How To Get The CCIE


How to get ccie

How To Get The CCIE 

CCIE stands for Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert and it is widely known as one of the most prestigious certifications in the IT industry. Passing the exam and getting the certification requires a lot of hard work, long hours of studying, and hands-on experience. So, what are the right ways to get the CCIE? 

To obtain CCIE you need to possess a lot of skills and excellent practice experience. The preparation for the exam takes a lot of time and dedication, and you will need a good study plan and the right resources. Candidates are also required to pass the Cisco training in computer networking.   

In this guide, I will talk about all the requirements for the CCIE exam and the things that make you an eligible candidate to take the exam. I will also provide some tips for productive studying and practicing. Furthermore, I will discuss the level of difficulty of the CCIE examination, and what benefits you will have career-wise once you obtain the certification. 

How To Pass The CCIE 

The CCIE is a certification provided by Cisco, and it is suitable for senior networking professionals who design, implement, build, maintain, and troubleshoot networking infrastructures in a company. Once obtained, the certification can serve individuals to get the wanted position, a promotion, and certainly a bigger salary. The CCIE is perfect for those who really want to improve in the IT industry and take their career to the next level. 

To get the CCIE you will need to pass two parts of the exam – a written exam and a lab exam. The written exam assesses theoretical knowledge, therefore you will need to show decent knowledge in concepts and principles of different technologies. If you pass the written exam, then you can proceed to the lab exam. 

The lab exam is the point at which things get difficult. Since the CCIE is an expert-level examination, the lab exam is considered one of the most difficult exams by many candidates. This part is completely focused on putting the theoretical knowledge into practice, therefore it requires a lot of skills and experience. 

If you intend to pass the CCIE exam, you will need to consider a few things. Firstly, the exam is costly, so you need to be serious about it. Secondly, you will need to dedicate a lot of your time to study and practice. To be able to achieve that, you will need to build a good plan that will be in line with your other activities during the day, for example, work and family.

Planning 

As I already mentioned, nothing will work without a good plan. So, you need to carefully determine how many hours of the day you can devote to study, and in those hours you need to be really productive. Your plan should include the reading part and the practice part. 

Since it is an expert-level exam, a lot of theoretical knowledge is needed to pass the written exam. Some people need even 6 months to prepare for this part, i.e. to read everything there is about routers, switches, and network protocols. 

Then, you need to think about the lab exam. To be prepared for the lab exam, you will need a lot of experience. Therefore, you will have to install a home lab environment, so you can be able to practice a lot before the time of the exam comes. 

Establishing a home lab would be really beneficial, since everything you learn from the theoretical part you can put into practice through lab exercises. That way you will be prepared for anything on the lab exam, and you will avoid surprises. 

Finding The Right Resources 

Cisco provides the needed materials, such as books, ebooks, videos, and so on. However, you can also try some third-party materials available on the Internet which you may find helpful and more convenient for you. If you do not want to experiment with resources, you can always use the self-study package provided by Cisco. 

Once you establish which materials you are going to use, you can start your preparation. Make sure that you familiarize yourself with all of the objectives included in the exam. Keep in mind that there will be a lot of information that you will need to learn, so expect that and do not get stressed. 

CCIE Difficulty 

Since we are talking about certification at an expert level here, it is understandable that the exam is extensive and difficult. Even though there are no formal pre-requisites for taking the exam, you will need to complete a 2-hour training in computer networking. 

The written exam is also of great importance, therefore you need to make sure that you brush your skills about theoretical concepts and principles. The second part, the 8-hour lab exam is known as one of the most difficult exams in the IT industry, therefore it is no surprise that the CCIE exam is one of the most prestigious certifications. 

So, the examination is difficult and it takes a lot of hard work to achieve the certification. However, the difficulty of the exam does not mean you cannot pass it. A lot of practice and a well-structured study plan will do the trick. 

How To Become A CCIE (A Career Lifestyle) 

Once you obtain the CCIE certification, a lot of doors will open for you career-wise. You will be an eligible candidate for many high job positions, which also means a higher salary. 

What is great about CCIE is that once you get it, the validation of all your previous certifications will be extended. Once it expires, you can reactivate it only by taking the written exam. Therefore, becoming a CCIE will get you a lot of benefits and give you many advantages in your career path. 

Getting the CCIE is not a piece of cake, and you should not get it lightly. You will spend a lot of money, time, and hard work while preparing for it, but it will be totally worth it. Keep in mind that nothing with a good value comes easy in life. 

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