, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo. Not all tracks are available at all locations. Recently, there have been efforts made by Cisco to expand the availability of the lab in some tracks by introducing both a mobile lab which moves periodically to different cities around the world, and through introducing the ability to take the lab exam at a Pearson VUE testing center.
CCIE Tracks
[edit]Routing & Switching
The Routing and Switching track is the most popular of all CCIE tracks by a wide margin. Individuals certified in the CCIE Routing and Switching track comprise about 85% of the total number of CCIEs. The CCIE Routing and Switching track certifies expert level knowledge in Cisco networking across LAN and WAN interfaces and a variety of routers and switches. A CCIE in routing and switching specializes in a variety of LAN/WAN networking technologies and protocols related to global network operations such as spanning-tree, advanced switching concepts, IGPs, BGP, IP multicast, IPv6, network security, QoS,MPLS, IOS services and more. CCIE R&S will always be an evergreen career option for engineers, as 70% of CCIE jobs are also in CCIE Routing and Switching only. Fresher Engineers can also opt for CCIE Routing and Switching Certifications, as there are lots of jobs vacant in India, for CCIE R&S Engineers. Freshers, who do not have prior experience in Cisco Networking, can take Training from some Training Institutes. For a detailed description of what is covered by the Routing and Switching CCIE program, one should view the detailed blueprint available from Cisco.[2]
[edit]Security
The CCIE Security track focuses specifically on network security, and certifies individuals with expert level knowledge of specific security protocols and components such as VPN solutions, ASA, IPS and IOSsecurity features. Individuals certified as CCIE Security are certified experts in configuring complex, end-to-end secure networks, troubleshooting integrated environments, and understanding common attacks and mitigation techniques. CCIE Security engineer develops the art of strong underground security understanding and masters the science of security issues via smart tools that enable him and equip him better to keep the shores of his company well protected. MARS, SIEM or any such products are no problem to him as long as he keeps his skills sharpened and fresh with implementations and troubleshootings. There are some CCIE Security professionals[weasel words] who have moved and done other product certifications related to security and found it easier than their current CCIE security credential.
The CCIE Security Certification is the most widely used credential in the industry which warrants the uniquely high level expertise of network security professionals. CCIE Security certified personal are the confirmed specialists of the implementation, configuration and troubleshooting of security solutions using Cisco technologies. It is due to this reason that the CCIE Security certification is considered one of the most trustworthy credential in the industry.[citation needed]
[edit]Service Provider
CCNA-Service Track The CCIE Service Provider track focuses on the skills needed for expertise in the arena of service provider networking. The CCIE Service Provider certification certifies individuals as experts in IP fundamentals and technologies as well as building an extensible service provider network infrastructure to deliver rich managed services. Individuals certified as CCIE Service Provider will possess advanced skills related to packet architecture and technologies important to service providers such as service provisioning, MPLS, VPNs, service level agreements and basic security.
[edit]Service Provider Operations
The CCIE Service Provider Operations track focuses on expert level knowledge of troubleshooting and maintaining complex service provider networks. The CCIE Service Provider Operations certified individual will have a strong knowledge of PE-PE and PE-CE network infrastructures in both Cisco IOS and Cisco IOS XR operating environments and will possess broad theoretical knowledge of operations management processes, frameworks, and network management systems.
[edit]Voice
The CCIE Voice track focuses on expert level knowledge of and experience with Cisco Voice over IP products and solutions in an enterprise network environment. A CCIE certified in the CCIE Voice track will be capable of building and configuring complex end-to-end telephony networks, as well as troubleshooting and resolving VoIP related problems. A CCIE Voice certified engineer will not need core IP routing knowledge but must be able to ensure quality of service using in-depth understanding of layer 2 and layer 3 network infrastructures.
[edit]Storage Networking
The CCIE Storage Networking track specializes in expert level knowledge in the implementation and troubleshooting of storage area network (SAN). An individual certified in CCIE Storage will be highly skilled with LANs, MANs and WANs over Fibre Channel, iSCSI, FCIP and FICON, and must demonstrate in-depth understanding of layer 2 and layer 3 network infrastructures.
[edit]Wireless
The CCIE Wireless focuses on and validates expertise in major aspects of WLAN technology and provides the next step for individuals interested in a career in managing or working with Cisco wireless technologies. A CCIE Wireless will possess a broad theoretical knowledge of wireless technologies and a solid understanding of WLAN technologies and products offered by Cisco.
[edit]Data Center
The CCIE Data Center certifies the expert-level skills required to plan, prepare, operate, monitor, and troubleshoot complex data center networks. Professionals who achieve CCIE Data Center certification have demonstrated their technical skills at the highest level.
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