THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CISCO'S NEW CCIE PROGRAM

Cisco’s new CCIE program

Cisco announced a comprehensive reform of the Cisco certification program to adapt to the changing IT field, which took effect on February 24, 2020. In this article, I will introduce changes to the CCIE program.

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Program has undergone minor but essential changes. The core of the CCIE program still includes written tests and laboratory tests, but each exam type’s composition is changing.

Expert Level Concentrations available include:

• CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure
• CCIE Enterprise Wireless
• CCIE data center
• CCIE security
• CCIE service provider
• CCIE cooperation

The first notable change on the list is that CCIE Routing and Switching and CCIE Wireless have been changed to CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure and CCIE Enterprise Wireless, individually. Also, Cisco stated that it would integrate a design element in each new CCIE concentration. CCDE remains in which only small changes have been made for the recertification process.

Get CCIE in the new program:

To earn CCIE in the new program, you first need to pass a written exam to qualify for a laboratory exam. The change is that the written exam is also CCNP’s concentration exam. Now, this means that in the process of obtaining the CCNP, you will be qualified to take the CCIE laboratory exam.
The core exams that meet the CCIE qualification are:
• CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure: Implement and operate Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technology (ENCOR)
• CCIE Enterprise Wireless: Implement and operate Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technology (ENCOR)
• CCIE Data Center: Implement and operate Cisco Data Center Core Technology (DCCOR)
• CCIE Security: Implement and operate Cisco Security Core Technology (SCOR)
• CCIE Service Provider: Implement and operate Cisco Service Provider Network Core Technology (SPCOR)
• CCIE Collaboration: Implement and operate Cisco Collaboration Core Technology (CLCOR)

The CCIE core written exam’s main highlight is that the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure and CCIE Enterprise Wireless exams are the same. After passing the ENCOR exam, you can choose which laboratory exam to take, and then the laboratory exam determines whether you get infrastructure certification or wireless CCIE certification.

For the lab exam, each CCIE concentration is associated with one lab exam.

CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure: CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Lab
CCIE Enterprise Wireless: CCIE Enterprise Wireless Lab
CCIE Data Center: CCIE Data Center Lab
CCIE Security: CCIE Security Lab
CCIE Service Provider: CCIE Service Provider Lab
CCIE Collaboration: CCIE Collaboration Lab

Except for the enterprise infrastructure and enterprise wireless plan, the allowed laboratory exams are determined by the core written exam you pass. This is the same as the current program. If you pass the CCIE Security written test in the current plan, you must take the CCIE Security Lab test. As mentioned above, enterprise infrastructure and enterprise wireless use the same core exam, from which you will be able to choose from two different laboratory exams.

When it comes to the laboratory exam itself, Cisco is changing the structure of the exam. In the new certification program, you will need to complete two modules. The first module is a 3-hour design module, and the second module is a 5-hour module for deployment.

Each module has two critical scores, a minimum score, and a passing score. To pass the lab exam and earn CCIE in the new program, you need to meet the minimum score for each module and the combined total passing score for the lab exam.

Recertification

The CCIE and CCDE recertification process’s main change is the recertification time from two to three years.
However, there are other noteworthy changes.
l Formerly, expert certificates that have not been recertified within two years will be suspended for one year, and if they are not renewed before the end of the third year, the certificate will expire.
l Now, the suspension status will be converted to the third year of the validity period of the certificate, which makes the renewal date even more important, because the certificate will expire if the certification is not renewed by the end of the validity period.

In conclusion

Now, you have learned about the new CCIE program. Whether you want to pass the CCIE written test or laboratory test, you should choose a reliable training institution like SPOTO to help you prepare for the test.