Just a quick note to remind everyone that on occasion we push special promotions, updates, announcement, etc. – through our Facebook Fan Page, LinkedIn Group and through our Twitter Account.  Be sure to follow us – we’ve got some very major announcements and initiatives that will be announced over the next 2 to 4 weeks – that you WON’T want to miss!!

Thanks – Wayne

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SAN JOSE, Calif., June 29, 2009 – Responding to strong customer and market demand to recognize the architectural expertise of network designers, Cisco today introduced the Cisco Certified Architect, the highest level of accreditation achievable within Cisco® Career Certifications

• Advanced technologies such as Cisco Unified Communications, Cisco TelePresence^TM and mobility are converging and increasing the opportunities for innovation and collaboration while adding to the complexity of enterprise networks.
• According to IDC, “With many existing certifications focused on point technologies, architect-level certifications bring together project management, business needs analysis, and IT elements into a true solutions framework and validate a candidate’s ability to address planning, design, interoperability, and connectivity issues.” *
• Gartner reported in its 2008 IT market compensation study (U.S. based), that “IT organizations continue to have difficulty in finding skilled IT professionals, especially enterprise architects, network architects, project managers and Web application programmers.” **

Cisco Certified Architect:

• The Cisco Certified Architect certification recognizes the architectural experience and competency of network designers who can support the increasingly complex networks of global organizations and effectively translate business strategies into evolutionary technical strategies.
• Cisco channel partners play a critical role in enabling customers to deploy advanced new technologies supported by professionals with the skills required to use these innovative solutions.
• The certification stands above the expert-level CCIE® certification in terms of difficulty, with an emphasis on expertise in network infrastructure architecture and a proven ability to work with executive-level customers to ensure that business requirements are incorporated into successful designs.

Certification Process:

• The Cisco Certified Architect certification will be administered as a board exam.
• Candidates will propose and defend an architecture solution to a set of business requirements, and the candidates will be asked to modify their proposals “on the fly,” based on additional requirements presented by the board.
• Prerequisites include a CCDE^TM certification, approximately 10 years of industry experience, and acceptance into the program via an application process.

Supporting Quotes:

• “It’s exciting to see Cisco raising the bar at the high end of its certification program for IT professionals,” said Zeus Kerravala, senior vice president, Yankee Group. “Organizations will be encouraged to view architecture as a defined job role rather than as a component of a job role. For individuals, this new certification provides a level of expertise that will be attractive to CCDE and CCIE holders as a way to advance their careers.”
• “Architecture is not just another name for ‘design’ – it’s a different perspective and set of skills,” said renowned author and networking expert Terry Slattery, CCIE® #1026. “The Cisco Certified Architect demonstrates a breadth and depth of knowledge and perspective, incorporating technology with the trade-offs required by real-world business requirements. It provides individuals with a clear path through their professional development. This new certification recognizes that an architectural view of network design is far more efficient than tackling network problems after implementation.”
• “We applaud Cisco for taking an architectural approach and mapping it to the organization’s business requirements,” said Robert Stephens, vice president of the Revere Group. “As a partner, we spend a great deal of time looking at the network from a global perspective.  The new Cisco Certified Architect affirms the need to look at business drivers and validates that an individual possesses not only the expert technical acumen but can communicate the strategic business value of new technologies to senior business executives.”
• “The Cisco Certified Architect designation was developed to meet the demands of global organizations for specialists with the advanced design skills to support increasingly complex networks and effectively translate business strategies into evolutionary architectural implementations,” said Jeanne Beliveau Dunn, general manager, Learning@Cisco. “This prestigious certification represents an exclusive group of architects who possess the hard skills to support complex network design and the soft skills to articulate the value of the technology to their colleagues.”

Supporting Resources:

• Additional information about the Cisco Certified Architect certification is available at:www.cisco.com/go/ciscolearningnetwork
• Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHQGKdkAYzo

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The format is still being worked out, but will closely resemble something like: “Respond to an RFP (or come up with some sort of design) and then defend it technologically, economically, and politically within your organization before a panel of Cisco Engineers (possibly a Cisco Distinguished Engineer).

