When it involves CCIE certification, there is no such thing as a single components or recipe for achievement. Don’t be misled, nevertheless. You aren’t by yourself. Earning an Expert-level Cisco certification takes rather a lot of labor, however the sources, steerage, and help it is advisable keep on observe are all out there to you. In truth, it’s possible you’ll even really feel overwhelmed by the variety of choices that declare to be ‘the best’ for serving to you put together to your CCIE certification exams. After all, making ready for the 8-hour, hands-on sensible lab isn’t for the faint of coronary heart.
The journey to changing into a CCIE is extremely difficult. Trust me—I do know. And not solely as a result of I’m CCIE licensed: because the director of Cisco certifications, being an professional on the CCIE lab and what it takes to move it’s my duty. So, I’m going to share some recommendation on find out how to put together for CCIE certification. In this weblog, you can find ideas, steerage, and sources that may enable you put together for the written and sensible exams. I’ll additionally supply my ideas on what it means to be a CCIE certification holder. So, with out additional ado, let’s see if in case you have what it takes to develop into a CCIE.
Preparing for CCIE certification is a life determination
Before you start your CCIE journey, it’s crucial that you simply understand the extent of this enterprise. Becoming an professional and incomes your CCIE certification is greater than a profession transfer. It is a life determination.
Preparing for CCIE certification takes hours upon hours of examine that may influence your private time. Being diligent usually interprets to sacrifices. Sacrificing time with household and pals, sleeping late on weekends, lacking out on occasions, and many others.
I’ve been there. I’ve skilled the lengthy nights of finding out and the nerves that precede a check. But, I’ve additionally skilled the satisfaction and pleasure that comes from persevering and passing the exams. I can say with absolute certainty that it was all value it. When you develop into CCIE licensed, the reward to your dedication is unparalleled.
Where your CCIE journey begins
Once you determine to take the leap into making ready to your CCIE certification, it’s time to start out planning your studying journey. And like with any journey, you can not plan forward if you happen to don’t know your place to begin: your present expertise and data. That means you could know your self. Or, because the Greek thinker Pausanias wrote, “Know thy measure.”
You can do that by downloading and reviewing the examination subjects for any certification examination on the Cisco Learning Network. These out there examination subjects, or blueprints for our written and lab exams, are a wonderful place to begin. While they received’t provide you with solutions to the examination questions themselves, they will provide you with an concept of what you may be examined on. You should take an sincere stock of your expertise and data, contemplating the issues and what you don’t.
Reaching the purpose the place you’re feeling snug taking an Expert-level Cisco certification examination is an unimaginable achievement. However, let’s assume that you’re nonetheless removed from that stage. What is most necessary—proper now— is the manner you get there. So, after getting develop into conversant in the examination subjects, it’s time to take the following step.
Into the CCIE studying matrix
I’m blissful you selected the pink capsule. Now, it’s time to see how deep this rabbit gap goes with a studying matrix. Creating a studying matrix is like creating your grasp CCIE studying plan, or plot, for how you’ll study all the CCIE examination materials. Don’t fear, you don’t have to start out from scratch: the Cisco Learning Network has a matrix for every Expert-level certification, which you’ll be able to obtain and edit free of charge. (I’ve supplied hyperlinks on the backside of this publish).
Lay the muse to your CCIE studying plan
Once you obtain the matrix to your CCIE expertise area, you will notice that studying sources have already been pre-populated by examination matter. Consider these a beginning off level that will help you kickstart your studying. Additional sources could also be required to advance your strengths and bolster your weaknesses, so I like to recommend utilizing this format as a template you possibly can (and will) construct upon.
As you customise and construct your plan, you possibly can determine the precise areas it is advisable concentrate on main as much as your check date. If you haven’t scheduled your examination, your CCIE studying matrix is a wonderful strategy to estimate how a lot time it is advisable put together primarily based in your data, coaching strategies, and studying tempo. Remember, each studying journey is totally different, so attempt to keep away from the frequent pitfall of evaluating your self to different CCIE candidates and certification holders.
Build a robust community of supporters
As I discussed earlier, you aren’t by yourself—removed from it, in truth. The Cisco studying and certification neighborhood is huge, educated, type, and accessible.
While you’re visiting the Cisco Learning Network to obtain your studying matrix, take a second to browse the neighborhood discussions by matter. The Cisco Learning Network neighborhood is comprised of material consultants, CCIE candidates, certification holders, and extra who can help your CCIE journey each step of the best way. As you browse, bookmark the neighborhood discussions that pertain to your CCIE expertise observe so you possibly can check with them later.
You can discover boundless data within the Cisco studying neighborhood from those that have been there, carried out that. Sometimes one of the best ways to succeed in your objectives is to ask how others how they did it themselves. It sounds easy, proper? Well, that’s as a result of it’s. Don’t underestimate the ability and boundless data contained inside this neighborhood, nevertheless. I can not overstate the influence a community of likeminded friends can have in your CCIE certification journey.
