It is fairly well documented that Cisco has introduced a new “Real World” approach to the CCIE. The CCIE Lab exam now tries to test students on two levels.
Troubleshooting - You are given 35+ routers and switches with around ten configuration scenarios/issues within the topology. Most of these issues/faults must be fixed within two hours or it’s an instant fail. Don’t under-estimate this section!!!
There are several providers outthere that offer workbooks dedicated to practicing troubleshooting. I personally used INE, volume 4 which tested your knowledge and know-how.
Configuration - Implement a series of configurations as per requirements set by the proctor
When preparing and studying for your CCIE lab exam, don’t make the mistake of not preparing for the Troubleshooting test in the same way as preparing for the Configuration section. If you do not resolve the network issues within the scheduled time-frame, it’s an instant fail regardless of how you perform in the Configuration section of the test. Troubleshooting training is required in addition to configuration training. If you don’t want to take my word for it, you can checkout a sample and judge for yourself. It is surprisingly difficult and just as challedging as the configuration section of the exam. For more information on troubleshooting training, checkout the workbooks to ensure they also offer troubleshooting aswell as configuration training.
CCIE Workbooks – An essential tool in your preparations for the Cisco CCIE lab exam. We have complied a list of CCIE workbook providers from around the globe to assist students with their studies. Click here to view the full list
The CCIE Routing & Switching certification is one of seven currently active CCIE tracks offered by Cisco Systems. The routing and switching track is by far the most popular of all CCIE tracks, making up about 85% of the total number of CCIEs worldwide (as of 3/5/2010). According to Cisco, a CCIE in routing in switching certifies the skills required of expert-level network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructure.
Prerequisites - There are no formal prerequisites to attempt the CCIE Routing & Switching, but Cisco strongly recommends in-depth understanding and three to five years hands on experience before attempting the exam. Cisco also has said the average candidate will spend 12-18 months of time and several thousand dollars preparing for the CCIE. The routing and switching CCIE is often looked on as the gateway to just about any other specialization within the Cisco arena because in reality the topics covered are much more broad than simply routing and switching. Having a CCIE in routing and switching lays a solid foundation for an engineer to move on and pursue other avenues of specialization.
Like any CCIE track, the CCIE routing & switching certification requires that the candidate pass two separate exams — written & lab exam.
Written Exam – The first exam is the CCIE written examination, which is a two hour test, comprised of roughly 100 questions. The written exam also serves as a qualifier to sit the lab exam. Written exams are taken at any worldwide Pearson VUE testing facility. Current cost of the written exam is $350 per attempt
Lab Exam – Passing the CCIE written exam is a pre-requisite to sit the CCIE lab exam. One must attempt the lab exam within 18 months of passing their written exam. The CCIE lab examination is an 8 hour hands on lab proctored by Cisco at one of 10 locations worldwide (Bangalore, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Raleigh, San Jose, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo) & the current cost of the exam is $1400 per attempt.
Current Exam Format
The current incarnation of the CCIE routing and switching lab consists of three different sections. First, the candidate must face four open ended questions related to routing and switching exam topics. The candidate must type their answers into a text box, and their answers are graded by a proctor. The candidate must score 3 out of 4 correct in this section. Secondly, the candidate will face a two hour troubleshooting section. The troubleshooting section will consist of a series of troubleshooting tickets that must be solved the candidate in the given time. It is widely known that the troubleshooting section is implemented on virtual hardware such that no single problem affects any other problem. Because of this, the troubleshooting section may consist of many routers (25 to 30 devices would not be uncommon). The successful candidate must score 80% in their troubleshooting section. Finally, the candidate will face a 5.5 hour configuration section where the candidate will be required to configure a variety of Cisco technologies on equipment within the given amount of time and according to very specific requirements. The candidate must score 80% in the configuration section to pass. In summary, the student must pass 3 out of 4 open ended questions, 80% of their troubleshooting tickets, and 80% of the configuration section to earn a CCIE #.