Possibly more importantly is the statement that soon the CCDE will be a requirement for some Cisco Partners …. now how soon? for which partners? for which specializations? Those are all questions to be sorted. But for the time, certainly interesting to know that is most probably coming down the pike at some point.

More updates from Cisco Networkers to come – stay tuned!

Cheers,

Mark Snow

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Well, below are some screenshots taken of what appears to be a slip on the part of the web developers for the Cisco Learning Network Portal site, which by the time you read this and click on it – may very well have been taken off. But I am sure the first hundred or so folks that read this blog and click on it will be able to verify that it was there. UPDATE: Link Taken Down!! That didn’t take long (like within 5 minutes of my posting this). Something is afoot!

(Forgive the break in the picture – I had to scroll down to get the whole site to show it was actually the real site :))

Of particular curiosity is this “Expert” section:

And when we click on it? – Well of course:

Stay tuned to this blog where we will be blogging and tweeting live from Cisco Live! – Networkers.

Gentlemen (and Ladies), let the rumor mill begin!

Cheers!

-Mark

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Gang – just wanted to send a follow-up regarding the post below – we’ve made some corrections and updates to our free quizzer.  It’s available at the same link (also seen below).  Also, to address a question we’ve been getting – we will be releasing an updated version monthly with additional questions and enhancements.  These new versions will also begin containing additional certification tests questions for other certification tests such as the CCENT, CCNA, CCNA Wireless, CCNP, CCSP, CCVP and CCIE Written (R&S, Voice, Security, SP and Wireless).  This will remain a free product – but will continue to be enhanced and updated on a monthly basis.  For product questions or support – please utilize our online support list (OnlineStudyList).  Thanks – Wayne

Recently, Cisco announced that they would be adding Core Knowledge section that must be completedprior to beginning the CCIE R&S lab exam.

A candidate must answer at least three of the four short-answer questions correctly to pass the Core Knowledge section, which will be indicated with a 100% mark on the score report. If a candidate answers fewer than three correctly, the Core Knowledge section will be marked 0%, indicating a Fail. A 0% does not necessarily indicate the candidate answered all the questions incorrectly and the zero does not get averaged into the overall score. Candidates should be aware that it is possible to pass the configuration and troubleshooting parts of the exam but fail the Core Knowledge section and therefore not earn CCIE certification.

We’re pleased to announce our CCIE R&S Core Knowledge Preparation Quizzer, available now for immediate (AND FREE) download! 

Clients, We understand that there could have been an extensive amount of additional time and energy invested into this application – however, due to an incredibly large number of requests – we put together a basic study tool and wanted to get it to market ASAP.  Plus, this is a “freebie” – so enjoy!  Happy Studying – Wayne Lawson (Founder & President – IPexpert, Inc.)

To download this free utility, please CLICK HERE.

Also, be sure to have the latest version of Adobe Air Runtime installed on your PC.

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Over the past 13 years, Ryan has passed three CCIE labs (CCIE #5924), holding certifications in Routing and Switching, SNA/IP Integration, and Security. He is also a MCSE with experience as a COBOL and C programmer and holds a Bachelors degree in Business Administration (focused on Information Technology at Colorado Technical University).

Recently, Ryan earned the title as the worlds first CCDE (#20080001)

• Note #1: He passed on his first attempt.
• Note #2: He became the first CCDE in the world!

Not resting on his CCDE accomplishment, he is now studying for the CCIE Service Provider and CCIE Voice labs, while also hosting Austins Network Engineer Users Group.

Several weeks ago we asked for your questions pertaining to Ryan’s CCDE experience – and here are his answers.

Hey Ryan, Great job! What is your background in the IT industry? How much real-world experience do you have and what is your primary job function?

