NEW: Cisco Revising CCIE R&S Certification
New lab requires hands-on troubleshooting; both exams cover MPLS and VPN
Cisco has revised the certification requirements for CCIE R&S and published the new v4.0 standards on the Cisco Learning Network. Exams based on the new requirements are now available and immediately replace the current exams. The Cisco 360 Learning Program has also been updated to support the new requirements.
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Requirements for Certification
There are no formal prerequisites for CCIE certification. Other professional certifications or training courses are not required. Instead, candidates must first pass a written qualification
exam and then the corresponding hands-on lab exam. You are expected to have an in-depth
understanding of the topics in the exam blueprints and strongly encouraged to have three to five years
of job experience before attempting certification. You can review the exam preparation materials
included on this page for more information.
Step One: CCIE Routing and Switching Written Exam
You must pass the two-hour, written qualification exam which covers networking concepts
and some equipment commands before you are eligible
to schedule the lab exam.
Step Two: CCIE Routing and Switching Lab Exam
The eight-hour lab exam tests your ability to configure actual equipment and troubleshoot the network in a timed test situation. You must pass the lab within three years of passing the
written to achieve certification. Your first lab attempt must be made within 18 months.