Unlike its predecessors, this incarnation of the CCIE lab (v4.0) is all done electronically. There are no hard copies of exam materials given out. All the examination questions and diagrams are delivered electronically through the user’s computer terminal.
I would like to share more informational resources with you, if you really interested to do CCIE Routing & Switching certification please visit http://www.ipexpert.com for more details. All the training material provided is updated to meet Cisco’s latest Blueprint.
The CCIE Routing & Switching certification is one of seven currently active CCIE tracks offered by Cisco Systems. The routing and switching track is by far the most popular of all CCIE tracks, making up about 85% of the total number of CCIEs worldwide (as of 3/5/2010). According to Cisco, a CCIE in routing in switching certifies the skills required of expert-level network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructure.
Prerequisites - There are no formal prerequisites to attempt the CCIE Routing & Switching, but Cisco strongly recommends in-depth understanding and three to five years hands on experience before attempting the exam. Cisco also has said the average candidate will spend 12-18 months of time and several thousand dollars preparing for the CCIE. The routing and switching CCIE is often looked on as the gateway to just about any other specialization within the Cisco arena because in reality the topics covered are much more broad than simply routing and switching. Having a CCIE in routing and switching lays a solid foundation for an engineer to move on and pursue other avenues of specialization.
Like any CCIE track, the CCIE routing & switching certification requires that the candidate pass two separate exams — written & lab exam.
Written Exam – The first exam is the CCIE written examination, which is a two hour test, comprised of roughly 100 questions. The written exam also serves as a qualifier to sit the lab exam. Written exams are taken at any worldwide Pearson VUE testing facility. Current cost of the written exam is $350 per attempt
Lab Exam – Passing the CCIE written exam is a pre-requisite to sit the CCIE lab exam. One must attempt the lab exam within 18 months of passing their written exam. The CCIE lab examination is an 8 hour hands on lab proctored by Cisco at one of 10 locations worldwide (Bangalore, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Raleigh, San Jose, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo) & the current cost of the exam is $1400 per attempt.
Current Exam Format
The current incarnation of the CCIE routing and switching lab consists of three different sections. First, the candidate must face four open ended questions related to routing and switching exam topics. The candidate must type their answers into a text box, and their answers are graded by a proctor. The candidate must score 3 out of 4 correct in this section. Secondly, the candidate will face a two hour troubleshooting section. The troubleshooting section will consist of a series of troubleshooting tickets that must be solved the candidate in the given time. It is widely known that the troubleshooting section is implemented on virtual hardware such that no single problem affects any other problem. Because of this, the troubleshooting section may consist of many routers (25 to 30 devices would not be uncommon). The successful candidate must score 80% in their troubleshooting section. Finally, the candidate will face a 5.5 hour configuration section where the candidate will be required to configure a variety of Cisco technologies on equipment within the given amount of time and according to very specific requirements. The candidate must score 80% in the configuration section to pass. In summary, the student must pass 3 out of 4 open ended questions, 80% of their troubleshooting tickets, and 80% of the configuration section to earn a CCIE #.
Unlike its predecessors, this incarnation of the CCIE lab (v4.0) is all done electronically. There are no hard copies of exam materials given out. All the examination questions and diagrams are delivered electronically through the user’s computer terminal.
I would like to share more informational resources with you, if you really interested to do CCIE Routing & Switching certification please visit http://www.ipexpert.com for more details. All the training material provided is updated to meet Cisco’s latest Blueprint.
The CCIE Routing & Switching certification is one of seven currently active CCIE tracks offered by Cisco Systems. The routing and switching track is by far the most popular of all CCIE tracks, making up about 85% of the total number of CCIEs worldwide (as of 3/5/2010). According to Cisco, a CCIE in routing in switching certifies the skills required of expert-level network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructure.
Prerequisites - There are no formal prerequisites to attempt the CCIE Routing & Switching, but Cisco strongly recommends in-depth understanding and three to five years hands on experience before attempting the exam. Cisco also has said the average candidate will spend 12-18 months of time and several thousand dollars preparing for the CCIE. The routing and switching CCIE is often looked on as the gateway to just about any other specialization within the Cisco arena because in reality the topics covered are much more broad than simply routing and switching. Having a CCIE in routing and switching lays a solid foundation for an engineer to move on and pursue other avenues of specialization.
