ABCO Technology tells you why to be a Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE)
Getting one Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert (CCIE) certification is hard; many feel it’s the hardest certification in the world to get.
Not Cheap or Easy
It’s gotten easier over the years, as a plethora of test preparation equipment has been developed. That doesn’t mean, however, that the CCIE is easier to get. The written test and lab practical take a great deal of time and money to prepare for.
Once earned, though, the certification opens doors, the CCIE doesn’t sell itself the way it used to, but is still valuable. “It’s not quite the same as it used to be, because of increased awareness of [the CCIE]. Back in 2000, you would have a higher chance of being employed in a really high-paying job. But nowadays, there are more places to be employed with it. But there’s a lot more competition [i.e. more CCIEs] that in some areas drives the prices down a bit.”
More Than Just a Job
While Cisco certifications have helped many to be employed over the years, preparing for both the written and especially the lab portions of the test is its own reward. “The certification itself makes you prove that you know what you’re doing. With the lab exam, there’s not a lot of guessing. The value is really in the doing.”
It’s not like that for everyone. Brain dumping – the practice of getting test answers ahead of time from websites that aggregate test content – has become more commonplace, even for a certification as grueling as the CCIE.
Help Wanted
As for employers, CCIEs, and other Cisco-certified candidates are good fits in most environments. “The CCIE and CCNP [Cisco Certified Network Professional] will give you someone with more experience. But there are fewer people certified at that level, so the cost will be more.”
As for the lower-level category, the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), there’s a place for them in IT shops, especially since Cisco has made that entry-level credential more challenging. “The CCNA today, the stuff they test you on is harder than what it originally was. And there is a much higher quantity of people at that level. For a small network, a CCNA is right up the alley and at the right price point” for many companies.
ABCO Technology Inc the computer training school in Los Angeles provides hands on training with all equipped labs and classes for CISCO certification. For more info visit us at www.abcotechnology.com or call us at 310.216.3067
