CCIE - Not for Everyone, I Assume

StevenFL02

Hello, everyone.

I am rather new to this site. I am currently in a Cisco Networking Program (just started). I plan on obtaining my CCNA and seeing what happens from there.

Anyways, obviously I have a LONG, LONG ways to go.

However, I do have a couple of questions regarding the CCIE.

I imagine that everyone isn't cut out for it. Do most people pursue it and just never get there (obtain CCIE)?

Is it just one of those things, after years and years of networking experience, that you realize you MIGHT have a chance to pass?

Did any of you have CCIE as your goal from the beginning?...or this too unrealistic?

Thanks a lot, everyone.

GT-Rob

Hi there and welcome.


It is really a matter of opinion, but I believe anyone here can obtain a CCIE. Its just matter of knowledge, study, and experience. What it comes down to is motivation and drive for it, and if people want it bad enough. If you want it bad enough and put in the work required you will get it, but it won't be an easy trip


I think CCIE is good goal to start out with, gives you something to aim for. When I started doing triathlon's I made the Ironman as my goal in the first month of training, even though it would take years to get into that shape. For some it may be discouraging, but if something crazy and long off motivates you, then go for it.

keenon

CCIE is still my goal.. i started doing cisco related work fulltime back in 2001.. currently i'm taking the scenic path for the CCIE stopped by for a few other cisco certs that will help toward this goal.. even after getting an IE it continues on

ilcram19

as u been reading this is my main goal too, sometime we need to changed path or learn other stuff no CCIE related beacuse of our jobs; but we r still persuing the CCIE, i know is probably the hardest test but i bealive everyone in here with dedication can acomplish this goal, so its all up to you and the goals u've set for u and ur career

networker050184

It is good to have a goal. CCIE is definatley one of my goals. As long as you set this as a realistic goal you should be good! I have been working with Cisco technologies for six years and I am not ready for the CCIE, but I did start pursuing certifications later than most. Just keep learning and work your way towards your goal.

mgeorge

Actually I think CCIE has been a goal since I was a kid. Since I am pretty young I think it gives me an advantage from where I stand. At my age and teaching IT courses online and in class and learning on the way

I am planning my first CCIE before Im 25, hoping to get it at before I turn 22 or during 23 so I actually have 1-2 years for study and hoping for my 2nd (Voice) at 27.

I actually feel though that I have a major advantage over alot of people because I was raised in the technology field and I'm the type of person who you can show me how to do somthing once and I can show you how to do it back 5 different ways. So basically IT is like my 2nd native language ^_^

any who I'm off to get some breakfast

Turgon

StevenFL02 wrote:

Hello, everyone.

I am rather new to this site. I am currently in a Cisco Networking Program (just started). I plan on obtaining my CCNA and seeing what happens from there.

Anyways, obviously I have a LONG, LONG ways to go.

However, I do have a couple of questions regarding the CCIE.

I imagine that everyone isn't cut out for it. Do most people pursue it and just never get there (obtain CCIE)?

Is it just one of those things, after years and years of networking experience, that you realize you MIGHT have a chance to pass?

Did any of you have CCIE as your goal from the beginning?...or this too unrealistic?

Thanks a lot, everyone.

The simple answer is that most people who pursue the CCIE never get there.

The number of CCIE's we have after more than 10 years shows this. There are many, many more people 'doing' the CCIE at some stage of their career than there are passing it. This is why the production of so many books and rack vendors is sustainable, there wouldn't be so much choice if there wasn't money in it and there is money in it, (hell some CCIEs become fulltime CCIE level trainers) because so many people take a bite of the CCIE pie and puke at some stage giving up entirely.

Not everyone is cut out to make the CCIE grade. One problem is the intellect required to understand and master so much material. I know a four time CCIE who says he has only ever met one CCIE who he thought was an idiot and he has known hundreds of them.

So you need to be quite smart.

But the other defeater is the sheer amount of effort you need to put in to cover the syllabus and understand the fundamentals of how networks hang together and how they interoperate. That takes a lot of time and great attention to detail.

For my part I had my eye on this back in 2001 after I cleared my CCNP but it went on the back burner while I concentrated on my work. My career hasn't suffered at all by not having the CCIE and all the hands on exposure I have had in the field is certainly helping my study perspective now I *finally* have a year in front of me where I can work and study at the same time very effectively without either suffering.