Like any CCIE track, the CCIE routing & switching certification requires that the candidate pass two separate exams — written & lab exam.
Written Exam – The first exam is the CCIE written examination, which is a two hour test, comprised of roughly 100 questions. The written exam also serves as a qualifier to sit the lab exam. Written exams are taken at any worldwide Pearson VUE testing facility. Current cost of the written exam is $350 per attempt
Lab Exam – Passing the CCIE written exam is a pre-requisite to sit the CCIE lab exam. One must attempt the lab exam within 18 months of passing their written exam. The CCIE lab examination is an 8 hour hands on lab proctored by Cisco at one of 10 locations worldwide (Bangalore, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Raleigh, San Jose, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo) & the current cost of the exam is $1400 per attempt.
Current Exam Format
The current incarnation of the CCIE routing and switching lab consists of three different sections. First, the candidate must face four open ended questions related to routing and switching exam topics. The candidate must type their answers into a text box, and their answers are graded by a proctor. The candidate must score 3 out of 4 correct in this section. Secondly, the candidate will face a two hour troubleshooting section. The troubleshooting section will consist of a series of troubleshooting tickets that must be solved the candidate in the given time. It is widely known that the troubleshooting section is implemented on virtual hardware such that no single problem affects any other problem. Because of this, the troubleshooting section may consist of many routers (25 to 30 devices would not be uncommon). The successful candidate must score 80% in their troubleshooting section. Finally, the candidate will face a 5.5 hour configuration section where the candidate will be required to configure a variety of Cisco technologies on equipment within the given amount of time and according to very specific requirements. The candidate must score 80% in the configuration section to pass. In summary, the student must pass 3 out of 4 open ended questions, 80% of their troubleshooting tickets, and 80% of the configuration section to earn a CCIE #.
Unlike its predecessors, this incarnation of the CCIE lab (v4.0) is all done electronically. There are no hard copies of exam materials given out. All the examination questions and diagrams are delivered electronically through the user’s computer terminal.
I would like to share more informational resources with you, if you really interested to do CCIE Routing & Switching certification please visit http://www.ipexpert.com for more details. All the training material provided is updated to meet Cisco’s latest Blueprint.
The CCIE Routing & Switching certification is one of seven currently active CCIE tracks offered by Cisco Systems. The routing and switching track is by far the most popular of all CCIE tracks, making up about 85% of the total number of CCIEs worldwide (as of 3/5/2010). According to Cisco, a CCIE in routing in switching certifies the skills required of expert-level network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructure.
Prerequisites - There are no formal prerequisites to attempt the CCIE Routing & Switching, but Cisco strongly recommends in-depth understanding and three to five years hands on experience before attempting the exam. Cisco also has said the average candidate will spend 12-18 months of time and several thousand dollars preparing for the CCIE. The routing and switching CCIE is often looked on as the gateway to just about any other specialization within the Cisco arena because in reality the topics covered are much more broad than simply routing and switching. Having a CCIE in routing and switching lays a solid foundation for an engineer to move on and pursue other avenues of specialization.
Like any CCIE track, the CCIE routing & switching certification requires that the candidate pass two separate exams — written & lab exam.
Written Exam – The first exam is the CCIE written examination, which is a two hour test, comprised of roughly 100 questions. The written exam also serves as a qualifier to sit the lab exam. Written exams are taken at any worldwide Pearson VUE testing facility. Current cost of the written exam is $350 per attempt
Lab Exam – Passing the CCIE written exam is a pre-requisite to sit the CCIE lab exam. One must attempt the lab exam within 18 months of passing their written exam. The CCIE lab examination is an 8 hour hands on lab proctored by Cisco at one of 10 locations worldwide (Bangalore, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Raleigh, San Jose, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo) & the current cost of the exam is $1400 per attempt.
