My CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure Journey

Cisco certifications are some of the most well respected and hardest certifications in the industry. The Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert, or CCIE, is the pinnacle of the exams. It is one of the most prestigious certifications in the technology industry. As of me writing this blog post, they have the following CCIE certifications:

• CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure
• CCIE Enterprise Wireless
• DevNet Expert
• CCIE Collaboration
• CCIE Data Center
• CCIE Security
• CCIE Service Provider
• CCDE

Each one requires extensive knowledge of each technology. I have decided to get my CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure certification. To do so I must pass the written 350-401 ENCOR: Implementing Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies, which I did in September 2021. The final step is an 8 hour practical exam. The CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure v1.0 Lab Exam is affectionately known as the $1900 lunch because that’s how much the exam costs, and the pass rate for it is so low.

My current plan is to take the 300-410 ENARSI: Implementing Cisco Enterprise Advanced Routing and Services by the end of July 2022. I then will have 2 years to complete the CCIE Practical Exam. During those 2 years I will take additional exams to help prepare me for the Practical. In no particular order:

Each one of the exams cover in detail several of the topics covered in the practical exam. If I don’t actually take the exams, the studying for them should assist in increasing the odds of me passing the practical on the first try. Tall order, but I have set that as my goal. Only time will tell if I actually succeed. Thankfully, cisco has provided a new CCIE Practice Lab that may help everyone attempting to take the CCIE Practical Exam.

I expect this list to grow, but here is a list of books I plan on reading during this journey:

I plan on documenting this journey in more detail as the months roll by. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.