CCNA Voice or Collaboration?

JeanM

With CCIE Voice retiring next February, is it safe to say that CCNA and CCNP Voice is going to follow suite shortly? CCIE Voice Evolves - Cisco Systems During this 10th anniversary year of the CCIE Voice certification, Cisco is pleased to announce the next generation of Expert-level IT skills training and assessment for telecom, unified communications, and video staff. CCIE Voice is evolving to become CCIE Collaboration, reflecting advances in networked collaboration solutions beyond simple audio phone calls. The new CCIE Collaboration certification will expand to include Cisco's leading solutions for voice, video, IM, presence, and call centers. The CCIE Voice certification will be retired as of February 14, 2014.
Collaboration is unique in its potential to affect every workplace employee, business partner, and customer. No longer just a voice call or IM session, workplace collaboration now happens in real time within a variety of integrated applications.
A candidate can use either the CCIE Voice or CCIE Collaboration written exam as part of a CCIE Collaboration certification. If a candidate passes either the CCIE Voice written exam or the CCIE Collaboration written exam, combined with the CCIE Collaboration lab exam, they will attain a CCIE Collaboration certification.
CCIE Voice
The last day to take the CCIE Voice Written exam is November 20, 2013.
The last day to take the CCIE Voice Lab exam is February 13, 2014.

theodoxa

So, we'll end up having to buy ISR G2 Routers for our labs now since Video requires an ISR G2 (2900 Series). At nearly a grand a pop that would be way too expensive. Voice (1700, 2800, PVDMs, VICs/VWICs) is expensive enough already. Add video and the lab equipment would become simply too expensive for the vast majority of people.

theodoxa

CCIE: Collaboration Lab Equipment List:

• (UCS) C460 Rack Server ($4600 - Not Available on eBay at All)
• 3925 Router ($2900/each - eBay)
• 2921 Router ($1200/each - eBay)
• VWIC3-1MFT-T1/E1 ($460/each - eBay)
• PVDM3 ($175 - 520/each - eBay)
• Service Ready Module 710 Service Module with Cisco Unity Express ($900/each Assuming I'm looking at the right Module - eBay)
• EHWIC-4ESG-P ($210/each - eBay)
• Catalyst 3750-X Series Switch ($1600/each - eBay)
• Unified IP Phones 7965 and 9971 ($120/each, $160/each - eBay)

You'd need to take out a mortgage to pay for all that. If they switch CCNA/CCNP: Voice over, that will end any chance of me earning those Certs.

shodown

you won't have to go out and buy the exact equipment. You would be able to do it on lesser gear as long as the IOS version was correct. The UCS server can be replaced for 2 cheaper models servers. You could prob swing buy a lot of it with 2901 routers with the right IOS. You can use VWIC2's instead of 3. I think with the video features you will still need PVDM3's and unity module and switches you can just rent rack time for those. They usually don't take much time.


Still not going to be cheap, but not the prices you listed either. We will be able to figure out more once cisco releases more specs.

blueberries

So if I decide to get my ccna-v right now will I be grandfathered into ccna colaboration or will I have to put on my resume that my ccna-v is retired?

pitviper

With the uproar over the CCIE Voice retirement one would think that Cisco learned a lesson and will opt for a subtle name change should they revamp the CCNA/CCNP.

As for the IE hardware changes – very minor upgrades compared to the v3 blueprint. As Sho outlined, server doesn't matter (no mention of UCS/CIMC and so on, on the exam), no major changes in the VWIC3s (I actually don’t like the new placement of the LED indicators – much less useful), 3750X is overkill (the regular 3570s are even much cheaper now), switch modules are pretty much identical (who needs GiG-E in the lab anyways).

What’s major: newer versions of CUE will only run on the ISM-SRE and SM-SRE modules (which require an ISR G2), video conferencing is pretty much going to be out of reach via the home lab for everyone considering how much $$ the PVDM3-128s cost (right now anyways). 9971s are a little pricey (but certainly obtainable).

If building a lab you can probably get away with following a mostly v3 blueprint but incorporating at least 1 upgraded site (2901/2911).