CCIE certifications have been one of the most respected certifications in the IT industry ever since the 90s. Getting one is undoubtedly worth it, but it can be extremely difficult at times. Passing the CCIE exam requires a substantial amount of time, effort, and knowledge on your part.
Besides that, it’s not valid forever. You’ll need to retake the exam after a while, which means it’s a constant learning process. As of now, CCIE certifications last for 3 years until you’re required to recertify. Nonetheless, we’re going to discuss everything you need to know about CCIE certifications here, so keep on reading to find out more!
Is it worth it in 2024?
Many people think that learning Python Network Automation is a good alternative to completing CCIE courses. While Python is an excellent skill to have as an IT professional, combining it with a CCIE certification is where your resume will shine the most. These certificates are incredibly respected in the entire industry so you’ll have many doors open once you complete them.
As things are now, CCIE seems like it will stay relevant for years to come. Besides that, it makes for an excellent learning experience that will undoubtedly make you better at your job.
Overall, getting certified by Cisco will make you stand out in an exceedingly competitive IT industry, making it very well worth it in 2024.
It expands the validity of all underlying certificates
Once you get your CCIE, all of those underlying certificates will extend their validity to three more years. So, certificates like CCNA, CCNP, and CCDP will be valid for a longer time, providing you with a long-lasting list of skillsets to put on your resume. Again, the CCIE certification is valid for three whole years, and once you’ve consistently held it for 10 years, you’ll be eligible for CCIE Emeritus Status. In this way, you won’t need to get recertified every three years. Instead, you’ll enter a ‘sleeping’ status from where you can reactivate your certification by simply taking a written exam.
How does the CCIE examination look like?
The exam consists of two parts: the written examination and the practical lab test. When it comes to the written part of the exam, you’ll need to answer questions on a variety of different topics. You can find the specifics on Cisco’s official website, but be prepared to encounter an extensive amount of learning materials.
As you probably already know, passing the written part of the exam is everything but easy. It’s on a level with the CCN, but it includes a broader range of subjects.
While the written part is not easy by any means, the lab exam is the biggest stumbling block for most candidates. It requires you to put all of your theoretical knowledge to practice, which can be quite tricky to pull off.
Think of when you first got your driving license: you had to practice driving for hours on end until you’ve passed the practical part of the exam, no matter how well you knew the theory. The same goes for CCIE examinations: you’ll need years of practical experience to be able to pass the lab exam.
How to prepare efficiently?
You’ll need to have a strong IT background if you want to get certified by Cisco. The more experience you have, the easier passing the exam becomes. However, just being an experienced professional doesn’t automatically qualify you for CCIE certification. Passing the exam without proper preparations is next to impossible.
Preparing for the exam can be quite time-consuming, so don’t go for it if you’re not ready to spend hours of your time studying and practicing before applying. Here is a tip from Elinext IT company: Browse through Cisco’s learning materials and exam topics and come up with a learning plan. Look for high-quality textbooks, guides, and courses that can help you reach the level needed for passing the exam.
Besides that, make use of various online courses and study materials that can help you pass it more easily. For example, you can find CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Lab exam questions and learning plans on Spoto and other similar websites.
Overall, once you pass it the first time, getting recertified will be a breeze. Until then, keep on learning and improving your knowledge! It will undoubtedly benefit you in your career even if you end up failing the exam as you’ll gain extensive amounts of knowledge and skills instead.
Will the validity periods change in the future?
It’s highly unlikely, but not impossible. Just a while back, CCIE certifications lasted for only two years instead of three. Still, we don’t see any extreme changes coming to the CCIE and their validity periods, so it shouldn’t bother you too much.
Pros and cons
Like everything else, these certifications come with their advantages and disadvantages. They’ll provide you with better job prospects, immense levels of knowledge, top-notch engineering skills, and they’re undoubtedly something to be proud of. However, as you already know by now, getting your certification will take enormous amounts of your time and energy, and getting a pay-rise isn’t guaranteed.
In most cases, the pros greatly outweigh the cons, but it will all ultimately depend on your specific circumstances and aspirations. If you’re ready to put in some time and effort to practice after work, getting certified is certainly achievable.
Keep in mind that not everyone has the same experiences while preparing for these exams. Don’t listen to what others are saying, but create your own journey instead!
The bottom line
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert certifications are extremely valuable for anyone looking to advance in their career. They’re incredibly respected in the industry, which makes them entirely worth it even in 2024. Passing the certification exam may be a bit difficult, but with some effort and quality study materials, it’s perfectly achievable. After you’ve passed it the first time, your certification will be valid for the next three years.
All in all, the CCIE certificates can help you become a better engineer as they provide you with an immense learning experience above everything else, making them an excellent goal to have for any IT professional out there.
