In the case of CCIE certification, there isn’t any single formulation or recipe for achievement. Don’t be misled, nonetheless. You aren’t by yourself. Incomes an takes loads of labor, however the assets, steering, and help you could keep on monitor are all obtainable to you. The truth is, it’s possible you’ll even really feel overwhelmed by the variety of choices that declare to be ‘one of the best’ for serving to you put together to your CCIE certification exams. In spite of everything, getting ready for the 8-hour, hands-on sensible lab just isn’t for the faint of coronary heart.
The journey to changing into a CCIE is extremely difficult. Belief me—I do know. And never solely as a result of I’m CCIE licensed: because the director of Cisco certifications, being an skilled on the CCIE lab and what it takes to go it’s my duty. So, I’m going to share some recommendation on methods to put together for CCIE certification. On this weblog, one can find suggestions, steering, and assets that may enable you to 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 you probably have what it takes to turn out to be a CCIE.
Getting ready for CCIE certification is a life determination
Earlier than you start your CCIE journey, it’s important that you simply understand the extent of this enterprise. Changing into an skilled and incomes your CCIE certification is greater than a profession transfer. It’s a life determination.
Getting ready for CCIE certification takes hours upon hours of examine that may influence your private time. Being diligent typically interprets to sacrifices. Sacrificing time with household and associates, sleeping late on weekends, lacking out on occasions, and so forth.
I’ve been there. I’ve skilled the lengthy nights of learning and the nerves that precede a take a look at. However, 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 price it. Whenever you turn out to be CCIE licensed, the reward to your dedication is unparalleled.
The place your CCIE journey begins
When you resolve to take the leap into getting ready to your CCIE certification, it’s time to begin planning your studying journey. And like with any journey, you can not plan forward when you don’t know your start line: your present abilities and information. Which means you should know your self. Or, because the Greek thinker Pausanias wrote, “Know thy measure.”
You are able to do this by downloading and reviewing the examination matters for any certification examination on the Cisco Studying Community. These obtainable examination matters, or blueprints for our written and lab exams, are a wonderful start line. Whereas they gained’t offer you solutions to the examination questions themselves, they will provide you with an concept of what you’ll be examined on. It’s essential to take an trustworthy stock of your abilities and information, contemplating the issues you realize and what you don’t.
Reaching the purpose the place you’re feeling comfy taking an Skilled-level Cisco certification examination is an unimaginable achievement. Nevertheless, let’s assume that you’re nonetheless removed from that stage. What’s most vital—proper now— is the means you get there. So, after you have turn out to be conversant in the examination matters, it’s time to take the subsequent step.
Into the CCIE studying matrix
I’m blissful you selected the crimson tablet. Now, it’s time to see how deep this rabbit gap goes with a studying matrix. Making a studying matrix is like creating your grasp CCIE studying plan, or plot, for how you’ll study the entire CCIE examination materials. Don’t fear, you don’t have to begin from scratch: the Cisco Studying Community has a matrix for every Skilled-level certification, which you’ll obtain and edit at no cost. (I’ve offered hyperlinks on the backside of this put up).
Lay the inspiration to your CCIE studying plan
When you obtain the matrix to your CCIE expertise area, you will note that studying assets have already been pre-populated by examination matter. Take into account these a beginning off level that will help you kickstart your studying. Further assets could also be required to advance your strengths and bolster your weaknesses, so I like to recommend utilizing this format as a template you’ll be able to (and may) construct upon.
As you customise and construct your plan, you’ll be able to establish the precise areas you could deal with main as much as your take a look at date. For those who haven’t scheduled your examination, your CCIE studying matrix is a wonderful solution to estimate how a lot time you could put together based mostly in your information, coaching strategies, and studying tempo. Keep in mind, each studying journey is completely different, so attempt to keep away from the frequent pitfall of evaluating your self to different CCIE candidates and certification holders.
Construct a robust community of supporters
As I discussed earlier, you aren’t by yourself—removed from it, actually. The Cisco studying and certification neighborhood is huge, educated, variety, and accessible.
While you’re visiting the Cisco Studying Community to obtain your studying matrix, take a second to . The Cisco Studying Community neighborhood is comprised of material specialists, CCIE candidates, certification holders, and extra who can help your CCIE journey each step of the way in which. As you browse, bookmark the neighborhood discussions that pertain to your CCIE expertise monitor so you’ll be able to discuss with them later.