Current Exam Format
The current incarnation of the CCIE routing and switching lab consists of three different sections. First, the candidate must face four open ended questions related to routing and switching exam topics. The candidate must type their answers into a text box, and their answers are graded by a proctor. The candidate must score 3 out of 4 correct in this section. Secondly, the candidate will face a two hour troubleshooting section. The troubleshooting section will consist of a series of troubleshooting tickets that must be solved the candidate in the given time. It is widely known that the troubleshooting section is implemented on virtual hardware such that no single problem affects any other problem. Because of this, the troubleshooting section may consist of many routers (25 to 30 devices would not be uncommon). The successful candidate must score 80% in their troubleshooting section. Finally, the candidate will face a 5.5 hour configuration section where the candidate will be required to configure a variety of Cisco technologies on equipment within the given amount of time and according to very specific requirements. The candidate must score 80% in the configuration section to pass. In summary, the student must pass 3 out of 4 open ended questions, 80% of their troubleshooting tickets, and 80% of the configuration section to earn a CCIE #.
Unlike its predecessors, this incarnation of the CCIE lab (v4.0) is all done electronically. There are no hard copies of exam materials given out. All the examination questions and diagrams are delivered electronically through the user’s computer terminal.
I would like to share more informational resources with you, if you really interested to do CCIE Routing & Switching certification please visit http://www.ipexpert.com for more details. All the training material provided is updated to meet Cisco’s latest Blueprint.
If you are like me, you would have asked yourself this question during the many hours and study and preparation. The sheer scale of requirements seems overwhelming and almost impossible at times. This is a feeling a lot of engineers have when under pressure by their employer, peers or just simply trying to be the best in their field. I don’t have the answers, each person is different but I can say for certain that the CCIE is passable and achievable. Having said that, many more engineers fail for numerous reasons but the main reason is down to preparation. Preparing yourself for the exam is critical and I don’t mean just technically, there is many other challenging to complete and master if you want to pass the lab.
Technical Knowledge
Well, it’s essential that each student masters the core technologies such as Switching, Frame-relay, OSPF, RIP, EIGRP and BGP. Don’t bother attempting the lab exam unless you have a deep understanding of these technologies. CCIE candidates are also expected to understand and implement a variety of other, often related technologies such as IPv6, Multicast, IP Services & Security features such as Zone-based Firewalls. If you’re serious about the lab, read the blueprint and ensure you understand what is expected from the student on these technologies. You will do things with the technologies that would rarely be seen in the real world. The CCIE lab exam is not a design exam, you will not lose points for “least optimal routing”; it’s all about demonstrating that you understand the technologies and available solution options.
Attitude
Its potentially fatal to sit the lab exam in the wrong mindset!
Knowing you haven’t studied enough and hoping to pass by chance is near impossible and a complete waste of money. I am not writing this is annoying anyone; it’s a fact that a lot of engineers over-estimate their ability and under-estimate the lab requirements. This is a road many engineers have taken (including me) only to find out something I already knew, I needed more time to prepare for the lab. Walk into the lab exam knowing you have fully prepared for the lab and walk out with your CCIE number.
CCIE engineer talking to a reporter about the challenges of passing the Lab exam
Take a look inside CCIE lab and better understand what to expect on the day.
The CCIE Routing & Switching certification is one of seven currently active CCIE tracks offered by Cisco Systems. The routing and switching track is by far the most popular of all CCIE tracks, making up about 85% of the total number of CCIEs worldwide (as of 3/5/2010). According to Cisco, a CCIE in routing in switching certifies the skills required of expert-level network engineers to plan, operate and troubleshoot complex, converged network infrastructure.
Prerequisites - There are no formal prerequisites to attempt the CCIE Routing & Switching, but Cisco strongly recommends in-depth understanding and three to five years hands on experience before attempting the exam. Cisco also has said the average candidate will spend 12-18 months of time and several thousand dollars preparing for the CCIE. The routing and switching CCIE is often looked on as the gateway to just about any other specialization within the Cisco arena because in reality the topics covered are much more broad than simply routing and switching. Having a CCIE in routing and switching lays a solid foundation for an engineer to move on and pursue other avenues of specialization.