I have been in the IT industry since I graduated with my first Associates degree from a local community college in 1995. My degree was for programming, but I also studied their networking program, which at the time was Novel Netware. I have written a few small programs, but almost immediately went to work for Dell Computers doing server hardware support. During this time I learned a lot about hardware architectures specific to servers and achieved my Novel CNE and Microsoft MCSE (3.51) there. I got my first taste of Cisco networking at my next job. Following around the printer admin was boring, and when the Internet went down, I found myself wandering into the network room to see what was going on. The network folks were huddled around a Unix terminal trying to work on a router, but really didnt understand routing. I knew routing, but didnt know Cisco commands. Together we got it working and they moved me into their group. My first task was the configuration of a Cisco AS5300 for ISDN and analog dialin and dialout (via the remote reverse-telnet software). They gave me 3 days. Having never touched the stuff before and worried for my job I studied non-stop trying to get it to work. It took me a week and I had never learned more! After that I have done various jobs involving teaching, consulting, and network implementation. I have touched a great many of the available technologies from mainframe to 3G. Today I am a Senior Network Architect for Calence/Insight Networking. I do implementations as well as designs. I also mentor our other engineers as needed.

Well done on your accomplishment! My question is, what ratio would you say you require, “experience vs. reading the book list” to pass the practical exam?

The CCDE requires a significant knowledge base to draw from, requiring in a lot of case both book knowledge and experience. There are some things you are just not likely to learn in a book, and no one is likely to have tried everything. The key factor that differentiates the CCDE from other tests is that factual knowledge (no matter the source) is insufficient to pass the exam. Instead you must have the ability to creatively apply that knowledge to a unique situation. Critical thinking is as important as your ability to implement a best-practice design, since the customer (test) is likely to through business requirements into play that will cause you to deviate from a textbook design.

Hello Ryan, First… congratulations on your CCDE. I’d like to know what books you used to study. Also, do you have a recommended list of links from Cisco’s website or any other website(s)?

I read everything from Cisco Press that had the word design in the title and then some. During the initial phases of the beta process Cisco provided us with a draft blueprint and reading list. The reading list looked almost like any book having anything to do with Routing, Switching or service provider technologies that had ever been published. If I had to single out a favorite book it was Advanced IP Network Design. This book is currently out of print, because of its partial obsolescence. The same authors released Optimal Routing Design with a similar format and content streamlined a bit and updated. The thing I liked about these books was the why. I used the first one for my original CCIE back in 2000, and the updated one for the CCDE (written) in 2007. Understanding why you should do something or why something does or doesnt work is at the heart of how a network architect must think. You should be able to predict the behavior of protocols given a set of circumstances and that takes in-depth knowledge of those protocols, but more specifically their behaviors. Dont waste your time studying commands; instead study what kind of options a protocol has and how it does its job.

Hi Ryan, What has been your primary source of preparation to the practical CCDE exam? Thanks.

Since the CCDE was beta and no one had really seen it, options were limited to self-study of the recommended books and my experience. I also attended the sessions at Cisco Live! in both 2007 and 2008. I also closely looked at the blueprints and asked myself what could they possibly ask me about network management in a design context. I read any postings from Russ White on the Cisco Learning Network, and studied the format of the sample test posted in the documents section of the Cisco Learning Network.

Ryan, what was harder, the CCIE lab or the CCDE? If its the lab, what lab was the hardest for you?

Thats easy. I felt the CCDE was much harder. I had this desire to poke myself in the eye by the end of the test. The CCIE Lab has real equipment. Most questions you KNOW that you did it right or wrong almost instantly. I mean the route shows up at the other end or it doesnt, right? The CCDE questions can be open to interpretation. The authors have attempted to limit the possible answers, but since very few people would build a network the same way given the same constraints one must assume there is more than one correct answer. The lack of ability to know when you did something right, compounded by the test almost telling you did the previous question wrong (since some questions may build on previous ones) may be disheartening. If you allow the test to bring down your energy or confidence or you start second guessing yourself, your may not make it. Its shard to ignore bad signs (real or imagined) and continue to answer each question like it is the first one.