You will discover boundless information within the Cisco studying neighborhood from those that have been there, completed that. Typically the easiest way to achieve your objectives is to ask how others how they did it themselves. It sounds easy, proper? Nicely, that’s as a result of it’s. Don’t underestimate the ability and boundless information contained inside this neighborhood, nonetheless. I can’t overstate the influence a community of likeminded friends can have in your CCIE certification journey.
Analysis CCIE coaching, instruments, and assets
Studying is a journey; an exploration. To date, you’ve explored the examination matters 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 assets to your studying fashion.
Understanding your strategy to problem-solving is as very important to success as discovering dependable studying supplies. Choosing the coaching, instruments, and assets to your CCIE prep is way simpler when you realize which strategies and supplies work greatest for your studying fashion.
Select correctly, then customise and mix
Lately, there isn’t any scarcity of choices obtainable that will help you get exam-ready. Again after I was getting ready for CCIE certification, the huge catalog of coaching, programs, bootcamps, reference books, movies, and so forth. Cisco has at this time didn’t exist but. So, use them to your benefit. They’re designed by individuals who have completed what you’re doing and skilled the arduous work and dedication essential to succeed. Mix these completely different assets to suit your studying fashion and particularly goal the areas you recognized for development.
As you analysis your studying and coaching assets, accomplish that overtly and truthfully. Be trustworthy about what you’re good at and the place you legitimately want to enhance. In spite of everything, Skilled-level sensible exams don’t take a look at what you assume you’re good at. They take a look at your precise skills.
Arms-on observe is important
The CCIE lab is all about hands-on advanced community setup, so ensure you get loads of observe in a lab. Nevertheless, a typical problem for CCIE candidates is that they don’t have entry to the gear, pods, and infrastructure they should observe within the first place. So, we created .
CCIE Follow Labs is a brand new supply for CCIE candidates getting ready for the lab. After you have handed the expertise core examination, the prerequisite for taking the sensible examination, you’ll be able to . Labs can be found in 4-hour blocks of time for US$50. This lets you get hands-on observe utilizing topologies just like what you’ll see within the precise lab.
CCIE Follow Labs can be found for CCIE Safety, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, and CCIE Service Supplier certifications, with extra on the way in which.
What the CCIE lab is actually testing you on
The CCIE lab examination is greater than a take a look at of data. It exams how nicely you’ll be able to merge your conceptual understanding with sensible abilities. You might be able to recall rote particulars and ideas, however can you place them into observe? Together with the deep experience wanted to go the lab, you should have the ability to translate, synthesize, and clear up issues. When confronted with novel issues in the actual world, are you able to clear up them satisfactorily? Primarily, your experience must be far larger than the sum of the components that comprise it.
Incomes the CCIE certification means you’ve the psychological agility, confidence, and deep experience to course of by complexity, assume critically, innovate, and ship options successfully. If all of this sounds scary, it shouldn’t. Nevertheless it does supply if you turn out to be CCIE licensed.
Do you’ve what it takes to turn out to be a CCIE?
Now that we’ve established the premise for what it takes to turn out to be a CCIE, you could have a newfound respect for many who are Skilled-level certifications.
Attending 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 Skilled degree. I do know this as a result of each CCIE certification holder is made. We aren’t born specialists. We turn out to be CCIE licensed due to what we now have given to reaching our objectives. It’s essential to discover the trail that empowers you to give what it takes—the time, dedication, persistence, and want—for CCIE certification success. In case you are prepared and prepared to dedicate your self to incomes the CCIE certification, then you’ve what it takes.
I hope you discovered this weblog useful in understanding what it takes to turn out to be a CCIE and methods to construct a robust, structured strategy. You’ll discover helpful hyperlinks beneath to study extra about our Skilled-level certifications, the testing expertise, and assets that will help you take your studying to the subsequent degree. I want you one of the best in your path and invite you to depart a remark beneath if any of my recommendation resonates with you. And if you’re already on the way in which to incomes your CCIE certification, I’d love to listen to about your expertise.
A particular word for CCIE candidates attending Cisco Dwell 2023 Las Vegas
In case you are becoming a member of us in Las Vegas, June 4–8, 2023, I extremely advocate attending a , the place you’ve a singular alternative to take a deep dive into particular Cisco expertise tracks. We designed these 4-hour periods for attendees who’ve superior technical area information. So, if you’re able to pursue (or you’re already in flight) a CCIE, CCDE, or DevNet Skilled certification, I strongly advise you to make this a precedence.
*In case you are an lively Cisco certification holder, these periods are eligible for Persevering with Training (CE) credit you’ll be able to apply in direction of recertification.
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