Like any CCIE track, the CCIE routing & switching certification requires that the candidate pass two separate exams — written & lab exam.
Written Exam – The first exam is the CCIE written examination, which is a two hour test, comprised of roughly 100 questions. The written exam also serves as a qualifier to sit the lab exam. Written exams are taken at any worldwide Pearson VUE testing facility. Current cost of the written exam is $350 per attempt
Lab Exam – Passing the CCIE written exam is a pre-requisite to sit the CCIE lab exam. One must attempt the lab exam within 18 months of passing their written exam. The CCIE lab examination is an 8 hour hands on lab proctored by Cisco at one of 10 locations worldwide (Bangalore, Beijing, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, Raleigh, San Jose, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo) & the current cost of the exam is $1400 per attempt.
Current Exam Format
The current incarnation of the CCIE routing and switching lab consists of three different sections. First, the candidate must face four open ended questions related to routing and switching exam topics. The candidate must type their answers into a text box, and their answers are graded by a proctor. The candidate must score 3 out of 4 correct in this section. Secondly, the candidate will face a two hour troubleshooting section. The troubleshooting section will consist of a series of troubleshooting tickets that must be solved the candidate in the given time. It is widely known that the troubleshooting section is implemented on virtual hardware such that no single problem affects any other problem. Because of this, the troubleshooting section may consist of many routers (25 to 30 devices would not be uncommon). The successful candidate must score 80% in their troubleshooting section. Finally, the candidate will face a 5.5 hour configuration section where the candidate will be required to configure a variety of Cisco technologies on equipment within the given amount of time and according to very specific requirements. The candidate must score 80% in the configuration section to pass. In summary, the student must pass 3 out of 4 open ended questions, 80% of their troubleshooting tickets, and 80% of the configuration section to earn a CCIE #.
Unlike its predecessors, this incarnation of the CCIE lab (v4.0) is all done electronically. There are no hard copies of exam materials given out. All the examination questions and diagrams are delivered electronically through the user’s computer terminal.
I would like to share more informational resources with you, if you really interested to do CCIE Routing & Switching certification please visit http://www.ipexpert.com for more details. All the training material provided is updated to meet Cisco’s latest Blueprint.
Cisco certified internetwork expert is one of the certifications from Cisco where candidates from the information technology will certify for getting a job change or high paid salary jobs etc. Totally there are 15,000 candidates around the world have successfully certified with this CCIE certification program. Since it is a challenging course, candidates should invest their time as well as money in order to certify successfully with this program.
CCIE certification program requirements:
For certifying with this certification, there are no special prerequisites required to the candidates but it is mandatory that candidates should have their work experience in any level of organization. There are two examinations that candidates should pass. One is theory examination and other one is CCIE laboratory examination. Cost of written exam is approximately 350 USD and the cost of lab examination is approximately 1250 USD. Theory examination is just 2 hours exam that consists of 100 questions with multiple choices. There are no case study type questions. Only after completing the theory exam, candidates can take the 8 hour lab examination.
CCIE job roles:
Regarding the job roles, candidates can get placed in high paid salary in top fortune companies around the world. Since the demand is always high for the CCIE candidates, companies are ready to hire talented CCIE certified candidates with high salary paid. Network expert, network architect, senior lead network engineer and lead network engineer are some of the job roles included for this certification program.
CCIE job salary to the candidates:
As already mentioned, CCIE candidates are always in demand in the multinational companies and hence, candidates can get placed in high paid salary. Average salary for the CCIE candidates in the United States is around 60,000 USD/ year. If the performance level is extremely good and also with 2 to 3 years experience, then candidates can demand for more than 125, 000 USD per year.
I would like to share more informational resources with you, if you really interested to do CCIE certification and also want 100% guaranteed result related to CCIE Certification exams please visits for more details.