Research CCIE coaching, instruments, and sources
Learning is a journey; an exploration. So far, you may have explored the examination subjects to your CCIE certification examination(s), began constructing your studying plan, and mirrored in your present strengths and weaknesses. Now it’s time to seek out one of the best coaching sources to your studying fashion.
Understanding your strategy to problem-solving is as very important to success as discovering dependable studying supplies. Selecting the coaching, instruments, and sources to your CCIE prep is much simpler when which strategies and supplies work greatest for your studying fashion.
Choose properly, then customise and mix
These days, there is no such thing as a scarcity of choices out there that will help you get exam-ready. Back once I was making ready for CCIE certification, the huge catalog of coaching, programs, bootcamps, reference books, movies, and many others. Cisco has at present didn’t exist but. So, use them to your benefit. They’re designed by individuals who have carried out what you’re doing and skilled the laborious work and dedication essential to succeed. Combine these totally different sources to suit your studying fashion and particularly goal the areas you recognized for development.
As you analysis your studying and coaching sources, accomplish that overtly and actually. Be sincere about what you’re good at and the place you legitimately want to enhance. After all, Expert-level sensible exams don’t check what you assume you’re good at. They check your precise talents.
Hands-on observe is crucial
The CCIE lab is all about hands-on advanced community setup, so be sure you get loads of observe in a lab. However, a standard problem for CCIE candidates is that they don’t have entry to the tools, pods, and infrastructure they should observe within the first place. So, we created CCIE lab leases for sensible examination preparation.
CCIE Practice Labs is a brand new supply for CCIE candidates making ready for the lab. Once you may have handed the expertise core examination, the prerequisite for taking the sensible examination, you possibly can lease a CCIE Practice Lab. Labs can be found in 4-hour blocks of time for US$50. This permits you to get hands-on observe utilizing topologies just like what you’ll see within the precise lab.
CCIE Practice Labs can be found for CCIE Security, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, and CCIE Service Provider certifications, with extra on the best way.
What the CCIE lab is actually testing you on
The CCIE lab examination is greater than a check of data. It assessments how effectively you possibly can merge your conceptual understanding with sensible expertise. You could possibly recall rote particulars and ideas, however can you place them into observe? Along with the deep experience wanted to move the lab, you could be capable of translate, synthesize, and clear up issues. When confronted with novel issues in the true world, are you able to clear up them satisfactorily? Essentially, your experience needs to be far better than the sum of the elements that comprise it.
Earning the CCIE certification means you may have the psychological agility, confidence, and deep experience to course of via complexity, assume critically, innovate, and ship options successfully. If all of this sounds scary, it shouldn’t. But it does supply perspective on the extent of success achieved while you develop into CCIE licensed.
Do you may have what it takes to develop into a CCIE?
Now that we’ve established the idea for what it takes to develop into a CCIE, you might have a newfound respect for many who are Cisco Certified with two (or extra) Expert-level certifications.
Getting to the purpose the place you’re contemplating taking a CCIE examination is an accomplishment. And as you learn this now, you have already got what it takes to get licensed on the Expert stage. I do know this as a result of each CCIE certification holder is made. We aren’t born consultants. We develop into CCIE licensed due to what we now have given to reaching our objectives. You should discover the trail that empowers you to give what it takes—the time, dedication, persistence, and need—for CCIE certification success. If you’re prepared and keen to dedicate your self to incomes the CCIE certification, then you may have what it takes.
I hope you discovered this weblog useful in understanding what it takes to develop into a CCIE and find out how to construct a robust, structured strategy. You’ll discover helpful hyperlinks beneath to study extra about our Expert-level certifications, the testing expertise, and sources that will help you take your studying to the following stage. I want you one of the best in your path and invite you to go away a remark beneath if any of my recommendation resonates with you. And in case you are already on the best way to incomes your CCIE certification, I’d love to listen to about your expertise.
A particular word for CCIE candidates attending Cisco Live 2023 Las Vegas
If you’re becoming a member of us in Las Vegas, June 4–8, 2023, I extremely advocate attending a Cisco Expert-Level Certification Techtorial at Cisco Live, the place you may have a novel alternative to take a deep dive into particular Cisco expertise tracks. We designed these 4-hour classes for attendees who’ve superior technical area data. So, in case you are able to pursue (or you’re already in flight) a CCIE, CCDE, or DevNet Expert certification, I strongly advise you to make this a precedence.
*If you’re an energetic Cisco certification holder, these classes are eligible for Continuing Education (CE) credit you possibly can apply in the direction of recertification.
Cisco Expert-level coaching and certification sources
Download your CCIE Learning Matrix
Select your certification observe from the choices beneath, then navigate to the “Additional Resources” tab to seek out the hyperlink to obtain your customizable studying matrix.
Join the Cisco Learning Network at present free of charge.
Follow Cisco Learning & Certifications
Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube
Use #CiscoCert to hitch the dialog.
Share: