CCIE stands for Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security (CCIE Security). It is a type of program which recognizes security experts with adequate knowledge and skills for the purpose of architecting, engineering, implementing, troubleshooting and supporting the full suite of Cisco security technologies and solutions. With the help of the latest industry best practices, it is easy to secure environment and systems against modern security, vulnerabilities, threats and requirements.
It is good to know that there are no formal requirements to get the CCIE certification. There is no requirement of any previous professional certifications or training course. As a student of CCIE Security students, you need to qualify the written qualification exam and then the corresponding hands-on lab exam. To get through the exam, you need to have a complete understanding of the exam topics and strongly encourage having three to five years of job experience before attempting certification.
Security written exam
The CCIE Security written exam are qualified to let businesses believe that you have the knowledge and skills to architect, implement, engineer, fix, and provide support to the suite of Cisco security technologies and solutions.
In the written exam, the following topics are included:
- Network functionality
- Security-related concepts
- Best practices
- Cisco network security products
- Network solutions
- Latest technologies in firewalls, identity services
- Next-generation intrusion prevention
- Policy management
- Device hardening, and malware protection
This phase of exam uses the unified exam topics which can include growing technologies like Cloud, Internet of Things (IoT), Network Programmability (SDN).
The CCIE Security Lab Exam
The CCIE Security lab exam is an eight-hour, hands-on exam. To prepare for this exam, you need to configure and fix a series of difficult networks to given specifications. For this exam, you need to develop knowledge of fixing and troubleshooting issues. It is an important skill that you are supposed to diagnose and solve as part of the CCIE lab exam.
The lab exams test your ability for getting a secure network running in a timed test situation. You need to take an initial step of the CCIE lab exam within 18 months of passing the CCIE written exam. The person who does not pass must try again, i.e. reattempting the lab exam within 12 months of his/her last-second attempt in order to make sure the written exam remains valid. You are not able to pass the lab exam within three years of passing the written exam. It advisable to retake the written exam before you are allowed to attempt the lab exam again.
The details of the CCIE Security Lab Exam
- The CCIE Routing and Switching Lab exam
- The CCIE Routing contains a 2-hour Troubleshooting section
- A 30-minute Diagnostic section
- 5 hour and 30-minute Configuration section
- The format differs per track
Preparing for the Exam
To prepare for the CCIE Security written, it is important to practice your skills in hands-on lab environments. From time to time, check your knowledge with this practice exam. For this, it is advisable to get a training course. A good training provider can provide you with Cisco Virtual Internet Routing Lab Personal Edition (VIRL PE) and Cisco Modeling Labs.
Study groups
It is advisable to develop new connections and study together. You can do this by joining the CCIE Security study group.
Self-study materials
Self-study materials are other ways to prepare for the exam. It is good to design your own study plan using CCIE Security study material.
Training library
Join an institute that provides you with a comprehensive technical training library that can offer interactive, and full-length training course program focuses on associate and professional certifications, product and technology training with labs, and thousands of reference materials.
Is CCIE tough?
Every exam and test is tough until you practice well and get proper training. The CCIE certification is a hard journey for everyone, but you can make it easy by working hard. It is recommended to find a reputable institution that offers the CCIE certification training.