When I started there was a book list and a couple of rackvendors out there. Not a lot of choice and you were pretty much forced to play with things at home to really understand how they worked using examples of CCO and in the Cisco Press books like Doyle etc. Getting a remote rack slot was difficult at times and you had to study very unsocial hours to work those slots. So you were really forced into buying gear at home. It was expensive and that commitment alone put off anyone half hearted about the CCIE.

But I think some candidates today get a little blinded by the comfort zone of todays training offerings.

Today there is a plethora of materials available to help candidates, even videos. If you look at groupstudy today you will see a lot of the chat is vendor workbook orientated as opposed to technology driven.

Vendor workbooks are an excellent resource for practice but not the whole story by any means.

I can tell you from hawking groupstudy for years it's not vendor workbooks that get you through the test, it's understanding the scenarios fully and the underlying technology behavior.

Most of that you learn without a workbook on your own time picking away with small scenarios on equipment at home and painful hours pouring over Cisco Press and CCO examples. There is less of that activity going on these days and it is what makes CCIE's.

I think one of the problems is that with the range of materials to choose from many people are buying different workbook products expecting a magic bullet from one vendor or another and not doing their *own* research. Vendor workbooks do not teach you a technology, you do that on your own time. The CCIE written process should help candidates with that, but regrettably many **** the written these days shortcircuiting the necessary foundation reading.

The variety of products out there is a good thing because not everyone is cut out for spartan learning experiences pouring over RFCs and big books but that doesn't mean you shouldn't also do that! A few years ago that was all we had and it produced many CCIEs. Those guys are the gurus we all bow down to today on the Groupstudy mailing list and are the ones driving the technical content of workbooks (which are very good by the way).

But, no one spoon feeds you the CCIE.

I think a lot of candidates who would otherwise have stayed well away from the CCIE a few years ago have been sold on marketing fluff and are running up credit on a track they are not cut out for.

If you choose to go for it, good luck it's very hard work but worth it!

larkspur

Most of that you learn without a workbook on your own time picking away with small scenarios on equipment at home and painful hours pouring over Cisco Press and CCO examples. There is less of that activity going on these days and it is what makes CCIE's.

I know that's right brother......

mgeorge

I have to agree with turgon, and im guessing the quad ccie your talking about is scott morris, which ive met as well i live in lexington, ky ^_^ Very interesting person.

It would be nice to beat his record but since hes going for his 5th that might prove to be impossible, im just aiming for 3. r&s, voice and sec. rumors have it their will be a design tract here soon so who knows. (cant always beleive everything you see online lol...)

oh the other hand you litterly have to live and breath cisco to pass this rough exam.

I'm sure by the time i pass it, i will be like #22 or 23xxx >.<

JohnDouglas

GT-Rob wrote:

I think CCIE is good goal to start out with, gives you something to aim for. When I started doing triathlon's I made the Ironman as my goal in the first month of training, even though it would take years to get into that shape.

So, are you going to get a Cisco tatoo above your ironman Mdot logo tatoo? :P

GT-Rob

haha right on the leg baby!

(haven't done a full IM yet Planning to do France 200

optimus

Sometimes having the determination is not enough. You need also these three very important things:

TIME
MONEY
A GOOD BRAIN

You also need to exclude things from your life, like:

A SOCIAL LIFE

I work full time, and have to do all my studying in my "spare" time. I am married. I also am planning to have a little one soon. These are also important to me. Actually more important than the CCIE.

Do I plan to go for the CCIE? It depends on how I feel after I get the CCNP, but it is in the back of my mind (and heart). You have to ask yourself also, why do you want it? Is it for money, or for a better job, or for the prestige, or just to prove it to yourself? Maybe everything. I know a few CCIEs and I can tell you one thing, and that is plan to devote around 2000+ hours of study time for it. I have found that to be a pretty good average. That a full time one year job!

And to elaborate on one of the above posts, I wonder how many ACTIVE CCIEs are still around? I think the number is out there, but some people who get their number don't recert. I remember one fellow who got his number about one year ago, and he was telling me, oh crap, I have to prepare to re-cert! Well, hopefully it is like riding a bike right? :P

If it was easy though, everyone would be doing it. Thats what makes the CCIE so special. I always try and remember that about my certs.

networker050184

I work full time, and have to do all my studying in my "spare" time. I am married. I also am planning to have a little one soon. These are also important to me. Actually more important than the CCIE.

