Reply to: CCIE

Interesting, that's why I asked. Always thought the whole point of the ticket was to prove your worth. To be told to practically ignore it didn't make sense to me. And are you saying there are 39 in the region; how do you know?

It's on Cisco's website - you can verify numbers in each region/country and verify individuals Cert numbers (No pretending).

Forgot this bit: It cost £2k for a one-week CCNA bootcamp five years ago in UK. When I checked with Koenig in India recently about renewing, and including MCSE, it's about £2.5k for seven weeks tuition and exams. And that included the food and accommodation.

Bootcamps can work with multiple choice type exams, with CCIE it can help prepare for the lab experience by brushing off the rough edges. But you simply can't go through a CCIE without having a ton of experience combined with at least 6 months of hard hands on time practicing configuration scenario after scenario.

I'm sure its possible for someone to get it without having loads of experience but I'm also sure that would at least double, if not treble the hands on lab time needed. It is delibaretly designed to be as hard as possible.

It doesn't test on every day stufff but instead on twisted combinations of technologies that you can only pass because you understand exactly, down to an in depth packet level how they work. And no partial marks, it's all or nothing on a section so if you get it 90% correct you score zero.

They'll be listed on the Cisco Gravy Train Webtulipe...

Spod.

Interesting, that's why I asked. Always thought the whole point of the ticket was to prove your worth. To be told to practically ignore it didn't make sense to me. And are you saying there are 39 in the region; how do you know?

Forgot this bit: It cost £2k for a one-week CCNA bootcamp five years ago in UK. When I checked with Koenig in India recently about renewing, and including MCSE, it's about £2.5k for seven weeks tuition and exams. And that included the food and accommodation.

That seems to be the opinion in UAE

What, on all 39 of them?

Thanks for the comments. I was aware that lots of people are getting their tickets in India because it's so cheap but why would certificate numbers above about nine thousand be considered less able? That seems to be the opinion in UAE.

In summary no. If anything the exam is harder now than it used to be. Getting a cheap CCIE ticket isn't really possible, the kit is expensive no matter where you are in the world and there is no such thing as a paper CCIE - 8 hours of hands on labs, utilising very very tricky simulations which require a deep and broad knowledge of not only cisco but the underlying protocols prevents it.

I work with two CCIE's just now - the earliest got his ticket 5 years ago and numbers is in the 5000 range. So in 5 year there have been 9000 new CCIE's - do the maths but it's not unreasonable to expect 2000 new CCIE's globally per year, which doesn't account for the attrition rate of people who don't recert, for whatever reason.

BTW India has 109 - not a lot really.

I'd also suggest you factor in the reseller thing - to be a gold partner you need about 10 CCIE's on your books, to be silver it's 5. then all the major comms companies, and internet companies - it doesn't leave a lot of spare CCIE's floating around.

CCIE

Thanks for the comments. I was aware that lots of people are getting their tickets in India because it's so cheap but why would certificate numbers above about nine thousand be considered less able? That seems to be the opinion in UAE.

Re: Better than lying down

Good boy.

Re: Better than lying down

Careful WS, lest ye become a resident under a pillar at the local lodge!

I'll beg the Great Architect for mercy

*Edited title so as not to offend our wonderful Masonic brothers.

Re: Better than lying down

Careful WS, lest ye become a resident under a pillar at the local lodge!

Re: Better than lying down

Adamc7, Spod doesn't need to worry about certification; he's a pillar of the local lodge.

Wage in 'whisper in case they hear' mode.

Re: Better than lying down

networks or code

What do I do? Whatever it takes!

Spod - In "I am a Contractor after all" mode!

Better than lying down

some poeple have a passion to do a particular job spod. So what if the indians are taking the cert, should we all stop working now and let them take out jobs!!

What do you do anyway,

networks or code?

DP...

...it certainly doesn't prevent me from finding clients, jetting round the world at their expense and earning tuliploads of cash...

Now, remind me, what was your question again?

BTW, there are tuliploads of Indians taking those certs and training, without experience and client testimonials, how're YOU going to compete...

Spod - In "I'm alright Jack" mode!

Re: well said

Does it stop clients asking in interviews questions like "what does tcp/ip stand for?"

well said

Well said snaw

good luck