Hello Ryan. Thanks for taking time to answer our questions! I[d like to know what certification you will go after next.

Well, I will answer that in past tense. My company is doing a lot more wireless work, which I have had to participate in as well. To that end we were asked to take a look at CCNA Wireless, so I did. But I want to look at CCIE Service provider and/or voice. I had taken the voice written in July 2007, but put preparations for that on hold due to CCDE and a new job.

What do you think the most valuable certification is to have (out of any vendor out there)?

At the moment  CCDE unfortunately, the commercial recognition of the CCDE hasnt gotten to a high enough level to garner the pay and respect that CCIEs get (well outside the Cisco candidates community that is). Some of the most important ones to me, in no particular order are:

CISSP: A measure of how well one understands security concepts, not implementation.
CCIE: Technical competence installing and configuring hardware/software in their chosen track.

The value of a given certification is based on how many there are, how hard they are to get, and what the candidates chosen field is. Obviously CCIE isnt going to mean anything to a Linux system engineers career. VMware is up and coming as a certification and data center virtualization is a hot technology. I see a lot of people jumping into that one, but I dont like the official training class requirement to get it, since I dont have time to attend every training class out there, especially if I already have experience in something.

What is the next certification you’re going to tackle?

I will probably go for a different CCIE. I was going to help my wife by doing the VMware VCP with her, but I cant since I have not time/budget for the class at this time. Instead service provider is looking interesting, since we have a few ISPs as customers, and various local government entities use MPLS and optical technologies.

Ryan, Awesome job!!! Id like to know if people treat you differently. Also, did you know that you passed after you took the lab or did you think you failed?

Yes, I have noticed a bit of difference. Around my office nothing much changed. The announcement of my passing was met with congratulations for everyone, but everything else was business as usual. I guess that is because we have a pretty tight team as it is and we already draw off of each others skills. I have seen a bit more outside recognition which is nice, but different and taking a bit of adjustment on my part. I hope to handle it better than some others (locally) that I have seen in the lime light before, who strike me as arrogant and pretentious.

I didnt think I passed the test the first try. We had a lot of great minds at the test, all of which I hold in high regard. I never could have guessed the outcome. I am extremely proud but humbled at the same time. After the high energy of the test wore off, I certainly felt the doubt that seemingly conflicting questions and answers created.

Ryan, Was the CCDE practical harder than you thought it would be?

Not really. I had every expectation that it would be very difficult. Fortunately the sample questions were a great introduction to the format of the real exam.

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Our March newsletter is now available online. Topics Include:

• “CCIE Stimulus” Pricing for CCIE Lab Classes – ILT Starting at $2,999 and Self-Study End-to-End Programs starting at $999! (Payments Plans Also Available)
• Studying for the New Version 3 Voice or Version 3 Security Lab? We’ve Got Products Available NOW!
• IPexpert Announces CCENT, CCNA, CCNP, CCSP and CCVP Classroom Training Offerings
• Interested in the CCDE? Register for a CCDE Written Boot Camp Today!
• IPexpert’s End-to-End Self-Study Bundle – 3 Volumes of Lab Books w/ Detailed Solution Guides, Audio Lecture, 40+ Hours of VOD & 10 Hours of Video Solutions x 10 Labs – Only $999
• Are You Preparing For The Version 2.0 Voice Blueprint? If So, You Might Be Interested in This….
• Congratulations To…..

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Have you passed your CCDE written exam?  Individuals that have completed the written portion of the CCDE exam can register immediately to take the practical portion of the exam. The next CCDE practical exam is scheduled for Wednesday, February 11, 2009, in Chicago, Illinois, US and London, UK. The cost of the exam is $1,400USD.  Candidates must have passed the CCDE qualification exam prior to registration.

If you’re looking for great “inside info” (of course, without breaking of the NDA) – be sure to participate in the “Ask Ryan” initiative that we’re currently taking questions for!!

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CCDE Social Group

CCIE Wireless Group

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