You have finally decided to take the plunge mentally, physically, and financially and get serious about achieving the ultimate prize in IT certification — the coveted CCIE from Cisco. If you are indeed serious about obtaining the CCIE, chances are you won’t be doing it alone. The vast majority of people will need some help along the way, as the CCIE is not only extremely difficult and technical but it almost requires that you learn from somebody that has gone before you. The CCIE is not something you just pick up and decide to do. No, the CCIE is something you train for and something you train under somebody to achieve. So, who should you select as a training vendor? What are the things to look for to make the best decision? This article will look at some of the main things to look for when choosing a training vendor for CCIE training.
Proven Success
Reputation might not be all that important in some aspects of life. When talking about CCIE training vendors it is extremely important. The first thing you should do when narrowing down which CCIE vendor you will go with is to do your homework on their reputation and past success. After all, you are likely going to be investing thousands of dollars on your path to becoming a Cisco networking guru, and you want to invest those dollars wisely. Anybody can say “we are the best vendor”, but you want them to prove it. Why are they the best? How many people have actually achieved their CCIE # by going through their program? If a training vendor is of excellent quality, their web site should show it in the form of success stories, testimonials, and probably even a list of people they have helped achieve CCIE status. Read those testimonials, and get out on the internet and talk to some people. If you know any CCIEs, ask them who they used to train with and why. The best training vendors will always have excellent reputations by word of mouth as well as hard cold numbers to back up their reputations. If a vendor cannot provide success stories, testimonials, and a proven track record of success stay away!
Quality of Training Material
The CCIE is hard. Producing quality material to train potential CCIEs is even harder. To write quality material obviously requires an in depth understanding. However, other factors come into play as well like the work ethic of the people writing it, and the budget they are working with. Do they understand the technology, but just spit a bunch of stuff out onto pages without a very good explanation? Maybe they are the smartest CCIE in the world, but if their explanations are unclear or full of errors it is not going to help you all that much. Is the product professionally done or slopped together? If the product looks sloppy, what do you think the content is going to be like? What you want is material that the vendor obviously put good quality time and effort into producing. Any vendor worth their salt should be able to provide a demo of their workbooks, videos, audio, or other such products. If they can’t do that, shop elsewhere.
Support from Real CCIEs
It should go without saying that if you have a problem or question about the material you have purchased that you should be able to get support for that issue. Most vendors will claim they offer some sort of support for their products. Do they really though? Who is answering your technical questions when it comes down to it? Look into it. Does the vendor have an email list or forum for students to post questions? Further, when people post to these lists or forums, do the instructors and people writing the material actually respond within a reasonable amount of time? Nothing is more frustrating than trying to solve a complex task only to find an error and no explanation whatsoever from the vendor you are paying for “support.” What about support for the equipment you may be renting from them to complete the workbooks? If it is 4:00 AM and an interface on your rack dies who is going to be there to fix it and make sure you get the time you paid for? Good after-hours support is hard to come by.
Joe Astorino is CCIE, CCNA, CCDA, CCNP and CCDP certified professional with nearly a decade of hands-on experience, with an emphasis on enterprise-sized Cisco networks. He is CCIE Training instructor for IPexpert who has trained many IT professionals to get CCIE certification. You may like to visit IPexpert to find details about CCIE training in the following tracks CCIE Routing & Switching, CCIE Voice, CCIE Service Provider & CCIE Security.
If you are looking for CCIE Training who possess the largest collection of successful CCIE clients, please visit IPexpert at http://www.ipexpert.com
When you have finally decided to pursue your CCIE certification seriously, it’s time to get down to brass tacks and decide on that all important vendor to help you meet your goals. Here is a list of the top ten things to look for when choosing a CCIE training vendor.
1. An excellent track record — You want to choose a vendor that has trained many CCIEs successfully before you came along. Any decent vendor should be able to present you with several success stories from successful clients
2. Updated and quality material — What you don’t want is some CCIE workbook from 1998 that is going to teach you about source route bridging, IPX, ISDN and Appletalk because those topics are no longer on the exam. You want to make sure the vendor’s material is fully up to date with the latest CCIE blueprint and that the material is top notch in the industry. Make sure to read reviews of their products, and get a demo if you can before you buy.
