Variety Of Cisco CCIE Certifications

Vendor: Cisco

Certification Overview

CCIE certification, also referred to as the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert, revolves around the process of network on an expert level. This is indeed, the highest level which one could reach in a field related to networking. Its high significance and demand can be judged from the fact that the CCIE is possessed by merely 1% of networking professionals out there! This certification goes through a vigorous process to evaluate you skillset and knowledgebase and only certify the most capable candidates.

This certification holds the advantage of being globally admired and appreciated. The important of Cisco certifications cannot be neglected since people holding these certification are receiving great benefits. In fact, it is extremely important to get a CCIE certification to stand out of the crowd and gain a competitive advantage in the job market.

CCIE certifications comprise of a lot of different topics; each topic could let you find a unique and appreciable job. There are a lot of job positions, in fact, in which a CCIE certified expert can fit in to. Let us shed some light on some of these job professions:

• Network manager
• Chair of network security operations
• Head networking engineer
• Senior device administrator

This expert level certification surely demands a substantial amount of skills from the candidate. This means that anyone opting for this certification should not only possess comprehensive knowledge of various technique, he must also possess the practical skills to implement this knowledge in real-life scenarios. Following is a set of skills which he is supposed to have:

• Effectively devise solutions for networks
• Implement solutions within the prescribed duration
• Troubleshoot complex problems
• Possess knowledge of various networking devices and their functions
• Work effectively with network infrastructure

CCIE certification path is a quite unique and versatile one, and allows you to master in a number of fields at the same time. There are a number of different certifications which come under the category of CCIE, and are related to the field of networking. Let us discuss the CCIE certification path in detail.

• CCIE Wireless
• CCIE Service Provider
• CCIE Data Center
• CCIE Collaboration
• CCIE Routing & Switching
• CCIE Security
• CCIE Service Provider Operations

CCIE Wireless is an advanced level certification which accesses the skills of the candidates to manage complex wireless networks and evaluate their knowledge regarding advanced protocols and networking techniques. CCIE Data Center focuses on the skill of the candidate to administer the Cisco Data Center products and devise solutions in case of any problem. Similarly, CCIE Routing and Switching is also a highly demanded certification which focuses on the ability of the candidate to manage complex routers and switches and utilize them effectively and efficiently in the process of routing and switching to form a smooth network.

It can be deduced from the nature of this certification that it is not meant for everyone. This certification intends to target only full-time working professionals with a good amount of knowledge and substantial amount of experience. Hence, those opting for this certification must have previously done an Associate or professional level certification and must possess at least 3 years of full-time working experience.

Required Exams

Cisco CCIE certification makes it compulsory for the candidate to complete two exams; a lab exam and a written exam. The lab exam will tend to assess the practical skills of the candidates while the written exam will test his knowledge in depth. After paying the CCIE certification cost, the candidate should register for both exams and clear them as soon as possible. However, the candidate has the liberty to clear the lab exam in the duration of 18 months after the written exam has been cleared.

Required Courses

The CCIE certification does not makes it compulsory for its students to take a course, although taking a course is highly recommended. Even if you can prepare for the written exam on your own, it is recommended that you at least take a boot camp in order to augment your practical skills. The lab exam is ought to be cleared in 8 hours, so you need to manage your time.

Study Materials

You should make use of the CCIE certification guide, which is available on its official website, in order to get an idea of which study materials you need. The best preparation for the exam would be to solve a lot of practice questions so that you get sufficient amount of practice required for the exam.