Obtaining CCIE certificate is not an easy thing. First of all, the exam is divided into two parts, written test and experimental test. Regardless of which part, the English environment is used by default (Japanese is optional). This undoubtedly increases the English proficiency requirements for our Chinese candidates (but fortunately, Cisco will give non-English speaking candidates compensation for this problem by increasing the test time); In addition, the written test fee is US$300 and the experimental test fee is US$1,600. This amount of money is also a considerable expense for an ordinary family!
Therefore, I suggest that everyone should be fully prepared when preparing for the CCIE exam. It is not only necessary to invest a lot of time, but also to have the determination to pass the exam and a clear study plan.
CCIE written examination (350-401 enterprise network core technology):
The 350-401 written exam takes approximately 170 minutes (extra time is available for non-native English speakers). The exam is taken on a computer and usually consists of 88-90 questions, including multiple choice, true/false, drag-and-drop, and experimental questions. The exam content covers network principles, network equipment operation and configuration, routing and switching, network security, quality of service (QoS), network management and automation, etc. Candidates need to have a deep understanding of all aspects of network technology in order to stand out in this theoretical knowledge challenge.
Where can I take the exam?
In fact, many students are concerned about the issue of appointment. The written examinations for Cisco certification are all held at VUE test centers. VUE test centers are officially authorized by Cisco and are located in most cities in China. Candidates can directly log in to the website of the VUE test center, choose the test center closest to them, register for the test, and make an appointment for the test date and time (self-selected) as long as there are seats available at the test center.
Pearson VUE-Exam Appointment Process (Cisco Certification)
Log in · Pearson VUE https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/cisco.html
Register and log in to your account
Click to schedule an exam
After opening this page, scroll down
Enter the test code in the search bar and click SEHEDULE
Check the test code and test subjects, click "Go to the test center in person" Please read the pre-test preparation carefully
You need to bring two documents, your ID card, and another document that can prove your identity (such as a driver's license)
Choose the test language (English and Japanese only) Test takers whose native language is not English will have extra time.
Confidentiality Agreement (select Yes) and then click Next
Cisco Policy (Agree)
Select country, province, city, and click Search
Pull down and you can see the "optional test sites" that you searched for. After selecting, check the test site and click Next.
Pull here to confirm the test code for the last time (it is written at the top)
Then select the test date and time. After selecting, click Book this appointment
Pay the test fee and complete the test appointment
CCIE-EI LAB experimental examination
After passing the written test, candidates will face a more severe challenge within 18 months - the experimental test. This 8-hour test not only examines the candidates' actual operational capabilities, but also comprehensively tests their network design, configuration, troubleshooting and optimization capabilities. Candidates need to complete tasks such as configuration and debugging of network equipment, fault diagnosis and troubleshooting, and design and optimization of network solutions within a limited time. Only candidates who have a solid theoretical foundation and have accumulated rich practical experience can succeed in this ultimate test of practical ability.
Where can I take the lab exam?
The experimental examination location for CCIE certification is conducted in the officially designated examination room, which is divided into mobile examination rooms and fixed examination rooms. The location of the mobile examination room changes every year. In China, there are only two fixed examination rooms (Beijing and Hong Kong). Candidates can make reservations in advance according to their own learning progress. Except for statutory holidays, they are basically open every day. Cisco will also open some mobile examination rooms in China: Shanghai, Taiwan, Chengdu, Wuhan and other cities. Under normal circumstances, they will be open for about a week. The examination fee of the mobile examination room will be slightly more expensive.
Examination format and examination modules
The CCIE-EI LAB exam is divided into two modules: Design & Deploy Operate Optimize (DOO for short)
The Design part of the exam is limited to 3 hours. You cannot review the completed scenario-based questions (multiple-choice questions and drag-and-drop questions). If divided by technical category, the DOO part includes three small parts (command line operation, SWN, and automation). The DOO part of the exam is limited to 5 hours.
Sec1 Command line operation part
This part is relatively simple, which includes 14 small requirements, which are the application technologies we have learned in class. The configuration of each requirement is relatively independent (there is not much correlation between each requirement). You only need to operate according to the requirements of the question. Compared with other technical exams of the same level, the configuration amount is much less. Students can practice in the 1:1 environment of the examination room we provide, or they can practice in the local installation environment.
Sec2 Software Defined Network (SDN)
Candidates need to log in to the SDN management platform through the web page on the designated device and push configuration content to the managed devices. The operation is also quite simple. It is to understand the content that originally needed to be operated on the command line and operate on the controller (visual interface). It is also very simple. You can practice in the 1:1 simulation environment of the examination room we provide, and you can also learn related SDN technologies through our system courses.
Sec3 Programming Automation (Python)
This part of the exam mainly tests three technical points. The first is that EEM is a built-in trigger of Cisco, which triggers the preset CLI operation according to the log; then, while the trigger executes the action, Cisco's built-in Guestshell is used to implement automatic inspection of the device. These two technologies are very simple. We will teach you how to use these two application technologies in the system course.
The third technical point is "programming automation", which is the Python part. We don't need to write code in this part. It is actually a "shoot error question". You just need to find several error points in the existing code according to the needs and modify them. After the modifications are completed, you can run the code. Of course, we have also built a 1:1 examination environment for everyone to practice.
In general, Cisco CCIE-EI LAB exam is much simpler than other manufacturers' certification exams. This is mainly reflected in the fact that the requirements of each link are basically deployed independently, and there is no need for too many connections. From a logical level, we don't need to remember too many twists and turns, and it is easier to remember; in addition, the total configuration is much lower than other manufacturers' certifications. Although the prescribed exam time (total duration of 8 hours) can basically be completed within 4 hours.
Finally, let me introduce the appointment process for the LAB exam.
CCIE - LAB Exam - Appointment Process (Cisco Certification)
Log in · https://ccie.cloudapps.cisco.com/CCIE/Schedule_Lab/CCIEOnline/CCIEOnline
After logging in, click Location: Select the test center
Taking Beijing Examination Center as an example
Look at the date carefully. The "green" blocks in the date are all "seats" that can be booked. Select the seat and click Next.
