How can we succeed in luck on this trade? It used to be the query I contemplated two decades in the past once I got down to take my occupation to the following stage and accomplish what few have: the Cisco Qualified Internetwork Skilled (CCIE) certification. 

Now main the CCIE program as Cisco’s Director of Certifications, I’ve skilled firsthand the progressive affect of this program on my friends and the trade.  

This yr, we rejoice the 30-year anniversary of the CCIE certification. Let’s glance again at the place we got here from—and the way a long way we’ve come. 

Transient Historical past of the CCIE Program 

• 1990: Networkers Customers Symposiums launches: As networking booms with new ranges of connection and extra demanding situations in connectivity, we release Networkers Customers Symposiums – sometimes called “Networkers.” The convention, later renamed Cisco Reside, allows consumers to be told, collaborate, and develop the trade in combination.  
• 1993: CCIE release: Cisco introduced the CCIE program publicly on September 27, 1993, when then-CEO John Chambers used to be quoted, “The CCIE program starts the place different distributors’ certification systems depart off.”  
• A laugh truth: The unique identify of this system used to be going to be “Cisco Best Gun.” Then again, the well-known Tom Cruise film by means of the similar identify had simply been launched. We figured there could also be some criminal problems in the usage of that identify… so as a substitute, we selected “Cisco Qualified Internetwork Skilled.”
• 1993: First CCIE Award: The CCIE program selected to start out its numbering machine with 1024 (2 to the facility of 10). That quantity went right into a plaque at the CCIE lab itself in San Jose, CA, adopted by means of quantity 1025, awarded to the primary particular person to earn the CCIE. And the remaining is historical past.  

My CCIE Adventure 

My hobby in changing into a CCIE began within the past due 90s. Tech used to be very other from these days. The internet used to be evolving, and networking used to be an absolutely new thought. I used to be searching for a problem to advance my occupation.  

When researching methods to take my occupation to the following stage, I found out Cisco, a beautiful new tech corporate on the time. Now not simplest did I be able to check my abilities with the CCIE program, however a window of alternative. The examination ensured perfection, and I appreciated the problem.  

Turning into a CCIE opened occupation developments for me. Now not simplest used to be I ready to obtain promotions with extra pay, however I additionally received extra peer admire and popularity—as did my colleagues who won the certification. There’s a top stage of admire for individuals who succeed in CCIE. You change into a part of an elite crew.

Normally, price is without delay similar to the relevancy of a product. If the CCIE check used to be beside the point to what I did in my activity, I do not need pursued it. And if it used to be now not up to date to the generation of these days, this system would fail. I’ve been a CCIE for 20+ years and will nonetheless practice my learnings from this system. 

CCIE program is a real check of deep wisdom and revel in, an endorsement (validation) of being knowledgeable – crème de los angeles crème! 

The CCIE Program’s Transformation Over Time 

As generation has advanced, this system has modified considerably. Within the early days, the CCIE program used to be a two-day check, the place applicants spent the primary day putting in the {hardware} and initializing the pod with fundamental configurations. Then, applicants would come again for a 2d day to accomplish extra complicated configurations, spending the second one part of the day troubleshooting situations. 

As of late’s CCIE program has been streamlined to a one-day check, casting off the now trivial steps and focusing extra on community technique, structure, and the community lifecycle, together with making plans and designing to satisfy buyer necessities. The improved lab examination is concentrated at the end-to-end community lifecycle from Day 0 (making plans & designing), Day 1 (imposing and deploying), and Day 2 (working & keeping up), trying out complete abilities throughout all of the spectrum of community answers. 

Beginning closing yr, we offered Cisco Certification Roadmaps, an agile and iterative cadence-based type to replace checks extra regularly and incrementally, retaining them extra present and related, aligned with fast generation evolution, and making sure relevancy for these days. The roadmap will supply well timed and related knowledge to stay you forward of adjustments being offered as you find out about for the CCIE examination and all different Cisco certifications.  

Sign up for the CCIE Party

Sign up for us in celebrating the 30th anniversary of this system and change into part of the #CCIE30 group! 

In June, we kicked off celebrations at Cisco Reside in Las Vegas, however we can be celebrating all over the world right through the yr. Each and every CCIE lab web site will host “birthday” celebrations, bringing consumers and workers in combination to percentage tales and speak about how the CCIE program modified their lives.  

How Can You Change into a CCIE? 

This examination is set validating your revel in—within the box and in actual existence. 

Most of the people who fail lack revel in. I might know. I failed prior to now, now not because of loss of learning however as a result of I used to be nonetheless too new in my occupation. After I began in reality doing the situations offered within the examination in my activity, my finding out speeded up, and so did my CCIE prep. It used to be all about getting hands-on and practising. 

Even upon getting preferably received 5 to seven years of revel in, you continue to will have to get ready. Turning into a CCIE is difficult paintings, however now we have assets to be had to you.  

Whether or not you’re in your adventure to changing into a CCIE or operating towards advancing your occupation typically, I depart you with this recommendation: Center of attention on pursuing excellence, and luck will observe. 

Sign up for the CCIE Neighborhood at the Cisco Finding out Community. | Join Cisco U.

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