3. Equipment to practice on at reasonable rates — This is often overlooked. If you are going to be spending thousands of dollars on training material, and likely hundreds upon hundreds of hours labbing, you will need equipment to do it on. Furthermore, you will need equipment that matches that vendors topology. Most vendors will offer some sort of rack rental service where you can rent racks of equipment wired to that particular vendors topology. Make sure the prices are reasonable and that the equipment matches closely what is in the real CCIE lab. Other things you want to watch for are 24×7 support for the online hardware, and as many useful features as possible like remote power access, and the ability to save and load configurations automatically. These features will make your life easier, and save you money in the long run.
4. First class technical support of the product — Everybody needs good teachers when they are learning. Make sure your vendor offers a place for students to reach out and ask questions regarding the materials. This will usually come in the form of email support lists or user forums. Take a look around before you commit and make sure the actual instructors and other knowledgeable people are contributing to the conversations. CCIE is not something you will typically do all alone with no outside help whatsoever.
5. Selection of products that meets your needs — There are many different products available out there. You want to make sure you select a vendor that will offer the products that best fit you. You may prefer learning on demand through DVD or online instead of attending a class due to your hectic work schedule. Maybe you enjoy listening to technical lectures while running or on the way to work on the subway. If that is the case, you probably will enjoy an audio on demand type product. Maybe the best learning experience for you is live right in a real classroom where you get more dynamic interaction with an instructor. make sure the vendor you choose can meet ALL your specific needs.
6. Proven Plan Of Attack — You want to choose a vendor that has a proven time tested strategy for success in the CCIE lab. Anybody can give you a bunch of technical material. What will you do with that material? How do you best utilize your new purchase? What exactly is the path you need to take to achieve your CCIE #? A good vendor will be able to provide you with a structured and proven method to success.
7. World Class Instructors — You don’t want to learn how to be a CCIE from anybody. You want to learn from the best, and as such you want to select a vendor that employs world class CCIE instructors. Many people are technical gurus in this field. Few know how to relate that to other people in a dynamic and understandable way to newcomers. Make sure you research the instructors whose time you will be paying quality money for. What is their real world experience? Have other people been happy with their services and teaching methods? Do your homework. A great instructor can make or break your training experience.
8. Finished Products — This is something people often overlook. Many CCIE vendors will sell you something they can’t deliver on with empty promises that “The new XYZ is coming next month we promise!!!”. Next month comes and goes, and the next and the next….meanwhile your CCIE lab is coming up and you still don’t have finished product you have paid for! Make sure the vendor you select has updated and complete products that they can deliver on TODAY before you buy.
9. Class Size and Locations — If live classroom training is part of the package you are looking for, it would be wise to do a little homework on where your vendor conducts business. Will you have to fly half way around the world and spend thousands MORE dollars just to get there or do they do classes all over the world? A vendor that does classes closer to where you live will obviously benefit you more in terms of your pocket book. The best vendors will typically have classes in the USA, Europe, and possibly even Australia or Asia/Pac. Don’t pay more than what you already have to pay to the vendor and Cisco to get that #. What is the average class size? Do you want to be in a college type hall with 40 people or do you want more personal 1-1 time with your CCIE instructor? Make sure you choose a vendor that can offer you small class sizes and individual attention when needed.
10. Budget — Money is obviously important. You don’t want to go with a vendor just because they are the cheapest. You want to make sure the vendor offers you everything we’ve discussed in this list. Once you narrow you choices down, it is time to look at budget. Do your homework and choose the vendor that will give you the most value for your money. When comparing “end to end” type programs, which vendor gives you more value for your money? What exactly is included in their bundles? Are there any bundles or promotions going on right now that can help you out? Do they offer payment plans? How flexible are they with payment options? These are all important things to consider.
An online Internet portal dedicated to the Cisco CCIE training program. With so many training partners and suppliers in the world, I decided to put together a website detailing all the major providers of quality CCIE study material available today. If you find the website useful, please add a comment to the page or post you found most helpful.
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