No prerequisites ...

simosha

Hi guys.

I was wondering if someone might be able to advise me how impossible it would be to do CCIE straight off without CCNA/CCNP experience ?

I'm a fairly intelligent person, with years of network/unix/security experience, but not really any Cisco. ( I've used other switches and routers - sacrilidge I know ! ) And quite a quick study, but all the same I don't really want to work (or pay !) my way through CCNA then CCNP.

Any advice would be welcome.

Many Thanks,

Si

simosha

... by "work" I mean "sit the exams for" - I do realise that I probably have to do most of the reading for them anyway ...

... and that would be the "Security" CCIE ...

:P

Alien

There are approximately 12 000 CCIE's in the entire universe. I assume that reflects the difficulty of this exam. I can only say that CCNA by itself is hard enough despite being classified as an entry-level exam.

keenon

i have heard of only 1 person doing ccie without going through the normal progression of cisco.. .so can it be done yes.. is it recommended no

simosha

Ok. I'll bear that in mind and start off learning for the CCNA.

Cheers,

Si

mikej412

Not impossible at all -- just more difficult than it would have to be.

Back in the old days, before there was a CCNA/CCNP certification track -- there was the CCIE. And it was hard. But people did get it.

Since adding the "stepping-stone" certifications, it seems that the number of CCIE has "exploded" -- they are up over 15600 CCIEs now.

As a fairly intelligent person, with years of UNIX Programming, Networking, Hardware, and Security experience -- along with experience as a member of a team that built multiple-layer switched ethernet server farms using other vendor routers and switches (since Cisco couldn't switch a packet to save their lives then) -- I decided spending the money on the CCNA/CCNP exams was more of an investment or insurance, rather than a waste.

Taking the CCNA/CCNP tests along the way gives you a measure of where you are, and your scores let you know if your study effort is "good enough."

I'm currently sidetracked on the CCSP, since I had bought all the Cisco Press books before the September exam change announcement. But I've also decided to do the CCIP before I commit to the CCIE R&S written exam. The more you know, the easier it is to learn.

wildfire

I agree with MikeJ The Cisco track through CCNA- NP etc is a logcial step anyway. A lot of people after finishing CCNP quickly take the 350-001 written exam.

Alien

Hi mikej412 you could be right. The numbers i gave were as of 1/1/2006 according to the CCIE homepage below.

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/ccie/certified_ccies/worldwide.html

mikej412

Ah, you're right. The last number that someone posted online was in the 15600s... and I've never seen a CCIE# less than 4 digits. And I'm sure a few CCIEs have retired (and given up re-certifying).

Trying to figure out the numbers from that page -- 12862 people hold 13356 CCIE certifications? But the distribution by areas are short by a couple hundred.... But of all the numbers on that page, that 12862 is probably the one that gets updated. Yeah, that is probably the number of certified individual that hold active CCIE(s).

But there really is only one number that matters when you talk about the CCIE -- the one you get to put after your name, someday...

darkuser

1024 is the number given to the lab.
1024 is a kilohertz.
ie "the lab will kill you and it hurts"
1025 is the first ccie #.
so take the current # and subtract 1024 that the total # to earn the cert.
active # of ccie's is lower because of idle status.

Ten9t6

darkuser wrote:

1024 is the number given to the lab.
1024 is a kilohertz.
ie "the lab will kill you and it hurts"
1025 is the first ccie #.
so take the current # and subtract 1024 that the total # to earn the cert.
active # of ccie's is lower because of idle status.

It didn't kill me....but it did hurt.

I read somewhere lately...that there is almost 2000 inactive... (quite, dead, got it pulled....whatever)....The thing now is multiple CCIEs....One of the current Cisco works has 6 CCIEs.

To answer the original question.....It can be done. Is it something, that I would look forward to...haha..nope...especially the Security one. It will be less painful to lay down and let someone kick you in the mouth a couple of times. ......Since your going to have to read all the books and do the work, you might as well pick up the little nuggets along the way...(CCNA, SP...) But, that is just my opinion. I have taken the the CCIE written for R/S and Security.....they are nothing to take lightly.

Whatever you chose to do, Good Luck! Let us know how things work out.

Kenny