Just so you know you are not the only one who has other things in their life besides certifications. I work full time, married and have three children . My family is way more important than certifications. Networking is not only my job, but also my hobby so I don't find it difficult at all to study and learn new things when ever I have some time. It might be easier if I was single, but I would probably be partying and dating which would be a lot bigger distraction than my family. If you make excuses you're probably one of the ones that will never make it.....

JohnDouglas

GT-Rob wrote:

haha right on the leg baby!

(haven't done a full IM yet Planning to do France 200

excellent, so am I and my team as it happens. see you there. i'll ask you subnetting questions when i pass you on the run

GT-Rob

^ ha, I will probably still be coughing up sea water at that point!

boyles23

Above you mentioned that a CCIE said he had to recertify soon, but it only means you have to take the written test to recertify, not the lab. Taking the lab in another area than your certification will recertify you also. It comes down to putting in the time, you have to if you want it.

I just finished up my BS, working on my CCNA now, work full-time and have a wife and three children. You have to balance your time and make time for all that you can and/or put in some late nights or early mornings.

How much do you want it? That is the question!

Aquabat [banned]

i'm never in this forum.

but yea i know the ccie is not for me i'm feeling ccnp though. i'm too dumb.

dtlokee

Aquabat wrote:

i'm never in this forum.

but yea i know the ccie is not for me i'm feeling ccnp though. i'm too dumb.

When you get about 5 years of Cisco experience under your belt, you'll feel differently. Seems everyone who works with the stuff long enough ends up taking the CCIE written to recertify their professional level certs, then it becomes, what the hell I'll try the lab. Although with addition of professional level certs recertifying other professional level and associate level certs, you may see this occur less often.

somone had the tag line: What one man can do, another can.

That is true of the CCIE.

ITdude

It just takes a lot of perserverance!

Aquabat [banned]

ccnp sounds cooler i think

keenon

Aquabat wrote:

ccnp sounds cooler i think

it does doesn't it thats until your realize that your only 1 test away from being able to sit for the lab

dtlokee

keenon wrote:

Aquabat wrote:

ccnp sounds cooler i think

it does doesn't it thats until your realize that your only 1 test away from being able to sit for the lab

Yeah there's the catch. These Cisco certs are like crack, once you start you can't stop. I should open a Cisco certification rehab.

keenon

dtlokee wrote:

keenon wrote:

Aquabat wrote:

ccnp sounds cooler i think

it does doesn't it thats until your realize that your only 1 test away from being able to sit for the lab

Yeah there's the catch. These Cisco certs are like crack, once you start you can't stop. I should open a Cisco certification rehab.

must.. study... for... new....cert

damsel_in_tha_net

add to that those damn discount vouchers, and it's beyond crack...its crack on sale

Crunchyhippo

StevenFL02 wrote:

Hello, everyone.

I am rather new to this site. I am currently in a Cisco Networking Program (just started). I plan on obtaining my CCNA and seeing what happens from there.

Anyways, obviously I have a LONG, LONG ways to go.

However, I do have a couple of questions regarding the CCIE.

I imagine that everyone isn't cut out for it. Do most people pursue it and just never get there (obtain CCIE)?

Is it just one of those things, after years and years of networking experience, that you realize you MIGHT have a chance to pass?

Did any of you have CCIE as your goal from the beginning?...or this too unrealistic?

Thanks a lot, everyone.

Anything is possible if you set your mind to it and are willing to work to get it.

Out of curiosity, I've heard that one needs networking experience in order to get a networking job (seems confusing, doesn't it?), and that the certification is just a piece of paper when it comes to getting that coveted job. However, I see that you've been in the networking field without CCNA certification, so you seem to contradict that particular line of thinking. If I may ask, how did you get into the networking field?

amestd4066

The CCIE certification is one of those certs where people are ecstatic if they pass on the second attempt. It's definitely not for everyone, even if you are long to the field and have enourmous knowledge. What you are able to do with the resources you've accumulated over the years (notes, guides, friends and associates, time, not to mention google) you are forced to do in an 8 hour lab with only Cisco Univercd access (with the search feature disabled). I'm still of the opinion that anyone CAN get their CCIE, but very few are willing to dedicate the time to give themselves a fighting chance. More than anything, getting the CCIE is about self-disciplined study and perseverance.